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Happy New Year Exhibitions of best photos from Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2018 till 31 March 2019 Ao Dai Exhibition 77 Nguyen Hue, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Ao Dai Museum 206/19/30 Long Thuan, Long Phuoc Ward, District 9, Ho Chi Minh City College of Technology and Management Sonadezi No 1 Road 6A, Bien Hoa Industrial Zone, Dong Nai Province
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CONTENT No 1, VOL.9, FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
RITUAL
8 Pig parade at La Phu CRAFTS
12 Back to Huong Canh to find the soul of pottery Faces of Mandarins in Ky Yen Festival
18 CULTURE
Year end party on the mountain PHOTOGRAPHY
20 The land of never a dull moment 22 Beautiful creatures in beautiful gardens RITUAL
26 Village sweeping rite of the Xa Pho people CRAFTS
28 Where silk threads are made WORK
30 A village fed with mussels for over 300 years
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ARCHEOLOGY
32 Hidden treasures from antique derelicts ARCHIVEMENT
36 Prominent Vietnamese cultural heritage events of Vietnam in 2018 NATURE
38 When the moss paints the shores green ARCHIVEMENT
40 Huge evacuation for Hue citadel ENTERTAINMENT
42 Fishermen show 44 DIRECTIONS
Cover photograph: Character of Trinh An by Tan Doi of Mai Minh Khai Troop. Photo by Dinh Cong Tam Published by the Cultural Heritage Association of Vietnam
Publication licence No: 1648/GP-BTTTT from the Ministry of Information and Communications of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the English-language edition of The Gioi Di San (The World of Heritage) magazine Editor-in-Chief: Le Thanh Hai; Public Relations Director: Bui Thi Hang Managing Editor: Kha Tu Anh; Sub-editing: Erik Johnson, Le Hoai Nam ; Assistant: Van Thanh Nga, Nguyen Dang Khoa; Designer: Thanh Mai; Contributing Photographers: Nguyen Ba Han, Hoang Quoc Tuan, Hoang The Nhiem, Huynh Van Nam, Le Hoai Phuong, Nguyen Anh Tuan; Nguyen Ba Ngoc Correspondent: Pip de Rouvray; Advertising and Circulation: Green Viet Advertising JSC Email: tapchidisanvietnam@gmail.com & vnheritagemagazine@gmail.com; Thuy Phuong 0969 47 3579 Hanoi Advertising and Subscription: The He Moi MHN Viet Nam Co.Ltd, Mr Song Hao: 0903 476 999 Contact in the US for subscription and advertising: 2628 Sturla dr. San Jose, CA 95148
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Vietnam Heritage is published monthly, produced in Vietnam and printed at Army Printing House No 2. © All rights reserved.
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Vietnam Heritage
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Boat race at Con Temple Festival on the 20th and 21st of the 1st Lunar month. Nghe An Province, 02/2017 Photo: Nguyen Canh Hung
Photo from Exhibitions of Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2018
RITUAL
The processions of different hamlets are different in style. Some are accompanied by quan ho songs, some with life stories, dance, etc. Each procession has 3 palanquins: one carries godsends, one a tray of steamed sticky rice, and one with the Lord Pig.
PIG PARADE AT LA PHU TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LE BICH
Ha Noi
On the 13th of the first lunar month each year, villagers of La Phu village, Hoai Duc district of Hanoi have a procession to honor the “Pig Lord.” Records say that this is to commemorate the deeds of the Country Defender Tam Lang under the Sixth Hung King Zue.
HCM City
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RITUAL
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The pig is slaughtered and then dressed in a coat of its own fat. At 6pm sharp, the Lord Pigs and other offerings begin parading along village streets and alleys under drum rolls before coming to the temple for the main ceremonies.
n the 13th of the first lunar month each year, villagers of La Phu village, Hoai Duc district of Hanoi have a procession to honor the “Pig Lord.” Records say that this is to commemorate the deeds of the Country Defender Tam Lang under the Sixth Hung King Zue. Legends have it that before every battle, Lord Tam Lang had villagers cook rice and pork to treat his troops, and that’s how
he defeated all his enemies. He has been conferred noble titles by Kings Le Dai Hanh, Tran Thai Tong, Le Thai To and Quang Trung of various dynasties. The glorious warrior was sanctified at midnight between the 13th and 14th of the 1st lunar month. Since then, on the 13th night of the 1st lunar month each year, La Phu villagers parade a pig to commemorate Lord Tam Lang’s death. FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
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RITUAL
The Lord Pigs weigh from 180kg to 240kg.
Early in the morning of the 13th day of the 1st lunar month, the master of ceremony of each hamlet receives a pig and makes a feast for the elders and butchers. Then, the pig is slaughtered and decorated smartly because it will contest for a prize at the end of the ceremony. The butcher has to hold the pig with his arms because no rope is allowed. The red flesh means the cut was unskilled. The skin has to be spotless and perfectly white, which means the pig must be bathed at a certain exact temperature before being shaved and cleaned. After being gutted, the Lord Pig is put on a curved water pipe, which helps make it look alive as if standing stately, and then put on a palanquin about 1.2m high. The length and width of the palanquin depend on the size of the pig. The pig fixed on the palanquin, people begin decorating it with paper flowers and garlands of natural flowers. A crucial element which may decide the contest’s outcome is the “coat” of the Lord Pig, made of its own side fat.
At 18h that day, the “Lord Pigs” of the hamlets stand in queue to parade around the village before entering the village temple. The procession goes around village streets and alleys for hours until 21h when they gather in a neat line at the temple gate. The Lord Pigs ceremoniously enter the temple, announced and guided by the elders. At midnight sharp, the elders begin the consecration rituals which last until 2am the next day. The morning of the 14th, as villagers again gather in the temple courtyard, the elders announce the winning Lord Pig. The Lord Pigs are happily paraded back to the hamlets and divided among the households as a piece of godsend. In these spring days, visitors who attend the Pig Parade at La Phu are sure to be fascinated by the eye- catching Lord Pigs, enjoy folk games, and most importantly be immersed in the unique festive culture of a suburban countryside of Hanoi. n
Lion dance is another part of the festivities
Hoai Duc district is famous for its craft villages such as sculpture village Son Dong, garment village La Phu, farm produce village Zuong Lieu, rice vermicelli village Lower Cao Xa. Leaving Lord Pig festival tourists can visit:
n Quan Gia (Gia Temple), which is shared between villages Yen So and Dac So. It’s a tutelary god’s temple, not dedicated to any particular religion.
n The garment village La Phu, known for its export wool products such as scarves, sweaters, gloves, socks etc.
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Back to Huong Canh to find the soul of pottery
CRAFTS
TEXT BY THUY LIEN
Hanoi
Huong Canh pottery is special because it needs no enamel. The pottery is strong and long lasting due to the natural raw aterial. It is simple, rustic in form, as much as it is in spirit.
Vinh Phuc
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HCM City
ottery village Huong Canh is part of Huong Canh township, Binh Xuyen district, Vinh Phuc province, about 50km to the North of Hanoi. Pottery business appeared in Huong Canh over 300 years ago. Tales have been passed down that Lord Trinh Xuan Bien, sent here by the Le-Trinh court to pacify the folks, seeing the dire conditions the locals lived in, mobilized the people to restore the farming business and taught them pottery in addition. After his death, the people made a temple to worship him as the founder of pottery business. “Jars should be bought from Huong Canh – They make trees greener, they make your love dearer.” That’s how famous and incomparable the simple and rustic produces of Huong Canh were Nature favored the land of Huong Canh with the blue clay, thickly “fleshy” and with a strong fabric. This clay makes the pottery very durable, naturally glossy, which produces a uniquely pure clang when struck. Also, the fleshiness of the clay and the after-kiln glossiness makes the pottery waterproof and light proof. The pots don’t let out the smell of what is inside either. So the product is in such a high demand despite the rustic look and simplistic design. To have high quality product, Huong Canh pottery workers follow strictly the technical procedures. The main material which is clay, after extracted from the ground, is left to crumble for 5-6 months, and then it is repeatedly purified. The products are formed on a turntable at first, and then smoothened, carved and sculptured, and finally baked in a kiln.
