The above painting describes the one of the Vietnam traditional game. It’s called “Catching a goat while blindfolded”.
Children between ages six and 15 enjoy playing Bịt mắt bắt dê - Catching a goat while blindfolded. One participant volunteers to play the “goat” and another, the “goat catcher”. Other players form a circle around the players.
The goat and goat catcher are blindfolded with handkerchiefs. The game begins when the catcher yells, “Done!” The goat can move wherever he or she likes but must occasionally bleat. The catcher listens for the bleats and grapples to find the goat. In turn, the goat must move quietly to avoid being trapped. Since both players are blindfolded, the goat and goat catcher must both their ears and wits to win.
The other players distract the goat and goat catcher to make them turn in the wrong direction. This creates hilarious moments and prolongs the game. A new round begins once the goat has been caught. Other players who want to join the game may ask to play the goat or goat catcher.
As Blogger -Emoporer said: “Wow, female warrior and military families”.
Exactly, I think anyone who has a chance to read previous post, they’ll utter “Amazing” When Vietnamese talk each other, they can’t talk about “Trung Sisters” story without mentioning “Le Chan – Woman General of Trung Sisters ” story. In this article of unknow author, I want to introduce everyone Great Woman General in Trung Sisters army.
Biography
Le Chan was also born in An Bien village, under Dong Trieu district, Quang Ninh province. Her father was Le Dao, a teacher, and a medicine person; her mother was Tran Thi Chau. Le Chan's beauty and good character attracted the Chinese Governor, To Dinh, who wanted to take her as a wife in his harem. Her family was protested and she had to hide herself in the coastal village of An Duong, Kinh Mon. Unable to marry her, To Dinh put her family to death. Le Chan determined to avenge them and, along with other families, set up Ven hamlet - afterwards renamed An Bien hamlet - where the TamBacRiver met the CamRiver. Her new home became a revolutionary base where for ten years she collected volunteer soldiers and trained hard.
When the Trung Sisters rebelled, Le Chan and her volunteer soldiers joined the insurrection. Within months they had helped to take back the sixty-five citadels from the Chinese, and had liberated the region. The Trung Sisters became queens of the country, and Le Chan was nominated for the position of 'Chuong quan binh quyen noi bo' with responsibility of defending Hai Tan region.
In 42AD, Ma Vien, a Dong Han general led a great navy and land army along northeast lines to put down the insurrection. Despite facing overwhelming odds, the army of women took to the battlefields once more. Legend tells of Phung Thi Chinh, a pregnant noble lady who was the captain of a group of soldiers that were to protect the central flank. She gave birth on the frontline, and with her baby in one arm, and a sword in the other, continued to fight the battle. Le Chan also directly led her troops to fight against the Chinese forces, causing them to suffer great losses, but the overall situation was unfavourable. She had to withdraw the troops to Me Linh base.
End game
Despite their many heroic efforts, the Trung Sisters realised that they had been defeated and that to fight further would mean certain death at the hands of the Chinese. Therefore, to protect their honour and to elude ridicule, the two queens committed suicide by drowning themselves in the HatRiver (AD 43). Some of their loyal soldiers continued to fight to the death whilst others committed suicide, including Phung Thi Chinh, who also took her newborn baby's life. Le Chan and her troops still continued to resist violently. Inevitably, however, a disadvantageous situation become a hopeless one. Having become exhausted, Le Chan drowned herself in the King Thay river, thereby preserving her virginity in death.
NgheTemple
After her death, a temple - known today as NgheTemple - was built to honour her in Ma region by the people of An Bien. For a long time it remained a small temple with a thatched roof, but in 1919 it was spaciously rebuilt and has now become one of the most famous places of historical interest in the locality.
Legend has it that Le Chan was wise in life and supernatural in death. When she threw herself into the river, she turned into a stone that miraculously floated on the river surface from Dong Trieu area to her old homeland to Ben Binh. An Bien villagers, who believed that Le Chan had become a genie, brought rods and robes to pick up the sacred stone and carry it back to the village. Suddenly a storm began to rage and the robes broke. Then the place where the stone dropped was chosen to build the temple for worshipping Le Chan.
The temple has two main halls: the front worshiping hall and the sanctuary. On the roof of the front worshiping hall there is the inscription: 'An Bien co mieu' (An Bien Ancient Shrine). A statue of Le Chan was placed in the sanctuary, with altars for worshipping her parents on either side.
In HaiPhongCity, her statue is located in front of the City Exhibition House, at the western end of the city centre parks. The statue is made of bronze and stands 7.49m high. With its pedestal, it measures 10.09m and weighs 19 tons. On top of her head, the feather alone stands 0.7m high. In all, the statue is the second biggest in Vietnam, after Hung Dao Vuong Statue in Nam Dinh. It has been built to withstand earthquakes measuring 8.5 on the Richter scale.
The statue was designed by two artists, Nguyen Phuc Cuong and Nguyen Manh Cuong. Their design, presenting Le Chan with her hand leaning on a sword, expressing the bravery of a new regional founder, was selected from more than forty works that were judged in a national contest between 1996 and 2000. The casting was undertaken by the Hai Phong Brass Casting Company, and was paid for using money donated by local citizens and overseas Vietnamese. It took only one night to set the statue up; it was inaugurated on 31st December 2000, ushering in the first day of 21st century.
The above painting with name is called "Trung Trac". So, Who is Trung Trac? Plz, read below article to know more her
"T r u n g T r a c & T r u n g N h i The historical vignettes presented on these pages are intended to honour the courageous spirit of the Trung sisters whose inspiration continues to flourish in the hearts and minds of the 20th century Vietnamese people. Our brief extrapolation is by no means, a complete historiography but, rather highlighting fundamental characters and resilient courage that underline our heritage. Our ancestors had fought against all odds and died in defense of human rights, dignity and independence. These tenets are not only universal but, also timeless. We believe that by understanding the past, we can help assure that future generations are not held captive by time dissociation and detachment to the concept of self-determination. We wish the viewer(s) an inspiring journey back in time to meet these magnificent warriors. During the 1,000 years under Chinese control, the Vietnamese people engaged in a continual struggle against their ruler. In 3 BC, a large amount of Chinese mandarins invaded Nam Viet, taking over land and farms previously owned by Vietnamese people. The Chinese also made demands to the Viet people in the form of high tributary payments. They monopolized the production of salt and iron for their personal gains. They also forced assimilation of its culture throughout the population.
