Ao dai Vietnam

Ao dai Vietnam
Originally uploaded by TA.D

The Ao Dai is the most recognizable traditional dress seen in Vietnam, and though western style clothes are popular, this beautifully styled outfit is still actively worn throughout the country during Tet, at work, to weddings, and other national celebrations.

The word Ao Dai means ‘Long Dress,’ and is a two piece garment. The bottom part consists of loose pants that reach the ankles. The top is a tight fitting tunic with long sleeves and a high collar with two panels that float loosely down the front and back.

The Ao Dai is famously known to ‘cover everything, but hide
nothing,’ and it perfectly accentuates the long, lithe body possessed by Vietnamese women. When choosing to wear the Ao Dai it pays to have a similarly shaped figure.

Historically the Ao Dai is believed to come from China, when the newly crowned king Nguyen Phuc Khoat decreed in 1744 that the Ming Chinese style of dress would be adopted by all his subjects. Since then, both men and women have worn different variations of the Ao Dai. It has never been an official ceremonial dress, and has always been used an everyday outfit.

In Viet Nam, the ao dai is the traditional dress for women. Developed from Chinese court clothing in the 1930s, this style of clothing went out of fashion in the north in 1954 and in the south in 1975. Recently, however, it has made a comeback and is regaining popularity in the south among schoolgirls and office workers, and is being worn at formal functions. An indication of social standing, the ao dai is worn by women who work as shop assistants or who have a higher social status, while manual workers typically wear a loose top and baggy pants called an ao ba ba.

The ao dai is considered to be an elegant, yet demure, garment. Traditionally, long, wide- legged trousers are worn under a high-necked, long-sleeved, fitted tunic with slits along each side. The outfit’s pants reach to the soles of the feet, often trailing along the ground. Over time, the dress tunic has evolved, keeping with fashion trends, and has grown shorter and shorter until it now falls just below the knees. The ao dai can also be identified by its mandarin-style or boat-neck collar. Young girls wear only pastel colored or white garments while married women wear either dark or bright tunics over black or white trousers.

Historically, Vietnamese men dressed in mandarin style suits. With a tunic shorter and fuller than the ao dai, the suit’s color was traditionally determined by the man’s class and social rank. For example, a purple suit denoted a high rank while blue denoted a low rank. Status was also indicated through a variety of embroidered symbols. Today the mandarin suit is rarely worn except for in traditional dance or music performances.

In general, Vietnamese people dress conservatively. Although some young women wear more close-fitting, Western-style clothing, it is considered inappropriate to wear revealing clothes during the day. One Westerner teaching English in Viet Nam was advised to tuck her shirt into her trousers if she expected respect from her students. It is considered inappropriate for educated people to wear their shirts untucked.

Ao Dai history

Ao Dai History A lasting impression for any visitor to Vietnam is the beauty of the women dressed in their ao dais. Girls dressed in white pick their way through muddy streets going home from school or sail by in a graceful chatter on their bikes. Secretaries in delicate pastels greet you at an office door and older ladies in deep shades of purple, green or blue cut a striking pose eating dinner at a restaurant. The ao dai appears to flatter every figure. Its body-hugging top flows over wide trousers that brush the floor. Splits in the gown extend well above waist height and make it comfortable and easy to move in. Although virtually the whole body is swathed in soft flowing fabric, these splits give the odd glimpse of a bare midriff, making the outfit very sensual. Rapidly becoming the national costume for ladies, its development is actually very short compared to the country's history. Pronounced 'ao yai' in the south, but 'ao zai' in the north, the color is indicative of the wearer's age and status. Young girls wear pure white, fully lined outfits symbolizing their purity. As they grow older but are still unmarried they move into soft pastel shades. Only married women wear gowns in strong, rich colors, usually over white or black pants. The ao dai has always been more prevalent in the south than the north, but austerity drives after 1975 meant it was rarely anywhere seen for a number of years as it was considered an excess not appropriate for hard work. The nineties have seen a resurgence in the ao dai's popularity. "It has become standard attire for many office workers and hotel staff as well as now being the preferred dress for more formal occasions," says Huong, a secretary for a foreign company. "I feel proud of my heritage when I wear it." For visitors, the pink and blue of the Vietnam Airlines uniform creates a lasting memory as they travel. Early versions of the ao dai date back to 1744 when Lord Vu Vuong of the Nguyen Dynasty decreed both men and women should wear an ensemble of trousers and a gown that buttoned down the front. It was not until 1930 that the ao dai as we know it really appeared. Vietnamese fashion designer and writer Cat Tuong, or as the French knew him, Monsieur Le Mur, lengthened the top so it reached the floor, fitted the bodice to the curves of the body and moved the buttons from the front to an opening along the shoulder and side seam. Men wore it less, generally only on ceremonial occasions such as at weddings or funerals. But it took another twenty years before the next major design change was incorporated and the modern ao dai emerged. During the 1950s two tailors in Saigon, Tran Kim of Thiet Lap Tailors and Dung of Dung Tailors, started producing the gowns with raglan sleeves. This creates a diagonal seam running from the collar to the underarm and today, this style is still preferred. Its popularity is also spreading well beyond Vietnam's borders. For years Vietnamese immigrants preferred to adopt Western dress and blend with their new community but now the ao dai is seeing a revival amongst overseas Vietnamese. At least here in the United States this may be partly due to the arrival of Tram Kim, known as Mr. Ao Dai. He shifted to California in 1982 and opened a new branch of Thiet Lap Tailors in Garden Grove, Orange County, leaving his Saigon store to his son. There are even annual Miss Ao Dai pageants held and the prestigious Long Beach show attracts entrants from across the country. The clothing has also inspired French designers including top names such as Christian Lacroix and Claude Montana, and variations of the tight sleeves, fitted bodice, high collar and flowing trousers have been seen on the catwalks of Europe. Every ao dai is custom made, accounting for the fit that creates such a flattering look. Stores specialize in their production and a team of cutters, sewers and fitters ensure that the final product will highlight the figure of the wearer. Thuy, a fitter in Ho Chi Minh City, says, "To create the perfect fit, customers take their undergarments and shoes with them for the fittings." The pants should reach the soles of the feet and flow along the floor. Comfort has not been forgotten at the expense of fashion and beauty. The cut allows the wearer freedom of movement and despite covering the whole body, it is cool to wear. Synthetic fabrics are preferred as they do not crush and are quick drying, making the ao dai a practical uniform for daily wear. Its popularity may be its undoing as the garment is now being mass produced to make it more available and cheaper. The gown length appears to be gradually shortening and today is usually just below the knee. Variations in the neck, between boat and mandarin style, are common and even adventurous alterations such as a low scooped neckline, puffed sleeves or off the shoulder designs are appearing as ladies experiment with fashion. Colors are no longer as rigidly controlled and access to new fabrics has created some dazzling results. But most visitors to Vietnam agree that the tailors already have the perfect cut. It is hard to think of a more elegant, demure and yet sexy outfit, that suits Vietnamese women of all ages, than the ao dai.

AO DAI
The National Costume - source: http://www.acjc.edu.sg

Music in Hanoi: A low note

Many music stars and winners of music competitions in Vietnam live in Hanoi, but the capital city’s music life is not as lively as HCM City’s.


Hanoi doesn’t have a music market: That is the comment of all visitors who love music when they come to Hanoi because it is very hard to find a place for music.

Quiet night clubs

Aladin, owned by People’s Artist, singer Thanh Hoa, is perhaps the night club that has the most music shows. As the only night club in Hanoi that focuses on revolutionary music, Aladin has a loyal audience. However, the names like Thanh Hoa, Anh Tho, Viet Hoan, Tan Nhan, Ho Anh Dung can only attract several tens of audience members each night. Aladin is only full during the weekend or when it organises really big shows.