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CRAFTS
The history of Huong Canh pottery trade is a reflection of that of the nation. During the 1950-1970 Huong Canh pottery production was collective and manual. Products were quickly sold off the shelves, often out of stock. During the subsequent 20-30 years, however, the production was disrupted for many reasons, subjective and objective. In recent years when the demand for quality traditional pottery products returned, pottery production was restored in many households of Huong Canh. As the owner of the Thanh Nhan kiln relates, his family has been in this trade for 4 generations. His father Mr Thanh and his mother Mrs. Nhan were known by many people. At this village, 70% of the households can make pottery. As the market economy booms the restoration of pottery business gave them a means to earn a living. Having done it for a long time, one certainly grows a passion for it, and the pottery trade becomes part of one’s being. Plaster plates to print decorative patterns on the pottery
Huong Canh pottery, following the f low of the market, has been present at many craft trade fairs inside the province and beyond, small and big. Thanh Nhan pottery in particular has gained the trust of its customers and now represents the province of Vinh Phuc at domestic and international fairs of craftsmanship. Many household businesses have also started doing marketing and sale online. Also, the kilns have also been improved to use gas instead of wood and charcoal, making the trade much safer and more environment friendly. FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
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CRAFTS Today, Huong Canh diversified pottery includes from household utensils such as pots, jars, vases, flower pots and decorative items etc. to ceramic construction materials such as bricks, floor and roof tiles etc. Huong Canh pottery today is a combination of traditional and modern technologies and styles, incorporating many colors, decorative patterns and designs. While Huong Canh household use and construction ceramics are mostly consumed domestically, the fine articles made in Huong Canh are known widely in the world. Remarkably, Huong Canh is among the very few craft villages of Vietnam to have its products on exhibition and sale at the 10,000 craft village fair of the US. Having been significantly restored, Huong Canh pottery production is still very piecemeal. To truly flourish, Huong Canh artisans and their households still have much to do. They also need a lot of investment and support from outside in order to regain the fame and glory of the village’s 300 years of history. n
METROPOLE HANOI WELCOMES THE LUNAR NEW YEAR WITH A TRAM-THEMED TET BAZAAR
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his Lunar New Year, Vietnam’s most storied hotel captures the spirit of old Hanoi with a specially-constructed model tram and a bustling Tet market featuring dozens of stalls selling traditional holiday foods, designer clothing and local handicrafts. The six-day Tet bazaar at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi will be free and open to the public from 11am to 8pm from Jan. 26 to 31. The first stop on the Metropole’s Tet market journey is the “jingle tram", located outside L’Epicerie du Metropole, and modelled after one of Hanoi’s iconic trams
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from the early 19th century. For the first time, visitors can stroll through the wings of the hotel, each of which will be decorated as a different tram stop representing old Hanoi, including “Hanoi Old Quarter”, “Dong Xuan Market” and “Long Bien Bridge.” More than 15 vendors will take part in this year’s bazaar including Valenciani, Le Thanh Hoa, SHE, Bonpoint, Liti Florist, Nature Queen, Viet Culture, Vivy handicraft, Three tree Jewellry, Huong Jewellry, CBrewmaster, Fargreen, Orfarm, Truong Hao food, Dai Nam Thai Y Vien and Da Loc. Once again, the Metrpole will be
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sharing the observances of the Vietnamese new year with a wide range of Tet activities for the whole family. Here’s what will be happening at the hotel this Lunar New Year: n 11.15am to 11.30am on Jan. 26: chung cake workshop with artist Nguyen Duc Toan from Thanh Oai Province n 11.30am to 1 pm on Jan. 26 : Tet flower arrangement workshop with Liti Florist n 1pm to 4 pm on Jan. 27: Tet painting workshop with renowned Hanoi artist Van Duong Thanh “We’re looking forward to welcoming guests to our special tram-themed Tet bazaar this year,” said Mr. William J. Haandrikman, General Manager of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. “Our annual Lunar New Year market is a great place to stock up on gifts and traditional foods before the big day, or to just have a browse and soak up the festive atmosphere.” Tet is the most important holiday in the Vietnamese calendar, marking the arrival of spring and new beginnings. During the seven-day celebration, locals practiceman array of customs including cooking traditional foods, cleaning out their homes, donning new clothes, visiting relatives, and giving li xi or lucky money to children. For additional pricing and more information, please contact Tel: +84 24 3826 6919 Email: h1555-fb3@sofitel.com
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FACES OF
Character of Nhu Nam Zuong by Thai Phuong of Tam Giang Troop
MANDARINS
IN KY YEN FESTIVAL TEXT BY KHANH LE ; PHOTOS BY DINH CONG TAM PHOTO SERIES WERE EXHIBITED AT THE VIETNAM HERITAGE PHOTO AWARDS 2018
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Character of Trinh An by Tan Doi of Mai Minh Khai Troop VIETNAM HERITAGE
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RITUAL
Ky Yen Festival will soon take place at the temples of the Southern villages early in the coming Year of the Pig. At Phu Nhuan Temple - a National Relic of Art and Architecture - no. 18 Mai Van Ngoc Street, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, Ky Yen Festival will take place from the 16th to 18th of the 1st lunar month (Feb 20-22, 2019) At Thang Tam Temple - a National Historical and Cultural Relic - no 77 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Thang Tam Ward, Vung Tau City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, Ky Yen Festival will take place from 17th to 19th of the 2nd Lunar month (Mar 22-24, 2019). At Binh Thuy Temple - a National Cultural Relic - in Binh Thuy Ward, Binh Thuy District of Can Tho City, Ky Yen Festival will take place from the 12th to 14th of the 4th lunar month (May 16-18, 2019)
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Character of Luong Dien by Huynh Ngoc Long of Hong Nhung Troop
he Centuries-old Ky Yen Festival, a national intangible cultural heritage, is one of the most important folk religious ceremonies at Southern village temples. It usually takes place in the early months of a lunar year. The book “Gia Dinh City Records”, published during the 1802 – 1820 years, described Ky Yen Festival thus: “Each village (in the South) has a temple. Only God-favored days should be chosen for village events”. On such a day, old and young must gather at the temple in the evening and stay there overnight. This is called the audience. On the second day, scholars in ceremonial dresses beat drums and gongs and conduct the main rituals. On the third day, the closing ceremony, called “Great Unification”, is conducted. Ky Yen Festival in Southern villages usually lasts for three days. It includes a dozen rituals: Inviting Ancestors, Inviting the Deities, Receiving the Deities and Praying for Peace, Life Offering (sacrificing a live pig), Audience (village elders presenting themselves to the deities), Life Cycle (presenting the creation and development of the universe), Main Rite, Worship the Village Founders, and Seeing the Deities Off.
Character of Quan Van Truong by Thanh Hung of Thai Binh Troop
Among these rituals, the Life Cycle is the most attractive to locals and visitors alike because it is an opera presentation offered to the Gods. The art of opera appeared in Vietnam over a millennium ago. It is a precious gem among the performance arts of the country. The opera programs devoted to the deities at village temples are always both solemn and jubilant. Young and old, ladies and men, locals and tourists, everybody is excited at the opera show. A special feature of opera is that the performer’s face is meticulously painted according to strict conventional rules. Pale faces belong tos foxy sycophants and ghosts. Extraordinarily strong or lustful people have red faces... Among the opera’s conventional faces, those of mandarins are the most intricately painted and distinguished. There are two typical kinds of mandarins;: the scholarly civil ones and the military ones. Military faces are normally blazing red, with slanting eye brows and eyes, expressing strength, loyalty and staunchness... Civil mandarins on the other hand usually have pink faces, where the eyes, eye brows and mouth etc. are quite well proportioned. These features show a mild and considerate character, in contrast to the ruthlessness and bluntness of the warlords. n FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
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CULTURE
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hen the pale peach flowers blossom on the slope beneath Bay waterfall, as the cocks start cooing to announce a new day while the stilted houses are still only blurred dark silhouettes, the people of Liem Phu – Van Ban, Lao Cai Province get up to prepare the New Year’s Eve feast. They are bustling about making “heaven and earth” sticky rice cakes, decorating the house joyously in hope that the coming year will bring good weather, good crops peace and happiness. At Ms. Luong Thi Hoa’s, it is much more hectic and boisterous than usual, because a group of tourists who have come to enjoy Tay ethnic New Year food and culture is having a good time. The family has been bustling about since the previous afternoon, catching fish in the creek, getting the vegetables, bamboo and canna leaves in the forest and preparing the food etc. The local breed of black pig that the family raised the whole year is slaughtered. Ms. Hoa gives calm and clear commands without rush. Receiving
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guests has recently become her family business. She was taught by her mother since childhood to make the delicious food items of the Tay people. Growing up by the Nhu creek, becoming a young wife and then a mother, Ms. Hoa loves cooking and everything related to it. She chose to open a restaurant at home to receive visitors who come to enjoy the beautiful nature and Tay culture at the land of Liem Phu. It is that love that brought her great joy making special meals that won her the second prize in the food fair contest of the Northwest region two years ago. Nimbly cleaning creek fish, seasoning them and fixing them in a bamboo clip to grill and make the famous “pa pinh top” dish, Ms. Hoa said, “This is an ace at Liem Phu. Nhu Creek has so much fish that we don’t catch them. We scoop them. Tay people of Liem Phu make many seafood dishes such as mooc ca, pa pinh top, fish in a bamboo, sour fish soup with bamboo shoots etc. Not having tasted the mooc ca means not
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knowing Liem Phu. So, beside eco-touring the forest, learning stilted house culture and joining the Nom song and dance, tourists can also go to the Nhu Creek to scoop some fish and come back and prepare some traditional Tay dishes by themselves.” On the courtyard near the terrace, Ms. Nguyen Thi Toong, Ms. Hoa’s mother carefully wipes clean canna leaves, one by one, to make black sticky rice cake, a Tay ethnic specialty. Almost 70 years old, Ms. Toong is still sound and fit enough to join
Year end party
CULTURE
on the mountain
Lao Cai
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LÊ THANH CườNG
her descendants in preparing the New Year’s Eve feast and making New Year black sticky rice cakes. She is especially cheerful because so many guests come to her house on this day. It means that many people have heard about and want to explore Tay food and culture. Having finished with cleaning the leaves, Ms. Toong begins wrapping the black sticky rice cakes, also called humpback cakes. She relates cheerfully, the terrace field sticky rice, home grown pork, canna leaves and nuc nac trees taken from the forest are all natural, clean and safe to eat. The cakes are black because the sticky rice is steeped in nuc nac ash before to acquire a very special flavor. Further baked in smoldering rice husk coal, the cake is unforgettable once eaten. Every year, when the flow of tourists stops on the New Year’s Eve, the family slaughters a pig for consecration at the ancestral altar following the custom. Inheriting from her mother the love for the household fire, Ms. Hoa has never been
absent from the kitchen, making New Year special dishes. She cuts the meat into different lots for different purposes: smoked sausage meat, meat to smoke and meat to grill. A Tay New Year won’t do without the traditional rice soup with bones, and she will make it too. Now as the grilled fish is done, without pausing her narration, Ms. Hoa immediately takes on stir frying papaya leaves with vine aubergines and vinegarish fermented rice, a Tay version of vinaigrette. A Tay New Year special food tray, beside the black sticky rice cake, includes colored steamed sticky rice wrapped in canna leaves, dried meats, sausages, smoked pork stir fried with colza, salads with various forest vegetables etc. These food items stand ready in every household to treat visitors from the clan and around the village. Ms. Hoa’s charisma, which can be felt even in the food she makes, seems to be also her karma that binds her with the native land. For her great ability to make wonderful
Tay traditional food, especially after she won culinary prizes, many hotel and restaurant representatives have come to invite her to work for them for a salary anyone else would dream to have. But Ms. Hoa refused because she chose to stay home, preserving her traditional culture, creating jobs for her villagers and consuming the clean produces of her native land. The simple affections to her native land of the loving woman has helped her country people earn extra money from food serviced at her house. Every day she gets at least one or two orders. Sometimes she has to serve up to 20 parties in one day. Guests come mostly from faraway places, having heard of her cooking by word of mouth. Then they fall in love with the food she makes and come back over and over again. Thus, Ms. Hoa was motivated to do a lot of research. On one hand, she asks her mother and other village elders about the way food used to be made in the deep past. On the other hand, she spent sleepless nights to invent new recipes that preserve the original tastes and flavors of Tay food. On the floor above the ground, as the hosts finish their New Year’s Eve prayers, we join their family’s first toast of the spring, wishing one another the best things in the coming year. Somewhere nearby, a beautiful voice sings the song “My beloved Van Ban” that the village women are rehearsing for the Down to the Fields festival. n
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PHOTOGRAPHY
The land of never
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very year, this magazine's Photo Award Competition attracts a huge number of entries. Also every year, a small booklet of the winning entries is published for a limited readership-the entrants,the organisers, sponsors and the press. For the 2017 edition, however, a full-blown large photo album for the wider public is now available.The book is published with the support of the International Co-operation Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.That year there were 3479 entries. Only 66 photographers and 100 works taken by them are featured in this book. You really are looking at the creme de la creme in this stunning collection which celebrates the enormous diversity of Vietnamese culture. I shall now describe my own favourites for the five topics covered by the competition.
