Discovering Dinh An mat craft village

Visitors to Sa Dec Town in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap can admire gardens full of colorful flowers in spring time or visit Huynh Thuy Le House where French hit movie L’amant (The Lover) was filmed.

A winding road in Dinh An Village is covered with dyed mats - Photos: Lam Van Son

But there is another side to this area of the delta and tourists should take time to have a look at Dinh An sleeping mat craft village in Dinh Yen Commune, Lap Vo District.
Located around 33 kilometers from Sa Dec Town, the craft village lies along the bank of Hau River. Through the passage of time and industrial development, the village has stood strong for almost 100 years and it is a source of pride for locals and an attractive tourist site.
For a long time, sleeping mats were a way of life in Vietnam. People still use the mats to sleep or sit on and not only in homes as they are used in religious ceremonies or sacred places or festivals. In Vietnamese culture, a beautiful sleeping mat is very important for newly-weds and the mat is considered part of many love stories.
The main material to make sleeping mats is lat trees. Every household, in the village, has one or two weaving looms. The craft is handed down to younger generations in the craft village. It is a fascinating spectacle for visitors to see the whole family gather to make mats as they choose lat strings to dry, weave and decorate.

A family in Dinh An Village in the process of weaving a sedge mat

| SGT |

Ethnic sports festival kicks off in Quang Nam

As many as 721 athletes from 37 ethnic groups in 17 cities and provinces nationwide are competing in the seventh National Sports Festival for Ethnic Minorities, which opened in the central province of Quang Nam on July 20.

The event is jointly organised by the provincial People’s Committee, the General Department of Physical Training and Sports, the Committee for Ethnic Minorities and the Vietnam Farmers’ Association Central Committee.

During the six-day competition, athletes will compete in a variety of sporting events, including men’s football, men’s and women’s volleyball, cross-country running, stick pushing, crossbow shooting, tug of war and stilt walking.

The event aims to improve the health and spiritual life of ethnic minority people, promote traditional cultural values and enhance solidarity among the community of Vietnamese ethnic groups.

(Source: VNA)

Vietnam, Lao localities step up tourism cooperation

Champassak province of Laos welcomed over 300,000 foreign tourists in 2010, of which the number of Vietnamese visitors sharply increased compared to the previous percentage.

This was a good translation of the cooperative agreement signed in 2009 by the Champassak Tourism Association (CTA) and the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, CTA Chairman Somleth Phosalath said on July 18.

The rise is mostly attributed to the introduction of package tours, the improvement in transport routes, capacity and quality of the tourism sectors of both sides, she said.

She expressed her hope that the resumption of the Vientiane – Pakse - Ho Chi Minh City flight in January, 2011 would help to increase the number of Vietnamese arrivals, including those from Ho Chi Minh City, to Champassak province

(Source: VNA)

Exploring Hanoi's village roots

Elderly overseas Vietnamese Tran Thi Dy and her group from the US returned to Vietnam last week after nearly 30 years from the country.

Dy, 70, said her group plans to tour Hanoi's tourism sites including one of its three ancient villages: Nghi Tam, which was once known as a flower village.
Dy said she was looking forward to joining the annual Nghi Tam Festival which takes place next Thursday and is expected to attract thousands of people.

The village is changing rapidly as villas and high-storied buildings have mushroomed, said Dy, adding that she was really interested in visiting Nghi Tam's Kim Lien Pagoda and Nghi Tam Communal House which were built during the Ly (1025-1225) dynasty.

"We felt very spiritual visiting the pagodas, and they look good since their facelifts. At these sites we prayed for good health and a lucky year. The sites are a valuable part of Ha Noi's heritage because they are related to the establishment and development of Thang Long, now Ha Noi," said Dy, who grew up in the city.

A local villager, Nguyen Thi Yen said villagers are very proud of the pagoda because it honours six village tutelary saints compared with three which are common at other temples.

One of the honoured saints represents Princess Tu Hoa who had spent her time farming silk cocoons in large mulberry fields.

