Some 200 images and artifacts related to “Nghe” – a sacred animal in the ancient culture of Vietnam – are on display at an exhibition that opened in the central city of Da Nang on August 15.

The event helps visitors get a closer look at the Vietnamese fictional creature with a lion-like head, long tail and dog-like body.

“Nghe” have long appeared in the culture of the Vietnamese people, engraved on stone steles, altars and other kinds of architecture.

The sacred animal also appears in religious spaces such as pagodas, communal houses, temples and shrines.

However, it seemed to have been forgotten and replaced by other symbolic animals not from traditional Vietnamese culture.

To preserve and promote national cultural identity, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a document in 2014 requesting not to use products and symbols that are not suitable for Vietnamese customs.

The ministry also asked the departments of culture, sports and tourism in cities and provinces to increase communications to promote traditional cultural heritage.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien said the exhibited objects and documents demonstrate the unique features of the Vietnamese sacred animal.

The exhibition will run until August 30 at the Da Nang Museum of Fine Arts.

VNA