NATURE
This has to be one of the biggest draws for visitors to the country. Sadly a lot of the wildlife has been shot out or even eaten out. Nevertheless someone managed to get a good shot of red
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shanked douc langur monkeys and it must have taken great patience to capture the spectacle of cranes doing a mating dance in mid-air and a citrine breasted finch like mother bird seated on a branch feeding her three gaping offspring. Otherwise it is the landscapes which anyone who has visited Vietnam loves-lotus field, streams teeming with fish, mountain passes, caves and caverns, rivers meandering through swamps, smoky thundering waterfalls, fisher folk out with their nets and even that rare eventsnow in Sapa. A picture of a group of elephants splashing through water got the first prize.
INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
On to festivals and traditional performances. We are treated to a colorful dragon boat race,bull racing in the Mekong Delta,the crowds at a whale worshiping ceremony,a traditional Tuong theatrical scene, blindfolded duck catching in a corralled watery arena, a family enjoying a Tet meal in their back yard and a minority village at a tree planting festival with their thatched long houses as background.
PHOTOGRAPHY
a dull moment
Photos from the Book “Vietnam My Homeland” - An album of Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2017 best works
TANGIBLE HERITAGE
The cultural relics of the ancient cities of Hue and Hoi An as well as Hanoi's venerable and rusting Long Bien Bridge are given due attention as well as the traditional wooden architecture of the mountain ethnicities. Surprisingly though, no photograph of the country's myriad temples and churches gained the approval of the judges that year.
LIFE
'All human life is here' and 'If you are tired of Vietnam, you are tired of life’ are apt adages here. People are pictured mainly at work. They practise age old trades using traditional methods. There are people building a brick kiln, steaming squid and casting a bronze bell, and H'Mong women weaving ornate cloth. Of course, agriculture and fishing also feature prominently with the casting and preparing of nets, silk drying and coffee bean harvesting, collecting rice seedlings for transplanting and women taking care of flower fields. They all go to show how hard working the Vietnamese people are and the hard lives many of them have.
BOOK REVIEW BY RITCH PICKENS
MARKETS
Those coming from industralised countries where everything comes packaged in supermarkets are fascinated by the vibrancy and bustle of Vietnamese markets. Here they are in all their variety. There is a double spread of a cattle market, cooks and diners at an open air food stall market, night markets, one of which is named as the' Ghost Market', markets selling the wares of minority folks and a specialist bamboo and rattan handicraft market. Napoleon who called England a nation of shopkeepers might have dubbed Vietnam a nation of market stall keepers. If you ever wanted to explain the best of Vietnam to one who has never set foot here, this photo album would do it better than words. It is a fascinating summary of all you may have experienced and all the more you have yet to see in this land. n You can subscribe ‘Vietnam My Homeland’: Mobile: +84 90303 0808 or email to vnheritagemagazine@gmail.com
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Beautiful creatures in beautiful gardens
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BY RITCH PICKENS. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY PHOTOGRAPHER HTT, DIRECTOR OF THE BOOK PROJECT.
f you are feeling down in the dumps, my best recommendation to brighten up your spirits is take a child to the zoo. There can be no doubt about the popularity of the Saigon Zoo as a place of retreat, relaxation, entertainment and education. I recently did a straw poll among my English class of thirty to forty-year old vocational college teachers. It revealed ninety per cent had been to the zoo, fifty per cent had taken their children there and ten per cent had childhood memories of a visit
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there. The Saigon Zoo, started by the French in 1865, is one of the oldest in the world and there is now a book with spectacular photographs to remember it by. The bulk of the book is taken up by the animals. Herbivores come first. Along with the show stealers such as elephants, hippos, giraffes, a rhino, a Bactrian camel and zebras which are shown not only to have black and white but also brown stripes, there are deer locking horns, a kangaroo staring at the camera and an otter up to its
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mischievous tricks. There are even humorous pictures; a child sitting in the wide jawed mouth of a hippo and real ducks swimming up to swan shaped paddle pleasure boats. On to the carnivores and they have, of course, had a field day with the cats. There are snarling tigers with the bright beauty of the white ones and close-ups of lion jaws with long manes flowing. There is a crouching leopard and you can almost hear the whooping of the hyena. The primates
BOOKS
are given due justice too. Gibbons swing in the trees. There is a yawning orangutan, beautifully bearded and coiffured monkeys and a very pensive looking chimpanzee. As for the reptiles, the much maligned snakes get to show the exquisite beauty if their skins and the colourful geckos, monitor lizards and majestic iguanas all could gift the photographers with prizes. The only section which disappointed me a little was the gardens. A few gnarled tree trunks and panoramas of the verdure of lawns is simply not enough. Having often enjoyed many a ramble in this garden of Eden, I would appeal for more in any future edition. Let justice be done for example to the blooms in the orchid garden. Lastly, there are snaps of the museum
which opened only in late 2018. There are plenty of close ups of stuffed fierce animals,the imposing skeletons of some of the larger animals, pinned butterfly collections and dry pressed plant parts. This is the first news I have had of this latest addition and whets the appetite for a visit. The minimal text is Vietnamese and English. Only the introductions to sections are bi-lingual; information about the individual flora and fauna is given in Vietnamese only. The English, while fully intelligible, could have done with the ha'pence worth of tar it would have cost to have a native speaker edit it. There are mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and word choice. This is a compact paperback with a glossy cover. One gets the feeling it
was originally conceived to be a hardback coffee table book. In this form it is of course very reasonably priced and available to a wider public. This, then, is a tome that will easily fit in your hand carry-no risk of being charged extra baggage. As well as a great souvenir of one of Saigon's grandest institutions, it is a celebration of the creatures we share our planet with and along with the painstaking care to show them at their finest taken by the photographers. There may be a subtle hint of the care we all need to take to conserve them. The book is directed by photographer Hoang Trung Thuy, made incollaboration with his team of young Vietnamese photographers.
Thao Cam Vien - Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Published by Vietnam News Agency Publishing House. Price 120,000 VND. Available at the Zoo, 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City and Phuong Nam Book Shops. FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
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VILLAGE SWEEPING RITE OF THE XA PHO PEOPLE
he Village Sweeping Rite of the Xa Pho people is a folkish religious activity that takes place in the 2nd lunar month to drive away bad luck, diseases and evil spirits and to welcome good fortune. Recently, we had a chance to witness the ceremony village sweeping rite of Xa Pho people at Nam Sang village, Nam Sai commune of Sa Pa district. Two weeks before the ritual day, heads of households are invited to a meeting chaired by the village shaman, to discuss the contribution amount for buying offerings and to select the ghost chaser team. This is a team of five, which includes the shaman and four men with smeared faces: one carries a flat basket of offerings, one bullets, one a sword, and one a broom to sweep the village and to drive the ghosts away. The offerings include pig, dog and chicken meats
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BY KIEU LE - NGOC THANH
(three lives) offered to the ghosts so they wouldwill go away from the village and take the diseases and bad luck with them. Shaman Vang Ghi Nho relates that, on the day of the ritual, his four disciples (those who learn to become shamans) gather at his house to prepare for the rite. They make a wooden gun, a sword, a bow, arrows and bullets, and collect grass to feed the shaman’s horse, which will lead the ghost chasing team through the village from one end to another. They go from one household to another, starting from the shaman’s house and then down to every other. without missing any house. At every house, the shaman takes a seat at the ancestral altar and reads the incantations to order the ghosts to go away together with the diseases and bad luck. Then he strikes a black-purple cymbidium leaf on the walls around the
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house, down to the kitchen and the back door. A ghost chaser plants a “no entry” sign while the shaman spews water to chase away the ghosts, and closes the back door and attaches sharp leaves to it to prevent the bad ghosts fromto entering thatis way. The shaman’s followers make fierce faces, throwing bullets around, and striking the wooden sword on the pillars and making scary sounds to scare the ghosts out of the house. They push all the ghosts to the creek by the road leading into the village, and out of the village. Having driven the ghosts out of all houses and away from the village, the shaman initiates a consecration ritual at the village gate. The main road leading into the village is always built by a creek because the Xa pho people believe that the water will cleanse away impurities. The gate is built with two big
RITUAL
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bamboos poles planted on two sides of the road and one bamboo attached to them horizontally at the top. The shaman hangs a bamboo screen on the left pole facing inward the village, meaning to announce that a sacred event is going on and exitingit is forbidden for three days. Offerings are arranged on banana leaves at the village gate to be sacrificed to the ghosts. These include 12 chickens, 12 bowls, 12 pairs of chopsticks, dog jaw bones and pig jaw bones. The sword and gun are planted pointing outward, meaning to prevent the bad ghosts from entering the village. The shaman burns 12 bunches of incense, fixes them on the chickens and reads an oration of incantations to chase away the ghosts of the streams and forests, the diseases and
etc.
