Lying peacefully at the foot of the legendary Cu Mong Pass, in Xuan Binh Commune, Song Cau Town, Phu Yen Province, Tuyet Diem Salt Production Village is not only a familiar place name but also a vivid symbol of a traditional profession that has been preserved and developed over centuries. With a history dating back to the 18th century, this salt village has been closely associated with the lives of coastal people and the formation and development of this "yellow flower green grass" land.
Ups and downs of salt village
In Vietnamese folk culture, salt is not only a spice but also has a profound spiritual meaning. According to ancient beliefs, salt is salty, has the ability to ward off evil spirits, ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to the family. The custom of "buying salt at the beginning of the year" is maintained to pray for a year of warm human relationships, family harmony, close-knit husband and wife and children, and favorable business relationships. Moreover, for hardworking and thrifty Vietnamese people, buying salt at the beginning of the year is also a reminder for parents to their children about the virtue of "eating sparingly and fasting", saving money to "buy lime at the end of the year" to build a house.
Tuyet Diem salt making profession in Phu Yen is a vibrant picture of labor in Song Cau town.
According to the flow of history, from the time of King Gia Long, Tuyet Diem salt village was initially known as Hoa Diem. It was not until the reign of King Minh Mang, when people began to exploit salt water from Cu Mong lagoon to serve production, that the name Tuyet Diem was officially born. The name "Tuyet Diem" means "salt as white as snow", not only describing the pure beauty of each grain of salt but also implicitly affirming the superior quality and quintessence of the specialty here.
"Cu Mong salt thirty dong a grain"
Tuyet Diem salt is also known by the old salt farmers by the familiar name Cu Mong salt. This name originates from the fact that the salt village is located right at the foot of Cu Mong pass, and in the past, ships from all over the South to the North when coming here to buy salt would take the direction south of the foot of the pass as a mark to steer the ship into Tuyet Diem. This shows the fame and important position of the salt village in maritime trade at that time.
Salt making is quite hard work, it likes the sun but not the rain. Therefore, people in Tuyet Diem village often have to go to the fields to work on sunny days. At that time, the sea water can quickly be purified and turned into salt.
In the memories of the old salt farmers, during the French colonial period, Tuyet Diem salt was as precious as gold. The colonial government had to build solid warehouses right in the middle of the salt fields, and at the same time set up a strict system of officials from the main contractor, deputy contractor to the foreman, the team leader and the soldiers, taking turns guarding day and night to protect each grain of salt. The extraordinary value of Tuyet Diem salt at that time was described through the folk song of the villagers: "Cu Mong salt costs thirty dong per grain".
A peaceful picture of labor in the sky of Phu Yen
Tuyet Diem salt village owns a large production area of about 120 hectares, located next to National Highway 1A, about 60 km north of Tuy Hoa city center. This favorable geographical location not only makes salt transportation easy but also creates conditions for tourists to visit, experience and immerse themselves in the journey to discover the unique features of Phu Yen land.
Salt making seems to be closely associated with and permeated into the daily life of the people here.
Under the bright sunlight of the Central region, the Tuyet Diem salt fields stretch out like giant mirrors reflecting the deep blue sky, with millions of sparkling salt grains creating a splendid and magical scene. The beauty of the salt village lies not only in the majestic natural scenery but also in the image of the diligent and hard-working salt workers. They diligently rake salt and pile it up, creating beautiful and meaningful images of a real working life, carefully preserving each grain of salt from the ocean.
The special feature that makes Tuyet Diem salt different from other salt regions is the post-harvest processing. While in many places, salt grains from the fields are the final product, Tuyet Diem people continue to refine them to create even more quintessential salt products.
Tuyet Diem salt is not only white as snow but also of very good quality. Many fish sauce makers from near and far come to buy it to mix with anchovies to have the best liters of fish sauce.
Tuyet Diem salt grains are not only as white as snow but also of extremely good quality, with a rich salty taste but not harsh. It is this superior quality that has made Tuyet Diem salt an indispensable ingredient for fish sauce makers near and far, especially for mixing with anchovies to create the best liters of fish sauce. From there, it has contributed to the formation and development of famous traditional fish sauce villages such as Ganh Do, My Quang, and My A.
According to local people, during the French colonial period, salt in Tuyet Diem was as precious as gold.
Tuyet Diem salt production village is not only an economic center but also a unique cultural destination. Visitors coming here can directly learn about the traditional salt making profession, explore the salt culture and enjoy interesting experiences about production activities, the hard but also very simple working life of the people.
Visitors can stroll along small paths between salt fields, feel the hot ground under their feet and breathe in the fresh air carrying the salty smell of the sea. This is also a great opportunity to interact with salt workers, listen to stories about the profession, and take unique "virtual life" photos with the background of the white salt fields.
Realizing this great potential, in November 2024, the People's Committee of Phu Yen province issued a decision on the pilot project to build rural tourism models and develop OCOP products in the new rural construction period 2024-2025. In particular, the community tourism model associated with salt production in Tuyet Diem village is one of the 9 models selected by Phu Yen province for priority development. This opens up a bright future for the salt village, not only helping to preserve traditional crafts but also diversifying livelihoods for people.
Nowadays, Tuyet Diem salt has affirmed its solid position in the domestic market and is even exported to Cambodia to serve the purpose of marinating fish, making fish sauce or processing dried foods. Despite many hardships, with the achievements and values that salt brings, Tuyet Diem people are always proud, work diligently and rarely think of quitting the job. In the village, there are salt workers who have been attached to the profession for more than 50 years, witnessing the ups and downs of salt. Salt here seems to have penetrated deeply into the lifestyle, dreams and become an inseparable part of the souls of the children of Tuyet Diem salt village.
