[Exposition] "Les Mille ans de Hanoï à travers la photographie".

Le Collège Gustave Courbet de Romainville

en association avec
le Centre d'Information et de Documentation sur le Vietnam contemporain (CID Vietnam)
vous convie au vernissage de l'exposition

-
« Les Mille ans de Hanoï à
travers la photographie »

-
Lundi 29 novembre 2010
à partir de 18h30
Collège Gustave Courbet - 101 Boulevard Henri Barbusse, 93230 Romainville.

Au programme : photos, commentaires des membres du Centre d'Information et de Documentation (CID) sur le Vietnam contemporain, buffet.

[Article] Japanese quartet fluent in traditional, western styles.

November, 20 2010 | Viêt Nam News

HA NOI — A quartet led by Japanese artist Karin Nakagawa will perform a programme of original songs on traditional instruments at Ha Noi's Tuoi Tre (Youth) Theatre on December 8-9.
Nakagawa plays a 25-stringed koto (Japanese harp), and has developed her performance style, a unique way of performing the rhythm with her feet.
Among the other members of her group, Akihito Obama performs shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute), displaying a combination of traditional techniques with a fluency in Western styles, while rounding out the quartet are pianist Mami Ishizuka and percussionist Akira Sunrise, who plays a variety of self-made and other instruments from around the world.
Local guest artists will also join in the performance, including Vanessa Vo Van Anh on dan tranh (16-chord zither) and cheo (traditional opera) singer Thu Huyen.

Cross-cultural: Karin Nakagawa (left) and her quartet will perform Japanese contemporary music on traditional instruments in Ha Noi next month. — Photo courtesy of the Japan Foundation Centre

[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

[Article] Thang Long royal citadel archaeological site closed.

04/11/2010 | VietNamNet Bridge | By PV.

As of November 3, the archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu, Hanoi, has been closed to preserve the relics. Since early October, when the site was opened for public on the occasion of Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary, it welcomed nearly 500,000 visitors.

 

Nguyen Van Son, director of the Centre for Preservation of Co Loa and Hanoi Citadels, said that on average around 30,000 people a day visited the relic during the 10-day anniversary. After that, the site hosted 2000-3000 people a day.
Because of the mass number of people visiting the site, some works need repairs, Son said.
The archaeological site at 18 Hoang Dieu closed on November 3, but the royal citadel will still be opened for visitors until the end of 2010.
During the Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary, visitors had a chance to see some of the relics which are preserved status quo at 18 Hoang Dieu and many outstanding archaeological objects.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on August 1 recognized the Thang Long Royal Citadel as a World Heritage.

[ ... Read the full article here ... ]

[Colloque] Hanoï, 1000 ans d'Histoire, 1010 - 2010.

-
Choisie comme capitale du Vietnam par l’empereur Ly Thai To, en 1010, sous le nom de Thang-Long (la « ville du Dragon qui s’élève »), Hanoi a connu son apogée au XVe siècle avant de décliner progressivement au cours des siècles suivants et d'être finalement éclipsée par Hué au XIXe siècle. Restaurée dans son statut privilégié par les Français, qui en firent la capitale de leur Union indochinoise au début du XXe siècle, elle est devenue celle de la République démocratique du Vietnam (RDV) en 1954, dans la moitié septentrionale d’un pays temporairement divisé et bientôt confronté à une nouvelle guerre contre les Américains et leurs alliés sud-vietnamiens. Hanoi n'est redevenue officiellement la capitale du Vietnam réunifié qu'à partir de 1976, un an après la victoire militaire de la RDV.
Elle n’a eu de cesse de s’affirmer, depuis, dans un environnement régional très évolutif. Comme bien d’autres, la ville s’est développée à l’image de l’ensemble du pays. Mais elle reflète aussi une identité singulière, fruit d’une histoire particulièrement riche et d’une longue interaction entre éléments endogènes et exogènes.
La célébration de son millénaire au Vietnam, à l’automne 2010, fournit l’occasion d’une réflexion sur cette ville plus que millénaire, à la fois célèbre et méconnue, précocement ouverte aux influences étrangères.

Pour décrypter son passé, riche de symboles et d’éléments patrimoniaux, son présent aussi, qui forme un vaste chantier urbain et identitaire, le Centre d’histoire de l’Asie contemporaine (CHAC) de l’Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne organise un colloque international en partenariat avec le musée de l’Armée, l’Institut de recherche stratégique de l’Ecole militaire (IRSEM), l’Université Paris VII, l’INALCO, l’INA et l’ECPAD.

