Dong Van karst plateau

Located on an altitude of 1,000m-1,600m, belonging to 4 districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac, Dong Van (Ha Giang Province), the 2,356km² - Dong Van Karst Plateau is one of Viet Nam's special limestone areas, housing prominent imprints that depict the development of the earth’s crust. Up to 80% of the karst formations of Dong Van Plateau are limestone formed by environment conditions and different development stages of nature.    

                    

 Geological value

A survey conducted by scientists from the Viet Nam Institute of Geosciences and Natural Resources revealed the finding of 13 fossil - geological formations in Dong Van, including Chang Pung, Lut Xia, Si Ka, Bac Bun, Mia Le, Si Phai, Toc Tat, Lung Nam, Bac Son, Dong Dang, Song Hien, Hong Ngai, and Lan Pang. Of which, Chang Pung is the oldest one with date of 540 millions years.

In addition, 19 paleontology groups were also discovered in Dong Van, including Brachiopoda (Tay cuon), Tabulata (San ho vach day), Tetracoralla (San ho bon tia), Stromatoporoidea (Lo tang), Trilobita (Bo ba thuy), Polybranchiaspis liaojiaoshanensis (Ca co), Foraminifera (Trung lo), Tentaculies (Vo non),  Conodonta (Rang non), Pelecypoda (Chan riu), Gastropoda (Chan bung), Cephalopoda (Chan dau), Bryozoans (Dong vat dang reu), Crinoidea (Hue bien), Sclerotesta (Vo cung), Ancient Crustacean (Giap xac co), Hydrilla verticillata (Thuc vat thuy sinh), Spirulina (Tao), and Chitinozoa. The paleontology groups have helped scientists draw a complete picture of development history in terms of geology of Dong Van Karst Plateau in particular and northeast Viet Nam and south China in general. 

Geomorphology value

The tectonic activities created canyons in Dong Van Karst Plateau, particularly in limestone area. Among karst canyons in Dong Van, Tu San is the most beautiful and majestic canyon. From Ma Pi Leng Pass beside Tu San Canyon, tourists can observe the wonderful folds of Devonian limestone.

Climate

The climate is divided in two distinct seasons, rainy season (from May to October) and dry season (from November to April). The annual average temperature varies between 24 and 28oC. In winter, the temperature is sometimes down to -5oC. The best time to visit Dong Van is the spring. Tourists are hit by wonderful landscapes composed by yellow cai (kale) flowers and pink peach flowers in full blossom, mossy tiled roofs of stilt houses, dark green rocks and blue skies.

How to get the karst plateau 

From Ha Giang City, visitors travel on National Highway 4C for 43km to Quan Ba. Continuing on this highway through Can Ty Pass, pine forests, steep drops, deep ravines, and razor sharp turns, visitors will reach to Dong Van karst plateau.

Thanks to weather changes and Dong Van's geo-diversity, the karst evolution has created “rock gardens” and “rock forests” of diverse forms in the area, such as Khau Vai rock garden (Meo Vac) where tourist can contemplate the peaks of rocks in the shape of different kinds of flowers, Lung Pu rock garden (Meo Vac) with animal-shaped rocks such as tiger and dragon, Van Chai rock garden (Dong Van) with round flagstones arranged like thousands of black sea lions leaning one another getting some rest on the beach. However, found commonly here are ranges of mountains running one after another to form pyramids heading up to skies. A system of caves and grottos found in the Dong Van Plateau provides a proof of the evolution of karst with Rong Cave in Sang Tung (Dong Van), Kho My Cave in Tung Vai (Quan Ba), En Grotto in Van Chai (Dong Van)...                                                        

Ecological value

The scientists have also evaluated Dong Van Plateau as having a unique and diverse mountainous geo-ecosystem. Primitive forests here have been rather undamaged, habiting many rare floral species, including Burretiodendron hsienmu (Nghien), Taxus Wallichiana Zucc (Thong do), Amentotaxus hatuyenensis (De tung soc nau), Cephalotaxus hainanensis (Dinh tung), Podocarpus pilgeri Foxw (Thong tre la ngan), Cupressus funebris (Hoang dan ru)… especially over 40 species of orchids. Dong Van Plateau also has a rich diversity of habitat for fauna as scientists have spotted over 50 species of wild animals, birds and reptiles in the site such as Capri conrnis sumatresis (Son duong), Rhinopithecus avunculus (Vooc mui hech), Sus cristatus (Lon rung), Garrulax canorus (Hoa mi)...