The struggles were often led by various members of the Vietnamese aristocracy. The skirmishes between the Chinese authority and Vietnamese people occurred mainly in the outer Tonking provinces. One of these uprisings in 39 AD was led by two women, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi.
In 36 AD, Su Ting (To Dinh) replaced Tich Quang as governor of Giao Chi was significantly dishonest and greedy. In "Dong Quan Han Ky", the author wrote: "His eyes widened at the sight of money." These Hans demanded bribes, levied unreasonable taxation on salt and handicraft products. They also taxed the local people for fishing from the rivers. They oppressed the Vietnamese people, their children and families. Both the peasant and Au Lac gentry classes deeply resented the colonialist government.
King Hung Vuong came from Me Linh (present time, Ha Tay Vinh Phu provinces). Years later, one of his descendants was named prefect of Me Linh. Although he worked for the Hans, he continued to maintain his personal affection for his country people. It was due to his patriotism that he gained the love and trust of the populace. His wife, Man Thien was equally committed to the same affection and purpose towards the people. They had two daughters, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi. These young women grew up witnessing the cruel Chinese treatment of the Vietnamese people. Their compassion for the people fueled their deep-seated hatred of the Chinese. They spent their time studying the art of warfare, weaponry and fighting skills.
Chu Dien, located next to the town of Me Linh (presently, Dan Phuong of Ha Tay and Tu Liem zone of Hanoi suburb) was a large, populated and wealthy province. The military chief of Chu Dien was a chivalrous and indomitable man. His son, Thi Sach was also greatly interested in military sciences and weaponry. He spent a great deal of effort in mastering the art of warfare. His goals were to rise up against the Chinese.
The two military leaders of Chu Dien and Me Linh were close friends. They often visited with each other. Their discussions frequently involved the miserable state of the Viet people who suffered under the cruelties of To Dinh and Han officers as well as their soldiers. They planned and plotted to fight against the Chinese. They vowed to drive the aggressors out of Nam Viet.
Thi Sach, although youthful was often permitted to attend the military planning meetings with the Me Linh chief and other leaders from the neighboring areas. He aspired to avenge his country by using his acquired war waging skills. He recruited other young men and women patriots to join his insurrection against the Chinese.
During one of his visits with his father to the headquarter of the Me Linh military chief, Thi Sach met the Trung sisters. Shortly thereafter, he befriended one of the sisters, Trung Trac. As time passed, the sentiment between Thi Sach and Trung Trac developed into a romantic interest which resulted in a marriage. The united couple from two military families gave hope to the villagers.
The nature of exploitation and forced assimilation of Vietnamese people by the Hans became increasingly ruthless. Thi Sach and his wife, Trung Trac violently opposed and protested against these Chinese practices. Their resistance so enfuriated the Chinese that Su Ting ordered the execution of Thi Sach as a warning to other Vietnamese rebels. This cruel act had provoked the Vietnamese people instead. The local population and military leaders jointly declared war on the Hans.
On 2.6.40 AD, Trung Trac stood in full military regalia to address the 30,000 soldiers gathered at the Hat estuary. She set her personal tragedy aside by not wearing the traditional mourning attire. She vowed revenge on behalf of her people and husband. She formidably declared to her soldiers these memorable words:
"Foremost, I will avenge my country, Second, I will restore the Hung lineage, Third, I will avenge the death of my husband, Lastly, I vow that these goals will be accomplished." Trung Trac source: Thien Nam Ngu Luc, 17th century
Trung Trac and her sister, Trung Nhi, rallied their troops to fight against the Chinese. Within months, the Trung sisters armed with military skills and passion for independence had regained control of 65 citadels, including Luy Lau citadel where they defeated To Dinh and his soldiers. They kept the Chinese military power out of Nam Viet for two years. The Trung sisters reigned as queens to the country. The short-lived liberation received wide support from the nobility and peasants throughout Nam Viet. By 43 AD, the Chinese had amassed large battalions of soldiers to retaliate against the Trung queens which resulted in the Chinese re-occupation of Nam Viet. The Trung sisters committed suicide in the Hat River (Hat Giang) rather than surrendering to their conqueror.
During the 43 AD Chinese incursion to Nam Viet, a warrior friend of the Trung sisters was Phung Thi Chinh, a pregnant noblewoman from Son Tay province, was in charge of protecting the central flank of Nam Viet. She led her troops against the indomitable Chinese general, Ma Yuan (Ma Vien). She delivered her child at the battlefront. She carried her newborn while "brandishing her sword to open an escape route in the ranks of the enemy". When she discovered that the Trung sisters had committed suicide. She too, ended her life and that of her baby.
Nam Viet's short-lived independence was followed by the Chinese cruel punishment of inflicting harsh physical tortures, psychological and cultural oppression of the Vietnamese people. Ma Yuan oversaw the operation that destroyed Vietnamese estates, executed hundreds of noblemen, humiliated many, and exiled the remaining members of the aristocracy to South China. They proceeded to set up garrisons at numerous strategic points throughout Nam Viet to guard against potential uprisings. Nam Viet was divided into three prefectures with fifty-six districts, controlled by the Chinese. The Chinese resumed their program of forcing the Vietnamese to absorb their culture. The Hans destroyed a great deal of Vietnamese history by altering texts and revising literature to suit their image. They forced the Vietnamese intellectuals to conform to their philosophical and cultural practices.
It's an important reminder that there were numerous rebellious outbreaks occurring during those dark and brutal years of Chinese occupation. These violent rebellions were more often led by women warriors. Throughout history, Vietnamese women have been vigorously involved in Vietnamese military and political affairs.
