Go Thap Archaeological Area in the Mekong Delta is nothing but ruins reflecting the once proud Oc Eo, a culture that had its glorious development 1,500 years ago.

People pay tribute to statues of Doc Binh Kieu and Vo Duy Duong, two of the leaders of the resistance against French troops in Go Thap

On Wednesday, brownish mossy bricks are what is left of the foundation of a tower which served as a worship area for local people in 500 AD.

The area was uncovered in 1984 when archeologists found a number of artifacts of the Oc Eo civilization in the site about 43 kilometers from Cao Lanh City.

Further excavations and findings saw the discovery of the foundation of the tower, which was built 25 meters long and 13.85 meters wide and in the eastwestern direction to allow the sun to cast its first and last light on the building.

After excavation work the tower’s foundation was renovated in 1995 and then opened to scientists, researchers and those who were keen to dig deep into the history of the Oc Eo culture which was part of the legendary kingdom of Phu Nam.

Recognised as a national vestige, the site in Thap Muoi District, Dong Thap Province is also home to Go Thap Muoi (Thap Muoi Hill), the grave and temple which honors Doc Binh Kieu – one of the leaders of the resistance against French occupation. Nearby is Ba Chua Xu Temple and Co Tu Tower which are located north of Thap Muoi Hill and built during the 19th century.

Go Thap Muoi also served as a base for revolutionary soldiers to fight against U.S. troops during the American War in Vietnam. A lot of people visit the site every year to learn how brave soldiers fought for independence.

The Go Thap Archaeological Area is quite a peaceful area as well as its cultural and historical value. The sounds of boat engines on nearby canals and the rustling sound of leaves falling from old trees make the site an oasis for visitors to rest and relax away from their daily life.

The ruins of a worship tower in Go Thap Archaeological Area – Photos: Mong Binh

(Source: SGT)

This is one of the three Linh Ung pagodas in Danang with the other two being Linh Ung-Bai But on Son Tra Peninsula and Linh Ung-Non Nuoc on Marble Mountains.

Linh Ung-Ba Na is the highest pagoda among the three as it is located at around 1,500 meters above sea level.

The pagoda is part of the Ba Na Hills ecological resort complex on top of Ba Na Mountain. It is a real challenge to walk up a very steep road to the pagoda from the Gare De Bay transit terminal where visitors take a cable car ride to the top of the mountain after going halfway to the peak. Don’t worry about that as vans are available for those who are not ready for a workout.

The pagoda is an excellent place where visitors can take a good look at the French-style mansion of the Gare De Bay terminal nestled in the jungle and looking just like a European castle as described in a fairy tale. Standing there, visitors can also have a bird’s-eye view of the jungle and the city below.

What’s more striking about the pagoda is the 27-meter-high white Sakyamuni Buddha Statue with the octagonal base having a story about the eight stages of the Buddha’s life.

Just around 40km west of downtown Danang, the Ba Na Mountain and especially the Linh Ung-Ba Na Pagoda should be given a try when you are in Danang.

The main hall of the Linh Ung-Ba Na Pagoda

A view of the outside of the pagoda

A sign on a cliff tells people that they ought to remember tree planters when they eat fruits

A rockery inside an artificial lake around which there are benches for visitors to take a rest after a short walk down from the pagoda’s main hall - Photos: Anh Khoi

The 27-meter-high Sakyamuni Buddha Statue

Visitors pay homage to the Buddha inside the main hall

(Source: SGTO)

San Diu ethnic paintings, meant for worship and found in the mountainous northern province of Tuyen Quang, owe much of their survival to local collectors.

Holy relics: Two San Diu paintings, made for worshipping, are preserved in the northern province of Tuyen Quang.

According to researcher Phan Ngoc Khue, these type of paintings appeared a very long time ago.

“Paintings have always played an important role in the spiritual life of the San Diu people, revealing specific elements of both their culture and lifestyle,” he said.

Traditionally, San Diu paintings were applied on cardboard using only natural colours.

As part of San Diu customs, sorcerers often display different forms of art including Buddha statues, bronze dragons and paintings made to worship, symbolising various spiritual images.

Locals believe that these type of paintings help them see God or Buddha during worship ceremonies.

Tran Van Thang, a Son Duong District resident, said that the paintings reflected people’s conceptions regarding past and present life.