Cultural value

Dong Van Karst Plateau also contains unique cultural values ​​of 17 ethnic minority groups such as Mong, Dao, Lo Lo, Tay, Nung… Since long time, the ethnic groups in Dong Van has had rich cultural and spiritual life. It is expressed clearly through the cultivation method in the small rock caves or mountain sides. They also use rocks to build houses; hold water and land… To Dong Van, tourists can see the rock gardens dotted with green corn fields and golden rice fields

In addition, highland markets as Pho Bang, Dong Van, Lung Cu, Sa Phin… together with traditional festivals, cuisine… also contribute making the picture of Dong Van Karst Plateau more attractive and lively.

Archaeological value

Archaeological excavations in Dong Van proved this is one of the places where keep traces of prehistoric culture. Archaeologists discovered 2 remains of the Paleolithic Age in Can Ty (Quan Ba) and Pho Bang (Dong Van) and 2 ones of the Neolithic Age in Bach Dich and Yen Minh Town (Yen Minh District). In addition, a pair of antique bronze drums of Lo Lo ethnic people in Dong Van is typical relic of Dong Son culture more than 2,000 years ago.

On October 3, 2010, in Lesvos (Greece), Dong Van Karst Plateau was recognized as official member of Global Geo-parks Network (GGN) for its prominent values on landscape, palaeobiology, geology, geomorphology and local culture. Dong Van Karst Plateau has become the first geo-park of Viet Nam and the second one in Southeast Asia (after Langkawi Geo-park in Malaysia).

SOME OUTSTANDING DESTINATIONS:

- Lung Cu Flag Tower in Lung Cu Commune, Dong Van District, about 20km from Dong Van Town to the north.

- Ma Pi Leng Pass – Tu San Canyon in 3 communes of Pai Lung, Pa Vi and Xin Cai (Meo Vac District).

- Khau Vai Rock Garden in Khau Vai Commune, Meo Vac District, about 15km  from Meo Vac Town to the southeast.

- Kho My Cave in Kho My Hamlet, Tung Vai Commune, Quan Ba District, about 20km from Tam Son Town to the west.

- Vuong Family Palace in Sa Phin Valley, Sa Phin Commune, Dong Van District, about 24km from Dong Van Town to the southwest.

- Lung Cam Tren Culture – Tourism Village in Sung La Valley, Sung La Commune, Dong Van District, about 20km from Dong Van Town to the south.

- Khau Vai Love Market in Khau Vai Hamlet, Khau Vai Commune, Meo Vac District, about 30km from Meo Vac Town to the south.

- Quan Ba Twin Mountain in Na Khoang Hamlet, Tam Son Town, Quan Ba District, about 7km from Tam Son Town to the south.

- Dong Van Ancient Quarter in Dong Van Town, Dong Van District.

Source: vietnamtourism.org.vn

Citadel of the Ho Dynasty

The citadel of the Ho Dynasty is situated in communes of Vinh Tien, Vinh Long, Vinh Quang, Vinh Yen, Vinh Phuc, Vinh Ninh, Vinh Khang, Vinh Thanh and Vinh Loc Town (Vinh Loc District), Thanh Hoa Province. It was the capital of Viet Nam from 1398 to 1407.

The citadel of the Ho Dynasty was built in 1397 by Ho Quy Ly who was the highest-ranking mandarin of the Tran Dynasty at the time. After the citadel was completed, Ho Quy Ly forced King Tran Thuan Tong to move the capital from the citadel of Thang Long (Ha Noi) to Thanh Hoa. In the second month of the year of Dragon (1400), after coming to the crown to replace the King Tran, Ho Quy Ly renamed the country Dai Ngu (1400-1407), the citadel of the Ho Dynasty officially became the capital citadel. The citadel of the Ho Dynasty is also known as names of An Ton, Tay Do, Tay Kinh, Tay Nhai,Tay Giai.

The citadel of the Ho Dynasty is considered as the only stone citadel remaining in Southeast Asia and is one of the few remains in the world. 

The citadel of the Ho Dynasty has met the two criteria specified in the World Heritage Convention. It is the criterion (ii), "to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design," and the criterion (iv), "to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history." 