Ho Guom Xanh (Green Sword Lake), which is considered the most hip music bar for youth in Hanoi, is very quiet. Like Aladin, this bar is bustling during the weekend or on holidays, when the bar invites “music stars”. On the weekdays, besides some sexy dances, Ho Guom Xanh is the stage for exclusive Ho Guom Xanh singers like Tra My, Anh Tu and Viet Dung.

Singer Thu Ba, music manager at Ho Guom Xanh, said this bar doesn’t have any special show for Hanoian singers in the coming time, but it will have shows for singers from HCM City such as Doan Trang and Ha Anh Tuan and overseas Vietnamese singers like Jimmy Nguyen and Huong Lan.

The Jazz Club of musicians Quyen Van Minh and Quyen Thien Dac is a rendezvous for jazz music fans in Hanoi. However, this bar is not crowded because jazz is not a popular genre of music. Most of the audience members at the Jazz Club are foreigners or students of music schools. It is very difficult for guests to find a bar with classical music in Hanoi.

“Leisure” singers

Economic slowdown has hit the music market in Hanoi, which was quiet to begin with. This International Woman’s Day (March 8), Hanoi had only two big shows on two nights, Ru Tinh and Yellow Daisy of March, which gathered divas like Thanh Lam, My Linh, Ho Quynh Huong, and Nguyen Ngoc Anh.

In HCM City, music stars appear very often at night clubs but in Hanoi stars like My Linh and Thanh Lam never sing at night clubs. Diva Thanh Lam said that when she releases her new album this June she doesn’t plan to sing in Hanoi.

My Linh, though she is busier than Thanh Lam, said she would attend the Pham Duy Music show on March 27 and the Cherry Blossom Festival on April 11. She said the quiet music market has had impacts on her life and she is now earning her living by other activities, such as playing in advertising clips.

Singer Ngoc Anh has given many shows, but not in Hanoi. She generally travels between Da Nang and Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and HCM City.

Free shows on TV

Explaining the quiet environment for music in the capital city, Thanh Lam said economic crisis has drastically hit the entertainment industry and it is very difficult to draw an audience to music performances at this moment. Show organisers don’t dare to venture the risk.

Another reason, she said, is that Hanoi has never been animated like HCM City. Most Hanoians don’t have the habit of enjoying live music at the weekend. Especially, in an economic crisis, they would rather stay at home and watch free shows on TV than go to see live shows.

Source: NLD

Largest pagoda of Vietnam on the way

The largest pagoda complex in Vietnam, Bai Dinh Pagoda, is located at Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District in the northern province of Ninh Binh, 95 kilometers south of Hanoi. Even though it is still under construction, with expected date of completion in 2010 to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long or Hanoi, it is still attracting a large number of pilgrims and tourists.



The pagoda complex is being built in a hilly region near the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda which was established by monk Nguyen Minh Khong (1065 – 1141) who turned the caves of the 200-meter high Bai Dinh Mountain into the pagoda. According to fengshui, the pagoda, with its back leaning on Bai Dinh Mountain and its front looking down the Hoang Long River, has a very good location. Moreover, with the location site being far from any residential area in a hilly region covered with green old trees attracting nesting birds, the new pagoda has a quiet and peaceful atmosphere and gives visitors a tranquil feeling.

The pagoda complex stretches over 100 hectares with three temples (past, present, future), Tam The, Phap Chu and the temple to honor the goddess of mercy, and one bell tower. The length from the gate to the highest temple of Tam The is 800 meters. Running from low to high are two corridors of houses, placing 500 arahats at a height of over two meters.

Bai Dinh is also famous for its record-breaking works, such as the three statues of Buddha in the past, present and future weighing 50 tons per statue in Tam The temple, a Buddha statue weighing 100 tons in Phap Chu temple and two bells weighing 36 tons and 27 tons.

The pagoda, which is only five kilometers away from two popular tourism destinations of co do Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1010 and the Trang An cave area, could become the center for tourism of Ninh Binh Province when it is completed.

From: The Saigon Times

A cake of ardent love between husband and wife

Visitors to Dinh Bang Village in Bac Ninh Province should not miss tasting a specialty of this region: the phu the (husband and wife) cake, a traditional cake made from local materials representing marital fidelity, originating from the time of the Ly dynasty (1009 – 1225).



The skin is made by grinding and filtering large-sized grain glutinous rice to retrieve the starch. The starch of this rice will be mixed with scraped green papaya and soaked in the juice of the fruit of cape jasmine, which makes the skin both crispy and glutinous and gives it a light yellow color.

Its stuffing is made of green bean ground with sugar, sugar coated lotus seeds and coconut meat. Once stuffed, the cake is wrapped into a square shape in leaves from phrinium and coconut trees and boiled in hot water.

The whole cake is made by hand and every household in the village has their own secret recipe passed down through generations, creating their own tastes and brands for the cake.

It is said that the kings of the Ly Dynasty encouraged agricultural expansion and in their period Dinh Bang and other villages in the country had bumper crops. During festivals and the Lunar New Year, the villagers of Dinh Bang used these agricultural products to make a cake named su se to make offerings to the ancestors.

Once, King Ly Thanh Tong (1023 – 1072) and his wife Y Lan visited the village for a festival and had a chance to taste this cake. They complimented this cake, renamed it to phu the cake and asked the villagers to make it for wedding ceremonies to celebrate the happiness of the couple. Once the cakes are boiled they are wrapped in green banana leaves and tied in pairs with bamboo strings dyed in pink, as an icon of the loyalty of the love between husband and wife.

The cake now is widely known in the whole country and it is made all year round in the markets of the village. In some regions it is wrapped in a square box of banana leaves to offer as a gift. The cakes travel all the country and overseas.

Visitors to Do Temple in Dinh Bang Village will find the cake sold outside the temple priced at VND15,000 for ten cakes.

From: Thuy Nguyen

Double-five festival

Double-five Festival, a traditional festival in Vietnam and in other countries like China, North Korea, is held at lunar May 5th. According to the book "Phong tho ky", "Doan" is the beginning and "Ngo" wants to say midday. Therefore, "Doan ngo" means the beginning of midday.On May, the principle of Yang arrives to its apogee. The sun is burning hot in particular at noon.

While speaking about the double-five festival, each country has its own explanation. In China, this day has been the death commemoration of Qu Yuan, a talented adviser of king Huai, Chu country since 2000 years. As his advices were refused by the king, he committed suicide in Milo river. As for Vietnam, Double-five Festival is the death anniversary of goddess Au Co. In the South-East of Vietnam, to date, one celebrates the ceremony "Via ba", i.e. Holy Linh Son on Ba Den (Lady Den) mountain.

Beside that, lunar May 5th is also the festival of killing out worms. According to old designs, worms live in the belly of each of us. They there eat and leave from there only on lunar May 5th. This is why, in order to kill them, they eats fruits and especially drinks sticking rice infusion after the clock alarm. It is called the habit to kill out the worms. In the same way, children carry amulets made by small pockets of trifling rice in all colors, bent in form of plum, a carambola, a kumquat... They attach them to multicolored strings. The children color also their hands and feet nails by the basella alba dyeing (except the index and the inch). They also put calao (drug of yellow and red color) known their fontanels, their chest, their umbilical point to frighten the malignant spirits and to avoid diseases. During this festival, each family worships the ancestors. They prepare feasts with vegetarians and non vegetarians dishes. There are always particular cakes named "tro" (ashes). These cakes are made of sticking rice macerated in water of lime or ashes, without joke or with sweetened joke. They pack them by the bamboo sheets. Nowadays, the engaged young man come to see the parents of his future wife and offer gifts to them. The double-five festival is also occasion to express its thanks with the grandparent, the parents, and the doctors and the teachers... Normally, the offering constitutes green peas, sticking rice, and the fruits. In the countryside, at noon of lunar May 5th, people will gather medicinal sheets believing that they are effective to treat diseases.

