Vietnamese architecture featured through Thai brushes

An exhibition of paintings by four Thai artists opened in Bangkok on February 12, featuring both old and new Vietnamese architectural styles.

On display were nearly 200 paintings by Thirasak Wongcumnan, Somyot Kumsang, Suwit Jaipom and Direk Kingnok, showing Vietnam’s typical architecture in the past and at present.

The exhibition, entitled “Vietnamese architecture – Then and now” is focused on ancient architecture styles in all three regions of Vietnam illustrated through Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university) in Hanoi in the north, pagodas and ancient royal tombs of Hue city in the centre, and the post office building in Ho Chi Minh City in the south.

As 2012 is the year of dragon in the lunar calendar, artists also portrayed the image of ascending dragons as the symbol of a dynamic Vietnam in its development process.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Ngo Duc Thang said the exhibition, which will be open until March 10, will help Thai people understand more about how beautiful and peaceful Vietnam is and how hospitable its people are. The event will also strengthen the friendship between Vietnam and Thailand within the ASEAN community, he added.

Hanoi presented with cherry blossom trees

The Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association in Japan’s Chukyo region has presented Hanoi with 500 cherry blossom trees, which will be planted in Hoa Binh Park.

Addressing the reception ceremony on February 11, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi city People’s Committee Tran Xuan Viet thanked the people of Japan as well as Chukyo region for the precious gift. The meaningful present will bring the Japanese culture closer to Hanoi’s people, helping them to understand deeper about the people and nation of Japan.

Viet highlighted the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries as well as between Hanoi and Japan’s localities through the past 40 years in various fields.

Maeda Toshimichi, President of the Chukyo-based Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association, pledged to transfer growing techniques for the trees to the management board of Hoa Binh Park, so that Hanoians can enjoy cherry blossom blooming next Spring.

Dak Lak preserves over 2,300 sets of gongs

The Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has preserved 2,307 sets of bronze gongs, said the local relevant agency.

A recent inventory check of cultural heritages in 587 villages revealed that together with the gongs, 2, 633 H’gor drums (a type of drum normally used by women) and a number of bamboo and stone instruments are also kept in the province.

Currently, there are about 5,520 gong performers and 635 others who teach gong playing in the province.

The gong tradition has also been transferred to younger generations through gong performing classes.

The cultural space of gongs was recognised by the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNCESCO) as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005.
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Hearing-impaired dancers impress at talent show

A group of hearing-impaired students aged 13 to 15 from Hanoi moved audiences of the Vietnam’s Got Talent show to tears with their energetic dance performance early this month.

The students from the Thuy An Rehabilitation Center for Handicapped Children, delivered a 3-minute hip hop dance in which they followed gestures of their sign language teacher Phung Thi Dung because they could hear the music.

The 3 judges of the show gave the performance a definite “yes” to the next round.

“I’m deeply touched watching your vibrant performance,” said musician Huy Tuan. “You guys cannot hear, but you gave us a message that we can do anything with optimism.”  

Afterwards, the whole auditorium said “I love you” in sign language to the performers.

For their part, the crew, named Energy, felt happy to make it at the show.

“Those kids love dancing and they’ve learned very fast,” said Dung, the crew’s teacher and interpreter.

“It does not take us a lot of time to teach them a dance move,” said Vu Trong Quynh, secretary of the center’s Youth Union.

According to the center, Energy has performed on VTV2, Ha Tay TV and at the Hanoi Children's Palace.

Vietnam’s Got Talent has been launched for the first time by Ho Chi Minh City-based entertainment company BHD and the Vietnam Television (VTV) with the format purchased from the original British reality show.

The contest is open to contestants of all ages, sexes, and professions who have talents in performing arts.

Spring festival in northern Vietnam: sexier than you think  

Traditional ceremonies in Vietnam are not generally known for their eroticism, so people are often to surprised to learn about a spring fertility festival held annually in Phu Tho Province.  

At midnight on the 12th day of the first Lunar month, the Du Di temple in Phu Tho Province's Lam Thao District holds the only festival in northern Vietnam which is dedicated to a particular set of fertility rituals, reported The Thao Van Hoa newspaper.

During the "Linh tinh tinh phoc" ceremony all candles and lights are turned off. In the darkness, a happy married couple stands before an altar holding wooden representations of the male and female reproductive organs.

Then the old man in charge of caring for the temple repeats the mantra, "Linh tinh tinh phoc," three times.

Next, the husband attempts to thrust the wooden phallus into the wooden female orifice, which his wife holds expectantly. It is believed that if the phallus penetrates the yonic, there will be good crops that year.

The temple's custodian then announces: "thao khoan" (go and be free) and young men and women scamper into the temple's garden to do as they please until the lights are turned back on.

However, in modern times, the young people tend to merely chase each other around the garden symbolically, rather than copulate wildly as the tradition actually calls for.

Jazz hero Franck Amsallem comes to Hanoi

Pianist, musician and singer Franck Amsallem will give a jazz extravaganza at French Cultural Center (L’Espace) in Hanoi at 8 p.m. on March 8.

At the gig, the artist will perform many famous jazz pieces such as I got Rhythm or Summer Time.  And by playing both classic and modern jazz, the artist will bring great pleasure and inspiration to listeners.

He has produced eight albums and guided famous musicians like Gerry Mulligan, Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, Maria Schneider and Harry Belafonte. Amsallem used to say that it is a pianist’s job to move us and he has succeeded in doing just that and his legendary performances are inspirational.

Tickets are available at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi at VND120,000.