The citadel has recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee on June 27th 2011 in Paris (France).

In the world heritage record, the citadel of the Ho Dynasty is briefly described as follows:

The citadel of the Ho Dynasty, built according to the feng shui principles, testifies to the flowering of neo-Confucianism in late 14th century in Viet Nam and its spread to other parts of East Asia. According to these principles, it was sited in a landscape of great scenic beauty on an axis joining the Tuong Son and Don Son mountains in a plain between the Ma and Buoi rivers. In terms of architectural history, the citadel of the Ho Dynasty plays an important place in the planning and building of urban areas in Viet Nam. It shows the uniqueness in the construction of a citadel in general and a stone citadel in particular, and a breakthrough in Viet Nam’s tradition of building citadel. Thanks to the unique construction techniques all the major stone sections are intact and have not been affected by time and weather or by recent urban encroachment. The citadel of the Ho Dynasty is an architectural masterpiece of the 14th century with impressive architecture of the walls and other parts. The citadel buildings represent an outstanding example of a new style of Southeast Asian imperial city with a combination between the Vietnamese architecture and the unique building techniques of Viet Nam, Southeast Asia and Eastern Asia. 

According to historical documents, ancient bibliographies and archaeological research, the complex of the citadel of the Ho Dynasty includes Thanh Noi (Inner Citadel and also known as Imperial Citadel) with the remains of the royal palaces and temples inside; Hao Thanh; La Thanh and Nam Giao Altar (for worshipping the Heaven). 

The Thanh Noi is a unique architectural work, with a circumference of 3,508, an area of 142.2ha; the wall is 870.5m long from north to south; 883.5m long from east to west. The Thanh Noi has four main gates made of green square stone plates beautifully carved and overlapped tightly one after another. On the average, each stone plate is 1.5m long, 1m thick and weighs about 15-20 tonnes. The citadel is fairly square with about 877m long north and south sides, 879.3m long east side and 880m long west side. Its four domed gates are called the Southern, Northern, Western and Eastern gates (or also known as the Front, Back, Left and Right gates). The stone plates on the dome are carved as sections of a grapefruit, tightly overlapping. The Front gate in the south is the main gate and has three doors. The middle door is 5.82m wide and 5.75m high. The side doors are 5.45m wide and 5.35m high. Each of three remaining gates has only one door, of which the Northern Gate is 5.8m wide; the Eastern Gate is 5.9m wide; 5.4m high; and the Western Gate is 5.8m wide, 5.4m high. The wall of the citadel is 5-6m high on average. The highest wall section is the front gate with the height of 10m. Scientists estimated that the entire wall was made of 25,000m³ of stones. Inside the stone wall was another wall made of approximately 80,000m³ of soil.

According to the documents, there were palaces in the Thanh Noi such as Hoang Nguyen, Nhan Tho, Phu Cuc, Dong Cung, Dong Thai Mieu, Tay Thai Mieu, Diem Canh… However, now the Thanh Noi remains some relics such as a part of the citadel’s wall and four gates, vestiges of lakes, a couple of stone dragons with sophisticated carving features, foundation of Thanh Noi architecture, Hoa Nhai marble-paved road, stone balls, stone bullets, pottery, the Southern gate precinct and valuable objects with specific characteristics of Tran - Ho dynasties culture.

Called Hao Thanh, the system of water trench surrounded the Thanh Noi and connected with Buoi River through a canal at the southeast corner of the citadel. The Hao Thanh had four stone bridges over to the Thanh Noi at the four gates. Nowadays, many parts of the Hao Thanh have been filled and dried. However, the traces of the Hao Thanh still can be seen very clearly in the north, east and south of the citadel.

The La Thanh, the outer wall of the citadel built to protect the Thanh Noi was home to residents in the citadel. The La Thanh was approximately 10km in perimeter and its construction based on the natural terrain. The Ho Dynasty built the La Thanh by banking up and making bamboo hedge to connect the mountains of Don Son (Vinh Thanh Commune), Hac Khuyen (Vinh Long Commune), Xuan Dai, Trac Phong, Tien Sy (Vinh Ninh Commune), Kim Ngo (Vinh Tien Commune), Kim Nguu, Tuong Son (Vinh Quang Commune) with two rivers of Buoi and Ma. Now, the trace of La Thanh in Beo Village (Vinh Long Commune) with a length of 2,051.9m, a height of about 5m, trapezoid section of 9.2m, the base of the citadel of 37m has been localized for protection.