Today, Double-five Festival remains a great festival of the Vietnamese people. The linked activities to date are maintained although they are not any more the same ones like before. However their significance never changes. That constitutes the national identity which requires to be safeguarded in favor of the generations following.

Source: Vietnam Simple

Significance of the kite flying

The kite flying is an interesting and attractive game for a long time appeared. It is not simply a game but also a traditional habit with particular significances.

The paper kite has the shape of Milan (a carnivorous bird). According to designs drawn from the socio-economic life and river civilization of the ancient Southeast Asia people, the organization of the society is constituted of two opposite elements. On a side, they are live animals in the dry environment. On another side, animals exist in moisture. Several people of the Southeast Asia have legends reporting to this design. For example: the lunar dynasty of the snake crowned Naga against the solar dynasty of the Garuđa bird (in Kampuchea); in the spectacles of the wizards of the Muong ethno group in Vietnam, they find a fish and a bird drawing on their crowned object.

According to this design, the kite flying away in the sky symbolizes the dryness. This is why this habit is held after the rain season. Thus, people hope that time will support a heavy crop.

The kite flying becomes popular in many Asian countries like Thailand, Laos, China and Vietnam. In a document published into 972, they said that formerly, the worshiping objects of Khmers were: musical bowls, plates, instruments, lance and five kites. When the harvest blows, the monks launch from the top of pagodas one or two kites attached to the sound instruments to beseech peace. If one of the kites falls, they must organize a ceremony of worship to exorcize the demons and also to request peace.

Previously, this habit was also practiced by kings. In the evening, under the Moon light, the king and his mandarins fly kites. They regarded it as a crowned object. For them, the kite flying was a worshiping ceremony of one Buddha's tooth kept in the Naga snake country. Then, the king had to stay outside for two months and his mandarins were with him to supervise the kite. In Thailand, the kings organized a race of kite. There were two teams. The male kite was called Kula and the female Packao. The male was to cut the wire of the adversary. The female was smaller and under a rhombus form. It used fabric bands around it to intertwine and limit the force of the male. Today, the kite is again started again and increasingly sophisticated. It appears much of pretty kite. Moreover, they organize competitions or exposures of kites to safeguard this so beautiful and so significant traditional habit.

Source: Vietnam Simple

Traditional “nón lá” (palm-leaf conical hat) of Vietnam

For a long time, "nón lá" has become a traditional symbol of Vietnamese people. It has been associated with Vietnamese like an object and its shadow, without discriminating sex, age, or social position. It is a common friend of all people. That is the reason why people have considered it as a typical icon of Vietnamese.

According to the old people, in the past they divided into three types of ancient hats with the names of "nón mười" (or hat "ba tầm", hat "quai thao"), medium-sized hat, and head-hat. Basically, the hats in those days have flat, round and wide brims. The outer brim has a border that makes the hat's shape similar to a gong. In the middle is a small bangle knit by thatch which fits the head of a person wearing it. Hat "ba tầm" has the biggest brim among these. In the old time, women often wear this kind of hat to go to festivities or pagodas. Head-hat is the smallest one and has the lowest selvage. In that time, people also classified the hats according to the owners' levels. Some kinds were for the old; hats were used by the rich and mandarins; hats for kids; hats for troops; bamboo hats worn by monks; aged, durable hats of farmers needing them to shelter from the rain and the sun, etc. Each type has its own shape and special manner; sometimes the shape of hats depends on the beneficiaries or private purposes.

In all three regions the North, the Middle, and the South of Vietnam, there are areas that are famous for making hats and each category of hats produced in each location contains private nuance: Lai Chau (Lai Châu) hats used by Thai (Thái) people; Cao Bang (Cao Bằng) hats red-painted of Tay (Tày) ethnic group; Thanh Hoa (Thanh Hóa) hats consisting of 16 - 20 brims; Ba Don (Ba Đồn) hats (in Quang Binh) which are slender, light and refined; soft, elegant hats of Huế due to lining with thin leaves; Chuông Village's hats (in Thanh Oai, Ha Tay) which are considered as the most long-wearing and beautiful in the delta area of the North.

Materials to make hats are not sophisticated. A hat is made from stuffs which are available everywhere in out country such as fan-palm leaf, macaw leaf, bamboo frame, hooking rope, etc. "Tàu lá nón" (a kind of big leaf) must be green and is ironed by putting it on a piece of metal fired and pushing by a piece of cloth until flat. The fire needs to be moderate. If it is too hot, the leaf will be burned; otherwise, if too cool, the leaf will be wrinkled after a while. People fire match to make the leaf turn white and to prevent from mould.

They choose pointed, long pipes of bamboo and dry them in order to make the hoop of hat. The beauty of the hat is upon to cleverness and skill of the craftsman. The person stitching hats is compared as a seamstress. The bamboo hoop is then laid on a mould and leaves are arranged. After that is the sewing step. Hooking threads to sew often have different lengths. To stitch continuously, when a thread is nearly finished, they need to join it with another thread right away. And the skill of the sewer expresses on hidden joining points which make people only see very straight seam when having a look at. After 16 rounds going through with the threads, a charming hat is taken into shape.

Vietnamese girls nurse their hats as jewelry; sometimes they become exchanging objects of girls' affection and feelings. People stick a small mirror on the top of the hat to help girls discreetly preen. The most meticulous skill is drawing under the leaf-layer sunk designs, pictures of bamboo or paddy field, or even lyric lines of verse. These pictures and letters can only be seen under the sun light; therefore, this kind of hat is called "nón bài thơ" (poem-hat).

Vietnamese hat is not just made for sheltering from the sun and rain; it is also used with function as a fan in hot and muggy summer days, a betel tray when meeting friends, and even a keepsake for the other to memorise. Nevertheless, its uses are not stopped at that; it has become a cultural part of Vietnamese life. On a long way in a scorching day or at the time resting after farming, sitting beside a row of bamboo tree, people use "nón lá" to fan to stop perspiring. Beside a limpid well, in the thirst, a hat can become a gigantic tumbler to contain water so the farmer can bring down the hot with it.

"Nón lá" has been a close-knit object of Vietnamese people, so it is not surprised when every foreigner wants to take some hats coming back when ending their trips to Vietnam.

Source: Vietnam Simple

Be diffused with “xích lô” (cyclo)

From a long time ago, Vietnamese people have thought of the cyclo as a familiar means of transportation when going out. No noisy sound from engines, no obscure smoke and no spending too much for commuting. It is just simple and ordinary as its appearance. It is not only close-knit to Vietnamese but also connected strongly with the foreigners as every of them was attracted by this unique means at the first time visiting Vietnam.

Vietnam is becoming more and more modern; however, cyclo still has a stand in the minds of the residents, especially the ladies due to its carefree and gentle manner among the crowded towns and cities. That is why it still survives through the time. Day by day, travellers who come to Vietnam and large cities of Vietnam like Sài Gòn, Đà Nẵng, Nha Trang have fallen in love with the Vietnamese cyclo. They must sit on a cyclo at least once to do a sightseeing tour around Sword Lake or gently penetrates into the ancient town Hội An. They may use it to do a round on the streets, particularly Trần Phú Street, at sunset and then they can take a full view of Vietnam's water and mountains into their eyes, and their minds either.