"We all are aware that we must preserve these sites because they are the soul of our village," said Yen.

Nghi Tam is famous nationwide for its traditional occupations of flower and bonsai growing and ornamental fish farming.

Bonsai have been grown in Nghi Tam since 1228 when a villager bought saplings from a Chinese trader to plant in his village.

Bonsai lovers throughout Ha Noi are well aware of the century-old Nghi Tam bonsai trees.

Unfortunately, urbanisation has encroached on the land used to grow bonsai, elderly Hoang Thi Thuan said, adding half of her 1,000sq.m land has been used for such a purpose.

About 70 per cent of the land in the village is now occupied by villas for rent with prices ranging from US$700 to $1,500 a month, said Thuan.

But her family members agreed that they have to keep their family tradition of growing flowers and bonsai trees alive.

Thuan said her family earns between VND150,000 and VND200 million from bonsai trees, kumquat and peach trees every year.

Hoang Van An's family raises pet fish for sale.

"In the past half of our village used to raise ornamental fish for sale in the capital and surrounding provinces, but now only a few households continue because of the low returns," said An.
He said, despite the meagre earnings, he loves the job that was handed down from his grandfather, and he loves working with his colourful pet fish.

"I'm very happy because we've had the chance to welcom many local and foreign tourists when they visit our village. I have the chance to introduce all the different varieties of ornamental fish to them. Many foreigners working in Viet Nam have bought ornamental fish to raise at home," said An.

Nghi Tam has been a flower village since the establishment of the capital. The village has developed continuously, and has always been considered as one of the largest flower villages, supplying fresh flowers for the city and its vicinity. In the 1950s, nearly all the households were involved in planting flowers.

There are many kinds of flowers originating from temperate regions like the peach blossom, daisy, violet and lily, and particularly the kumquat, peach and while apricot. From winter to spring, with the drizzling rain and the cold wind, the temperature is suitable for the growth of these flowers. Every morning, Nghi Tam flower market is busy.

Hanoians take the utmost care in the selection of their Tet (Lunar New Year) peach trees, taking into account every tiny detail that must sit in harmony with the sentiment or philosophy that one wishes to express, in addition to matching the interior decoration of their house.

Kumquat is another species that spread from Nghi Tam Village to West Lake. During Tet, most families in the capital, and now throughout the country, have their kumquat trees to symbolise talent and wealth.

Nghi Tam arose in 1138 during the reign of King Ly Than Tong. The site of the village was home to his Tam Tang estate which later the King gave to his daughter Princess Tu Hoa. She led the village in farming silk cocoons on large mulberry fields, creating an occupation the capital Thang Long was famous for at that time.

During the Tran (1225-1400) dynasty the estate's name was changed to Tich Ma and then finally Nghi Tam during the Le (1428-1788) dynasty.

Nghi Tam is also the native village of Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, a 19th-century female poet whose work is still admired today.

A stone stele honouring the poetess is still preserved by a family of her lineage.
source: | VNS |

Tourists discover hidden beauty of once-forgotten destination

The 17th century witnessed the rise of two trading ports: Pho Hien in the northern region, or Dang Ngoai, and Hoi An in central region, or Dang Trong. While Hoi An continued to thrive until the 19th century, Pho Hien was abandoned at the end of the 17th century on account of natural causes. Today, Hoi An has become an attractive tourist destination while Pho Hien has fallen into oblivion.

Frozen in time: The Chuong Pagoda is famous for its 18 La Han (Arhat) and 10 Diem Vuong (King of Hell) statues.

The other Hoi An: The Hien Pagoda and Dong Do Quang Hoi, a gathering place for Chinese businessmen, have witnessed the city's rise and fall.

Retro: Pho Hien Market on Dien Bien Street was built in 1970.