The Nam Giao Altar, an importance royal architectural work, was built in 1402 in the southwest of Don Son Mountain, on the spiritual pathway directly connected with the Southern gate, about 2.5 km away from the citadel of the Ho Dynasty to the southeast. The Nam Giao Altar has an area of 43,000m². Currently, the altar appears 5 grounds with 5 terraces. There is a difference of 7.80 meters between the highest and the lowest. The Nam Giao Altar is the place to sacrifice to the heaven; pray for harmonious rain and wind, peaceful country and happy people, prosperous and everlasting dynasty. In addition, the altar is also the place to sacrifice to the soul of dead kings, stars and many other genies. Nam Giao ceremony is considered as a royal ritual. The first Nam Giao ceremony of the Ho Dynasty was held in the same year of constructing the altar.

At the citadel of the Ho Dynasty, apart from construction of the Nam Giao Altar and performance of Nam Giao ceremony in 1402, the Ho Dynasty had left historical marks such as establishing Xa Tac Altar (altar of the Earth Genie and the Shennong - the Divine Farmer) in 1397, organizing two state exams in 1400 and 1405. In addition, the Ho Dynasty had been associated with remarkable innovations, such as reforming examination, building more schools, heightening the Nom scripts and issuing paper-money.

Source: vietnamtourism.org.vn

Xoan Singing in Pho Tho Province

Xoan singing or hat cua dinh (singing at the communal house) is a kind of performing art relating to worshipping gods. In the past, Van Lang people held Xoan singing performance in the spring to welcome the new year. There are three forms of Xoan singing as the worship singing to commemorate Hung Kings and village guardian gods; the ritual singing to pray for good crops, good health; and the festive singing – a form of love duet.

Xoan singing has existed for more than 2,000 years since Hung Kings dynasty. So all old Xoan songs originated from ancient villages in the center of Van Lang nation (now Phu Tho Province), after spread out the villages in the two banks of Lo and Hong rivers. Four old Xoan guilds are An Thai, Phu Duc, Kim Doi and Thet in two communes of Kim Duc and Phuong Lau (Viet Tri City, Phu Tho Province).

The Xoan guilds perform Xoan singing at the village’s communal house according to phrases as follows:

Firstly, the worship singing to commemorate Hung Kings, village guardian gods, the people who had merit for the country and families’ ancestors through the repertoires of Giao trong and Tho nhang…

Secondly, the ritual singing (with 14 different melodies) to express admiration of nature, human beings, and communities’ life, and some repertoires about history such as Trang Mai cach and Hoi lien cach…

Finally, the festive singing is alternate singing between singers and instrumentalists. The audience could take part in singing together with Xoan guilds to express love and dreams about happiness through melodies of Mo ca (groping for fishes), Xin hue (asking for flowers), Bo bo…

Most Xoan songs were composed by common people following poetry styles such as seven-seven-six-eight-word-meter verse, seven-beat-meter verse, six-eight-word-meter verse, the variants of six-eight-word-meter verse, four-word verse, and six-word verse. Xoan music has a simple structure with few ornamental notes. It often uses three-note scale and four-note scale with simple rhythm.

Xoan guilds are the places where folk artists keep their close relationship, creating the specific feature of Xoan singing. Xoan guilds often gather and perform in the spring festivals. After the festivals, the practitioners of Xoan guilds return to work as everyone in the community. Each Xoan guild has 15 – 18 members, of which one leader is referred to as Trum, male practitioners are called Kep (instrumentalists) while female practitioners are called Dao (singers)… The leader is an expert in art and mastered in all customs of Xoan singing. He is also responsible for organizing and training instrumentalists and singers. Knowledge on practice, custom and regulations of taboo, and techniques for singing, playing drum and clappers and dancing of Xoan singing were always transmitted orally from this person to another in the community.

On November 24th 2011, at the 6th meeting of the Inter-governmental Committee for the Conservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO held in Bali, Indonesia, Xoan singing in Phu Tho was officially recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent safeguarding. It meets necessary requirements as unique lyrics, melodies and tunes; combining elements of culture, history and art; containing many cultural values; and having been preserved through many centuries.