For centuries, the Vietnamese people glorified the Trung sisters through literature and monuments. There were many heroic legends about the Trung sisters which inspired the Vietnamese people for centuries in their resistance of foreign domination.
There were numerous pagodas built to memorialize the Trung sisters and their legacy. The two most famous pagodas were the Hai Ba, in Hanoi, and the Hat Mon in Son Tay province. The Government of Viet Nam has proclaimed them national warriors. To date, Vietnamese women and men continue to honor these heroines on Hai Ba Trung day in March. It has been known that soldiers in battles would carry pictures of the Trung sisters as a source of inspiration to fight for freedom. Trung Trac's words were deeply embedded in their souls.
As a result of cultural exchange, Vietnamese folk paintings have retained and developed certain traditional aspects. As well, the paintings have been influenced and enriched by the genius of other painting styles. One exception is Dong Ho paintings, which continue to exist unchanged against the challenges of time.
Dong Ho Paintings
These paintings which originated in the Red River Delta, are the most famous. The artists coat do paper (the Rhamnoneuron paper) with diep powder (a white powder made from the shells of diep, a kind of fluvial bivalve mollusk) to make silver lustre glitter. Sometimes yellow flower powder called Hoa hoe or orange-red sapandwood powder is used to make the colours more elegant and shiny.
On that background, the colours are applied with a woodblock. Some of the paintings only have simple black lines, while others are printed with one other colour. All of the materials for creating the colours for these paintings come from nature. A wide spectrum of colours can be made using mixing and multi-coloured printing techniques.
Dong Ho paintings reflect people’s innermost feelings, wishes, and simple dreams. Becathe paintings appeal to so many people, they are available throughout the country, from the village markets to the capital city.
"View more Dong Ho Folk Paintings, click to play Slide below"
Hang Trong Paintings
Hang Trong paintings are also printed with black lines to form the basis for the colour. But, unlike Dong Ho paintings, they are made by hand. Large sheets of imported paper and brightly coloured paints are used for Hang Trong paintings. The content of these paintings are very much influenced by Chinese drawings.
Hang Trong paintings are popular as worshipping paintings in temples. As such, the paintings are often hung in spacious living rooms or in holy places.
Hang Trong paintings have traditionally served the poorer classes and are made and sold in the capital city.
Kim Hoang Paintings
Kim Hoang paintings, which are often called red paintings, are made on the outskirts of ancient Thang Long. Kim Hoang paintings are printed and drawn on imported coloured paper (yellow, bright red, pink) and printed with black lines and shapes; other colours used to separate the shapes.
The colours are applied in rough, but flexible lines. Sometimes, the paintings are reprinted to create clear line. The colours used for Kim Hoang paintings are bought and then mixed by the painters, except for indigo, which is self-processed. The themes of Kim Hoang paintings are similar to those of the Dong Ho paintings, but there are also Chinese character paintings Phuc, Loc, Tho (meaning “Happiness”, “Good Luck”, and “Longevity” respectively), that have the typical flower of each season printed next to each character.
Folk paintings are a combination of traditional cultural values with ancient artistic methods that have been created through the labour of past generations. There are two types of Vietnamese folk paintings, Tet (Lunar New Year Festival) paintings and worshipping paintings. The Vietnamese believe in ancestor worship and the deification of natural phenomena, both of which are reflected in the paintings. Due to their historical popularity, the folk paintings were produced in large quantities. This high demand was met through the of the woodblock carving printing technique, which has been practiced by the Vietnamese for many centuries. During the Ly Dynasty (12th century), there were many families who specialised in woodblock carving. By the end of the Tran Dynasty, they were also printing paper money. At the beginning of the Le So Dynasty, the Chinese technique of carving printing boards was adopted and improved. The History Museum and the Fine Art Museum in Hanoi still keep old printing boards as archives.
During the Mac Dynasty (16th century), folk paintings developed quite extensively and were popular among the aristocracy in Thang Long. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the art of folk painting was stable and highly developed. Depending on artistic style, drawing-printing technique, and the materials used, folk paintings are classified into painting trends according to the name of their place of production. Each style of painting is different. However, in all the styles, shapes are created based on the concept of don tuyen binh do (single line-simple designs), which uses lines to bend the coloured shapes and to make a border for the picture. Another method used is "thuan tay hay mat" (easy to draw and to see). With this design form, the folk paintings do not depend on the rules of perspective. The deities are large and take the upper positions, while the ordinary people are drawn on a smaller scale and the size of the animals and the natural scenery depicted depends on their relationship to the sentiment or story being expressed. These unique characteristics make the paintings profoundly impressive.
Vung Tau is the first seaside resort for the elite in Vietnam. The first hotel, the Arduzer, was built in the 1870's and was a spa for the French leadership at the time. Over time, many more bungalows and vacation homes were built by the well to do of Saigon. Today, Vung Tau has many large and modern hotels on its 3 main beaches. Vung Tau is also known for its abundance of pagodas and temples, most of them lean against the mountains and face the ocean. A serpentine road 6 km long hugging Small Mountain starts from Bai Truoc (Front Beach), passes by Nghinh Phong (Windy Point) and leads to Bai Sau (Rear Beach). Named Ha Long (Descending Dragon), the winding road goes up and down along the shore, offering a spectacular view of the skyline and refreshing ocean wind. Facing the ocean on three sides, Vung Tau is windy all year round and has 2 distinct seasons, rainy from May to October and dry from November to April. Average temperature is 28 deg. C. Another winding road 10 km long circling Big Mountain starts from fishing village Ben Dinh, passes through Bai Dau and ends at Front Beach. Traditionally a weekend get-away spot for city dwellers from Saigon, Vung Tau has also a significant fishing industry. With oil riggs only 70 km off shore, the city is a center of services for the exploitation of gas and oil. Bai Sau - Rear Beach
Bai Sau is also known as Bai Thuy Van. This stretch of beach is located in the southeast side of town and is about 10 km in length from the base of Nui Nho. The most popular beach in Vung Tau, it is packed with Saigonese every weekend during the summer months. Teenagers arrive on scooters (3 hrs travel), locals by mini-van or bus (2 hrs) and affluent tourists by hydro-foil boats (1 1/2 hr). The sea is calm during the rainy season but there are frequent periods of high winds and big waves during the dry season. Strong undertow currents make swimming dangerous in some spots.