Having a chance sitting on a cyclo and making way through places to fully enjoy the interested feelings from the journey, almost all tourists feel comfortable and pleasant. Hence, pedicabs now have more important foothold after the days when they were faded away because of taxi and "xe ôm" (motorbike taxi). Besides, one another advantage of going by cyclo is that the riders know clearly about the stores that they can visit and go shopping and also low-price food shops. Many of them have a little knowledge of foreign language to have a short talk with their customers but not explain by "hands and feet" for the guests. Therefore, if you are backpacking tourists and you have no guide, call a cyclo and you can start your trip from any corners of the city. In the cities serving for tourism, you will see that more cyclo are plying to and fro. In Ho Chi Minh City, there are trade unions for cyclo to help such as Chợ Lớn, Chương Dương; in Ha Noi, we have Sans Souci union. Besides, plenty of separate cyclo still go around the streets to take guests. Moreover, it is not difficult to find out that cyclo also emerged in happy days of the couples as an up-to-date model which has created original, cheerful and hearty wedding processions.

And now, when think of Vietnam, the travellers not only remember "áo dài, nón lá" but also miss simple pedicabs together with the faithful and heart-warming riders.

Ao Dai

A lasting impression for any visitor to Vietnam is the beauty of Vietnamese women dressed in their Ao Dais. These long flowing dress worn over loose-fitting trousers are considered to be Vietnamese women's national dresses.

Early versions of the Ao Dai date back to 1744, when Lord Vu Vuong of the Nguyen Dynasty ordered both men and women to wear an ensemble of trouser and gown that buttoned down the front. Although popular, men wore it less often than women, and generally only on ceremonial occasions such as at weddings and funerals. It took another twenty years before the next major design change occurred and nearly another two hundred years before the modern Ao Dai emerged.

The original Ao Dai was loosely tailored with four panels (Ao Tu Than), two of which were tied in the back. In 1930, a Vietnamese fashion designer and writer, Cat Tuong, lengthened the top so it reached the floor. Tuong also fitted the bodice to the curves of the body and moved the buttons from the front to an opening along the shoulder and side seam. As a result of these changes, Ao Dai became a contoured, full-length dress. The dress splits into a front and back panel from the waist down. During the 1950s two tailors in Saigon, Tran Kim of Thiet Lap Tailors and Dung of Dung Tailors, started producing the gowns with raglan sleeves. This created a diagonal seam running from the collar to the underarm and is the preferred style today.

There have many stylish variations in color and collar design in the past four decades. Most noticeable is the gradual shortening of the gown's length, such that today, it is usually just below the knee. Variations in the neck collar, between boat and mandarin style, are common. But more adventurous alterations such as low scooped necklines, puffed sleeves, and off-the-shoulder designs are emerging as more women experiment with fashion. Less rigid control over color and access to new fabrics have also created dazzling results. Every Ao Dai is custom-made, accounting for the fit that creates such a flattering look.

It is hard to think of a more elegant, demure and yet sexy outfit, that suits Vietnamese women of all ages than Ao Dai.

Elderly people – nation’s culture treasure

Elderly people in Vietnam now account for about 10% of the population, and they hold important cultural and traditional values. Their roles in this aspect are highly praised by the Party and the State, reflected by the recent approval of the national programme for the elderly.

A Vietnamese saying goes “an old person is a treasure in the house”. The saying has captured the value of old people in the social life. In reality, Vietnamese elderly people have been pioneering in the movements to establish civilized lifestyles, households and villages. This is especially important in the context of the free lifestyle of young people.

The old artists are important in maintaining the traditional artistic values of our ancestors. Such artistic forms as Tuong (classical drama) Cheo (traditional opera) Cai Luong (reformed opera) etc., are threatened to be fading out, and many old artists are holding the essences of those artistic forms.

Take Tuong as an example. At a recent meeting in the central province of Binh Dinh, researchers and audience agreed that Tuong can survive if it holds on to its core value. The old artists posses such values, and can transfer such values to the young people. If this art form is to be recognised by UNESCO, it should be presented in its traditional form.

Recently, when Quan Ho (folk singing) was presented to UNESCO for recognition, people looked to its roots, to the main melodies and traditions. Over the years, the old artists have been the key to contribute to these searches. They have helped revived the art form, and are the key actors in their localities to lead the movement forward. It is widely agreed that to revitalize the traditional art forms, old artists play an important role, as they are the living artistic museums.

For intangible traditional assets, Vietnam currently has more than 200 categories of handicraft products, produced in thousands of handicraft villages. They have provided jobs for over 1.3 million people. The handicrafts are exported worldwide, and many of them have hundred of years of history.

Many old artists, considered as “golden hands” “silver hands” are the soul of traditional handicraft production. The young people have now been able to utilize the knowledge of their predecessors to produce higher quality products, while maintaining the souls of the products.

The old people also contribute to the development of health care through their understanding in traditional medicines. At a recent meeting on traditional oriental medicine, the majority of the participants were also members of the elderly people’s association. They have helped promote the use of traditional medicines in Vietnam.

The old people not only help maintain the traditions and culture, but also promote an advanced Vietnamese culture fully imbued with national identity.

(Source: Nhan Dan)

Outlook for Quan Ho’s recognition by UNESCO positive

Quan ho documents are about to be submitted to UNESCO for consideration of the folk singing style as a world intangible cultural heritage. Le Thi Minh Ly, Vice Head of the Cultural Heritage Agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, talks about the submission.

Could you tell us about the progress of Quan ho’s submission?

The documents will be submitted to UNESCO by September 30. In the past few weeks, we have technically completed the documents, and if we can finish early, the documents could be sent in the next 1-2 days.

Have the documents been corrected technically or has the content also been changed?

Since late August, we have adjusted the content, especially after we received the National Heritage Council’s opinions. The adjustment is not simply the change from “Quan ho cultural space” to “Quan ho folk singing”. We made adjustments a long time ago when we learned about UNESCO’s new standards and new form of recognition.

In the past, UNESCO recognised intangible and unwritten cultural heritages of mankind. Accordingly, UNESCO could recognise sets of cultural elements in a space, but now they ask for submissions of specific heritages to avoid submissions for sets of cultural elements in an overly-large geographical region.

The National Heritage Council didn’t say much about the name of the documents, but focused on what we should call it, Quan ho Bac Ninh or only Quan ho. If we call the heritage Quan ho Bac Ninh it will be difficult for the agency that considers the documents because Quan ho is also in Bac Giang.

Different from Hue court music, Quan ho is spread over a vast area. Is it difficult for Vietnam to prepare Quan ho documents and to preserve it?

Certainly the preservation of Quan ho is different from Hue court music. Hue court music is in a specific community while Quan ho exists in two provinces with many villages. We are also working on the submission of documents for Ca Tru, which is in 17 provinces from the north to the central region. Each form of heritage requires a different approach and preservation strategy.

The change of name forces Vietnam to research more deeply the “folk” aspect of Quan ho. Will we be able to get it done in a timely fashion?

The new requirement is we have to prove Quan ho is the central component and surrounding components contribute to create an environment for Quan ho, and we have to highlight the artistic values of Quan ho.

The documents must be no more than 20 pages and the specific values of Quan ho must be described in 200 words. It is most difficult to find the right words.

The second difficulty is our preservation must match UNESCO’s requirements: having the participation of the people, the masters of heritage, in the existence of Quan ho. The preservation plan must have the people’s contribution and it is the same for submission.

Do you believe that Quan ho will be recognised by UNESCO?

I totally believe it will because Quan ho is lively and our protection measures are feasible and would bring into full play its values in a sustainable manner.

Quan họ singing is a Vietnamese folk music style characterized both by its antiphonal nature, with alternating groups of female and male singers issuing musical challenges and responses, and by the fact that most of the songs in the repertoire deal with topics of love and sentimentality as experienced by young adults.

The quan họ style originated in what is now Bac Ninh province around the 13th century, and has traditionally been associated with the spring festivals that follow the celebration of Tet (the Vietnamese New Year).

