The Mong ethnic group possesses the art of making patterns on clothing, which has been recognised as national intangible cultural heritage. The unique art is passed down from grandmothers and mothers to their daughters. Mong girls start learning flax processing, from spinning to weaving, at the ages of 6 or 7, make patterns on clothing themselves and know about weaving and dyeing techniques at 9 or 10, and are able to complete outfits for them and other family members at 15.

Similarly, in the diverse cultural treasure of the Thai ethnic group, folk art performances of different genres are also passed down through generations. Meritorious Artisan Tong Van Hoa from Cong Noi hamlet, Chieng Coi ward, Son La city said his uncle taught him how to play Dan Nhi (two-stringed fiddle) and Dan Tinh (a three-stringed instrument).

“The more I learned, the more passionate I became, and as a result, Dan Nhi and Dan Tinh have become part of my life for over 60 years. Therefore, I am devoted to passing down this art to my descendants and those who share the same passion, as well as the desire to preserve the beauty of our traditional culture," he said.

Son La is home to 15 national intangible cultural heritages, two People’s Artisans and 34 Meritorious Artisans who play an active role in the preservation of the good cultural values of ethnic groups.

Over the past years, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has given advice to the provincial authorities in implementing a range of solutions to boost cultural and human development.

It has also focused on preserving and promoting the values of folk songs, dances and music of local ethnic minorities in conjunction with tourism development in the 2021-2030 period.

Efforts have also been made to preserve and promote the good traditional cultural values of ethnic minority groups in tandem with tourism development in the 2022-2025 period, and organise training courses on culture and art.

Son La has worked to raise the awareness and responsibility of the community for preserving traditional culture, especially carrying forward the role of families as the cradle for preserving and promoting such traditional values, and educating young generations about the cultural and historical values, their root, and patriotism./.