SACRED LANDSCAPES IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS NOVELS: FROM CULTURAL SPIRITUAL SYSTEMS TO CONSERVATION CONFLICTS

Abstract

This study investigates the concept of sacred landscapes in novels set in the Central Highlands, approaching this construct as a “dual sign” that reflects the intersection between the lived physical space and the metaphysical dimensions of traditional beliefs in Yàng and ancestors. Employing discourse analysis, landscape criticism, and an interdisciplinary approach grounded in cultural studies and anthropology, this article analyzes representative works by Vu Hanh, Trung Trung Dinh, Thu Loan, and Dang Ba Canh. The findings indicate that the sacred landscapes are constructed through belief systems, ritual practices, and collective memory; however, this space is currently facing a profound rupture under the impacts of modernization and urbanization. This fragmentation not only yields ecological repercussions but also precipitates a severe crisis in indigenous cultural identity. Consequently, the paper affirms the role of literature as a mechanism for archiving memory and establishing a discourse of resistance, thereby contributing to the preservation of the core humanistic values within the cultural space of the Central Highlands.