bad luck, and to pray for peace, health and growth for the village, its people, and the animals and crops they grow,
As the ritual finishes, the food including cooked rice, dog meat, pork and chicken is spread on banana leaves for the villagers to feast. This is an occasion for the village fellow affections to bond. The shaman’s tray is the first one, near the consecration altar at the gate. Following are trays of villagers which form a long, straight line. The shaman’s tray has only pork and chicken. Other trays have also dog meat. beside pork and chicken. As they sit down to eat, the shaman checks a chicken foot to tell the fortune, to predict if business in the following year will be better than last year. A Red bone is a good sign, black is a bad omen. The attendees must eat all the food within
the day. They must not take the left overs home because the ghosts would follow them and harm the people, animals and plants belonging to the household. After everybody has left, the shaman uses bamboo branches to pin dog tails and ears on the ground to guard against ghosts. and not to let the ghosts in. He then makes a fire and steps over it to go home. For three days, from that day villagers don’t let others come into their house. After that, everything is back to normal. Today, the Xa Pho people still preserve their village sweeping rite as a feature of their traditions and culture that reflects community unity, and mutual affection and support. In modern times, this also helps educate young generations and give them awareness and responsibility toward their own cultural identity. n
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CRAFTS
Where silk threads are made
A silkworm factory at Co Chat village
TEXT BY DANG KHOA ; PHOTOS BY NGUYEN TUAN ANH
“O the girl in the green waistband Would you come with me to Nam Dinh, To the Che wharf with the boats Of Ngo Khach and the silk reels spinning.”
Co Chat village pagoda. Nam Dinh Province
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ilkworm cocoon cultivation at Co Chat Village, Phuong Dinh Commune, Truc Ninh District of Nam Dinh Province has long been praised in folk songs for the fame of its silk threads. From Nam Dinh City, visitors can follow National Highway 21 or go by boat 20km down the Red River South-Eastward to come to the silk trade village of Co Chat. Having survived for centuries with the silk trade, Co Chat is famous far and wide. Each household here is a silk business. Co Chat people are elegant and graceful in style, industrious with their cocoon incubators. The cocoon trade in its early days was quite simple. The silk thread was used to make fishing nets. Later, Co Chat people imported the silk industry, and in the following centuries turned Co Chat into a silk trade village. Today, coming to Co Chat, visitors are speechless at seeing bundles of golden and silvery silk threads hung to dry all around, in the courtyards and on bamboo fences. In threading workshop, women are bustling in thick vapor coming from large pots boiling the cocoons.The silkworm cocoons are stirred, boiled and taken to the unraveling tables. There the thread is unwound, and goes through a little hole and onto a fast spinning reel. Bundles of golden and silvery silk thread coming out from here will be woven to make pretty dresses for ladies. Both golden and silvery silk threads are made here. The cocoons are bought from neighboring areas or as far as Ha Nam, Thai Binh or Thanh Hoa. After 20-25 days, the cocoons mature and can be unraveled. The silk threads, when dried, are bought on the spot by traders, moved to the silk weaving workshops, or exported to Laos, Thailand or Cambodia. The delicious and nutritious, pupa, undressed as the silk thread is taken, is an additional source of income for the village. The Co Chat elders say that the silk thread trade has been here for a long time. The textile industry was founded during the Tran Dynasty, mostly concentrated in Cu Tru Village. The nearly 100ha Ninh Co alluvial fields are best suited for growing mulberry for leaves that are food for the silkworm. Co Chat makes silk threads for Cu Tru to make the fabric, and it doesn’t get more convenient.. The silk of this region has earned its fame for centuries. So much so that Uncle Ho sent them a silk garment as a present. In peace and war, in happy and sorrowful times, the loom shuttles have never stopped. Mulberry fields, baskets of cocoons and looms have become defining elements of life and culture of this land. Textile products made here are not only consumed domestically, but are also a spearhead of export. Under the French rule, Co Chat silk threads were so well known that in the early 20th century, the French capitalists invested in a cocoon incubating factory right in the village to exploit the skills of local workers and the natural mulberry fields along Ninh River. Since then, the Co Chat silk thread trade has boomed. Traders came to buy big lots of silk here to sell at the Che wharf, a bustling
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Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nghi at work. Co Chat silkworm village
river port of Nam Dinh before 1945. In 1942, the Grand Palais de l'Exposition was opened in Hanoi to attract the best of trade villages of the country to Hanoi. That year, Mr. Pham Ruan of Co Chat took the village silk thread to the fair and won a high prize awarded by the then Governor of the North. The trade flourished the most after the French performed the first campaign of colonial exploitation (1897 – 1914). Truc Ninh and Co Chat in particular became part of a belt zone supplying materials for the Northern textile company. Today, the village still has about 500 households doing the trade, each with two cocoon boiling stoves in average. The thread is thin, soft but strong and has noble gloss. The elder villagers still make it manually by habit and out of love for the native land’s traditions. But the younger generation boldly invests in machines and big workshops to increase productivity. From the cradle of only two villages, Co Chat and Nhu Nuong, today the industry has spread to all 25 villages of the commune, comprising over 800 looms, 50 spinning machines, and 180 cocoon ovens, creating stable jobs for over 1500 workers with an average income of 1.2-1.5 million VND per person. The commune has in total 11 silk businesses, including two private ones, three joint stock collectives, and six consortiums. The bigger businesses that invested
in hundreds of looms and attracted 100-300 workers include Garment Joint Stock Collective Trung An and Textile Consortium Tien Phuong. The main products of Phuong Dinh textile include napkins of different sorts, towels, table cloths, brocades, medical bandages and compresses for domestic consumption and export. It takes 30 days from the time the silkworm begins eating mulberry leaves to secrete silk until the cocoon is mature. Boiled and unraveled thread, dried and spun into whorls, is a product that sells well. Through the ups and down of history, Co Chat silk thread is still considered an ace produce of Nam Dinh and the trade is still alive, developing and bringing wellness to the people. The preservation and development of the silk trade in Co Chat not only brings stable income to many village households, but also is a fortunate sign that a precious traditional trade of the land is not about to sink into oblivion. Silk trade village Co Chat continues to contribute material to make ladies’ glamorous dresses. Visitors can see how cocoons are cultivated, how silk threads are extracted and how silk is made on simple rustic looms. They will definitely take away some irresistible souvenirs as mementos of a memorable trip to Nam Dinh. n FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
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A VILLAGE FED WITH MUSSELS FOR OVER 300 YEARS BY NGA DAN ; PHOTOS BY NGUYEN CANH HUNG
or over 300 years, Ben Hen (Musle Landing) Village, Truong Son Commune, Duc Tho District of Ha Tinh Province quietly made a living by catching mussels in the idyllic river La. And for ages, this mollusk has been processed to make various delicacies typical of the Duc Tho district, and of Ha Tinh in general. The high demand for mussels prompted the locals to come up with the unique profession of raking mussels that has fed hundreds of village households and even sponsored the education of the village kids.
The village where folks walk backward We came to Ben Hen late in the afternoon. The river teemed with women cleaning mussles. On the bank, elder Le Duc Tai sat by his hot tea pot, his eyes keenly following every batch of mussels sieved from the river. Mr. Tai told us that this year he is 85, 30 •
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and he has spent over 50 years wading in the river La just for the mussels. The work was his way to earn a living all his life, and he was one of the champion mussel rakers of the village. “It helped me raise my kids, give them an education and do many other things. Now that my feeble back doesn’t let me do it any more, I come out here to enjoy watching it and think of the good old days,” Mr. Tai said thoughtfully. The village elders say nobody knows when people here first started doing this. All they know is their forefathers passed it down to them, and they to their descendants as a family “business.” A story went around that over 300 years ago, a widowed man brought up his son alone, and gave him an education. The child grew up, passed the royal exams and was about to start an office. On his homecoming voyage to his native land to receive homage, he was caught in a storm and fell into the river La.
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Villagers searched the whole river but couldn’t find his body. They only found tiny mussels.These mussels, when cooked in soup or porridge, turned out to be very sweet. The villagers started to sell the mussels. They traded the excess with other villages for other necessities such as meat and vegetables. Gradually, they taught each other how to rake the mussels, and it became Ben Hen Village’s main source of income. “The 20th of the 3rd lunar month every year, the village conducts a consecration ritual for its tutelary god. The villagers make all kinds of dishes from mussels to offer to the deities. This is the day Ben Hen villagers commemorate the founder of the trade,” Mr. Tai said. Currently, about 150 households in Ben Hen have this difficult profession. Their faces are turned down to the mud and their backs are exposed to the sun during the day. It’s called “backward walking” because people used to walk backward pulling a rake with a
WORK 1-1.5m long handle connected to a rectangular bucket. They walked and shook rhythmically to sieve for the mussels. Nowadays, they use motor boats to pull the rakes. Just a few rounds can yield tens of kilograms of mussels. Mussels can be caught all year round, but the summer months are the peak season, when tens of large ovens boil mussels all day, spreading thick curls of vapor and the typical rusty mussel smell. Mr. Tai spoke softly, “Mussel raking is hard. Your back is exposed to the blazing sun in summer, and in winter, you are steeped in biting cold water before the cocks wake up. Grind your teeth, or stay hungry. Simple, huh?”
