The People's Committee of Quảng Ngãi province has entered the folk knowledge of gladiolus growing held by the Kinh community of An Phú commune into the inventory of intangible cultural heritage, Báo Văn Hóa reported on 25 October 2026. The same decision added four more An Phú traditions to the inventory, among them the Bà Ngũ Hành shrine festival, also known as the hoa đăng (lantern) festival.
What the update covers
According to Báo Văn Hóa, this round of additions does two things. It updates the written description of gladiolus-growing knowledge, and it widens the area covered by the inventory while keeping the areas announced earlier. The report does not give the decision's number or signing date, nor does it say which areas were listed in previous rounds.
The newspaper says the listing honours a distinctive body of folk knowledge and also affirms the lasting economic value of An Phú, which it calls the largest gladiolus hub in central Vietnam. The decision was taken at provincial level; the report makes no mention of the national list of intangible cultural heritage.
An Phú in numbers
Key figures on the flower village, compiled by KBVN+ from Báo Văn Hóa:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Households growing flowers of all kinds | More than 200 |
| Total flower-growing area | More than 50 ha |
| Households growing gladioli, the main crop | More than 70 |
| Main selling season | Tết (Lunar New Year) |
| Markets | Quảng Ngãi, other central provinces and the Central Highlands |
| Heritage community | The Kinh people of An Phú commune |
An Phú is regarded as one of Quảng Ngãi's major specialist gladiolus areas for the Tết season. Its flowers are prized for thick stems, full blooms and bright colours, and buyers use them on family altars and to decorate their homes over the holiday. Beyond their cultural value, the flowers give local families a steady income.
Skills handed down
What sets An Phú's know-how apart, Báo Văn Hóa writes, is the habit of sharing between generations. Experienced growers actively pass techniques and tips on to those who follow, so households across the commune have mastered the craft and raised the quality of their flowers. Years of accumulated experience in tending the plants are what built the village's reputation.
Five An Phú traditions in one decision
The five An Phú practices added to the inventory under this decision, as listed by Báo Văn Hóa:
- Gladiolus-growing knowledge
- The Bà Ngũ Hành shrine festival (hoa đăng lantern festival)
- Vegetable-growing knowledge
- Rice-paper (bánh tráng) making
- The craft of preparing don, a Quảng Ngãi dish
Four of the five relate to farming or local food; the fifth is the festival at the Bà Ngũ Hành shrine.
What comes next
For the growers, the next milestone is the Tết flower season, when An Phú sends its gladioli to buyers across the province, in other central provinces and in the Central Highlands. Báo Văn Hóa says the knowledge is being preserved, promoted and passed on effectively in the locality, but the report does not describe any specific conservation programme attached to the listing.