(Source: TP)

Atop a mountain, a smile radiates peace

The Ta Cu Mountain is imposing as it rises out of a 25,000-hectare primary forest, but the spectacular view, fresh sea breeze and beatific smile of the dying Buddha sets the stage for an inward journey.

We had a choice – take the cable car or a three-hour hike through the forest. Like many others, we decided to take the cable car. A trolley took us and other visitors from the entrance gate to the cable car station at the foot of the mountain.

The panorama of the city spread out below us as the cable car took us up. A meandering river ran past vast paddy fields, red-roofed houses and green trees. The scenery of the city was hidden from view as the cab got higher. We were surrounded then by high and low hills covered with various kinds of trees and plants standing so close, they seemed to be joined to each other. In the far distance mountain ranges emerged hazily from the sea. When we got nearer to the top, we could see almost nothing as white clouds obstructed our view.

We got out of the cable care and began to walk through the forest, and then climbed over a hundred steps to get to the ancient temple built by a Buddhist monk named Tran Huu Duc in 1872. The temple is now under reconstruction. Climbing further, we reached the site where a set of three seven-meter statues of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas of the Mahayana-tradition stood in eternal meditation.

In the middle was Amitabha, the Buddha of the Pure Land, flanked by Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara on his right and Mahasthamaprapta on his left. As we rested awhile, the songs of birds resounding from the vast green forest behind the statues augmented the tranquil ambience.

Even further up, on the top of the mountain, lay the 49-meter long, 10-meter high statue of Sakyamuni Buddha created by sculptor Truong Dinh Y in 1962. No construction machinery or equipment had been used to build the statue. It was a true labor of love. The statue is of the dying Buddha, reclining on his right side. The compassionate and peaceful smile on the exalted face touches Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.

Many people tried to climb up to sit or stand on the feet of the Buddha statue to take photos. No matter what they did, however, a silent smile always appeared on the Buddha’s delusion-free countenance.

As we soaked in the scenic beauty and fresh sea breeze, from far below, the temple sent up the melodiously vibrating echoes of the ringing bell to soothe away all our daily problems and tensions. At that moment, we seemed to forget all our regrets about the past as well as worries about the future, and stand as one with nature. It was easier then to reflect and realize that true happiness was simply the inner peace within our self in the present moment.

We climbed down the mountain, trying to retain images of the captivating scenery on both sides in our mind. At the foot of the mountain was a banana forest producing very long bunches of the fruit. The flesh of bananas in Ta Cu is especially sweet, my traveling companions decided. It seemed a fitting way to end the trip, savoring the fruit of a fertile soil that had given us food for reflection and introspection.

Located in Ham Thuan Nam District of Binh Thuan Province, about 28 kilometers southwest of Phan Thiet City and 167 kilometers north of HCMC, the Ta Cu Mountain stands 474 meters above sea level. The Ta Cu or Linh Son Truong Tho Temple is perched at the height of 400 meters. A two-way journey by cable car costs VND55,000 per adult.

(Source: SGGP)

The vitality of To he craft village

Riding on a motorbike on burning National Highway 1 on a scorching sunny noon, I felt the difficulties of To he craftsmen from Xuan La village, I Phuong Duc commune, Phu Xuan district, Hanoi.

Everyday, To he (toy figurine) craftsmen in Xuan La village have to leave their home in the early morning on bicycles to be timely present at parks, flower gardens and markets in Hanoi.

With small wood boxes containing glutinous rice powder of various colours, some bamboo sticks and magical hands, Xuan La craftsmen create extremely lively toy figurines to sell to children at VND3,000-5,000/toy.

Xuan La village has three thousand people and around 200 people are earning their living by making To he. Everywhere there is To he – that place has Xuan La villagers.

The toy figurines which have brought a small joy to many generations of Vietnamese have experienced many ups and downs, but Xuan La people are faithful to this job, though this job can’t make them rich.

To he – folk culture

For children, To he can open a colourful world where they can see characters from history, movies and cartoons, from the famous monkey named Ton Ngo Khong in “The Journey to the West” Chinese novel to Picachu and Pokemon, characters from famous Japanese cartoons to princesses in fairy tales, etc.

Today, when children are flooded in the world of modern games, toys, etc. To he craftsmen have to be very creative to make their characters lively.

To make To he, craftsmen must be very patient, but most To he craftsmen are men. Xuan La families have one oral rule: secrets in making To he are only transmitted to sons and daughters-in-law, not daughters. According to old craftsmen, this job appeared around 300 years ago.

To he is a traditional toy that is closely tied to the lives of farmers. To make To he, craftsmen only need glutinous rice powder, which is dyed with seven basic colours (green, sea blue, red, purple, yellow, white and black), and bamboo sticks.

In the past, Xuan La villages used trees, ash, etc. to make colours for rice powder but now they use food dyes, to still ensure that children can eat their toys.

The tools to make To he are very simple, comprising a bamboo stick, a small comb, a bee wax piece and a small knife. With a small box containing the above things, a To he craftsman can go everywhere for several days or even a month.

Like other traditional crafts, To he has experienced many ups and down. Sometimes To he makers seemed to have lost their job because they couldn’t compete with Chinese toys, which are eye-catching and cheap.

Thanks to the efforts of Xuan La villagers, this craft is surviving. Now children can see To he at every park or at the gates of schools.

To he – A cultural ambassador

This folk toy has confirmed its position and is considered a cultural ambassador of Vietnam.

Craftsman Nguyen Van Thuan, who has made To he for 56 years, has been to the US and Japan to perform To he-making art.

No one knows when the art form first appeared but Xuan La is seen as its traditional home. Like other children in the village, from the age of 7 or 8, Thuan started to learn how to make To he from his father. As there were no lessons, learning was mostly visual.

From sticky rice flour and pigment, the artisan can shape the dough into a doctor’s figure, dragons, a phoenix, birds and trees. Though To he is not a particularly difficult job, artisans should know well how to combine different colours in order to produce a lively effect.

During the holidays, from the first to the third lunar months of the year, 60% of the villagers from Xuan La go to different cities and provinces to knead To he. An artisan can earn around VND40-50,000 per day. But money is not the issue. Mr Thuan says he is happy seeing the joy in the eyes of children who get to see his work.

In his travels, Thuan has been everywhere, from the north to the south, wherever there are festivals. He considers it a free tour while earning a little bit for the family. “Kneading To he is just a seasonal occupation, so no one can live on that. But I try to preserve it as it’s a traditional art of Vietnam. I have three sons and all of them follow the art,” said Thuan.

Many people say he should stay at home as he is now old, but Thuan still wants to go to as many places as he can to popularise the art.

“Nothing is more valuable than bringing joy to others by one’s occupation.”

“In recent years, the Ministry of Culture and Information has paid more attention to the art of kneading To he and that’s a good sign for the further development of the art,” Thuan said. But he still expressed his worry that “this is a seasonal and roving occupation, just serving festivals, so I hope the state will have more priority policies for us to develop this traditional art more.”

Dao Duy Men, head of the Xuan La village said, “For years, when speaking of the art of To he, people have thought of Xuan La. But at present, the village has yet to be recognised as a traditional trade village. Therefore, I hope our village will be recognised so that we can preserve and develop this traditional cultural feature. This can also help improve the spiritual as well as material lives of the inhabitants.”

(Source: SK&DS)

Sole sisters

T wo parallel and loving boats
With dragon bows and phoenix sterns
Double rows of nails
I carry five boy-lovers per boat
And ten per pair.
But, let you be reproved, you ingrate!
Profiting from me, and forgetting me
What am I?

The above riddle refers to a pair of clogs, footwear imbued with symbolic meaning in Vietnam. One popular legend tells of a pair of stone clogs passed down for generations by a family in Cao Bang, high in Vietnam's northern mountains.