Seven digits a day Breathing heavily, Mr. Tran Ngoc Quang wrestledwith a huge bag of mud, rubbish and mussels, the results of the last round of raking. He moved it back and forth in the water to remove the dirt and said, “Walking around a small section of river La used to be enough for me to earn a few quintals of mussels a day. But nowadays, resources are exhausted, and villagers have to rake for kilometers up Ngan Sau and Ngan Pho rivers or back down to Ben Thuy bridge in Vinh City to get some mussels to bring home.” Pointing down to the river he continued, “Look, how can the mussels reproduce enough if every day tens of raking machines are plowing this tiny river section? It’s the beginning of the high season and one gets just a few quintals for a whole day raking. It’s getting harder and harder to get food to the table. Only we are kind of attached to the traditions and cannot quit. But in the peak season with luck one can make seven digits a day too.” On the river bank, white vapor rises high above stoves boiling mussels. Her quick stirring hands show that Ms. Nguyen Thi Sen is a veteran in the trade. “Mussels are this village’s godsend. Four generations of my family have been
In recent years, the mussel rakes are pulled mostly by motor boats using specialized nets, so mussels of all sizes are caught,, including the newborn ones. Furthermore, the arbitrary sand resource exploitation also exhausts the mussel resources more and more
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raking them in this river. I grew up eating mussels, so no matter how hard it is, we need to preserve our traditional trade,” she said. Day in day out, the work of the “mussel coolie” begins long before dawn until long after dark. Every time a boat approaches, all those who remain at the village, old and young, run to it to carry away baskets full of mussels to clean all the dirt and rubbish. The mussels are then steeped in water for less than half a day for them let out all the mud they have swallowed. After that, the mussles are poured into a large pot, boiled and stirred regularly. The shells open and the meat detaches from them. All is scooped out with a sweep net and sifted to separate the meat from the shells. The work is hard and requires a great deal of patience so that no mussel meat is wasted. According to Mr. Quang, mussels sell better during summer. The big ones are priced at 150,000VND/kg, the small ones about 40,000VND/kg. A day drifting along the river, each boat catches about 700kg of live mussels which yields 50-70kg meat. Costs substracted, his family earns almost a million each day. The shells can be used as poultry food or be burnt for lime to fertilize the fields, and the mussel boil water can be further cooked as food. There is a good use for everything. Mr. Nguyen Van Tuyen, chairman of the People’s committee of Truong Son Commune shared with us. “The communal government has established collectives and lent money for boats and equipments so that people have peace of mind to maintain their forefathers’ traditional trade”. “River La mussels today are not only present at the wholesale markets of Ha Tinh province, but also well known in neighboring provinces such as Nghe An, Quang Binh etc. So no matter what new industry will come to Truong Son, the mussel trade will be maintained,” Mr. Tuyen added confidently. n
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HIDDEN TREASURES FROM ANTIQUE DERELICTS
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Lamp stand Ceramic,15th century found at Cu Lao Cham
he opening of the exhibition titled “Ocean’s secrets from ancient wrecks” was held at the National Museum of History no. 1 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi on January 18, 2019 In an area of about 600m2, the exhibition “Ocean’s secrets from ancient wrecks” introduces to the public about 500 works dated from the 13th to the 18th centuries,
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Vase Ceramic. 15th century found at Cu Lao Cham
selected from the Museum’s treasure trove of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese ceramic and porcelain relics, belonging to 4 main topics: Vietnamese maritime trade; Vietnamese commercial ceramics; Maritime Silk Road; and Wrecks excavated from Vietnamese sea bed. These antique relics have been exhibited under the title “Ceramics and china found in Vietnam Seas” by the National Museum of
ARCHEOLOGY
Ceramic, 15th century used by sailors on the ancient wreck found at Cu Lao Cham
Ceramic,17th century. China found at Hon Cau
History together with the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of Korea in Mokpo and Busan from Nov. 2017 to Apr. 2018, and have been met by the Korean research community and public with keen interest. These relics, which were goods carried by ancient merchant ships and found on the floor of the Eastern Sea of Vietnam, prove the
Teapot “Trực thượng thanh vân” Ceramic,18th century. China a buffalo boy is throwing his hat to the sky, the scene suggests the belief that becoming a high posision person means the way to the heaven. Found at Ca Mau
Ceramic,16-17th century. China found at Binh Thuan
important role of Vietnam in international trade in the golden age of the maritime Silk Road. Moreover, with the ceramic production center of Chu Dau, Vietnam actively participated in producing, importing and exporting goods with many countries in the world during the 15th-16th centuries. Some restored items of the Chu Dau Ceramic Joint Stock Company are also featured at the FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
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ARCHEOLOGY
Water container Ceramic, 15th century found at Cu Lao Cham
Ang Ceramic, 15th century found at Cu Lao Cham
Vase for lotus Ceramic 15th century found at Cu Lao Cham
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exhibition to promote the restoration and development of a unique traditional strain of ceramics of Vietnam. Remarkably, this is the first time the National Museum of History has introduceds the public to the fullest, most extensive amount of ceramic and china artifacts recovered from the wrecks found in Binh Chau, Binh Thuan, Hon Zam, Cu Lao Cham, Hon Cau and Ca Mau – the six ancient ships that the National Museum of History took part in excavating. The excavation of these ships have brought the museum invaluable artifacts and documents, a new perception of the science of archeology and have proven the importance and strategic position of Vietnamese seas in international trade. In his opening speech, Dr. Nguyen Van Cuong emphasized, “Organizing this exhibition we defined its significance and content in such a way best fitted to promote the history, the country and the people of Vietnam. It should be stressed that Vietnam is a seafaring nation that has been present very early on the biggest trade routes of the world. The selected artifacts should present the process of formation and development of the maritime trade routes in which Vietnam played an active role. At the same time, we want to highlight the political aspects of Vietnam defending its sovereignty regarding the Paracel and Spratly Islands which have always been operated and ruled by Vietnam.” This exhibition will provide the domestic and international public with more facts on the history of foreign trade of Vietnam in conjunction with its maritime sovereignty and the maritime Silk Road. The exhibition will be open for 4 months (Jan. 18 to May 18, 2019.) On this occasion the National Museum of History has arranged the reception of the original artifacts, photos and documents related to the Paris Peace Accord from former Vice President Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh; and of two Peugeot bicycles from Mr. Dao Xuan Tinh, owner of the record collection of Peogeot bicycles produced in the Republic of France, donated to the Museum. n National Museum of History No. 1 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi
Prominent Vietnamese cultural heritage events of Vietnam in 2018
ACHIEVEMENT
THUY LIEN COMPILED ; PHOTOS FROM THE INTERNET
In 2018, Vietnam cultural heritage- related activities were hot and made a significant mark on the international stage.
CAO BANG’S HILLS & WATER WAS RECOGNIZED AS A GLOBAL GEOPARK
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n April 12, 2018, the 204th Meeting of the UNESCO Executive Committee in Paris, France, passed a resolution recognizing the Hills & Water geological park of Cao Bang as a UNESCO Global GeoPark. UNESCO Global GeoPark Hills & Water of Cao Bang has an area of 3275 km2 spread over nine northern districts of the country. This is also the habitat for over 250,000 people of nine different ethnic minorities.
2018 ASIA - PACIFIC CONFERENCE ON INTANGIBLE CULTURE IN HUE
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The Park encompasses 130 unique geological heritage spots with extremely rich and diverse limestone formations such as towers, gorges, caves, caverns and connected lakeriver-cave systems, which reflect the completion of karst evolution cycle in the tropics. In addition, there are many other geological features such as fossils, stratification line, faults and, mineral forms, all proof of the complex geological development that lasted over 500 million years in this region. UNESCO Global GeoPark Hills & Water of Cao Bang also has famous tourist attractions such as eco-tourist zones of Phia Oac, Phia Den, the lake system of Thang Hen, Nguom Ngao cave and most remarkably, the Ban Gioc waterfalls, one of the world’s four biggest and most beautiful border waterfalls. Moreover, the park has rich cultural and historical heritage with 215 ranked sites, including three special national relic sites. The region is also one of the few places in Vietnam thought to be early habitat of prehistoric people, besides being the ancient capital of some feudal dynasties, the cradle of the Revolution of Vietnam, and a base of the war for resistance against the French colonialists.
he 2018 Asia - Pacific ICH NGO Conference with the theme “ICH NGOs towards Sustainable Development of Communities” took place on Nov 6th-8th 2018 in Hue. Participating were representatives of 35 organizations from 16 countries working on protection of intangible cultural heritage. At the conference, delegations shared experiences of running NGOs to achieve sustainable development goals, while at the same time figuring out future directions for building intangible cultural heritage protection systems. Notably, there was a session on intangible cultural heritage protection in Vietnam. A number of talks addressed the lesson to be learned from intangible cultural heritage protection in Vietnam, especially from the vibrancy of Royal Court Music 15 years after being recognized by UNESCO as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage, also Vietnam’s first Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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ACHIEVEMENT
VIETNAM ADDED A DOCUMENTARY HERITAGE TO THE MEMORY OF THE WORLD
“C
hina Royal Mission Records” is the records of the journeys of Dai Viet ambassadorial missions in 18th century, collected, edited, revised and footnoted by Minister Nguyen Huy Oanh (1713-1789) from 1765-1768 based on the documents of his predecessors, supplemented with details from the 1766-1767 mission headed by himself. The book was successfully presented at the 7th meeting of the 8th plenary session of the Memory of the World of the Asia-Pacific region (MOWCAP) of UNESCO in Gwangju, South Korea (May 29-
31, 2018). Thus, the only manuscript of the book made by the descendants of the Nguyen Huy clan in 1887 from the original of Minister Nguyen Huy Oanh, was recognized as a documentary heritage of the Memory of the World of the Asia-Pacific region. The tricolor copy of “China Royal Mission Records” is written in Chinese characters on Nepalese paper and includes: a map of the mission journey from Vietnam – China border through districts, counties, posts to the final point (s the Tan Thanh district of Beijing;) notes on the mission process; records of the itinerary, structure and date of completion of Yen King gates; and detailed notes of landscapes, mountains, rivers, people, customs, culture and diplomatic rites and ceremonies as the mission passed through localities of China and Vietnam. The UNESCO members voted unanimously to find the book an invaluable document on diplomatic relations between two countries of the Asia-Pacific region in the 18th century, which can be a positive contribution to the maintenance of peace between nations in the region and in the world. Moreover, it is found to be a great reference source on geography, history, politics, diplomacy, culture and arts etc. of many regions of Asia of the time.