Despite their popularity, only a few old paintings are kept locally.

Collector Bang Xuan Luc, who lives in Son Duong District’s Thien Ke Commune, said: “I’m so lucky to have some of the oldest paintings around, left to me by my parents upon their death. I still use the paintings during ritual ceremonies throughout the year.”

Pham Duc Si, from the Ha Noi Fine Arts College, presides over a 500-painting collection, 200 pieces of which come from the San Diu ethnic group.

“I bought these paintings by chance while travelling through former Ha Tay Province (now Ha Noi) a few years ago. Because of their exquisite colour I started studying their origins with much interest,” Si said.

In order to avoid deterioration, many painters have resorted to working on cement bags and often even on silk using various chemicals.

The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism is busy drawing up plans for the preservation of traditional paintings.

“We plan to collect traditional artwork and information from among ethnic people, which will take a lot of time and money,” Au Thi Mai, a department official, said.

“Despite the challenges, we will aim to do our best in preserving traditional Vietnamese artwork from around the country,” she added.

(Source: VNS)

The face of the country is made of its societal forma and structures. The interaction amongst the social agents and other socio-economic organs, craft the cultural heritage and reform legacy with sustenance of the original roots of development. Villages are the basic units of Vietnam society. Most villages have typical architectures like village gates made of bamboo and wood, bamboo hedges around the houses, common wells for all, expanded greenery of fields, pasture lands to roam, chirping birds, cattle and the masters’ shout, alleys and enchanting fresh air to breathe in. Village life in Vietnam is characterized by the ancient form of religion. In every village there is a temple and the tutelary God is worshiped there.

Village life in Vietnam has distinctive features of robust people, hard work, agricultural activities and ancient form of handicraft. The finest beaches grace this country. The ocean waves kiss the white sand beaches in all laziness, creating a melodic atmosphere during dawn and dusk. The gentleness of the environment has blessed village life in Vietnam with purity of thoughts and cooperation. It is hard to believe that even in this era of bloodshed, genocide, war and rages, nature has still nurtured a natural oasis of peace, purity and greenery of innocence.

Village people in Vietnam value social events and traditions like birthdays, temples of forefathers, ancestral fete etc. They live in big families and it is found that most of the village habitats share the same lineage or in some way relate to the same blood connections. There you would find the village democracy with man-woman equality, helping the organization and flourishing of the villages. Nearly all villages are agro-based and hence agriculture and dazzling handicrafts form the very basis of their economic activities.

Collected by Vietnam hotels

To many people, stilt houses are just a distant memory, but Roda Nai Linh from Don Duong District in the province of Lam Dong lives in one of those unique houses, full of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) artefacts.

The house was built more than 60 years ago by Nai Linh’s father, and still has many of the original architectural features of the Co Ho ethnic group. Sitting 2m above the ground and split into two rooms, the house faces southeast and is 60 sq.m in area.

Many of the artefacts in the house are still used in the everyday lives and customs of the Co Ho, such as decanters, gongs, wooden trays, fishing-tackle, blankets and papooses, including one that belonged to Nai Linh’s great grandmother. There is also a valuable jar more than 100 years old through which ruou can (rice wine) is drunk out of a jar through pipes.

“All of them are from my great grandmother’s era. The Co Ho people in our M’ Lon Hamlet like to look after their antiques and maintain their cultural values. I hope the next generations will continue to uphold the traditions of our people,” said Nai Linh.

Her eldest daughter has spent over VND100 million (US$4,700) restoring the rear of their house.

Nai Linh’s house attracts many tourists. It is also the venue for family gatherings and ceremonies. However, there are very few stilt houses left in Lam Dong, due to the Co Ho tradition of dividing their property when their children marry.

The Co Ho people have a long history of traditional culture, but with the development of the economy and society, many of these traditions are gradually being buried. Nai Linh realised this, and was determined to preserve the house and artefacts that were handed down to her from her father and sisters. In her efforts to preserve and promote national cultural identity through her stilt house and artefacts, Roda Nai Linh deserves to be praised.

Source: VNS

Collected by Vietnam hotel

Reported by Mai Linh – Thanhnien News

Collected by Vietnam hotel

Fire dancing is one of the most thrilling traditional arts performed by young men in the northern province of Ha Giang.