Cao Bang was situated in what was then known as the Vu Dinh region of Van Lang - as the nation was then called. Vu Dinh was divided into nine zones, each of which was governed by a Po, or landlord. Highly competitive, the nine Po organized a contest to determine who was the most skillful.

One Po displayed his skill at planting rice seedlings, another his prowess at building boats, another his ability to grind a ploughshare into a needle in just one day. One was proud of his poetry, another of his skill at building citadels. The last Po showed off his proficiency at carving stone clogs. This Po managed to make a massive pair of stone clogs, which later generations used to span a stream in Ban Thanh village. This unusual bridge still exists today.

Given Vietnam's hot and humid climate and their days spent wading in wet rice paddies or fishing, Vietnamese people usually went barefoot.

At the end of the 10th century, King Le Dai Hanh often wore nothing but a loin-cloth, his feet bare. A Chinese Tong dynasty official, having been snubbed by King Le Dai Hanh, made a disdainful report about the rustic ways of the Vietnamese court. In fact, up until the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400AD), most Vietnamese people went barefoot.
Even in those early times, however, clogs were not unknown. Ancient Chinese books like Nam Viet Chi and Giao Chau Ky record that in the third century, the leader of a Vietnamese resistance movement, Ba Trieu, wore a pair of ivory clogs. "Lady Trieu Au with breasts three meters long never married," reports a surprising passage in Giao Chau Ky. "Walking on stilts, she used to wear a type of clogs called Kim De Kich."

Formerly, on cold days, men and women from rural areas would don clogs made from bamboo roots when attending festivals or visiting friends. At home they wrote wooden clogs with vertical straps to protect the toes.

In Phu Yen in south-central Vietnam, people generally made their own clogs. They favored thick soles with slightly turned-up tips. The traps, which attached through a hole in the front and a pair of holes on the sides, were braided from soft cloth. Because the sole was curved at the front, the knot of the front strap did not rub on the ground.

The soles of women's clogs were shaped like hour-glasses, while men's clogs -known as "sampan clogs"- had straight soles. Made of white wood, Phu Yen clogs were left unpainted, while those from the central city of Hue were often painted in black and brown with a pale colored triangle on the side of the sole. Only well-to-do men wore painted clogs. Some areas called clogs don, hence the saying "a foot with a shoe, a foot with a don" to indicate rich people who put on airs.

Up until the 1940s, young pupils at public schools in the southern province of Ben Tre wore clogs. Before the August Revolution in 1945, clogs produced in Hue were called "capital clogs" or guoc kinh. These clogs had soles made from coconut shells or light wood, painted white and gold with embroidered straps. An advertisement from a Hanoi newspaper in the 1940s reads:

"Like finding a needle at the bottom of the sea, now, Flying Horse clogs have been discovered!"

In the 1950s and 1960s, wooden clogs produced in Dong Do village in the Thanh Tri district of Hanoi and Ke Giay in Ha Tay province were taken to 12 Hang Ga street or Bach Mai street in Hanoi to be painted and sold. As the following poem reveals, clogs were considered extremely romantic by young girls of the time:

Clogs long unheard
On the tree-lined streets
And spring comes, apples fall,
I remember your zither sounds.
To Huu

By the 1970s, plastic clogs rivaled wooden clogs in popularity. Considered stylish and comfortable, clogs could offer other, more unusual, benefits. Travelers would sometimes bore holes in the wooden soles to hide gold or jewels.

While countless Vietnamese poets have waxed lyrical about the conical hat and traditional ao dai tunic, clogs have been all but ignored by the nation's bards. One exception is the following Ca Dao poem:

Stone clogs passed down for generations by a family in Cao Bang

"A walk in clogs round the garden in the morning,
Herons are singing and crying
Half for fate, half for their destiny.
Ca dao poem from south-central Vietnam
On the other hand, clogs are often the subject of riddles:
Two females in colored dresses Each carrying five males on their backs On the way, talk and chat, And left alone at home: fed up! What is this?
From Ba Trieu's ivory clogs to clogs made of bamboo, wood and plastic, this humble footwear has covered a lot of ground on Vietnam.

Ao yem and its history

Images of graceful girls in national charming long dress have been a symbol of Vietnam. However, looking back the historic development of national dress, Vietnam not only has ao dai but also ao yem – the indispensable dress of ancient girls.

In the old days, ao yem was called yem. It is an age-old dress which is maintained until today. Ao yem was used by all levels of society from working class to upper class. It also was used widely in traditional festivals therefore it was the national traditional clothes of ancient ladies.

Ao yem appeared in Vietnamese life in a very old day but until Ly dynasty it was basically in shaped. Through the stream of history, ao yem was changing incessantly and improving its design. However the revolutions of ao yem only happended at the beginning of the last century while western trouser and skirt were entering Vietnam. In 17 century, ao yem did not have any big change of model. In 19 century, ao yem has a square piece is cloth with one corner cut away to fit under the woman’s throat. This scrap of fabric is secured across the chest and stomach with thin strings. There were three common models of ao yem: ao yem co xay, ao yem co xe, ao yem co canh nhan.

Entering 20 century, ao yem was used widespread with many of rich designs and models. Ao yem which has brown color and was weaved by rude cloth was for labor. Urban women favored white, pink or red ones, while women in the countryside wore ao yem in brown or beige, colors suited to their rustic environment. On special occasions, like the Lunar New Year or festivals, rural women would also wear brightly colored ao yem.

There is one kind of ao yem which was often wore by ancient ladies was called “yem deo bua”. The name was “yem deo bua” because it has a small pocket of musk beside and it was an advantage weapon of ancient ladies…furthermore, ao yem made many original love stories.In the old day when a girl had a date with her darling, she usually put a piece of betel inside her ao yem; it was called “khau trau dai yem” and maybe there is no kind of betel more supernatural than this kind of betel.

Today, the ao yem is appreciated for its cultural and artistic values. And on festive occasions, women throughout Vietnam are embracing the ao yem and other traditional clothes with renewed enthusiasm.

Conical Hat (or Non La)

Take a peasant's common conical hat, add a touch of this and a little of that, and you will have the idea, but not quite an authentic Non Bai Tho or "Poetical Leaf" from Central Vietnam. Just a few simple arrangements added to the conical form are enough to give the Vietnamese leaf-covered hat unique features found nowhere else among Asia’s various types of conical hats.

The legend of the conical hat is related to maternal love and the history of rice growing in Vietnam.

Once upon a time, the legend says, when a deluge of rain was falling there descended from the sky a giant woman wearing on her head four huge round leaves as large as the sky itself and stitched together by bamboo sticks. The leaves protected humankind, then still naked, from the rain. The giant messenger from the sky twirled round the leaves on her head to dispel clouds and rains. Those who followed her were taught by her how to grow crops. One day mankind dozed off as they listened to stories narrated by her. When they woke up the goddess was gone. The Vietnamese built a temple in her memory and honored her as the Rain-shielding Goddess. Following her example, people went into the forests to fetch broad and round leaves (palm) which they stitched together on a bamboo frame. This was to become an indispensable headwear for the farmers on the fields, boatwomen carrying passengers across rivers, travelers under the blazing sun...

However, Vietnamese girls do not like just any conical hat they come upon. The dearest to them is inevitably the one called the "Poetical Leaf "for they become milder, more elegant and more delicate when once they put on a hat, which gives shelter to their blushing cheeks like a crowing bud protected from sun, rain or rough wind. Vietnamese women also use the conical hat to fan off the heat of summer, as a container for a bunch of vegetables, and even as a bowl to relieve the thirst when passing by a well, etc. Romantically, young couples can veil their kisses behind this traditional conical hat during their dates.