Bai Dua - Pineapple Beach
Historically known for its wild pineapple trees and black rocks, Bai Dua is located at the foot of Nui Nho Mountain. It is the smallest of the four major beaches in Vung Tau but very popular for its calm waters and its majestic sunset. Bai Dua is also known as Huong Phuong beach. Visitors come to this rocky cove for its tranquility and cleanliness.
Bai Truoc - Front Beach
Bai Truoc is also known as Bai Tam Duong. Tam Duong means "searching for the sun". The beach is located between Nui Lon mountain and Nui Nho mountain. From afar, the beach is shaped like a crescent moon, and along the beach, there are many coconut trees. Not a clean beach for swimming, it has many kiosks, open-air restaurants and bars and it is the beach closest to urban Vung Tau.
Bai Dau
Bai Dau is situated 3 km northwest of town. It is a small, rocky beach but its water is calm, shallow and very clear. Known as "foreigners' beach", it is frequented by travelers who want relaxation. Vietnamese visitors also go to Bai Dau, but for a different reason: to eat at "Cay Bang", widely recognized as the best sea-food restaurant in Vung Tau.
Hon Ba
Hon Ba - Islet of the Goddess, just off Nghinh Phong tip between Bai Dua and Bai Sau, can be reached only on foot when the tide is low. It has the shape of a tortoise and is home to a temple built by fishermen in honor of the Goddess of the Sea.
Geographical Location and Climate Halong Bay is located in the Northeast of Vietnam, belonging to QuangNinh Province. It is in the coastal area stretching from 1060 56’ to 1070 37’ east longitude and 200 43’ to 210 09’ north latitude. To the west and northwest, Halong Bay stretches from Yen Hung District, and includes the large urban areas of Halong City and Cam Pha Town, as well as Van Don Island District. To the south and southeast, it is adjacent to the western Tonkin Gulf and to the west and southwest lies Cat Ba Island in the province of Hai Phong. On the world map, Ha Long Bay borders to China in the north and in the east it is adjacent to the East Sea. In 1962, the Ministry of Culture and Information classified Halong Bay as a National Landscape Site,covering an area of 1,553 km2 with 1,969 islands. Halong Bay has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Heritage Area for its universal values of landscape, geology and geomorphology, respectively in 1994 and 2000, an area of 434 sq. km. including 775 islands.
The area inscribed by UNESCO (the Protected Area I - the Core Zone) is bound by Dau Go Island in the east, Ba Ham Lake in the south and Cong Tay Island in the east. The Protected Area II - the Buffer Zone is identified by the shore of the Bay running along the National Highway No. 18A, from the Gasoline Warehouse B12 in Cai Dam Precinct to the km.11 marker in Quang Hanh Precinct, Cam Pha Town. The Protected Area III - the Hinterland Zone is the sea or mainland area surrounding the buffer zone,including the area adjacent to the Cat Ba National Park of Hai Phong City.
- Climate is featured humid tropical charactor, including two distinct seasons: hot, humid with much rainning in summer and cold, dry in winter. The average temperature ranges from 150 – 250C with annual average rainfall of 2,000 – 2,200mm/year. Halong Bay has a typical tidal time (tidal amplitude ranges from 3.5 – 4.0m. The degree of salt in the sea water ranges from 31 – 34.5% in the dry season and decreases in the rainy season.
History of the name “ Halong” “Ha Long” is literally translated as "Bay of Descending Dragons." Prior to the 19th century, this name was not recorded in any document or archive. When mentioning the present-day Quang Ninh Sea or Ha Long Bay, old historical books often referred to them by the names of An Bang, Luc Thuy or Van Don. Not until the late 19th century did the name of Halong Bay appear on a French Marine Map. “The Hai Phong News”, a French newspaper of the time, had an article, “Dragon appears on Ha Long Bay”, reporting the following story: In 1898 a sub-lieutenant named Lagredin, captaining the ‘Avalanse’ reported seeing a huge sea snake on Ha Long Bay. This was also witnessed by many of the crews. Thus emerged the European image of the Asian dragon. Whether this appearance of a strange animal looking like a dragon resulted the name of Ha Long Bay is not known (Reference “Quang Ninh: Art and Culture” published in 2002). The system of islands and caves Most of the islands on Ha Long Bay are limestone and were formed over 500 million years ago, and are massed in the southeast and southwest. The schist islands scattered in the southeast have an average height of between 50-200m, and have a rich covering of flora.
Within the islands of the Bay there are hundreds of beautiful caves of different shapes and sizes, including many famous names such as Thien Cung, Dau Go, Sung Sot, Tam Cung and Bo Nau. Some of them are archaeological sites retaining tangible archaeological evidence, such as Dau Go, Bo Nau, Sung Sot, Soi Nhu, Tien Long, Me Cung, and Trinh Nu caves.
The process of recognition of Halong Bay as a World Natural Heritage Area
The first time: On 21st December, 1991, The Government of Vietnam permitted the setting up a of file on Ha Long Bay to be submitted to UNESCO for recognition of Ha Long Bay as a World Heritage Site. During the two year period 1991 to 1993, UNESCO nominated many expert delegations to come to Quang Ninh to survey, research, guide and review the ongoing file. Ha Long Bay’s file was completed and sent to UNESCO, Paris, for consideration in 1993, to be addressed at the 18th session. On 17th December, 1994, the World Heritage Committee officially recognized Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Area at its 18th session in Phu Ket, Thailand, because of its universal aesthetic value according to criteria (iii) of the Convention.