"Thu nhat Kinh Ky, thu nhi Pho Hien" (The first is Kinh Ky, the second is Pho Hien), a widely known saying in Vietnam, confirmed that the importance of Pho Hien was only outmatched by Kinh Ky, which refers to the Thang Long royal capital, Hanoi today. Pho Hien is now called Hung Yen city in the northern province of Hung Yen, which lies about 60km south of Hanoi.
At the end of June, we left Hanoi for Hung Yen city to look for traces of the old port. At present, the site is an alluvial plain spreading from Lam Son District's Dang Chau Hamlet to Hong Chau District's Ne Chau Hamlet. For 2-3km there was no sign of the port, just open ground. Standing on Yen Lenh Bridge, we tried to conjure an image of ships transporting goods in a crowded area but couldn't see it.
The development of the agricultural and craft industries in the 15th and 16th centuries increased the country's desire and capability to trade with others. Among the earliest foreigners to buy the exported goods were the Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Dutch, British and French.
Pho Hien reached the peak of its prosperity in the 17th century, when ships busily crossed its waters and dozens of Asian and European products were stored in its warehouses. Craft districts such as Hang Non, Hang Be, Hang Chen, and Tho Nhuom tailored products according to the orders of international businessmen.
"Located near the Hong (Red) River, Pho Hien, established in the 13th century, was an ideal place for buying and selling products between local businessmen and to foreign traders," said Pham Xanh, professor of history at Hanoi National University's College of Social Sciences and Humanities.

"The products for sale came from all over the country, including silk, pottery, bamboo and rattan. The local businessmen also imported powder, weapons, glass-ware, gold, silver and jewellery," he said.

"Because of flow change in the Red River at the end of 17th century, ships could not dock at the port. From this time, Pho Hien lost its role as a mark of opening to international market and enhancing local economy."

The only remaining evidence of the port consists of the historical places on Pho Hien Street in Hong Chau District, notably the Hien Pagoda and Dong Do Quang Hoi, a gathering place for Chinese businessmen.

The Hien Pagoda, built under the reign of Tran Thai Tong (1232-50), still possesses two stelae inscriptions describing the foundation of the trading port. In front of the pagoda was a more than 300-year-old longan tree, bearing fruit that would have been among the delicious foods presented to the kings as tribute. We were very disappointed when we saw closed doors and no other visitors. The introduction on the board outside the pagoda did not satisfy our curiosity.

We tried our luck with Dong Do Quang Hoi, which was not far away from Pho Hien. Sadly, we had the same result. A name board hung above its doors seemed to have been restored recently, but there was nothing special left. It was built in 1590 in a Chinese style with building materials brought from China's southern provinces by sea.

Leaving Pho Hien Street, we headed to two other interesting places, which have also silently witnessed the city's rise and fall. The Chuong Pagoda, built in the 16th or 17th century, is located in Hien Nam District's Nhan Duc Hamlet. Along two of the main house's stood statues of 18 La Han (Arhat) and 10 Diem Vuong (King of Hell). A large stele on the west side, erected in 1711, sang the praises of local and foreign people who donated money to build the pagoda.

Meanwhile, Hung Yen's Temple of Literature, situated in Lam Son District's Xich Dang Hamlet, is often known as the Xich Dang Temple of Literature. Like the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, the Xich Dang Temple of Literature has become a popular local destination. We came across some parents who had come to make offerings to a deity to win his support for their children in their university entrance exams.
Pham Thi Thu, a worker in Hung Yen's garment joint-stock company, said: "Before my son took his high school graduation exams, I made an offering here. He graduated with 47 points. Therefore, I came here again with the hope that he would pass university entrance exams."
Built in the 17th century and largely rebuilt in 1839, the temple is well-known for its two rows of nine stelae, eight made in 1888 and one in 1943, which recorded the names, hometowns, and positions of 161 graduates. They were considered to be a symbol of the province's knowledge.
Bui Xuan Son, director of the provincial Information and Tourism Promotion Centre, said: "Besides promoting tourism through media and exhibitions, we are trying to promote it at the traditional festivals of the province. I think this will be effective because visitors will become interested and want to discover new things."

| VNS | July 15, 2011 17:13 pm