The shape as well as the size of the conical hat has evolved greatly. As a rule, the broad-rimmed hat was reserved for women while men wore hats with a higher cone and smaller rims. Then, there were hats made specifically for wealthy and powerful people, hats for children, hats to equip the army, hats for the Buddhist clergy, for the mourners..., more than 50 types in all. Undoubtedly, the two best known and best liked are the conical hat of Chuong village in Ha Tay province, north of Hanoi, and the "Bai Tho", hat of Hue, the old imperial city.

The prototype of Lang Chuong hat is a large disk-like bamboo frame covered with palm leaves and perpendicularly bent on its rim to form a band of about four inches. At the centre is placed a small bamboo frame to fit the head. The strap is usually very elaborately made of silk, adorned with yellow tassels also made of silk. This hat used to be worn by upper-crust families during visits to pagodas or festive occasions.

The present conical hat is, however, patterned on the "Bai Tho" hat originating in the old capital city of Hue and the birthplace of many eminent literary men. It is true that the place where the hat comes from has been romantically famous with its peaceful Huong (Perfume) River and its majestic Ngu Binh (Peace) mountain. Moreover, Hue has been famous for her attractively sentimental, soft-voiced and long-haired girls who often gave inspiration to poets whose creative works have been handed down to the present day. And the "Poetical Leaf" has a prominent place in all that poetical, dreamy and yet scholarly diet of the ancient city. It is so called because the artisan takes great pains to cut the characters of a verse out of a palm leaf and insert them between two layers of palm leaves before stitching them together. The characters will be easily readable when the hat is seen against sunlight. Nowadays the characters are usually replaced by a decorative figure such as a flower, a dragon or even a landscape.

The making of a conical hat is a one-hundred-percent handicraft. The leaves used to cover the hat are brought from the forest. Then they are exposed to the dew for one night to soften them. When the leaves become dry but still soft they are flattened either by hand or by ironing. Only young leaves are selected. Old or dark ones are discarded. A hat usually consists of 16 to 18 rims made from a special kind of bamboo. In order to have a well-made hat, it must be knitted together with a peculiar kind of thread called "doac" made from the leaves of a special kind of reed. Finally, the hat is trimmed and painted with a coat of attar oil to keep it clean and smooth.

The skill of the craftsman (who in this case is more likely a woman) can be judged by the regularity of the leaves arranged on the hat. The roundness of the rim and particularly the fineness of the stitches which must be so done as to reveal no knot.

Although the conical hat is no longer the cities women's everyday costume, it remains the ubiquitous headwear in the countryside. And a young girl with her conical hat, quite charming in her four-flapped long dress, is always a popular image of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people.

Ca Tru class in communal house

The quiet night of Chanh Thon village in Van Nhan commune, former Ha Tay province was roused by the sounds of the dan day, trong chau, etc. For a long time, villagers have been familiar with these sounds, which come from the ca tru class held at the village communal house by old craftsmen.

Phuong, 7, was trying to sing a ca tru melody named Bac phan, which requires a high vocal range. Phuong and Oanh are the smallest singsong girls of the ca tru class in Chanh Thon, which is run by three ca tru craftsmen, Nguyen Thi Khuou, 82, Nguyen Thi Vuon, 84, and Nguyen Van Khoai, 83.

The craftsmen learnt ca tru from their elders and now they teach their descendants in the same way. The class gathers both children and adults of up to 50 years old.

“Our class has both old and young learners so we have to organise class in the evening, from 8-10pm,” said Mrs. Vuon.

The three craftsmen teach learners the words, then the melody and finally put everything together to music.

When the class just opened, villages didn’t understand ca tru songs so they didn’t like it, but gradually, villagers have come to understand and love ca tru. Ca tru performances have become an indispensable part of Chanh Thon’s festivals and offerings.

“It is very lucky that my village has three people who still preserve ca tru. If only I was alive now, this reputed profession would have been lost,” said Mrs. Khuou.

Mrs. Khuou learned her first ca tru melodies from her grandmother. When she started the career of a singsong girl, the war broke out and nobody paid attention to ca tru.

The craftsman showed a quire of old, smeared papers and said: “These papers record tens of ca tru songs. I and Vuon have preserved them for nearly 70 years like treasures.”

There were some songs that weren’t written down, but the three craftsmen have tried to remember them and write them down for posterity.

“Ca tru melodies are engrained on my mind so I’m not afraid of losing them. I consider them as my own treasures,” she said.

Before they opened the ca tru class, sometimes these craftsmen gathered to sing for each other and recorded songs on cassettes as a way to lessen their occupational wistfulness.

But Mrs. Khuou’s most valuable treasure at present is her ca tru learners, including her two paternal grandchildren.

“In the past, ca tru was only transferred to descendants but it is different now. I teach ca tru to everyone. I’m trying to pass everything I know to them,” Mrs. Khuou said.

She says she wants to live for three years more to give all of her knowledge of ca tru to the young. She said: “This art requires careful teaching method. I had to learn it for at least three years to be able to sing fairly well. Ca tru is different from cheo and is not as simple as hat xam.”

Ca tru is a strong hope to revive in Chanh Thon carpentry village.

Ca tru: (also known as hat a dao or hat noi) is an ancient genre of chamber music featuring female vocalists, with origins in northern Vietnam. For much of its history, it was associated with a geisha-like form of entertainment.

Ca trù, like many ancient and highly developed arts, has many forms. However, the most widely known and widely performed type of ca tru involves only three performers: the female vocalist, lute player and a spectator (who also takes part in the performance).

The female singer provides the vocals whilst playing her phach (small wooden sticks beaten on a small bamboo platform to serve as percussion). She is accompanied by a man who plays the dan day, a long-necked, 3-string lute used almost exclusively for the ca tru genre. Last is the spectator (often a scholar or connoisseur of the art) who strikes a trong chau (praise drum) in praise (or disapproval) of the singer’s performance, usually with every passage of the song. The way in which he strikes the drum shows whether he likes or dislikes the performance, but he always does it according to the beat provided by the vocalists’ phach percussion.

New observers to the art often comment on how strikingly odd the vocal technique sounds, but it is the vocals themselves that are essential in defining ca tru.

Ca tru started off like many of Vietnam’s arts as being a form of entertainment for the royal court. It was only later on that it branched out into being performed at small inns. Indeed, it was mainly scholars and other members of the elite who enjoyed the genre, which was somewhat inaccessible to the masses.

In the 20th century, ca trù nearly died out. As of now, extensive efforts are being made to invigorate the genre, including many festivals and events where several types of ca tru (among other related arts) are performed. Vietnam has also completed documents to have ca trù recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage - Wikipedia.

A second look at Vietnam

Drawn here by memories of the war, the veterans who visited last week were glad to see the country prospering.

Anthony Cantone, a logistics soldier based in central Vietnam in 1968-69, was taken aback.

“[There are] so many American stores and businesses all over the country,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Cantone and a group of American war veterans and their families spent 10 days touring the country on an annual trip organized by the US-based Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF).

The group, led by former US envoy to Vietnam, Michael Marine, wrapped up its tour last Saturday at the Cu Chi tunnels, the amazing network right beneath the enemy in Ho Chi Minh City used by “Viet Cong” (VC) forces to hide and move supplies.

For many veterans in the group, this was their first trip back after almost four decades.

The tour includes meetings with government officials and a visit to the VVMF’s project site in the central province of Quang Tri where landmines are being cleared.

Some, like retired marine lieutenant John Schwartz, never thought coming back would be so easy.

“It feels funny when I see the [Vietnamese national] flag,” said Schwartz, who served as an advisor to the First Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Division in Hue in 1965-66.

“That was the reason we were here — to stop that, but we didn’t. So why were we here?”

But Schwartz saw and heard things on his return that made him question what the war meant.

During the field trip to Quang Tri, he met a former “Viet Cong” commander, Le Huy Vu.

They took pictures, exchanged emails, talked war, and became “friends.”

Schwartz said he had learnt a very important lesson from his new friend.