The second time: At the request of Ha Long Bay Management Department and IUCN, in September 1998, Prof. Tony Waltham, the top expert on Geology of Trent University, Nottingham, conducted a survey of the limestone karst of Ha Long Bay. He submitted his report to UNESCO Paris and Switzerland, IUCN Offices (Ha Noi) and to the Ha Long Bay Management Department. As a result, on 25th February, 1999, the World Heritage Center requested Quang Ninh People’s Committee, Vietnam’s National Commission for UNESCO and the Ha Long Bay Management Department to prepare a file to submit to UNESCO for the inscription of Ha Long Bay’s outstanding values of geology and geomorphology.
In July 1999, the file was completed and sent to the World Heritage Center’s Office in Paris. In December 1999, at the 23rd Congress of UNESCO held in Marakesh, Morocco, UNESCO officially considered the file. In March 2000 Professor Ellery Hamilton Smith, a member of IUCN was delegated to come to Ha Long to check the validity of the file and its geological value and to evaluate the management situation and make recommendations. In July 2000, at its mid-year meeting, the World Heritage Center, Paris, officially proposed that the World Heritage Committee recognize Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Site for its universal values of geology and geomorphology.
On 2nd December, 2000, at the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, the World Heritage Committee unanimously decided to recognize the universal geological value of Ha Long Bay for the second time according to criteria (i) of the International Convention on the Protection of the World National and Cultural Heritage. (From: www.halong.org.vn)
The ancient town of Hoi An, 30 km south of Danang, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Occupied by early western traders, Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century. Hoi An has a distinct Chinese atmosphere with low, tile-roofed houses and narrow streets; the original structure of some of these streets still remains almost intact. All the houses were made of rare wood, decorated with lacquered boards and panels engraved with Chinese characters. Pillars were also carved with ornamental designs.
Tourists can visit the relics of the Sa Huynh and Cham cultures. They can also enjoy the beautiful scenery of the romantic Hoi An River, Cua Dai Beach, and Cham Island.
Over the last few years, Hoi An has become a very popular tourist destination in Vietnam.
Light Bright NO FLUORESCENT LIGHTS. NO MOTORCYCLES. NO TELEVISION. ON THE 15TH DAY OF EACH LUNAR MONTH, THE RIVERSIDE TOWN OF HOI AN GIVES MODERN LIFE THE NIGHT OFF.
In a wood-fronted shops a woman in traditional dress sits at a desk, bathed in the light of a lantern made from a simple bamboo fish-trap. Outside, two old men are absorbed in a candlelit game of Chinese checkers. These scenes, straight out of the 19th century, still take place in Hoi An, a sleepy riverside town in the central province of Quang Nam.
Hoi An has long been a cultural crossroad. More than five centuries ago the Vietnamese nation of Dai Viet expanded its territory southwards, encroaching on the Indianized Kingdom of Champa, which covered much of what is now central Vietnam. Hoi An, located on the Hoai River, emerged when Japanese and Chinese traders built a commercial district there in the 16th century.
These diverse cultural influences remain visible today. Visitors will find Hoi An's Old Quarter lined with two-storey Chinese shops, their elaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs having withstood the ravages of more than 300 years of weather and warfare. These proud old buildings, which back onto the river, remind visitors of another era, when Hoi An's market was filled with wares from as far afield as India and Europe. Colourful guildhalls, founded by ethnic Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, stand quietly, a testament to the town's trading roots.
While Hoi An's old-fashioned charm is always visible, on the 15th of every lunar month modernity takes another step back. On these evenings the town turns off its street lamps and fluorescent lights, leaving the Old Quarter bathed in the warm glow of coloured silk, glass and paper lanterns. In ancient times, Vietnamese people made lamps out of shallow bowls filled with oil. Later, foreign traders introduced lanterns, ranging from round and hexagonal designs from China to diamond and star shaped ones from Japan.
Let there be light When developing plans to preserve their town's ancient character, Hoi An residents decided to revive the practice of using coloured lanterns. Starting in the fall of 1998, one night each month is declared a "lantern festival". On the 15th day of each lunar month, residents on Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Loi and Bach Dang streets switch off their lights and hang cloth and paper lanterns on their porches and windows. Television sets, radios, street lights and neon lights are turned off.
In the ensuing quiet the streets of Hoi An are at their most romantic, the darkness broken only by jeweltoned lanterns in all manner of shapes and sizes.
Strolling through the lantern-lit streets is like walking into a fairytale. It is all the more picturesque since motor vehicles are banned from Hoi An's Old Quarter. On Trai Phu Street, stop at the beautifully preserved Faifo Restaurant to sample some traditional Chinese-style pastries. Or walk on to the Treated Caf6, where bamboo baskets, commonly used to wash rice, have been transformed into unique lanterns. These basket lamps are but one example of people's creativity as they experiment with new shapes and materials, including lights made from hollow bamboo tubes.
A Warm Glow
The 15th day of the lunar month is a Buddhist day of worship. Residents place offerings of food and incense on their ancestral altars and visit one of Hoi An's many pagodas. The scent of incense and the sounds of people singing add to the town's enchanted atmosphere. On these evenings, visitors will get a rare glimpse into another era. These nights are a welcome reminder of life's unexpected beauty.
Phong Nha - Ke Bang is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the center of Quang Binh province in north-central Vietnam. It protects one of the world's two largest karst regions with several hundred caves and grottoes. Park layout The park covers a total area of 857.54 km² which are divided into three zones, a "strictly protected zone" (648.94 km²), an "ecological recovery zone" (174.49 km²), and an "administrative service zone" (34.11 km²). Recognition by the UNESCO Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was first nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. It was recognised as a world natural heritage site at the UNESCO's 27th general assembly session being held in Paris from June 30-July 5, 2003. At the session, delegates from over 160 member countries of UNESCO World Heritage Convention agreed to include Phong Nha-Ke Bang park and 30 others worldwide in the list of world heritage sites. Geological significance
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is one of the world's two largest limestone regions. In comparison with 41 other world heritage sites which have karsts, Phong Nha has dissimilar geomorphic, geologic and biotic conditions. The karsts of Phong Nha can be traced back to Palaeozoic era, 400 million years ago. This makes Phong Nha the oldest major karst in Asia. If the Hin Namno, bordering Phong Nha on the west (in Laotian territory) was to be combined with the national park in a continuous reserve, the combined reserve would be the largest surviving karst forest in South-east Asia (317,754 ha).
