Showing posts with label history of vietnam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history of vietnam. Show all posts

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Vietnam's Countryside

As depicted in Thăng Long Water Puppet Show, Vietnam's main livelihood is agriculture with its vast lands and fishing with its numerous rivers.  As we went our way to Ha Long Bay, we saw boundless rice fields as expansive and as far as our eyes could see. 


  
It's also part of the Vietnamese culture to bury the dead owner of the land to his very own land.  So don't be surprised that there are gravestones dotting the wide rice fields.  As our tour guide, Tun joked, "That's why Vietnamese rice is delicious".  "Because you use human fertilizer," I added.  Hehe.....


Sole Gravestones in Meters Apart
A Family Estate
Fresh produce line up the highways and private cars can just pull over to buy.  That's Tun buying watermelon for his wife and cute little boy.


Rivers flow abundantly in Vietnam.  Aside from farming, fishing also takes a big part of the locals' livelihood. Though we haven't visited a river market, let me use my sissy April's photos when she went to Ho Chi Minh City last February.



Watch out for our Ha Long Bay adventure tomorrow only here on The Other Side of Mae! :) #tosomtravels



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Thursday, May 07, 2015

Thăng Long Water Puppet Show


The history of Vietnam as well as Vietnamese culture and tradition are encapsulated in an entertaining show in Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre along 57B Dinh Tien Hoang, Hanoi, Vietnam.  It is a 45-minute show having the following programme:

I. Opening
Traditional Musical Instruments

II.  Water Puppet Performance
1. Prelude by Clown Teu
2. Thăng Long Festival Drumming
3. Dragon's Dance
4. Buffalo-Boy Playing the Flute
5. Agricultural Work
6. Catching Frogs
7. Chasing the Fox that Tries to Catch Ducks
8. Fishing
9. Xa Thuong:  Hymns Dedicated to the Cult of Holy Mothers
10. Phoenix's Dance
12. Unicorn's Dance
13. Eight Fairies' Dance
14. Four Sacred Animals' Dance (dragon,unicorn, tortoise, phoenix)

For a 23-minute audio-visual experience of this very unique water puppet show, click on play below!



Shows start at 3 PM onwards daily every hour until 10 PM.  Tickets cost 100,000 VND which is equivalent to 200 PhP only.  For more information on Thăng Long Water Puppet Show, visit their official website here!

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Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Hanoi's Historical Sites Series: Nhà thờ Lớn Hà Nội

We are now in the final stretch of our Hanoi's Historical Sights Series!  Thank you for bearing with me, my dear blog readers!  Hehe.....  For this last entry, I'm saving the best.  I'm not being prejudiced here but I was a Catholic before.  What could I do?  But either way, may you be Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, or Protestant as I am, it doesn't matter.  Religion doesn't matter.  

Buddhists claim that Buddha is the only real god.  Muslims claim that Allah is the only real god.  Christians claim that God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit or the Triune God is the only real God.  Whatever a person's belief is, it doesn't matter.  What matters is the relationship of that person to his god and the encounter he has with THE ONLY REAL GOD and that is GOD!  I do believe that GOD reveals himself to each one of us no matter what religion we have and it's up to us to believe and heed His call or to ignore.

Anyway highway, that's too far heavy an issue for a post like this.  'Cause what I would just want is to share to you another Hanoi's attraction and that is Nhà thờ Lớn Hà Nội or St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi.


For a predominantly Buddhist city, St. Joseph's Cathedral is an oddity to me.  In one corner of Hanoi, you will find the oldest Roman Catholic church which was built in 1886 by the French colonial government.  Its architectural structure was inspired by Notre Dame de Paris, a world-renowned church in the city of light.  The exterior of the church is one of that late 19th-century Gothic Revival or Neo-Gothic style.  It has twin bell towers in the shape of a rectangle which stand taller than the crucifix at the center. (Source:  Wikipedia)


Below the cross is a clock in Roman numerals, my first time to see a clock at a church's facade.  And below the clock is a rather small statue of St. Joseph, the human father of Jesus. 


