VietNamNet Bridge – Nine items, closely related to the development of Viet Nam from the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) to the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), were recognized as national treasures.

1. The Canh Thinh bronze drum (the Tay Son era 1778 – 1802) is kept at the Viet Nam National Museum of History in Ha Noi.

The Canh Thinh bronze drum

The drum, made in 1800, with 0.49 meters in diameter and 0.37 meters in height, has the most clear, explicit identity ever. It was made under the Tay Son dynasty, during which the casting techniques seemed already lost. The inscriptions on the drumhead describing details about the casting circumstances of that Tay Son era is a rare and valuable historical source.

2. The Mon Ha Sanh Bronze royal stamp, (the Tran dynasty 1226 – 1400) is stored at the Viet Nam National Museum of History in Ha Noi.

The Mon Ha Sanh Bronze royal stamp

The bronze stamp was made in 1377 with 8.5 centimeters high, 7 centimeters long and 7 centimeters wide. The stamp is the only current known stamp of the Tran dynasty. It has clear contents and specific date, serving as an evidence of the central administrative organization of the Tran dynasty.

3. The blue and white pottery vase with swan patterns (1428 – 1527 era), is preserved at the Viet Nam National Museum of History in Ha Noi.

The blue and white pottery case with swan patterns

The vase, made in the Le So Dynasty, is 56.5 centimeters in height. It was produced at Chu Dau pottery village, northern Hai Duong Province. It is the largest pottery object in terms of size in the exclusive collection recovered from Cu Lao Cham shipwreck. It features the pinnacle of the techniques and the art of pottery in the Le dynasty.

4. The Nine Tripod Cauldrons (the Nguyen Dynasty 1802 – 1945) is a set of nine bronze censers, vessels used for burning incense, in central Hue imperial citadel.

The Nine Tripod Cauldrons

The censers are different from each other, symbolizing the difference in the personality of the nine emperors of the dynasty. The set, currently kept at the Hue Royal Antiquities Museum, was made from 1835-1837.

5. Vinh Lang Lam Kinh stele (the Le Dynasty) is stored in the Lam Kinh relics, Tho Xuan District, central Thanh Hoa Province.

Vinh Lang Lam Kinh stele

The stele forms a crucial part of the tomb of King Le Thai To though lying around 300 meters southwest of the tomb. The stele is 2.79 meters tall, 1.94 meters wide and 0.27 meters thick.

6. The stone dragon (the Ly Dynasty) is currently stored at Le Van Thinh temple, Gia Binh District, northern Bac Ninh Province.

The stone dragon

The stone was found in the residence of Le Van Thinh Great Tutor, the first doctoral candidate of the Ly Dynasty in 1075.

7. The statue of Queen Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc (the Le Trung Hung Dynasty) is stored at the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum. Queen Truc is the fervent Buddhist.

The statue of Queen Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc

In the 1640s, she endowed fields and money to rebuild the But Thap Temple. She was concerned about the problems of education at that time. A Literary Chinese-vernacular Vietnamese dictionary was published in 1641. Some evidence encourages the conjecture that it was compiled under the supervision or patronage of Queen Truc.

8. A set of enameled ceramic incense burner and candlesticks (the Mac Dynasty) is now kept at the Museum of northern Nam Dinh Province.

A set of enameled ceramic incense burner and candlesticks

The burner is 17 centimeters in diameter, 76 centimeters in height and 77 grams in weight. The set are decorated with patterns of dragon, phoenix, lotus, and Chinese characters.

9. Copper cauldron (the Le Trung Hung Dynasty) is currently stored at the Museum of central Thanh Hoa Province.

Copper cauldron

The cauldron, found in 1981, is 79.8 centimeters tall and 134.4 centimaters in diameter. It was casted in 1952, under the Le Trung Hung Dynasty. It is considered the biggest undamaged cauldron in Viet Nam.

Source: VGP