The area has numerous grottoes and caves. Vietnamese and British scientists have so far surveyed a total of 20 caves with a total length of 70 km. Of these surveyed caves, 17 were in the Phong Nha area and three in the Ke Bang area.
The Phong Nha cave from which the name to the whole system and the park is derived is famous for its rock formation which have been given names such as the "Lion", the "Fairy Caves", the "Royal Court", and the "Buddha".
Besides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground river, the largest caverns and passageways. Phong Nha - Ke Bang also contains two dozens of mountain peaks with over 1,000 metres height. Noteworthy peaks are the Peak Co Rilata with ta height of 1,128 m and the Peak Co Preu with a height of 1,213 m.
Diversity in ecological system The park is part of the Annamites eco-region. According to the results of initial surveys, the primary tropical forest in Phong Nha - Ke Bang 140 families, 427 genera, and 751 species of vascular plants, of which 36 species are endangered and listed in the Vietnam Red Book. The forest is also home to 98 families, 256 genera and 381 species of vertebrates. Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book of Endangered Species.
In 2005, a new species of gecko was discovered here by a group of Vietnamese biologists together with biologists working for the park, Cologne Zoo in Germany and the Saint Petersburg Wild Zoology Institute in Russia.
Historical significance
In addition to the diversity in the ecosystem, Phong Nha - Ke Bang is home to archeological and historical relics, such as an ancient hieroglyphic script of the Cham ethnic minority, King Ham Nghi's base built for the resistance war against French colonialists in the late 19th century, and the Xuan Son ferry station, Ho Chi Minh Trail and Road 20 used during the Vietnam War.
Tourism development in recent years
Central Quang Binh province has invested into upgrading the Phong Nha-Ke Bang visitor site to turn it into the country's major tourist destination.
Multiple eco-tourist projects have been licensed for development and the area is being heavily developed by the province to turn it into a major tourist site in Vietnam. Phong Nha Ke Bang is part of a tourism promotion program called: "Middle World Heritage Road" which includes the ancient capital of Huế, the Champa relics of My Son, the city of Hoi An, and the space of Gong culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
In order to facilitate the increasing flow of tourists to the site, the Dong Hoi Airport was constructed.
Between the 4th and 13th centuries a unique culture which owed its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism developed on the coast of contemporary Viet Nam. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower-temples located in a dramatic site that was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence.
Justification for Inscription
Criterion (ii): The My Son Sanctuary is an exceptional example of cultural interchange, with the introduction the Hindu architecture of the Indian sub-continent into South-East Asia. Criterion (iii):The Champa Kingdom was an important phenomenon in the political and cultural history of South-East Asia, vividly illustrated by the ruins of My Son.
Haiphong is located in the delta of the Red River. It is approximately 100 kilometres from Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, and serves as the primary seaport for the northern region of the country.
History
Haiphong has existed as a significant port city for at least several centuries, and was one of Vietnam's principal trading centres. When Vietnam was invaded by the French, the city became France's main naval base in Indochina. After the World War II, when Vietnam attempted to regain its independence, Haiphong was the site of the first military action undertaken by the French, being shelled by the French heavy cruiser Suffren which resulted in more than two thousand casualties. Later, in the Vietnam War, the city was subjected to heavy bombing by USAF B-52's and strike aircraft due to its status as North Vietnam's only major port. After the war, the city was built up as a significant industrial centre. Today, known as a port city, it serves the entire northern region of Vietnam and has managed to attract large FDIs that fueled economic rates of growth exceeding 12% per annum over the last decade.
Places of interest
Cat Ba - Pearl Island
Cat Ba - the pearl island is the well-known archipelago in the whole country with a spectacular array of sea and island scenery, it covers an area of 20,000ha in the North-East of Hai Phong. It takes about one hour by high speed ferry to go to the island, or by land it is about 60 km passing 2 ferries, you will easily reach the pearl island. In the spacious sea, we suddenly see a tropical jungles.The forests cover over 17,300 ha, including 570ha of primeval forests. Under the old foliages is hundred of rare medicinal trees, there is a tonic tree of one bulb and one leaf only, particularly good for human's heart. Cat Ba has a typically rare flora and fauna of limestone mountain forests, there are also many marvelous grottoes, white sandy and clear water beaches that you can see to sea bed. In old forests there is ancient Komodo varan and chamois species of average weight of over 100kg each. On Cat Ba Island, there are many fishing grounds with shrimps, red snapper, anchovy, trap fish,... and a grass cover to breed tortoise-shells. Cracked stones areas under the sea at the island's foot, there are abalones, pearl-oysters and lobsters. On the shallow tide field, there is Tu hai (mollusca family) that is considered as 'sea chicken', its meat is more delicious than abalone. Tu hai grilled with lemon is indispensable special dish in restaurants at the edge of the sea.On the first of April in 1958, Uncle Ho visited Cat Hai and Cat Ba islands. Cat Ba wharf was a place where he stood to talk with people and army who were living on the islands. Since then, the 1st April - the date when Uncle Ho visited fishing villages - was chosen by fishery industry their traditional anniversary. Every year, on the first of April the dragon boats race of district island and of whole nation fishing industry is held on the sea of Cat Ba.