After the last harvest at the end of the year, young boys of the Pa Then Ethnic Minority Group in Bac Quang and Quang Binh Districts in Ha Giang Province hold a fire dancing ceremony to celebrate the new rice.

This is one of the most thrilling and unique ceremonies in the region.

To perform this dance, the young boys must follow a strict training programme which involves mysterious methods provided by a skilled elderly magician.

Before the performance, the young boys must, together with their trainer, prepare an offering to the ‘Fire God’ and the ‘Water God’ and worship for 2-4 hours. The offerings usually include a small incense burner, a boiled chicken, 10 cups of rice wine and wood.

They must do so to get an ‘ok’ from the gods that they can jump into the fire and perform their skilled moves.

The young dancers also eat the live, burning embers. Before and after the performance, they always take some to enjoy.

Women and small boys are not allowed to join in the tradition however, they will gather around to cheer them on.

The brave men will, on bare feet, jump and dance on a fire without being burnt.

The fire is ready

The magician is helping young dancers prepare the offerings

Thrilling performances with the fire

Lying on the burning embers

VietNamNet Bridge – Dinh Co Temple in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province was built after the body of a 16 year old girl washed up on Long Hai Beach 186 years ago.

Dinh Co Temple in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province was built to worship a drowned girl, who was found on the beach after a typhoon. (Photo: SGT)

The temple on windy hilltop overlooking the beach in Long Dien District was built to honor the girl, Le Thi Hong Thuy.

People believed she was a sacred goddess, who would protect them. Her grave is still there beside it.

Two white lion statues guard the gate to the 37 stone steps that lead up to the main building that is a vast 1,000 square meters. Old trees and flowers fill the grounds. From the top of the stairs you can see Vung Tau City and Thuy Van Beach in the distance.

The sanctum of the temple has seven altars and a small statue of the girl dressed in red with gold lame trim.

Every year, there is a three day festival called Nghinh Co Festival on February 10-12 of lunar calendar that attracts pilgrims from around the country.

VietNamNet/SGT

Visitors at the photography exhibition – “Ha Noi 1,000 Years Old” – at the Temple of Literature view some of the 1,000 photos on display.

The festival features a wide range of cultural and tourism information about countries on five continents. International tourism companies and industry representatives from many countries have come to the festival to display their destinations and services such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt and Japan.

Vietnamese tourism businesses are taking this opportunity to present their tourism services at more than 90 booths, while Ha Noi agents are introducing the city’s potential at 180 separate booths.

Hout Sinuon, deputy director of the Cambodian Statistics and Tourism Information Department, said many festival attendees had already visited his booth.

“We are here to promote our culture and tourist attractions,” he said. “We think we will successfully lure tourists to Cambodia.”

An international workshop today will focus on practical benefits of co-operation opportunities, experience exchange, tourism development and joint-venture tourist projects.

The Bao Son Paradise Theme Park is the biggest entertainment and tourism complex in the city. Opened to the public last year, the park was developed to quench the local population’s thirst for entertainment and relaxation.

The 20ha entertainment and tourism complex consists of four main areas: traditional craft villages of Viet Nam, a replica of Ha Noi’s old quarter, an eco-tourism area and a culinary section offering cuisine from all corners of Viet Nam.

Many cultural and art activities are being organised throughout the park during the four-day festival.

A stage has been set up at the park’s gate to feature international music and a carnival. Visitors can also enjoy listening to traditional Vietnamese music such as cheo (traditional opera), folk singing from the central region, chau van (spiritual music), quan ho (love duets) and ca tru (ceremonial singing) at the village hall in the traditional craft village area. Two puppetry performances will be held every day during the festival.

Visitors will have the chance to join folk games such as walking on stilts, bamboo swinging, human chess and throwing a ball through a ring at the ethnic village’s replica of a Thai stilt house.

The park’s old quarter area brings back Ha Noi’s past life through calligraphy demonstrations, xam (blind blusker) singing, to he (toy figurines) making and street vendors.

“We’re trying to offer as many traditional Vietnamese art performances as possible,” says Nguyen Truong Son, director of Bao Son Group, owner of the park. “The performances will change everyday during the four day exhibition so visitors will be able to enjoy something different each day.”

