VietNamNet Bridge – Archaeologists from the Viet Nam Archaeological Institute and Tuyen Quang Museum unearthed several relics in Son Duong District of Tuyen Quang province in an excavation early this year, said Ly Manh Thang, deputy director of the provincial museum.

They found traces of the Lang Dao Pagoda at Tan Hong Hamlet, Tu Thinh Commune of the district. It was built in the Tran dynasty (13th-14th century) and lasted until the Le So dynasty (15th-17th century).

Archaeologists also uncovered a gravesite from the time of the Hung Kings in Thuong Am Commune, Son Duong district. The site is 3,000 years old.

Other discoveries include an ancient well in Tan Trao commune and a fossilized elephant tooth in Hong Lac Commune of Son Duong District.

Son Duong District has been called the "land of old relics". Archaeologists from the Viet Nam Archaeological Institute and Tuyen Quang Museum plan to preserve their discoveries as vestiges of the country's past.

* ‘My Village' circus returns

The Lang Toi (My Village) circus, with acts reflecting features of the daily lives of Vietnamese villages, will return to the Ha Noi Opera House with a single performance next Friday.

Lang Toi is a new-style circus in which traditional circus acts are embellished with light and music and human drama. No animal acts are utilised.

Established in 2003 under the direction of Nguyen Lan, Le Tuan and Nguyen Nhat Ly, the circus has toured internationally, visiting such countries as France, Belgium, China, and South Korea. In 2005, it had up to 100 performers.

"Unrelated acts are no longer a trend of world circuses," said Tuan. "Instead, each show will be a programme with specific ideas and content to send certain messages to the audience."

Lang Toi tells a simple story about a Vietnamese village in the north on a normal day during war and during peace time. Bamboo trees fill the stage, and artists use bamboo poles and baskets in their performances.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News