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THE FIRST REMAINS OF PREHISTORIC HUMANS FOUND IN A VOLCANIC CAVE IN VIETNAM
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n September 2018, Vietnamese geologists and archeologists uncovered traces of prehistoric human dwelling in volcanic caves in the Volcanic Geological Park Krong No, Dak Nong Province. This was the first time Vietnamese scientists applied a comprehensive research approach comprising multiple methods to establish complete heritage natural and cultural values on the volcanic cave heritage. According to experts and specialists, this was a breakthrough discovery marking a pivoting point for the science of paleoanthropology of Vietnam.
FIRST CONFERMENT OF CAMPAIGN MEDALS “FOR THE CAUSE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE OF VIETNAM”
he conferment of campaign medals “For the cause of cultural heritage of Vietnam” of the Association of Cultural Heritage took place on the Viet Nam Cultural Heritage Day of Nov 23, 2018. 268 individuals received the medals for the first time in 2018, among whom 115 were nominated by the Association leadership, 100 others by the Association’s suborganizations, 35 others from the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and 18 from business entities. This event marks the recognition and appraisal of entities and individuals that have made great contributions to the cause of preserving and protecting traditional cultural heritage of Vietnam.
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When the moss paints the shores green
NATURE
TEXT BY HOA KHANH ; PHOTOS BY TRAN BAO HOA
Co Thach Beach
CO THACH BEACH belongs to Binh Thanh Commune, Tuy Phong District of Binh Thuan Province. This beach gets most scenic at dawn, dusk and when the tide has just receeded, revealing most of the rocks, bright green and shining wet. At high tide, only a small part of the rocky field is visible, while at low tide, the green color looks a bit “dry”. Tourists should also be aware that Co Thach Beach is right next to the famous Seven Color Beach and the beautiful Co Thach Pagoda, a national relic. And just 1km away is another national historical and cultural relic site, the over 300year-old Binh An Village Temple. Bai Trung Beach, Binh Dinh Province Hon Yen
The coastal area of the South of Mid-Vietnam includes eight provinces: Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. These shores have many beautiful spots, most notably the bays of Da Nang, Qui Nhon, Xuan Dai, Vung Ro, Van Phong, Nha Phu, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh and Vinh Hy. Besides being rich in famous heritage sites, these shore lines also offer many formations made with rocks which are gigantic or have exotic strange forms such as the Ganh Da Dia (Plate Shaped) of Phu Yen, Co Thach (Archaik Rocks) beach of Binh Thuan, Ca Na Beach of Ninh Thuan, etc. Many of these rocky formations along over 500km of zigzagging shoreline become even more mesmerizing during the months of Jan – Mar, because the rocks are covered with green moss under the golden sun. 38 •
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NATURE
My Hiep Beach
MY HIEP BEACH is in Thanh Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District of Ninh Thuan Province, about 20km from the Phan Rang – Thap Cham city. The 4km long rocky field is formed by a vast number of thorny rocks. The field of sharp rocks looks much more impressive when covered by a soft blanket of moss. By its side is the fishing village of My Hiep, considered by tourists to be the most beautiful and peaceful village in Ninh Thuan. Many visitors make camp and stay overnight on the quiet beach. In the morning, they get up early and follow the villagers to the water’s edge to meet returning fishing boats and buy sea produces for breakfast before going to swim and to fish.
HON YEN (Swallow Islet) is the combined name of two small islets, Hon Yen and Hon Dun, about 50m apart, of Nhon Hoi Village, An Hoa Commune, Tuy An District of Phu Yen Province. The two islets are about 400m from the shore, creating a very picturesque scene. The sea bed between them and the shore is so shallow that it is revealed at low tide in the late afternoon as, a wonderful field of rocks and corals. In the moss season, it is so splendid that some photographers can’t help uttering “Fantastic!”
Lo Zieu Beach
LO ZIEU BEACH of Lo Zieu Village, Hoai My Commune, Hoai Nhon District of Binh Dinh Province is about 80km from Qui Nhon City. This is a field of massive rocks of strange shapes between majestic mountains on one side and the vast blue sea on the other. As the sun descends on the mountain, water recedes, revealing the Lo Zieu field of rocks, meticulously polished by the waves. These rocks look the most fabulous around February, when covered by a soft layer of moss.
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CONSERVATION
Huge evacuation for Hue citadel
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Photo: Vinh Huong
TEXT BY HOA HA
ue has been one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam. It represents the country’s Central region, similar to Hanoi for the North and HCM City for the South. Visitors to Vietnam’s former imperial capital city come to see the face of its prominent relic system – the imperial citadel. Few people know about a community of 15,700 residents living on the top of the citadel walls as well as several other citadel relics. Local authorities have recently determined a six-year evacuation plan to move those residents out of the relics starting
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in March, expecting to ensure the best conservation for imperial relics and make way for initiatives Photo: Le Huy Hoang Hai to boost local tourism. The geographical location of the city gives the clearest explanation for the certainly feasible targets. During the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) natural immigration, from rural areas to an urban centre and from the less developed the wall system was built to protect the localities to a place with better living citadel. The walls comprised three layers, with two brick layers and a 2m-wide layer of standards. The immigration brought pressure to the soil in the middle. The illegal residents have different ways of infrastructure in the city. Those immigrants made use of public spaces for temporary occupying the walls. The majority of them have housing as was hard to afford a private land built concrete structures, breaking part of the wall plot for housing. The spacious blank wall-top to make entrance alleys. Many others construct surface and unused royal buildings were temporary houses on top and ladders to reach
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CONSERVATION them. Others have made use of collapsed sections, clearing the debris for housing or demolishing them to construct homes. There were several causes for this legal recognition, including the turmoil before Liberation Day in 1975. At that time, many lost their homes; thus they made use of the top of the wall to resettle. Misunderstanding of the Nguyen Dynasty’s role in Vietnamese history was another cause. From 1945 until the 1990s, the dynasty was blamed for the country’s failure in defending against the French colonists and the royal buildings were destroyed in a campaign aiming to erase the signs of the feudalist era. Weak management of the relics facilitated the strong growth of the wall-top community. In 1993, local authorities came up with the evacuation idea to move those residents, a move to manage the compliance to the UNESCO commitments on relic conservation. Authorities at that time, however, were reluctant to enforce, making the informal
By 2011, local authorities had managed to evacuate only 220 families. However, many wall-top residents refused to resettle in a poorly-built apartment block located on the outskirts of the city. The large number of illegal residents has caused damage to the wall. Wastewater and farming activities on the top of the wall have also caused erosion. According to a report by Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, the local government body managing all relics built by the dynasty in the city, the illegal lodgings have created critical pollution inside the citadel as well as causing floods, as many lakes in the citadel were filled in for illegal buildings. The centre’s director Phan Thanh Hai said living on the wall is a violation of laws protecting heritage sites. This year, local authorities are much more determined. They will start the first evacuation by removing 523 families on the walltop to a planned place. They have a bigger plan to evacuate all of 4,200 households lodging on the relics and expect the job will complete in 2026. Estimates costs for the plan Photo: Le Huy Hoang Hai
community bigger. Children of the first generation on wall-top community grew up, got married and had their own families. Once again, they developed more houses on the wall after splitting from their parent’s homes. The city was devastated in 1999 by a flood. Afterwards, there was a surge of people to settle on the wall. Some of them had lost their homes and boats during the flood. Others decided to live on the wall top for safety.
reaches US$118 million, coming from both local and governmental budgets. According to the province People’s Committee, authorities are working hard for site clearance of 9.9ha of land, which is reserved for resettlement for the first 523 residents to move in. The committee’s speaker said these illegal residents are not entitled to compensation under Vietnamese land use law. However, due to the historical situation and the large
number of the Hanoi residents, local Thua Thien authorities had to Hue create a special plan to free them from the heritage walls. HCM City Most of the residents were delighted to hear of the resettlement plan, which will help them move out of their uncomfortably small homes, where waste disposal is difficult and the alleys become smelly. Ms Doan Hue, 71 year old, said: “I support totally the evacuation plan and have dreamed of a better life from the plan to get out of the small house and the odour from inescapable waste water.” Other residents said they felt okay with the life there on the wall-top community, but expected that the plan would be good for their children and grandchildren. The residents’ great expectations, however, could make the resettlement project more complicated. The costs could be higher than what was projected, because all residents interviewed said they wanted to move to a single land plot of their own, not to an apartment complex. Mr Tran Luong, a 77year-old resident, said: “I will definitely refuse to move to an apartment.” Expectations by the residents have made the situation much harder. Mr Tran Thuc, 80, said he needed sound funds to return the land and also wanted new jobs for himself, his wife and son. Thuc considered the farming on the walls legal as local authorities themselves have formed a cooperative to do cultivation on the walls since 1976 and he was a member. The People’s Committee and local Tourism Department, however, look on the bright side. According to Nguyen Van Phuc, the department’s vice director, the department has proposed a sightseeing tour programme making use of the walls’ top. “Travel agents have suggested biking tours on the walls and they’re quite feasible.” People in the city are looking forward to the progresses of the evacuation plan to beautify the city. Many of them also wanted fairness to those residents who had to move.n
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FISHERMEN SHOW
ENTERTAINMENT
TEXT BY MINH QUAN ; PHOTOS PROVIDED BY FISHERMEN SHOW
“Fishermen Show” is a modern performance art program that encompasses elements of dance, song, drama, vaudeville etc. mixed together to create an extremely lively and scenic picture of the fishing village of Phan Thiet, a story of the melding of the Kinh and Cham cultures melted together, with two main features;, namely the whale worship in the Pray for Fish Rite, and the Kate Festival of the Cham people.