Source: vietnamtourism.com

Giong Festival at Phu Dong and Soc Temples - Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Giong Festival is a traditional festival in commemoration and praise of the mythical hero Saint Giong, one of four immortals of Vietnamese folk beliefs.

The festival vividly imitates the evolution of fights of Saint Giong and Van Lang people under the 6th King Hung reign in combating against the foreign enemies, thereby raising the public awareness about the forms of ancient tribe war and educating the patriotism, martial art traditions, indomitable will, and independence and freedom desire of the nation. The Giong Festival is held in many locations throughout the northern part of Viet Nam, however the most typical ones are the Giong Festival at Phu Dong Temple and Soc Temple (Ha Noi).

Giong Festival at Soc Temple (Phu Linh Commune, Soc Son District, Ha Noi) is held annually from the sixth to the eighth days of the first lunar month.  According to the legend, after defeating the foreign invaders, Soc Mountain in Phu Linh is the last stopover of the saint before flying to heaven. There are many traditional rituals during the festival such as procession ceremony, incense offering ceremony, the ritual of bathing saint’s statue and bamboo flowers offering ceremony to the Thuong (Upper) Temple where is dedicated to the Saint Giong. 

To prepare for the festival, at the fifth day night, people from eight villages of six communes in Soc Son District have carefully prepared offerings to the saint. On the sixth day - the opening festival day - villagers and pilgrims make incense offering to the Saint Giong Monument on Mount Da Chong. And at midnight of the same day, there is the bathing ritual of Saint Giong’s statue.

On the main festival day, the seventh day which was the saint’s ascending to heaven day according to the legend, there is a procession of bamboo flowers to the Thuong Temple as offerings to the saint. The bamboo flowers are made of a bamboo pieces that are sharpened into flowers and dyed with various colors. The worshipped saint embodies the aspiration for a peaceful country, harmonious rain and wind, and abundant harvest. 

During the festival, there are other traditional games such as Chinese chess, human chess, cock fighting... and art performances of villagers as traditional opera (cheo), love duet (quan ho). 

Giong Festival at Phu Dong Temple 

The Giong Festival at the Phu Dong Temple is held annually from the sixth to the twelfth days of the fourth lunar month in the village of Saint Giong’s birth in Phu Dong Commune, Gia Lam District, Ha Noi. 

From the sixth to eighth days, there are ceremonies of carrying flags to Mau (Mother) Temple where is dedicated to the Saint Giong’s mother and carrying offerings of boiled rice and salted egg-plants to Thuong (Upper) Temple where is dedicated to the Saint Giong. 

The main day of the festival is the ninth of the fourth lunar month. On this day flags are carried from the Mau Temple to the Thuong Temple to sacrifice to the saint. In addition, fighting against the Yin invaders is re-enacted. The battle is elaborately arranged with the roles of Masters (Ong Hieu) such as the Flag Master, the Drum Master, the Gong Master, the Army Master, and the Children Master – the generals of Saint Giong troop which are played by young men and 28 girls play the enemy generals. 

On the tenth day, there are ceremonies of inspecting battlefield and giving offerings to the Saint Giong. On the eleventh day, the ceremony of cleaning and washing weapons with holy water takes place. On the twelfth day, a flag procession goes to announce the victorious news to heaven and earth. There are also ceremony of giving a feast to the troop and cheo performances celebrating the victory.

The Giong Festival of Phu Dong and Soc temples recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Global outstanding value of the Giong Festival is represented as a cultural phenomenon which is preserved and handed down constantly and integrally over many generations. The festival also serves as a community link and contains many creative ideas, expressing the desire for national peace and family prosperity. 

The Giong Festival satisfies the criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as follows:

- R1: The Giong Festival is deeply rooted in the communities of the Red River Delta as part of their identity, transmitted from generation to generation and providing them a sense of continuity; 

- R2: Its inscription on the Representative List could contribute to promoting human creativity and dialogue between cultures, while providing visibility to intangible cultural heritage; 

- R3: Diverse and coherent safeguarding measures have been proposed aiming to preserve, document, transmit, recognize and promote the continuity of the Giong Festival, benefiting from the commitment of the communities and the State; 

- R4: The bearer and practitioner communities were consulted and provided information for the nomination, as well as their free, prior and informed consent; 

- R5: The Giong Festival is inscribed in an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of Viet Nam, maintained by the Viet Nam Institute of Culture and Art Studies.

