VietNamNet Bridge – February 2015 is the deadline for removal of foreign-styled animal statues from historical and cultural monuments. However, monument managers are having difficulty complying with the regulation because of a lack of guidance.

A Chinese-style lion statue.

After an inspection team of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism worked with managers, three pairs of Chinese-styled lion statues at three gates to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh Province were removed. The monument managing board said they would turn the lion statues into Vietnamese-style young lions.

However, the board director Bui Van Manh said that without guidance from the Ministry of Culture, the board did not know how to choose a suitable lion for the conversion. He added that it was difficult for the board to distinguish between Vietnamese and Chinese lions as well as other foreign style lions.

In the process of implementing the Ministry of Culture’s decision on removal of alien sacred animal statues from historical and cultural monuments, Hanoi had to ask for help from the Ministry’s experts to differentiate between a number of animal statues, including a pair of stone lion statues at the Museum of the Vietnam Aviation Corporation.

Deputy Director of the Art, Photography and Exhibition Department, Doan Thi Thu Huong, has admitted that many people cannot distinguish between different styles of the sacred animal statues.

She said many localities while waiting for instructions from the superior management agencies have removed alien sacred animal statues from monuments by throwing them into rivers and lakes.

The Art, Photography and Exhibition Department has suggested exporting alien animal statues or using them for other purposes.

Deputy Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Culture, Pham Xuan Phuc, said the monuments that had foreign style animal statues donated by people should have been fined for breaking the Heritage Law.

However, this is a new issue, so the authorities have only asked monument managing boards to remove the statues.

Ms. Huong proposed improving the knowledge of managers of monuments to help them identify alien sacred animal statues. She said the Art, Photography and Exhibition Department would publish a manual on sacred animals of Vietnam.

Mr Phuc, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Culture, said the Ministry will organize an exhibition on Vietnamese-style lion statues and will inspect 45-50 monuments in 2015.

In the last three months, the Ministry of Culture has checked 23 major monuments in seven provinces and detected alien sacred animal statues at 19 monuments. The statues have been removed from 10 monuments and the rest will be removed in the coming time.

Ms. Dang Thi Bich Lien, Deputy Minister of Culture, has asked provincial Departments of Culture across the country to take action to remove all alien sacred animal statues from monuments before the Lunar New Year 2015.

Thanh Van