FiSheRmen Show – a highly SoPhiSTiCaTed PeRFoRmanCe
Fishermen Show is an exotic and rare show performed by local artists, musicians and dancers in what is billed as the currently the biggest basket boat- shaped theater of Vietnam, one with an over- 1000 spectator capacity. This show has been can be compared with the world-renowned shows such as Cirque du Soleil show of Las Vegas (US), Song of the Sea and Wings of Time shows of Singapore, Siam Pyramid show of Thailand or the Smile of Angkor show of Cambodia etc. Contemporary professional dancers and local artisans playing traditional musical instruments, singing live singing on the stage, acrobats flying over LED screens and color fountains, sand dunes flying and ox carts rolling, all make up an unforgettable show on this very land of sand and wind. The show tells the story of the Lord Fish of the South Sea (a whale) that was stranded on the Phan Thiet shore in 1762. This was the year the Van Thuy Tu fishing village was founded, and also the year that marked the flourishing of Phan Thiet fishing village. The body of the Lord is worshiped at the Van Thuy Tu village temple, while its soul was reincarnated in the form of a fisherman who felt for the hardship and the bitter fate of the locals and often helped them in dangerous situations. People respectfully call him respectfully the Lord of the South Sea. In this legend, the fisherman who travelled across space and time learns about the routine activities of the local villagers from the scenes of a fish kermis, from drops of sweat falling on white brine pits at a local fish kermis. He wandered into Cham villages and an ancient tower of Poshanu, and fell into a divine trance in a divine dance devoted to Lord Shiva. He rejoiced in his the love for a
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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
ENTERTAINMENT
See Fishermen Show schedule on seagull.vn Ticket prices 200,000Vnd - 500,000Vnd lang Chai Theatre nguyen Thong Turnabout, mui ne, Phan Thiet Call Center: +84 90 1111 666
Cham girl on Mui Ne flying dunes in a Kate festivale day under cheerful ginang drum rolls and the joyful tunes of saranai flutes. Feeling empathy to the songs full of sorrow and hope that women sang while in waiting for their husbands who were at the mercy of the sea, the young man used his power to help them through the perils. The show ends with a scene of Pray for Fish festival at Van Thuy Tu, expressing the belief that the sea will protect the people of this proud, resilient land and grant them prosperity and a happy life.
The PeoPle who made The FiSheRmen Show
Nothing was spared to make it perfect, from studying the Binh Thuan Cham culture and fishing village culture, developing and modernizing ethnic music under the guidance of the master of musical Manh Tien, to recruiting the general director and choreographer Tran Ly Ly, who was kneaded and moulded in the world’s renowned cradles of art in Australia, France etc. to create the dances. For over a year, these composers, musicians and choreographers literally ate, slept and worked together with the local artisans to cut and polish this gem that is called the Fishermen show. It wouldn’t be right to not mention the father of the show and of many other cultural projects on this Mui Ne – Phan Thiet land, a businessman and a son of these shores, Mr. Tran Ngoc Zung. A full scholarship recipient of many famous schools of Australia and France, having worked and acquired a prominent name in the US, he followed his heart’s call, returned to his native land and invested in a series of high caliber projects in the fields of culture, tourism, food and beverage. After the show, he took a few minutes to talk to us. He has long been dreaming to present the beautiful blending of Cham culture and fishing village culture on his native Phan Thiet shores to the world. Having been to many countries and seen their impressive cultural shows, he craved to create a show of the same stature. He thought it would be good both for promoting tourism and preserving the region’s pristine original cultural value. That’s the reason for his determination to invest in the theatre and the related projects. In 2012, Tran Ngoc Zung returned to Phan Thiet. It took him four or five years of planning, building and, executing before the items came to life one by one. His restaurant, fishing village theater, and fish sauce museum are now open to receive visitors in a 1.3ha premises. He plans for the show to be on every night and light up the Phan Thiet shores for at least 20 years. n FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
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DIRECTIONS
HALONG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 033)
Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence in September 1945, is a complex of historic sites.
Syrena Cruises
Hung Thang new urban area, Bai Chay, Halong. Tel: (033) 3847-043 Hanoi Sales Office: Syrena Tower, 3th Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-7214 Email: se@syrenacruises.com www.syrenacruises.com
Lapaz Hotel & Resort
Tuan Chau Island, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-999 www.holidayvillahalongbay.com
Vinpearl Halong
Cot Co Tower
28 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Cot Co Tower, the so-called Flag Tower, is now part of the Vietnam Military History Museum complex. The Tower was built in 1950, under the Nguyen Dynasty, with the help of French engineers. The tower has 36 flower-shaped windows. At the top of the tower flies the flag of Vietnam.
66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3733-2131 www.vnfineartsmuseum.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND20,000 ($0.95)
Hanoi Opera House
Vietnam Military History
1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist, Hanoi Designed by a French architect along the lines of the Paris Opera House, it is embellished with wonderful Gothic statuary. For many decades, Hanoi Opera House has been a centre for theatre, traditional music and dance, symphonies, traditional and classical music. This, the largest theatre in Vietnam, was completed in 1911.
Hoa Lo Prison
‘La Maison Centrale’, the prison on Hoa Lo Street in Hanoi, was built by the French in 1896 and became the place where generations of Vietnamese freedom fighters were held.
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St Joseph’s Cathedral
Reu Island, Bai Chay, Ha Long, Viet Nam. Tel: (033) 3556-868 www.vinpearl.com
HAI PHONG CITY Avani Hai Phong Harbour View 12 Tran Phu St, Ngo Quyen Dist., Hai Phong. Tel: (031) 3827-827 www.avanihotels.com
Hanoi Museum
2 Pham Hung (next to Vietnam National Convention Centre), Me Tri Commune, Tu Liem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 6287-06 04 Opening hour: 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free entrance
TRAVEL
Emeraude Classic Cruises
46 Le Thai To St, Hanoi Tel: (024) 3935-1888 www.emeraude-cruises.com
19 Ngoc Ha St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3846-3752 www.baotanghochiminh.vn Open: 8 a.m. to noon (Monday and Friday), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (other days) Entry fee: VND25,000
3rd Floor, 66A Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3828-2150 www.exotissimo.com
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
Topas Travel
12 Nguyen Tri Phuong St/ 9 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 37345427 www.hoangthanhthanhlong.vn Open: 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed on Mondays) Entry fee: VND30,000
52 To Ngoc Van St, Hanoi Tel: (024) 3715-1005 www.topastravel.vn SIGHTSEEINGS
Ba Dinh Square
36A Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi. Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho HERITAGE
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum
Museum 28A Dien Bien Phu St, Hanoi www.btlsqsvn.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43)
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3756-2193, www.vme.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND40,000 ($2)
Women’s Museum
36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi Tel: (024) 3825-9936 www.womenmuseum.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43) TRAVEL
I
Vietnam National Museum
of History 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. 25 Tong Dan St, Hanoi. FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
Hue Riverside Boutique
Resort & Spa 588 Bui Thi Xuan St, Thuy Bieu Dist., Hue. Tel: (0234) 3978-484 www.hueriversideresort.com
Imperial Hotel
8 Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3882-222 www.imperial-hotel.com.vn
Indochine Palace Hotel
105A Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3936-666 www.indochinepalace.com The hotel is surrounded by lush green gardens that make it an outstanding landmark in Hue and give the city the feel of a resort. This luxurious, international standard hotel is created to appeal to Vietnamese and international visitors to Hue.
La Residence Hotel & Spa
5 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3837-475 Email: resa@la-residence-hue.com www.la-residence-hue.com Step back in time to Art Deco's golden age with a stay at La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, MGallery by Sofitel. Nestled along the fabled Perfume River overlooking the former Imperial Citadel, La Residence is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece with luxurious cultural and culinary experiences. This former governor's residence with 122 guestrooms and suites offers visitors a warm hospitality and a chance to relive the pleasures of a bygone era.