Only a few meters away from the front door is a small court of the bronze statue of Regina Pacis, the Queen of Peace carrying Jesus by her hand.  With Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus, the nativity completes thus making St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi the center of the city's Christmas!  Christians and non-Christians alike flock to the cathedral every Christmas and New Year's eve to celebrate. 

St. Joseph's from Across the Street
A Nearer View of St. Joseph's
St. Joseph's By Night
From Hoàn Kiếm Lake, take a walk west until you find the dead-end of Nha Tho Street.  The main gate and front door are only open during mass.  For mass schedule, click here.

There you have three of the most visited historical sites of Hanoi.  Stay tuned tomorrow for an entertaining post of Vietnam's history as we continue to unravel the beauty of a country as raw as Vietnam!  Just log into www.maryrosalieo.blogspot.com The Other Side of Mae!  :)  #tosomtravels


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".....you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.  You have made heaven and earth." - Isaiah 37:16

"They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands." - Isaiah 37:19


".....all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God." - Isaiah 37:20


Tuesday, May 05, 2015

Hanoi's Historical Sites Series: Văn Miếu


Located 2 kilometers west of Hoàn Kiếm Lake is the Temple of Literature or Văn Miếu.  It is a temple of Confucius built for Confucian sages and scholars.


The main gate has 3 entry points:  the center for the monarchs, the left for the administrative Mandarins, and the right for the military Mandarins.  A bronze bell can be found on top of the center pathway which can only be rung and touched by monks.  In modern-day Vietnam, only the center door is left open for visitors.


The first courtyard leads to the Great Middle Gate which is in between two smaller gates, the "Attained Talent" Gate and the "Accomplished Virtue" Gate.


The second courtyard leads to the Constellation of Literature Pavilion which is considered as the face of the temple.  Photos of it are in postcards, even thumbnails and if one says "Temple of Literature", this image instantly comes into mind.


The pavilion is intricately designed with an elaborate roof which houses another bronze bell that can be seen through the two circular windows.  



Upon entering the third courtyard through the pavilion, the Well of Heavenly Clarity welcomes you.



By the sides of the well are two halls of the Doctors Stelae.



A stele is a monument erected for commemorative purposes like in funerary.  In the case of the Temple of Literature, 116 steles of stone turtles were erected to honor talent and encourage study but only 82 steles remain today.  (See the Legend of the Turtle here)



We are now in the fourth courtyard after entering the Gate of Great Synthesis.



There is no lawn in this area anymore.  However, there's a big cemented space leading to the House of Ceremonies.



Bonsai trees are scattered in the courtyard.  Chinese Bonsai is the art of growing a miniature tree in a small pot which symbolizes "bringing nature close to you".



Inside the house is an altar of the disciples of Confucius and other symbolic items.



Now we finally enter the main hall, the Dai Thanh Sanctuary.  This is the most sacred place in the temple where the altar of Confucius and four of his most honored disciples are being worshiped.  (Source:  Wikipedia) Flash photography is not allowed in this holy ground.


Dragon Joss Sticks Pot Before the Entrance of the Sanctuary
Aside from being a temple of Confucius, the Temple of Literature also serves as a school.  The fifth courtyard houses the Imperial Academy, the first national university of Vietnam.  It was perfect timing when we got there 'coz a graduation has just finished.  School kids just packed up, bringing their academic robes with them.



Souvenir shops are also found in the fourth courtyard where you can have personalized  scrolls of Han calligraphy.



Entrance fee at Văn Miếu is 30,000 VND which is equivalent to 60 PhP, same as Ngọc Sơn Temple.  

P.S.
Hi to our English friends, Dr. Oliver and girlfriend Anna who walked with us in finding the Temple of Literature with maps in hands! :)



Stay tuned tomorrow for another historical site of Hanoi, the St. Joseph's Cathedral as we journey into this series only here on The Other Side of Mae!  #tosomtravels


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Monday, May 04, 2015

Hanoi's Historical Sites Series: Hoàn Kiếm Lake

History is what makes a country and its people.  I love to travel not only to have my pictures taken but also to experience a place and discover its stories behind the famous titles and taglines of "world's largest", "world's #1", "world's wonder", etc.  It is by knowing how a place came to be which gives traveling its essence.  To be exactly there and not just by reading or watching from television that one can truly understand the history of a nation.