The Giong Festival of Phu Dong and Soc temples has officially been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by the UNESCO since November 2010. UNESCO has shortly and fully recorded of the Giong Festival as "a Viet Nam culture museum that keeps many alluvial layers of culture and beliefs."

Source: vietnamtourism.com

Ca Tru Singing - Intangible cultural heritage

Ca Tru has many names, depending on each locality, each period of time, it is also called A dao singing, Cua dinh singing, Cua quyen singing, Co dau singing, Nha to singing, Nha tro singing and Ca cong singing. This is a long-standing and unique form of art which has special meaning in the musical treasures of Viet Nam, associated with the traditional festivals, customs, religions, literature, music, thoughts and philosophy of the Vietnamese.

The Ca Tru singing was assessed in the heritage records as follows:

Ca Tru, which dates back to the 15th century, was performed attach in a cultural diversity space during different historical periods. Ca Tru showed a sense of identity and continuity in the art performances, being innovative and transmitted between generations by professional music guilds known as Giao phuong. These guilds have maintained the close relationship communities, forming characteristics of Ca Tru. Although undergone many social and historical changes, Ca Tru has still kept distinct vitality due to its art value in the Vietnamese culture.

Ca Tru is unique with its private art performing space, musical instruments and distinct style of poetry. According to folk artists, Ca Tru has 56 different musical forms or melodies, each of which is called the cach. The singing technique is very sophisticated. The singers have to practice in very painstaking and meticulous manner. Streamlined instruments with timbres in contrast have elevated the beauty of each performing participant.

Ca Tru performing is involved by at least three people: 

- A female singer (called “dao” or “ca nuong”) both singing and playing the phach (which is made of bamboo or wood. It is struck with two hard wooden beaters, one of which is split into two so it creates a different slightly higher pitched sound.)

- A male instrumentalist (called “kep”) playing the dan day three-stringed lute (which has 3 strings and 10 frets.) 

- And a person beating the trong chau or “praise drum” (called “quan vien” - a musician from the group of Ca Tru singer and instrumentalist or sometimes is the composer of the lyrics.) The praise drummer is a connoisseur of Ca Tru. The rhythms the drummer plays mark the end and beginning of different sections and phrases of music and he also uses particular drumming patterns to show his appreciation of the music and the performers. 

The “dao” sits in the middle of performing mat. The “kep” and “quan vien” sit near by in two sides. Ca Tru performing space is quite small and the participation from the audiences is very essential.

Ca Tru singing is an art form of sung poetry with a rich collection of songs reserved for each functions as Hat tho (worship singing), Hat thi (competitive singing), Hat choi (singing for entertainment). Lyrics of Ca Tru songs have scholarly nature, much meaning with few words, rich in poetry with lots of thoughtful and profound emotions. Ca Tru which consists of all genres from lyric and romantic songs to epic, philosophic, teaching ones…, has attracted the participation of many scholars and poets in experience their talents and compose poems for Ca Tru. One cannot see all the beauty and value of this performance art without understand thoroughly the content and art of words in the songs as well as the precise expression of female singers in their emotions and feelings together with voice and music.

According to the researchers, by mid-2009, there were 63 clubs with about 769 people (including 513 dao and 256 kep and trong chau player) in 14 provinces and cities (Hanoi, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Ho Chi Minh City) throughout the country have frequently carried out activities and establish plans for research, documentation, collection, preservation, performance and transmission of Ca Tru. However, the numbers of folk artists who can sing from 10 tunes or more are very rare. At the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology, 7 dances and 42 songs of Ca Tru have been stored. There are 26 files written in Han Nom scripts on Ca Tru and about 25 books on Ca Tru.

Ca Tru has been recognized as major contributors to the culture of Viet Nam. From Ca Tru, a unique poetry was born and became a brilliant position in the Nom scripts literature of the nation. That is Hat noi (recital melody) style which has been popular for centuries. In addition, phach and dan day three-stringed lute has become specific instruments of Ca Tru, contributing to make Ca Tru become a classic vocal music genre of Viet Nam. With the rich of history, the depth of art and the distinct national character, Ca Tru has confirmed its important role not only in Viet Nam but also all over the world.