Lang Co Beach Resort
Oxalis Adventure Tours
Phong Nha Commune, Son Trach Village, Bo Trach Dist., Quang Binh Province. Tel: (0232)3677-678 www.oxalis.com.vn
HUE
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0234) HOTELS, RESORTS
Century Riverside Hotel Hue
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Exotissmo
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40 Nha Chung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Fresh missionaries built this cathedral in the late 19th century. The small but beautiful panes of stained glass were created in Paris in 1906. Also of note is the ornate altar, with its high gilded sidewalls. MUSEUMS
HANOI
Tel: (024) 3824-1384 www.baotanglichsu.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed every first Monday of months. Entry fee VND40,000 ($1.82) for adults and VND10,000 ($0.48) for children
463 Lac Long Quan St., Lang Co Town, Phu Loc Dist, Thua Thien Hue Province Tel: (0234) 3873-555 www.langcobeachresort.com.vn
Hotel Saigon Morin
30 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (0234)3823-526 www.morinhotel.com.vn
DANANG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0236) 49 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3823-390 Email: res@centuryriversidehue.com www.centuryriversidehue.com Century Riverside Hotel Hue, with its 135 rooms, is located in a vast area of 20,000 square meters. It is surrounded by a garden full of fruit trees, various kinds of flowers and a green pasture. Hue Century Riverside Hotel lies by the side of Truong Tien Bridge and the bank of the romantic Huong River.
Vinpearl Luxury Danang Truong Sa St, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang. Tel: (0236) 3968-888 www.vinpearl.com
Danang Museum of Cham
Sculpture 2, 2 Thang 9 St, Danang Tel: (0236) 3572-935 www.chammuseum.danang.vn Open 7.15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43)
HOI AN
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0235) HOTELS, RESORTS
Anantara Hoi An Resort
DIRECTIONS MUSEUM
Quang Trung Museum
Block 1, Phu Phong town, Tay Son Dist., Binh Dinh Province. Tel: (056) 3580-320 Open 7 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND10,500 ($0.50). Free for children under six
NHA TRANG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0258) 1 Pham Hong Thai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province. Tel: (0235) 3914-555 Email: sales_ha@anantara.com www.hoi-an.anantara.com
Aurora Riverside Hotel & Villas
242 Cua Dai St, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province. Tel: (0235) 3924-111 www.aurorahoian.com
HOTELS, RESORTS
MUSEUM
Alexandre Yersin Museum
Pasteur Institute, 10 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3822-406
PHAN THIET
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0252) HOTELS, RESORTS
Aroma Beach Resort & Spa
Resort & Spa 304, 2/4 St, Vinh Phuoc, Nha Trang Tel: (0258) 3568-888 Email: sales@champaislandresort.vn www.champaisandresort.vn With architecture reflecting nearby Po Nagar temple, Champa Island Nha Trang offers exquisite cuisine and many entertainment services that promise a memorable stay in Nha Trang
Cam Ranh Riviera Beach Resort & Spa
Quater 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (0252) 3828-288 www.aromabeachresort.com With 52 authentic Vietnamese rooms and bungalows, the hotel offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the blue sea
Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa
Lac Long Quan St, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0235) 3927-927 Email: info@pgr.com.vn www.palmgardenresort.com.vn
Hoi An Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation
10B Tran Hung Dao St, Hoi An Tel: (0235) 3862-367 www.hoianheritage.net Open daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Northern Peninsula Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3989-898 Email: info@rivieraresortspa.com www.rivieraresortspa.com KN Golf Links
Bai Dai, Ghenh Rang, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (0256) 384 0077 Email: quynhon.villas@anantara.com www.anantara.com/en/quy-nhon
Quarter 14, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (0252) 2220-222 Email: info@muinebayresort.com www.muinebayresort.com
Seahorse Resort & Spa
Km 11 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3847-507 reservation@seahorseresortvn.com www.seahorseresortvn.com MUSEUM
Cham Culture Exhibition Centre
Song Mao intersection, Phan Hiep Commune, Bac Binh Dist., Binh Thuan Province; Tel: (0252) 3641-456. Open: 7.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. / 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Free entrance
DALAT
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0263) 38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3847-007 www.bamboovillageresortvn.com
HOTELS
Ana MandaraVillas Dalat Resort & Spa
Suoi Nuoc, Muine, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3836-888 Email: info@bluebaymuineresort.com www.bluebaymuineresort.com
QUY NHON
Anantara Quy Nhon Villas
Muine Bay Resort
Blue Bay Muine Resort & Spa
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0256) AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa Ghenh Rang, Bai Dai Beach, Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (0256) 3840-132 www.avanihotels.com/quynhon
6 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (0252) 2481-888 www.catymuineresort.com info@catymuineresort.com
Champa Island Nha Trang
Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa
MUSEUM
Caty Resort
Hoang Ngoc (Oriental Pearl) Beach Resort & Spa Long Beach, Cam Ranh Peninsula, Khanh Hoa Province, Viet Nam Hotline : +84 258 6566 988 +84 961 99 6688 Email: golf.booking@kngolflinks.com Website: http://www.kngolflinks.com Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/ KNGolfLinks/
Le Lai St, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (0263) 3555-888. reservationdalat@anamandara-resort.com www.anamandara-resort.com From VND3,150,000 ($150)
Monet Garden Villa
MườngThanh Grand NhaTrang Hotel
6 Duong Hien Quyen St, Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3552-468 www.nhatrang.muongthanh.vn
152 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3847-858 Email: info@hoangngoc-resort.com www.hoangngoc-resort.com
Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang
Muine Mud Bath & Spa
Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3598-188 Email: info@vinpearlresort-nhatrang.com www.vinpearl.com
133A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3743-481 Email: sales1@bunkhoangmuine.com www.bunkhoangmuine.com
3 Nguyen Du St., Dalat City, Lam Dong Province. Tel: (0263) 3810-826 www.monetgarden.com.vn
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DIRECTIONS
HO CHI MINH CITY (TELEPHONE CODE: 028) TRAVEL
Asiana Travel Mate
17 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3824-1555 Email: h2077@sofitel.com www.sofitel.com
a favourite tourist destination, offering a wide range of Vietnamese handicraft, fresh fruits and local specialities.
Saigon Prince Hotel
It was set up at the end of the 18th century when the Minh Dynasty in China was overthrown. Chinatown has many shops and private workshops. The most interesting places are Binh Tay market, Soai Kinh Lam fabric whole-sales market, the street of herbal medicine located on Hai Thuong Lan Ong and Thien Hau Temple on Nguyen Trai Street.
113C Bui Vien St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3838-6678 www.atravelmate.com
Buffalo Tours 81 Mac Thi Buoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3827-9168 Email: travelagency@buffalotours.com www.buffalotours.com.vn
Exotissimo 261/26 Phan Xich Long St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3995-9898 www.exotravel.com
Saigon Tourist 45 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3827-9279 www.saigon-tourist.net
63 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (84) 28 3822 2999 www.saigonprincehotel.com Windsor Plaza Hotel 18 An Duong Vuong, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3833-6688 www.windsorplazahotel.com
Trails of Indochina 10/8 Phan Dinh Giot St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: (028) 3844-1005 Email: dosm@trailsofindochina.com www.trailsofindochina.com HOTELS
Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon
GALLERIES
Apricot Gallery 50 Mac Thi Buoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3822-7962
Craig Thomas Gallery 27i Tran Nhat Duat St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Mobile: 0903 888 431 Email: cthomasgallery@gmail.com www.cthomasgallery.com Open: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays and Sundays
Galerie Quynh 253 Nguyen Van Troi St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3844-9222 Email: Info@eastingrandSaigon.com www.eastingrandsaigon.com
Level 2, 151/3 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3824-8284 www.galeriequynh.com Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Park Hyatt Saigon
Sàn Art
2 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3824-1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com
Rex Hotel 141 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-2185 www.rexhotelvietnm.com
Sofitel Saigon Plaza
48/7 Me Linh St, Ward 19, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 6294-7059 www.san-art.org SIGHTSEEINGS
Notre Dame Cathedral
HERITAGE
I
MUSEUMS
Fine Arts Museum of Ho Chi Minh City 97A Pho Duc Chinh St, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-4441 www.baotangmythuattphcm.com Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays 41 Hoang Du Khuong S, Ward 12, Dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3864-2430 www.fitomuseum.com.vn Open daily from 8.30 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. Ticket: VND50,000 The first museum of traditional Vietnamese medicine
Ho Chi Minh City Museum 65 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-9741 www.hcmc-museum.edu.vn Open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Independence Palace 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3822-3652 www.dinhdoclap.gov.vn Open daily, 7.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Southern Women Museum 202 Vo Thi Sau St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3932-7130
The History Museum 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-8146 www.baotanglichsuvn.com 8 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Monday
Ben Thanh Market
War Remnants Museum
FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019
VUNG TAU
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0254) HOTELS, RESORTS
Petrosetco Hotel 12 Truong Cong Dinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau. Tel: (0254) 3624-748 www.petrosetcohotel.vn
Petro House Hotel 63 Tran Hung Dao St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel : (0254) 3852-014 Hotline: 0961.085.869 Email: info@petrohousehotel.vn www.petrohousehotel.vn
The Coast Hotel
Fito Museum
Cong Xa Paris Square, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Built in 1877, and the Cathedral opened to the public in 1880. The bricks used to build this marvellous structure were shipped from Marseilles. Le Lai St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Ben Thanh market is a trade centre and
46 • V I E T N A M
Chinatown – Cho Lon
Tel: (028) 3930-5587 Email: warrmhcm@gmail.com Open daily 7.30 a.m. to midday and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
28 Vo Van Tan St, Ward 6, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City.
300A Phan Chu Trinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau City Tel: (0254) 3627-777 Email: info@thecoasthotelvungtau.com www.thecoasthotelvungtau.com MUSEUM
White Palace 6 Tran Phu St, Ward.1, Vung Tau City Tel: (0254) 3852-605 Open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PHU QUOC
(TELEPHONE CODE: 077) Eden Resort Phu Quoc Cua Lap Hamlet, Duong To Ward, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3985-598 www.edenresort.com.vn MUSEUMS Coi Nguon Museum 149 Tran Hung Dao St, Duong dong Town, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3980-206 www.coinguonphuquoc.com