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On an October morning in Ha Giang ward, Tuyen Quang province (formerly Dong Van town, Ha Giang province), the gentle sunlight poured down like honey on each tiled roof. The sunlight filtered through the early morning mist, covering the golden-walled houses, creating a natural “filter” that made the entire Lo Lo Chai village (Lung Cu commune) seem to light up. Amidst the clear blue sky and the gentle autumn breeze, the yellow color was like the breath of life, simple yet warm, sincere like the people here.
Lo Lo Chai village with rammed earth houses and yin-yang tiled roofs seen from the direction of Lung Cu flagpole
The village lies under the national flagpole
From the center of Ha Giang ward, the road leading to the North Pole winds through the silver-grey cat-ear rocky mountainsides, past harvested corn fields, then opens up a peaceful scene at an altitude of more than 1,400 m - where Lo Lo Chai nestles at the foot of Lung Cu flagpole. The closer you get, the more the yellow color of the earth wall stands out against the blue sky.
It is said that Lo Lo Chai is nearly 800 years old, and is home to about 120 Lo Lo households. Of these, more than half are involved in tourism, while the rest are still attached to corn fields, rice fields, cows, and jars of strong corn wine. The village is small, but everything has its own order - sturdy hand-built stone walls, lush green vegetable gardens behind the houses, and the smell of kitchen smoke every morning mixed with mountain mist creates an unmistakable countryside scent.
Yin-yang tiled roofs, earthen walls and stone fences are typical features of Lo Lo Chai.
On the way to the village, I stopped by Lung Cu Lake View. A small bridge spans Dragon Eye Lake - where the clear water reflects the clouds and sky. Locals say that at the foot of the flagpole there are two symmetrical lakes, resembling a pair of dragon eyes guarding the far North. Looking up from here, the red flag with a yellow star still flutters, like a peaceful greeting sent to people far away.
Slow pace of life in the yellow sunlight
Walking through the village, I felt like I was walking through a vivid painting, where time slowed down between the ancient rammed earth houses. Most of the houses here are made of earth and wood, and are several decades to more than two hundred years old. In the sunny season, the walls are bright yellow; in the rainy season, they are dark, damp, and carry the musty smell of the earth. Under the morning sunlight, the mossy tiled roofs, yellow walls, and hazy kitchen smoke create a golden “filter” like honey - a light that makes the whole space feel warm and strangely familiar.
I saw a few children playing by the stone fence, women wearing colorful brocade skirts passing by, carrying farming tools, and the hard work of the Lo Lo people. A middle-aged man leisurely led a cow to the field, the tinkling sound of an ancient bell echoed in the wind. In another corner of the village, people were still busy with their daily lives: working in the fields, embroidering and sewing, children gathered to play in the yard.
In my eyes, Lo Lo Chai does not have the hustle and bustle of a “glorified” tourist destination, but still retains its original beauty with a simple, slow pace of life. It is a truly living village, not just displayed for tourists to admire.
The villagers came home from work in the fields, still wearing their traditional costumes.
Villagers said that they started community tourism in 2011. Of the 37 ancient houses, 28 are used as homestays. The mud houses are located close together, showing the solidarity of the community, with tiled roofs covered with moss, drying yards full of yellow corn and neatly stacked bundles of firewood.
The homestays still maintain the traditional architecture: brown tiled roofs, wooden pillars, rammed earth floors and spacious communal living spaces. I like how they preserve everything, from the house frame, living items to the sincere hospitality of the mountain people.
A simple grocery store in the village
Homestays renovated from traditional rammed earth houses
The yard is used to dry corn and brocade costumes of the people.
I walked slower, to feel the breath of the village. The sunlight was high, illuminating each yellow earthen wall, where time left its mark in tiny cracks. The sun and wind seemed to stop here, listening to people’s breath, mingling with the scent of kitchen smoke and the smell of dried corn. Perhaps it was this harmony, between nature and people, that created the soul of Lo Lo Chai, making anyone who had been there want to come back, just to be quiet once more.
A cup of coffee, a peaceful moment in Lo Lo Chai
In the middle of the village is the Cuc Bac Coffee Shop, a place that almost everyone who comes to Lo Lo Chai stops by. But few people know that this house is over 200 years old, and was once the home of three generations of the family of Mrs. Mung Thi Guay, the owner of the shop, who is now 86 years old.
I sat in the small yard, looking out at the wooden gate and the peach blossom tree that had lost a few branches. 3 years ago, I had come here during the peach blossom season amidst the freezing cold of the mountainous region in early spring. This time, there were no flowers, but around the yard were nasturtiums, succulents and shady bamboo rows. The wind blew from the flagpole, carrying the scent of dried corn and the voices of children calling to each other outside the alley.
The space of the Cuc Bac Cafe in Lo Lo Chai is larger, but the main house where customers sit and drink coffee has not changed much.
The taste of the coffee in his hand might have changed a little, but the scene and the feeling seemed to be the same. The white dog that was still a puppy back then had now grown into a full-grown guard dog.
In the afternoon, the sun gradually softened, the golden light of the last day covered the earthen walls and tiled roofs, creating a soft, heartbreaking light. I looked up, the flag was still fluttering on Lung Cu flagpole, below was a small village quiet in the sunset. In that moment, I understood why this place was honored, not only because of the beautiful scenery, but also because of the harmony between the people and the land here.
From Lo Lo Chai village, you can see Lung Cu flagpole flying in the sky of the border region.
Leaving Lo Lo Chai, I carried with me not only the image of a beautiful village, but also the feeling of “living slowly” and regenerating energy in the midst of nature. There, I felt small between the earth and sky, saw the invisible connection between people and mountains, between wind and moss-covered tiled roofs. And to realize that peace is sometimes as simple as a morning sitting drinking coffee in the middle of a small village with the yellow color of the border region.