With consensus, voluntary and full understanding of Ca tru singing community, along with action plans, responsibilities, commitments, supports and assistances of authorities at all levels of the state, Ca tru has been safeguarded to ensure its vitality. And with the preeminent features, after four years of waiting, since the Government decided to submit to UNESCO for its consideration, Ca tru singing has been inscribed on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of Urgent Safeguarding on October 1, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Ca Tru Thang Long Club performs Ca tru singing from 20h00 to 21h00 on every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at Old House 87 Ma May Street, Hoan Kiem District with items such as Non Nuoc, Gui thu (Sending letter), 36 tunes, Hat ru (Lullaby), Hat noi (recital melody), Ty ba hanh…

Ticket price: USD10 (VND209.000)/turn

Tel: (84) 1223 266 897

Email: info@catruthanglong.com

Website: http://catruthanglong.com

Ca Tru Ha Noi Club performs Ca tru singing from 20h00 - 21h00 on every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 42 Hang Bac Street, Hoan Kiem District.

Ticket price: VND200,000/turn

Tel: (84) 974020400 

Some additional information:

- The songs performed by Vietnamese but English quotation throughout the shows

- At the break time, visitors will learn about the history of Ca tru singing, the instruments used in Ca tru performance and also have the opportunity to play the instruments, take photos artisans.

Ca tru UNESCO Centre performs Ca tru singing from 9h30 – 11h00a.m on the first Sunday of the month at Museum of Ethnology Viet Nam (Nguyen Van Huyen St., Cau Giay District).

Free tickets for all visitors

Tel: (84-4) 3756 2193

Source: vietnamtourism.com

Buddist Sutra Woodblocks of Truc Lam Zen at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda

Buddhist Sutra Woodblocks at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda (Tri Yen Commune, Yen Dung District, Bac Giang Province) is the only original woodblocks of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism preserved at the pagoda.

Since founding Truc Lam Zen Buddhism (the late 13th century), King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308) had some important texts, sutras edited, engraved, and published to popular ideology of Buddhism in general and master monks of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism in particular. However, most of the woodblocks were destroyed or lost due to war and weather. 

In the late 19th and the early 20th century, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda was chosen to be one of the training centers of Vietnamese Buddhism Association where store records of Buddhist monks and nuns nationwide and major publishing house of Vietnamese Buddhism. The collection of woodblocks engraved in this period includes 3,050 woodblocks, most of which are Buddhist texts, sutras, writings of three Vietnamese master monks (Dieu Ngu Giac Hoang Tran Nhan Tong (1258 – 1308), Phap Loa Dong Kien Cuong (1284 – 1330), Huyen Quang Ly Dao Tai (1254 – 1334)) and some other master monks of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen Buddhism. Besides, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda also has some woodblocks to print so, diep, a kind of document is only available in Truc Lam Zen Buddhism. Especially, the pagoda stores some wood texts about treatment by medicinal herbs, acupuncture…

The woodblocks at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda were made by artisans of the craft villages in Bac Giang, Bac Ninh provinces and especially Lieu Trang Craft Village (Hai Duong Province) – where specializes in engraving woodblocks. All woodblocks are made of thi wood. The majority of the blocks feature printing on both sides and have been engraved with Chinese and Nom (a classical vernacular script of Vietnamese language) characters in a mirror like fashion. Depth of the engravings is approximately 1 - 1.5 mm, so prints on do paper are very clear. And every page in a book printed this way has a bien lan (border), a ban tam (title in the centerfold), and ngu vi (blank corners). Especially, the first or the last page of the book contains lac khoan, which is a means of showing the date, artisan, and place of origin.

The size of the woodblock depends on the categories of the sutras. The biggest woodblock is over 100cm in length and 40-50cm in width. The smallest one is only 15 x 20cm.

The woodblocks at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda show the formation, development and ideology of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism, at the same time also mark the development of Nom writing system through the periods. This is also an excellent work of art with unique, original and irreplaceable features. Through this collection of woodblocks, readers can exploit plentiful information about many fields as religion, language, literature, medicine, art…

On 16th May 2012, at the meeting of Asia Pacific Regional Committee of UNESCO held in Bangkok (Thailand), Buddhist Sutra Woodblocks of Truc Lam Zen at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda was recognized as World Documentary Heritage in Memory of the World Programme, based on three criteria as authenticity; uniqueness, irreplaceability; and its position and role in the region.

Source: vietnamtourism.com