Une trentaine de spécialistes venus d’Asie, d’Europe et des États-Unis, présenteront le fruit de leurs recherches au cours de quatre séances consécutives :

• 8 novembre
1. L’invention d’une capitale, des origines au XIXe siècle ;
2. Les vocations de Thang-Long – Hanoï (XVe-XIXe siècles) ;

• 9 novembre
3. Hanoï, capitale en guerre, capitale de guerre (1945-1975) ;
4. Une métropole du XXIe siècle.

(hanoi-millenaire.fr)

• Une table ronde programmée dans la soirée du 8 novembre permettra à plusieurs anciens acteurs français de la coopération franco-vietnamienne d’apporter un témoignage plus personnel.

Conditions d’inscription : IRICE - Tél. 01 40 46 27 90

Le colloque est placé sous la responsabilité d’un conseil scientifique constitué par :
     Hugues Tertrais, professeur d’histoire de l’Asie contemporaine à Paris I et directeur du CHAC ;
     Emmanuel Poisson, maître de conférences HDR en histoire du Vietnam à Paris VII ;
     Pierre Singaravélou, maître de conférences en histoire contemporaine à Paris I ;
     Cam Thi Doan, maître de conférences à l'INALCO ;
     Pierre Journoud, chercheur à l’IRSEM, associé au CHAC, secrétaire scientifique du colloque.

Lors du colloque, des films documentaires et d’archives sur Hanoï, de la guerre d’Indochine à nos jours, illustreront et appuieront les interventions (fonds d’archives audiovisuelles de l’INA et de l’ECPAD).
Une soirée animée par la chorale vietnamienne Hop Ca Que Huong clôturera la journée du 8 novembre. Suivra, le 18 novembre, un concert dans le cadre de la saison musicale du musée.

Voir l'article du musée des Invalides.

[Spectacle] Le Hoi Rong / Festival of Drangon

TÂY BAN NHA THAM GIA ĐẠI LỄ 1000  –   NĂM THĂNG LONG-HÀ NỘI  

Đại sứ quán Tây Ban Nha tại Hà Nội chính thức tham gia kỷ niệm Thăng Long-Hà Nội tròn 1000 tuổi với buổi diễn của nhóm nhạc kịch Els Comediants. Với sự hỗ trợ của Bộ Văn hóa, Thể thao và Du lịch Việt Nam, Ủy ban Nhân dân Thành phố Hà Nội và Liên đoàn Xiếc Việt Nam, Els Comediants sẽ biểu diễn vào ngày 2/10/2010 tới tại Sân vận động Quốc gia Mỹ Đình (Hà Nội), vào lúc 19h30.

Buổi diễn “Lễ hội rồng”, một sáng tác dành riêng cho Đại lễ, kể lại truyền thuyết về sự ra đời của thành phố Hà Nội, được pha trộn giữa những yếu tố đặc trưng của văn hóa và truyền thống Việt Nam cùng với những đặc điểm mang đậm tính cách Địa Trung Hải rất riêng của nhóm Els Comediants.
19 nghệ sỹ đến từ Tây Ban Nha và 18 nghệ sỹ Việt Nam sẽ trình bày một màn hòa trộn âm nhạc độc đáo cùng với những tiết mục bắn pháo hoa ấn tượng, những vũ điệu sôi động và các tiết mục nhào lộn phong phú- do Liên đoàn Xiếc Việt Nam và Els Comediants đạo diễn- để kỷ niệm một ngày hội lớn nơi mà tất cả người dân Hà Nội đều được mời tham dự.

Vị trí được lựa chọn để biểu diễn là khoảng sân trước mặt Sân vận động Quốc gia Mỹ Đình, có sức chứa cho khoảng 15 nghìn người.

Lễ hội Rồng nằm trong chương trình văn hóa chính thức nhằm kỷ niệm dấu ấn quan trọng Thăng Long-Hà Nội tròn 1000 tuổi, và các hoạt động chủ yếu sẽ diễn ra trong nửa đầu của tháng 10.

SPAIN CELEBRATES 1.000 YEARS OF THANG LONG – HANOI  

The Embassy of Spain in Hanoi participates officially in the celebration of the Millennium of the City of Hanoi presenting a show by the Spanish theatre group Els Comediants.
Els Comediants will act on 2 October 2010 at My Dinh National Stadium (Hanoi) at 7:30 pm. The show is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, the People´s Committee of Hanoi and the Vietnam Federation of Circus.