“[To] the American government back then, it was more a question of stopping communism,” he said.

“To the Vietnamese, it was a matter of independence, Vietnam’s independence.”

Growing up in Quang Tri during the war, Vu told Schwartz, he had only two choices: to fight for either the Saigon government or VC.

Vu chose the latter and spent the next 15 years “in the jungles” like other VC guerillas.

Schwartz remembers the guerillas were very difficult to catch.

“We all wanted to be advisors to the VC because we had such respect for them,” he said.

Other members in the VVMF group ended their trip with less unsettled feelings.

Ralph Swain, who was a clerk in Saigon in 1969-70 and is now head of the humanities department at Western Iowa Tech Community College, said during the tour he was able to collect valuable materials for an online course about the war.

Until now, whenever he has taught about Cu Chi, he shows students photos of the tunnels taken by VC fighters and a memoir written by an American soldier who went down there to search for the guerillas.

But Swain can now show his own pictures of the tunnels.

Dorothy Woods, whose husband fought in Vietnam and later died of cancer, didn’t enjoy crawling down the tunnels though she gathered enough courage to do so for the sake of experience.

“In the tunnels, it stopped all of a sudden because somebody in the front of the line was taking pictures,” Woods said after her underground tour.

“I grabbed the belt of the guy in front of me because it was total darkness and I wasn’t moving.”

Even now, to Americans, Vietnam is not a country but a “war,” she said.

Yet, having seen Vietnam’s natural beauty, she now thought about it as a “country.”

“It does help to remove the stigma of the war,” she said.

“The veterans who came back — I don’t know if they can relate to it, but I can. I can’t see there was a war in this country.”

The veterans’ memories of Vietnam aren’t all bloodshed.

Cantone said during his one-year term building an airbase in the Tuy Hoa area, 350 miles from Saigon he didn’t see any major battle or casualties.

Every morning he woke up and saw the ocean because his unit was stationed on a beach.

Swain remembered taking orphans to the Saigon zoo.

There were around 300,000 orphans and 35 or 36 orphanages in Saigon at the time.

Swain still keeps pictures of some of the orphans and a tape recording of an eight-year-old orphan girl singing.

The Saigon he knew has changed.

The Notre Dame Cathedral remains the same but the old streets, vendors and smells are gone.

But the sight of progress in Vietnam is a welcome one for them.

Cantone likes the improved roads and Schwartz saw a country that is “doing just fine.”

“Everybody seems so nice that it makes you almost feel ashamed,” Schwartz said.

“Because, in our country, people have anger. But in this country, you have yin and yang and the Buddha and everything is more in balance.”

Schwartz said his friend Vu didn’t think about the war now though he had fought so long in it and had more cause to remember it than he did.

Vu, who married late and now works as a tour guide, has a son and a daughter and his main goal is to provide them a good education.

Woods has taken pictures with some Vietnamese people to show a seven-year-old Vietnamese boy back home.

Her friend adopted him when he was five months old.

“When he learned I was coming here, he said to his mother, ‘Mommy, when [she] goes to Vietnam, is she going to see my people?” Woods said.

“So I’m going back to say, ‘Jackson, I’ve met your people:”

DELEGATION GETS UP CLOSE AT LANDMINE SITE

The veterans visited the site of Project Renew (or Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War), a joint project between WMF and Quang Tri Province to remove landmines and unexploded ordinance left from the war.

Quang Tri, among the fiercest theaters of the war, has the most landmines and unexploded ordinance in Vietnam.

Over 92 percent of its land area remains to be cleared of ordinance compared to 20 percent for the whole country.

Since 1975, over 2,600 people have been killed here, and 4,400 injured or disabled by ordinance.

A third of them were children.

In eight years, Project Renew has removed over 7,000 pieces of ordinance, cleared a large area of land, and provided vocational training and loans to 1,000 poor victims.

The project now needs more funding to clear five priority sites identified by local authorities.

For more information on Project Renew, visit www.landmines.org.vn.

Vietnam National Tuong Theatre Great Efforts for Tuong Preservation

Tuong (Classical drama) was formed in the 12th century, and in the 17th century it was very much in vogue. A Tuong play consists of dances, songs and music which are highly stylized, conventional and imbued with symbolism. In chronological order and by their contents, the Tuong plays are divided into traditional plays, royal plays, social plays and modern plays. Tuong has been preserved from generation to generation and has become a unique performance art of the Vietnamese nation.

Founded in 1959, the Vietnam National Tuong Theatre's forerunner is the national northern Tuong troupe. When the theatre first opened it had only 19 artists and other employees. Now its staffing has increased to almost more than 120.

Having acknowledged that Tuong is something very important for many Vietnamese people, the theatre has been greatly contributing to preserving this kind of traditional art while constructing and performing numerous plays featuring different styles of Tuong, both traditional and modern. The theatre offers performances across Vietnam and in foreign countries like France, Germany, USA, the former Soviet Union, Spain, the Republic of Korea and Japan, with these performances attracting a large number of spectators.

With almost 50 years working in the field, the theatre has become a notable traditional art performance unit and a reliable address for audiences. In recognition of its achievements, the State presented the theatre second and third-grade Independence Decorations and first, second and third-grade Labor Orders while granting many awards to individuals including 11 People’s Artists and 34 Honored Artists of the theatre, and confering title ‘Young Talent’ on many of the theatre’s artists.

Theatre director Hoang Van Khiem said that Tuong is an outstanding art of performance of Vietnam, which features sustainable cultural, spiritual and art merits of the Vietnamese nation. This is why Tuong was, is and will still be important for Vietnamese people of different strata, he said. In the context of economic globalization, theatre artists have been working hard to preserve and develop this special kind of art, he added.

In late 2001 the Ministry of Culture and Information allowed the theatre to manage the Hong Ha playhouse that is located at 51 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Hong Ha has since then become a venue for art performances the Vietnam National Tuong Theatre and other art perfomance units that offer shows in Hanoi.

At 17h on Wednesday and Thursday weekly, the theatre offers special performances, including notable Tuong plays, part of a Tuong play like Ong Gia Cong Vo Di Xem Hoi (Old man carries his wife on his back to a festival) and Ho Nguyet Co Hoa Cao (Ho Nguyet Co turning into a fox), and Hue royal concerts, among others.

Do’s and Don’ts to visit to Vietnam

Vietnamese people are very friendly, polite and generous. In general, we will make every effort to have foreign guests feel comfortable. In the cities, and countryside towns, do not be surprised to be invited into a home to meet the family of someone you may have just met. These are the experiences that will enrich your visit to Vietnam.

Do’s

Always drink plenty of bottled water. During the summer months you should be drinking a minimum of 2 liters per day. If you drink tea, coffee and alcohol you should increase you water intake accordingly as these will dehydrate you.

Always leave your excess cash, airline tickets, passports and valuables with the hotels safety deposit facility.

Always be aware where entering someone’s home as at some homes it is a must to remove your shoes at the front door.

Always ask his or her permission first when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that they do not want you to, then abide by their wishes. Do not push the issue or offer money.

Don’ts

Never wear shorts, dresses or skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to Temples and Pagodas.

Never sleep or sit with the soles of your feet pointing towards the family altar in someone’s house.

Never venture out from your hotel with more cash than you really need for that day. It is not something to be paranoid about, simply do not make yourself a target for pickpockets or drive-by bag snatchers in the big cities. Ho Chi Minh City seems to be a little worse than anywhere else in Vietnam.

Never lose your temper in public or when bargaining for a purchase. This is considered a serious loss of face for both parties. Always maintain a cool and happy demeanor and you will be reciprocated with the same.

Never try and take photographs of military installations or anything to do with military. Never take video cameras into the ethnic minority villages. They are considered to be too intrusive by many local people.