Beauty-spots in Cat Ba Trans-island road: 27km long with many mountain pass, meander cols, slopes, along the sea shore, through National Pack, spectacular array of sea and island scenery.Cat Ba National Park: 15 km to the North - West of the town. This Park covers an area of 15,200 ha, including 9,800 ha of forests with splendid grottoes. In tropical and primeval forests, there is a rich fauna and flora. There are 745 species of plants, including various species of rare wood trees so as Tri Ly, Lat Hoa, Lim Set, Gie Hoa, Kim Giao, white wood. Kim Giao chopsticks used to be offered to Kings which can cause bubbles and turn itself into red when touched poisoned food. Cho dai tree that can be found in the old forest is endangered specie named in the Red Book, the only other in the world where we can find this tree is Hymalaya mountain. Cat Ba National Park is home to 20 species of mammals, 69 species of birds, 20 species of reptiles and species of amphibians, species of 11 frogs. Particularly, the rarest animals in the world that can only be found in Viet Nam is Vooc (white faced monkeys). Another strange is Ma Tien fruit, a toxic fruit, if a person eats Ma Tien he will die immediately, but the white-faced Vooc can eat both leaf and fruit to feed themselves.
Trung Trang Grotto: 15km from the town, close to the trans-island road. There are a lot of beautiful natural stalactites that makes you feel like flying high, visiting the Elysium on earth. The grotto can accommodate hundreds of people. Hung Son grotto: 13km from the town, on the trans-island road. Another name is 'Army Medical Grotto' because in the sabotaged war by America, an army hospital was built in the grotto with capacity of hundreds of beds in the mountain. This structure wrote feat of arms about courage of people. Phu Long Grotto (Cai Vieng): recently found, it is considered more beautiful than Trung Trang grotto. In the grotto, stalactites and moisture steam make us imagine the way to sky, the way to sea, many quintessential vaults, golden mountain, silver mountain... Beaches: Cat Co 1, Cat Co 2, Cat Dua, Cat Ong, Duong Danh,... are small rainy, secretive, shaded bathing grounds with fine white sand and clear water. A theme park called 'Palace under the sea' will be built to enable human to directly observe porpoises, lobsters, sharks, sea tortoises, cutlet-fish,.. slowly wandering near red corals.
Do Son Beach Do Son is one of the most famous seaside resorts in North Vietnam, lying 20 km south-west of Haiphong and 105 km from Hanoi.It is on a small peninsula between the Lach Tray and Van Uc rivers. Do Son's beaches are shaded by thousands of sandalwood trees and surrounded by mountains and hills. After establishing themselves in Haiphong, the French turned Do Son into a summer resort for both themselves and upper class Vietnamese.Immediately upon setting foot in Hai Phong, the French turned Do Son into a summer resort for their expatriate community and the Vietnamese upper class. This sea resort town is composed of three zones, each having nice beaches, hills, pine forests, and age-old constructions.At the very tip of the peninsula was the Hotel de la Pionte, now known as Van Hoa Hotel, built on the top of a large hill. This is the finest building in Do Son, looking like an ancient castle rising out of the green landscape.On summer days, Do Son is alive with tourists from all over the world. They mainly come here to spend time on the beach, relax and hike.
In the fall of 1010, King Ly Thai To (Ly Cong Uan) moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La. On the way, the king saw a vision of a golden dragon ascending from the Red river ( song Hong). The King decided to change Dai La to Thang Long (Ascending Dragon). Thang Long remained the capital city until the end of the Tran dynasty when in 1397, the capital city was moved to Thanh Hoa -Tay Do (Western Capital) and Thang Long became Dong Do (Eastern Capital).
Vietnam was invaded by China in 1407, and the city was renamed Dong Quan. In 1428, after ten years of fighting, Le Loi liberated Vietnam and renamed the city Dong Kinh. In 1527, the city was renamed Thang Long. In 1802 when King Gia Long (Nguyen Dynasty) moved the capital city to Hue, the name Thang Long remained but, Long no longer means dragon, Long in this case means prosperity. Ha Noi, was the name given to the city by King Minh Mang in 1831. Ha means river and Noi means within - Ha Noi means within the river.
Most Vietnamese and Westerners are familiar with the phrase Ha Noi ba muoi sau Pho Phuong or Ha Noi 36 districts. This phrase often causes much confusion for most people since, on the one hand Pho means a street or a place for merchants to gather to do business, on the other hand Phuong means a district or a guild of artisans specializing in a particular trade (phuong cheo, phuong tho, etc.). In any case, there is some truth to the use of both descriptions.
Similar to the Guilded age of Europe, Ha Noi's 36 districts is Vietnam's version of the guild concept. Long ago, as artisans moved to the capital city to do business, they gathered together in an area as a way to share resources. As a result, many of the streets are named after the crafts that were sold on that street. Pho Hang Bun (Vermicelli), Pho Hang Ma (paper product), Pho Hang Bac (Jewelry) are a few of the streets carrying the name of the products sold on the street.
Today, the 36 pho or old district remains in Vietnamese literature as a quaint and familiar description of this part of Ha Noi. Although many of the streets no longer have the products for which they were named, some still do. Today, on many of the streets, there are still shrines dedicated to the individual diety of the trades for which the streets are named.
Ho Hoan Kiem (Ho Guom) - Lake of the Returned Sword
Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Returned Sword was once a part of the Red river (song Hong). Through thousands of years of changes in the geography, the lake moved eastward to its present position many kilometers from the river. The lake was once called Luc Thuy or Green Water because the water was green year round. In the fifteen century, the lake was named Ho Hoan Kiem, based of a legend that is quite similar to King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake's legend.
While fighting against the Chinese, King Le Thai To has in his possession a very valuable sword. After 10 years of continuous struggle, the King finally defeated the Chinese and reclaimed Vietnam's independence. One day, while sailing on lake Luc Thuy, a large turtle appeared. The king drew his sword and pointed at the creature. The turtle immediately grab hold of the sword with its mouth and submerged. The king mourned the lost of such valuable sword, demanded that the lake be emptied and dredged. Both the turtle and the sword were not found. The king realizing that the gods must have lent him the sword to drive back the enemy, but now that Vietnam is free, the sword must be returned. King Le Thai To named the lake Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Returned Sword.
Since the reign of king Le Trung Hung (XVI century), every king in the Le dynasty, and Lord Trinh have all contributed to the beautification of the lake. Lord Trinh Giang built Khanh Thuy shrine on Ngoc island on the north end of the lake. He also had the two man made hills built across from Ngoc son Shrine.
