My first journey into Thèn Pả occurred nearly 15 years ago along a narrow, rugged dirt path that kept my hands trembling on the motorcycle handlebars. With a steep mountainside on one side and deep ravines of corn and cassava fields on the other, it required immense grit to shift gears and press the throttle forward. Today, however, smooth, clean concrete paves the way. Though the road remains somewhat winding, many sharp corners have been smoothed out and straightened.

As arranged, Village Party Cell Secretary Sần Seo Sẻng and Village Head Sần Seo Máng thoughtfully walked out to the entrance of the village to welcome me. My traveling companion, a seasoned backpacker, noted that while he had visited numerous highland villages, he was exceptionally impressed by the black stone roofs and the unique embroidered shoe-making craft preserved here.

Thèn Pả is a small village home to 73 Xạ Phang households that have preserved their traditional lifestyle and cultural values almost fully intact. Few realize that today’s village was not their original settlement. Around 1962, while working on distant hills and fields, households from Huổi Lèng village, located nearly 10 kilometers away, discovered this valley. Recognizing its flat terrain, fertile soil, and abundant water source as ideal conditions for long-term settlement, families gradually relocated here to reclaim the land, erect houses, and shape the Thèn Pả village seen today.

Seo Máng escorted us into a small house right at the village entrance. Even as dusk fell, the homeowner, Sần Cù Hóa, remained diligently seated, embroidering shoes with swift, practiced needle movements. Neat rows of charming fabric shoes in various colors and sizes sat beside her. Ranging from children’s sizes to adults’, each pair featured a distinct, non-replicable pattern.

Sần Cù Hóa explained that these shoes represented days of meticulous labor by herself and her family members. While a simple pattern takes about 10 days to complete, intricate designs can demand up to a month of focused work. Consequently, these embroidered shoes command a premium, with children’s pairs ranging from VND 800,000 to VND 1.2 million, and adult pairs costing between VND 1.5 million and VND 2 million. Exceptionally intricate and exquisite pairs can even reach up to VND 3 million.

As evening approaches, the sight of women gathering by the porch, some intently shaping the fabrics and others meticulously sewing each pattern, has become a familiar rhythm of life. Here, young girls aged 8 to 9 are already guided in the craft by their grandmothers, mothers, and older sisters. More than just labor, this shared space allows the community to naturally and resiliently pass down their unique traditional trade across generations.

Leaving Sần Cù Hóa’s house, we entered the home of Tông Seo Phìn, which boasts one of the most striking structures in the village. The roof is constructed from overlapping slabs of black stone, a material carefully transported by residents all the way from the Đà River area. Though heavy, these stone roofs are incredibly durable, keeping the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making them a defining architectural trait of local Xạ Phang people. Beyond Seo Phìn’s house, numerous homes in the village still retain this traditional stone roofing, including those belonging to Sần Sử Khoán, Sần Quán Sín, and Lò Vần Mìn.

That evening, Seo Phìn’s family warmly invited us to stay for dinner. The simple meal featured tofu prepared according to traditional Xạ Phang methods, paired with a fragrant, potent leaf-fermented wine brewed by the family. Sần Quán Phỏng, Phìn’s wife, mentioned that almost everyone in the village makes their own tofu rather than buying it at the market. The beans are soaked, ground, filtered, and pressed completely by hand, resulting in a soft, fragrant, and richly flavorful dish.

Inside the cozy home, Khò Lù Mẩy, Seo Phìn’s grandmother, expressed her delight at welcoming a visitor all the way from Tủa Chùa. Despite being over 80 years old, she remained remarkably healthy, with a rosy complexion and silver hair neatly tied up.

As night fell and our fireside conversations drew to a close, Seo Phìn and his wife insisted that we sleep in a small room adjacent to the living room. According to Xạ Phang custom, this space is reserved exclusively for honored guests. Phỏng had meticulously prepared the blankets and cushions well in advance. Amidst the serene stillness of the mountains and the rhythmic chirping of insects, we drifted into a peaceful sleep, carrying a rare sense of tranquility unique to this highland village.

At the first light of dawn, the crackle of firewood in the kitchen awakened the entire household. Sần Quán Phỏng had risen early to light the fire and prepare breakfast for the family, carefully packing a few bundles of rice for her and her husband to take to the forest.

Stepping outside to look up at the deep green forests enveloping the village while inhaling the crisp morning air brought a profound appreciation for this rare peace. Secretary Sần Seo Sẻng arrived to take us on a tour around the village. Following the overnight rain, the stone fences running around the traditional black-stone-roofed houses gleamed with damp moss.

Today, the lives of Thèn Pả residents have undergone significant changes. Shifting away from a sole reliance on rice fields and vegetable gardens, the villagers have learned to leverage the advantages of hilly forest terrains and natural food sources to develop livestock husbandry combined with intensive production, step-by-step upgrading their income and quality of life. Many households have risen to affluence, constructing sturdy houses fully equipped with modern amenities, ensuring their children receive a proper education, and even purchasing automobiles for travel. For instance, Si Tề Khoán works as a public servant in a neighboring commune while his wife runs a grocery store at home, securing a stable income.

Nestled among the black stone roofs, the handsome wooden house with a blue metal roof belonging to Sần Seo Cheng stands as another clear testament to this transformation. Having started livestock farming in 2010, Cheng’s family now maintains a herd of nearly 10 horses alongside roughly 10 buffaloes and cows. Through hard work and gradual accumulation, their household economy has grown increasingly stable, allowing them to renovate their home with full amenities. Their three children have all pursued education, with the eldest married and independent, the second studying Chinese in Lào Cai to expand employment opportunities, and the youngest having recently graduated from high school.

We expressed our wish to have Seo Sẻng take us back to visit the home of a village nurse whom I had met during my trip nearly 15 years ago. The residence of Sần Sử Khoán and his wife, Tông Lao Thào, left a deep impression on us due to its immaculate cleanliness. Right from the entrance gate, a massive stack of firewood sat neatly arranged on one side, while a beautiful angel’s trumpet plant bloomed thickly with creamy white flowers on the other.

It is often said that one can discern a homeowner’s character simply by observing their house. The home of Sần Sử Khoán and his wife is not large, but it embodies the traditional characteristics of the Xạ Phang people. The house features a central bay serving as the ancestral altar and the receiving area for guests, bordered on one side by a food storage area where plump sacks of corn and paddy are stacked higher than a person’s head, and on the other by the sleeping quarters divided into small rooms for family members.

The kitchen area features a highly unique design consisting of a high stove and a low stove. While the low stove serves daily cooking needs, the high stove is sturdily built from packed earth, typically reserved for brewing wine, making cakes, or hosting large family gatherings. Khoán brewed a pot of tall-tree tea to welcome us, which stands as a true specialty of this land.

Tông Lao Thào is a resourceful woman who manages her household with extreme care, ensuring every daily utensil is neatly organized in its proper place. In Thèn Pả, time seems to stand still within a slow, leisurely rhythm of life. Those who cherish tranquility and wish to cast aside the hustle and worries of daily life will undoubtedly find immense joy in this place.

Saying goodbye to Thèn Pả brought a wave of nostalgia. Smoke from kitchen fires drifted lazily over the black stone roofs, rooster crows echoed from the far end of the village, and a few children called out to one another on the narrow path. Life here unfolds with simple grace, completely unhurried by the frantic pace of the outside world. Perhaps what truly detains anyone who visits Thèn Pả is the sincere, rustic nature of its people, who always open their doors wide to welcome guests. As we left the village, the winding road led us back to our daily routines, yet the memory of a peaceful Thèn Pả will undoubtedly linger for a long time to come.