Check it out: Visitors are introduced to speciality and tourism services at a Lao booth. (Photos: VNS)

“With the theme Thang Long-Ha Noi, Convergence of 1,000 Years, this will be the biggest event held to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of the capital, and the 50th anniversary of the Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s tourism industry,” said Mai Tien Dung, deputy director of the department.

“The International Tourism Festival is a key National Tourism Year activity and aims to introduce and honour the cultural and historical values of the capital. This event will also help promote Viet Nam’s tourism products and services in the international market,” he said.

The park and Thang Long Road, where the park is located, were built to mark the city’s millennium.

The opening ceremony for the Cong Nhan (Workers) Theatre was another cultural highlight that took place on Saturday in the capital.

Chairwoman of the city’s People Council, Ngo Thi Doan Thanh, and vice chairman of the People’s Committee Phi Thai Binh attended the ceremony.

Located at 42 Trang Tien Street, the theatre was first built in 1917 and was used as a cinema. After the liberation of the city from the French in 1954, the name of the theatre was changed to its current name.

The theatre’s renovation began in October 2007. The three-storey theatre, which includes a 500-seat auditorium and a well-equipped stage, is now ready to host a variety of different events.

The theatre’s opening is helping celebrate the city’s grand anniversary.

On the same day, a collection of 94 valuable books about Thang Long-Ha Noi were unveiled at the National Library in the capital.

A display showcasing documents about the capital city is also open to the public at the library.

Nguyen Dang Duc Bao’s win in the men’s 8,750m event at the Ha Noi Moi newspaper’s Run for Peace around Hoan Kiem Lake helped his Khanh Hoa team secure the team title yesterday in Ha Noi.

Bao, who has been the runner to beat during the past several years, stole the triumph from Nguyen Van Lai from the Military team in the last hundreds metres.

Lai failed to defend his title and finished second, followed by Bui The Anh from the Border Guard team.

The Border Guard surpassed the Military to take second place in the team event.

On the women’s side, Thanh Hoa sprinter Nguyen Thi Phuong won the gold medal in the 5,250m event. Nguyen Dang Thanh Thuy, who is Bao’s younger sister, came in second while Nguyen Thi Huong from Thai Binh finished third.

Phuong’s top place failed to help her Thanh Hoa team finish in the top three. The team title went to Khanh Hoa, with Thai Binh taking second and Quang Ninh finishing third.

Khanh Hoa easily won the overall title at the event.

Apart from the events for professionals, the running contest also had categories for amateurs.

The annual event marks the 56th anniversary of Ha Noi’s liberation (October 10) and the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of the capital.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

To Vietnamese the Old Quarter in Hanoi is known as Pho Co, which means ‘Ancient Streets’. This is indeed the oldest part of Hanoi’s urban core. Only the recently excavated foundations of the Thang Long citadel could compete. But that was the Royal compound – a sealed, planned seat of power, where the country’s elite lived away from the thronging masses.

The Old Quarter is the descendent of Thang Long- Hanoi’s first urban gathering of commoners. A market town – once known as Ke Cho – sat on the outskirts of the Royal Citadel. This organic settlement grew through the centuries. From the 15th to 18th centuries it had a vibrant riparian trade on a par with Venice, according to European visitors. In the early 13th century, workshops started to cluster around the palace walls, slowly evolving into craft cooperatives, or guilds. Skilled craftsmen migrated to the Old Quarter, and artisan guilds were formed by craftsmen originating from the same village and performing similar services.

Inhabitants of each street came from the same village, so streets became synonymous for certain goods while also developing a homogeneous look. That’s how the street names were born. Hang Bac (Silver Trading Street), for example, started out as a silver ingot factory under the reign of Le Thanh Tong (1469-1497). Hang Thiec (Tin Trading Street) was home to set of tinsmiths. The craftsmen originally produced small tin cone-shaped tips to preserve the shape of the traditional conical hats – non. No prizes for guessing that on nearby, Hang Non, lived the hatters.

The Old Quarter is still faithful to much of its original essence. It’s still teeming with trade. It’s also now partly the city’s “backpacker quarter” with plenty of cheap hotels, guesthouses, travel agents, late night watering holes, pirate DVDs and gift shops selling knock-off clobber, propaganda art or simple souvenirs.

Some of the streets have a striking dual identity, partly traditional, partly modern – one side of Lan Ong is filled with apothecaries selling Chinese herbal remedies, roots and medicinal teas, the other half is dominated by childcare shops flogging diapers and kiddies clothes.