At the end of the Le Dynasty, Khanh Thuy was destroyed by Chieu Thong. A philanthropist named Tin Trai built Ngoc Son pagoda. Ngoc Son pagoda was renamed Ngoc Son shrine during the reign of Thieu Tri III (1843) because it was no longer a Buddhist shrine. Instead, Ngoc Son is a shrine to Van Xuong, a deity, in charge of literature and the various tests required to become a mandarin. It is also a shrine to general Tran Hung Dao, a national hero responsible for many victories against the Mongols.
Since then Ngoc Son has gone through many renovations, one of which was the addition of Thap But (Pen Tower) on the hill which was once called Dao Tai. Three words inscribed on the tower "Ta Thien Thanh" or "write on blue sky". Inside the gate a pool resembling the shape of an ink well was added. Beyond the ink well is The Huc bridge or "where the sun light is absorbed". The bridge leads to Dac Nguyet Lau or "Moon Light tower" - Ngoc Son shrine. Beyond the gates to the shrine, there are two walls called bang Rong and bang Ho (dragon and tiger slate) where the names of those who passed the national test are inscribed.
On the southwest end of the lake is Thap Rua. It was rumored that king Le Thanh Tong used to fish here. Lord Trinh also built the structure to house his entourage while visiting the lake.
Ho Tay - West Lake
Ho Tay is the largest of all the lakes in Ha Noi. The lake is on the northwest part of the city. Long ago, the lake was a branch of the Red river but later, as the river changed course, the lake remained a body of water just west of the river. There are many legends associated with West Lake. The most popular is the legend of the golden buffalo.
As the story goes, there once was a medicine man who was a giant. He is well known in Vietnam for his medicine practice and the king often used him to treat the royal family. His fame reached China and he was invited to China to treat the king. He was successful where others have failed so the king was going to reward him with great wealth. He refused offerings of gold and only requested that the king give him all the black copper in the king's vault. The king agreed and the giant left for Vietnam with vast amounts of black copper. In Vietnam the giant molded a giant bell of black copper. The giant rang the bell and the sound resonated all the way to China. In the king's vault there was a golden buffalo. Upon hearing the sound of the bell, the buffalo came to life (because he thought that his mother was calling him) and charged southward. Upon reaching Ha Noi, the buffalo trampled the land in the area near Red river. Over the years, this area filled with water and became Ho Tay or West Lake.
Ho Tay has always been an area for vacationing royalties. When Ha Noi was still the capital city, the kings from the Ly and Tran dynasty built summer homes along the lake. In the north end of the lake there are several villages famous for their flowers and fruits plantations. Most famous is Nghi Tam village, the birth place of Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, one of Vietnam's premier Poetess.
Today, many of the summer homes built by kings of yesteryears are now shrines and temples. Phu Tay Ho is one of the more popular shrine on the shore of Ho Tay. During the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, people from all over Ha Noi pour to the shrine to pay respect to the deities. On these days, the roads are filled with people dressed in colorful attire heading to the narrow road leading to the shrine. Phu Tay Ho is also famous for the Bun Oc (escargot vermicelli soup) and Banh Tom (shrimp cakes) sold in stalls along the way.
Van Mieu - Temple of Literature
Originally built in 1070 in the Ly dynasty, the temple is a shrine to Confucius and his disciples responsible for spreading his teachings. Six years later, Quoc Tu Giam or School for the sons of the Nation was established for the princes. The school later admitted sons of mandarins and finally commoners were allowed to attend but, only after they passed a rigorous examination at the regional level. In 1484, Van Mieu became a place to memorialize the most brilliant scholars of the nation.
Courtyard of the Sages is located beyond the Garden of Stelae. Entrance to the courtyard is through Dai Thanh Mon or Gate of Great Success. The Great House of Ceremonies is located here. It was here that all new doctor laureates would come to pay respect to Confucius. The king would also come to pay homage to the great teacher at Dai Thanh Mon. Inscribed on a wooden panel above the altar are the words "Teacher of Ten Thousand Generations".
Behind the Great House of Ceremonies is the Sanctuary, with statue of Confucius flanked by his four closest disciples, Nhan Tu, Tu Tu, Tang Tu, and Manh-Tu (Mencius).
Quoc Tu Giam or School for the Sons of the nation is located in the last courtyard. During the time when Van Mieu was used as a school, this area housed classrooms, housing facilities and a print shop. When the university was moved to Hue, Quoc Tu Giam was turned into a shrine to Confucius' parents called Khai Thanh.
Chua Mot Cot - One Pillar Pagoda
Chua Mot Cot or the One Pillar Pagoda has become the symbol of Vietnamese rich culture and history. The pagoda was built in the reign of king Ly Thai Tong (1028-1054). According to legend, in his dream, in 1049, the king saw a vision of Phat Ba Quan Am - Kwan Yin. She led him to a shrine in the middle of a lotus pond. When he woke up, he consulted with his court and decided to replicate the shrine in his dream to dedicate it to Kwan Yin. The One Pillar Pagoda resembles a giant lotus blossom.
Museum of Fine Arts
Located at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, the museum began receiving visitors on June 24, 1966. One of Vietnam's comprehensive display of architectures, sculptures, drawings, and fine arts is housed at the museum. The museum also contains displays of the ethnic minority people in Vietnam. Stone ax blades, stone sculptures, statues and ornaments, Muong skirts, belts, and Tay Nguyen bronze rings are some of the few items on display.
Visitors are able to see works of art dating to the stone and bronze ages. Stone rings, earings and necklaces are evidence of a civilization dating back 2,000 to 3,000 years. The bronze statues, drums, and ornaments on display bring the visitors closer to that part of history that is rich with tradition and culture.
The goat and goat catcher are blindfolded with handkerchiefs. The game begins when the catcher yells, “Done!” The goat can move wherever he or she likes but must occasionally bleat. The catcher listens for the bleats and grapples to find the goat. In turn, the goat must move quietly to avoid being trapped. Since both players are blindfolded, the goat and goat catcher must both their ears and wits to win.