My folks asked me, "Why Vietnam?" when I told them I was going to visit the country.  "It's just like Philippines", they added.  "I wanna see Ha Long Bay", I replied.  "So, what's in Ha Long?  It's just like Coron, Palawan!", I said to myself.  Me, myself, and I even doubted why I chose Vietnam and why I wished to be there.  But something is drawing me near to it.  

When we arrived in Hanoi, it is indeed just like the Philippines.  Chaotic, polluted, another third world country.  But still, I felt different!  I became proud of being there, just stepping into the grounds of war, battle cries, poverty, courage, hope, and love.  Vietnam had gone through a lot from its Chinese, French, Americans, and Japanese conquerors.  It was only in 1945 that the country claimed its independence, identity, and name because for over 5 millennia, it kept changing its name 23 times. (Source:  Wikipedia) Vietnam is remarkably a country of longest history in the world.  Then I told myself, "It is just like the Philippines".

However when we got there, I found out that Hanoi is being surrounded with bodies of water.  There are rivers and numerous lakes which I found odd for a city.  I asked our tour guide, Tun about it and he replied, "That is the result of the bombings of the United States to our country".  And right at the very heart of the city of Hanoi is the Hoàn Kiếm Lake or "Lake of the Restored Sword".

  
According to legend, there's this golden turtle god named Kim Qui who snatched the magic sword of Emperor Lê Lợi while he was boating in the lake.  It has been believed that the sword was given to the emperor by a local god Long Vương, the dragon king during his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty.  Since the revolt is over, Kim Qui was sent by Long Vương to reclaim the magic sword from Lê Lợi.  

Giant turtles are really found in the lake but sightings are now rare.  The last turtle sighting was in 2011 and the turtles are now listed as endangered species.  "Turtles in Vietnam are a symbol of peace and end of war", quipped our guide.



The Turtle Tower or Thap Rùa in the photos above stands majestically in its place.  By night, it becomes magical by the colored lights pointing towards it.  It can't be reached by people because there are no boats nor bridge connecting to it unlike the nearby Jade Island.



The Jade Island houses the Temple of the Jade Mountain or Đền Ngọc Sơn which was built for the Confucian and Taoist philosophers.


  
The first gate of the Ngọc Sơn Temple displays two large Chinese characters - happiness on the right and prosperity on the left.  Two of the sought-after elements of this so-called mortal life we have.


  
As you enter the first gate, there's the Pen Tower or Thap But which tells that the temple is dedicated to literature and poetry.  



The second gate is carved with animals - tiger, dragon, storks, and carp symbolizing stability and longevity. 



The third gateway has an ink slab or Dai Nghien on top from which the shadow of the Pen Tower falls on it every 5th of May of the lunar calendar.  The white scroll underneath it is inscribed with a quote written by Nguyễn Văn Siêu, a Confucian master and famous writer.



Then a bright red wooden bridge brings you to the island.  This is the Welcoming Morning Sunlight Bridge or Cầu Thê Húc in the shape of a sickle-moon.  This offers the best view of Hanoi's blissful sunrise everyday.




Finally, the fourth gate!  On top of it is a small room with circular windows called the Moon Contemplation Pavilion or Dac Nguyet.  It has various Taoism symbols of watching and protecting and the carved Kim Qui on the left carrying the magic sword on its back.  (Source:  Thang Long - Hanoi)



Entrance fee to the temple is 30,000 VND which is equivalent to 60 PhP only.  

And that's the Hoàn Kiếm Lake complex.  Stay tuned tomorrow for another historical site of Hanoi, the Temple of Literature as we journey into this series only here on The Other Side of Mae!  #tosomtravels

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