One European visitor, Samuel Bacon, who came to the city in 1685, noted how “all diverse objects sold in this town have a specially assigned street”, delighted at the sight of a shoe stall at the end of a street dedicated to manufacturing shoes. Over 300 years later, things have inevitably deviated and in some case the names got left behind. Now most people shop for shoes on Hang Dau (oil trading street).

Tourism Destination

The “street life” makes it a thrilling destination for tourists. It’s also one of the reasons why Hanoi has been described by Frommer’s as Asia’s most Asian city – the place is alive from dawn. Even without the traders, shoppers, and tourists, it would be a crowded place. It’s one of the most congested urban zones in the world with an estimated 84,000 people per kilometre.

This is not a place where you come to chill out. The tourists who fall in love with this part of Hanoi are the ones that like to get involved – haggling in shops, slurping noodles or drinking bia hoi on the pavement, and seeing the lighter side of getting harangued by the know-it-all postcard sellers or the shoeshine boys.

But the streets’ façade masks a darker side to life in the Old Quarter. If the tourists were to wander down the damp, cramped alleyways, they would find many people are living in squalor.

One resident, Nguyen Thi Van, owns a 17sqm-floor room above a clothes shop on Hang Luoc street, which has no windows. The house’s toilet and kitchen sit side by side. Van lives there with seven member of her family. “I’m lucky enough,” she says. “I know of families of 10 living in a 20sqm room.”

Van’s eldest son just got married last month and wisely decided to break with tradition – normally a newly-wed bride will move in with her husband’s family. They opted to live with her parents. Her other son works as a security guard and he often sleeps at his company’s office.

“If they all lived here, I don’t know how we’d manage,” Van says. In an old French colonial period house on Hang Vai street, much of the original interior is still apparent with wooden staircases, windows and floors. But the place is in a bad state of disrepair. The 18 families who live in the three-storey house are all sick of living in these slum-like conditions.

“We want to repair our home, but we cannot as we are not allowed by the local authorities,” says Do Thi My, one of 90 people living in the house. “The most terrible thing is the toilet – it’s shared by more than 100 people as neighbours use it too,” My says.

Dated architecture

Although the Old Quarter’s street outline dates back 500 years, many of the houses in the area were constructed in more recent times – from the beginning of the 20th century and onwards. Homes evolved out of market stalls, before actual streets were formed, and because storekeepers were taxed according to the width of their storefront, storage and living space moved to the rear of the buildings. Consequently, the long and narrow buildings (3m wide and 60m long) were called tube houses.

The houses tend to be interspersed by courtyards or “wells” to permit light into the houses and allow some space for activities like washing or gardening. As Australian geographers Brian Shaw and Roy Jones noted in a paper on heritage conservation in Hanoi, the houses also had a natural air conditioning system: the difference in ambient temperature between the inner courtyards and the outside street created air flow, and the longer the house, the greater the velocity of the flow. The structures were built out of brick cemented together with sugar-cane juice!

But in spite of all the problems, and in spite of the fact that the residents complain bitterly, many inhabitants don’t actually want to move elsewhere. Convenience seems to trump comfort.

“We never think of leaving as it’s so handy living here – we have everything we need all around shops, markets, schools for children,” says Pham Thi Bich, who lives on Hang Dong, who shares a 36sqm-house with four households.

“We are used to this lifestyle. And we depend on our shop at the front of the house. If the State forces us to relocate, how will we earn a living?”

Restoration of such an overcrowded and chronically outdated infrastructure is quite literally the million-dollar question. Over the past few years, UNESCO, Sida and other organisations have tried to come up with a feasible solution. Recently, a pilot project to renew a short section of Ta Hien street was approved – the first tentative step towards tackling this thorny issue.

The VND10 billion ($526,300) renewal project was funded by Hoan Kiem district authorities with additional financial and technical support from France. A new electricity system will be installed, lighting will be improved, homes will have a better water supply and drainage will also be upgraded. The street will also get more trees and the pavement will be re-paved.

And even though some residents complained they’d lose money from street side business while the project was in progress, perhaps that’s the only answer – a painstaking, gradual renewal, helping the Old Quarter to slowly evolve in a sustainable fashion.

Source: Timeout