The show “Festival of Dragon”, created for the occasion, represents the legend of the birth of the city of Hanoi mixing elements of the culture and the tradition of Vietnam under the scope of Mediterranean culture of Els Comediants's performances.

19 Spanish artists and 18 Vietnamese actors from the Circus Federation of Vietnam will present a free entrance modern show of music, acrobatics, dance and SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS. It will be a great celebration in which the people of Hanoi will joyfully commemorate their city anniversary.

The show will take place in the open area which is in front of My Dinh National Stadium. This area has a capacity for 15.000 people approximately.

“Festival of Dragon” is part of the official program of celebrations of the Millennium of the City of Hanoi, which principal acts will be held during the first half of October.

Semaine Française au Vietnam du 23 au 27 novembre 2010

L’ambassade de France au Vietnam, l’agence UBIFRANCE pour le développement international des entreprises françaises, l’Agence Française de Développement (AFD) et la Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie Française au Vietnam (CCIFV) organisent à Hanoi, du 23 au 27 novembre 2010, en collaboration avec la section Vietnam des Conseillers du commerce extérieur de la France, la Semaine Française au Vietnam.

Organisée en marge des festivités du millénaire de la ville de Hanoi, cette Semaine Française aura une dimension essentiellement économique et commerciale mais comptera aussi des événements à caractère culturel, sportif et de prestige.

Il s’agit d’une opération de très grande envergure, accompagnée financièrement par les autorités françaises, pour développer les échanges commerciaux ainsi que les partenariats industriels entre sociétés françaises et vietnamiennes. Elle vise à offrir aux entreprises françaises participantes toutes les opportunités pour optimiser la mission de découverte et de prospection qui est au cœur de leur participation.

Les partenaires en France (régions, chambres de commerce et d’industrie, CRCI, agences de développement, pôles de compétitivité, fédérations professionnelles, etc.) et au Vietnam (VCCI, Hanoi Business Association, Young Business Association, etc.) sont étroitement associés à cette Semaine Française.

Pour en savoir plus : www.la-semaine-francaise-au-vietnam.biz ou vietnam@ubifrance.fr

[Article] Ancient tomb site uncovered.

July, 06 2010 | Viêt Nam News

HA NOI — Archaeologists working at a site in Ha Noi's Dong Anh District have stumbled across 11 tombs dating back to the Phung Nguyen culture, days before they were about to wind up the dig.
The Phung Nguyen remains, the best-preserved of any found in and around the city, date back about 4,000 years, archaeologists from the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute said.

Well preserved: The Phung Nguyen burial plot found in Dinh Trang, Dong Anh District. — Photo courtesy of the Viet Nam Archaeology Institute

The tombs were discovered 1.5m below ground.
"All the tombs are of people who were living during the Phung Nguyen civilisation, date back 3,500 to 4,000 years," said Lai Van Toi, PhD, who is in charge of excavating the site.
One of the tombs, provisionally called number nine, contained the well-preserved remains of a woman aged between 35-40, Nguyen Laân Cuong, deputy general secretary of the Viet Nam Archaeologists Association told Viet Nam News.
The woman was about 1.55m tall and was buried face up, with her arms lying by her sides and her head bent towards her left shoulder, Cuong said.
Her skull was a long ovoid shape, and her eye sockets were relatively low in her face. She also had a large nose.
Typical of the aristocracy of the Phung Nguyen culture in Xom Ren in the northern province of Phu Tho, her front-teeth had been removed, as was the case with the other skeletons unearthed. Skeletons dating from the Phung Nguyen culture found in Dong Dau in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, Hang To in Son La and Man Bac in Ninh Binh were also found to be missing their front teeth.
The custom was popular among the ancient peoples of south China, Japan and Oceanaria.
Some ceramic objects were found on the woman's left thigh and the left side of her hip. Archaeologists also found traces of red dust on her left knee bone, as has been seen in other ancient tombs.
The Dinh Trang site has been excavated seven times. During the last excavation, archaeologists found a total of 11 tombs, eight of which contained skeletons and teeth mostly of children.
Archaeologists said further research would be conducted on the tombs to learn more about the Phung Nguyen culture and the Dong Son civilisation, which dates back 2,000-3,000 years and existed in today Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Ha Noi, and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh. — VNS

Short course announcement : Researching Sexual Health and Rights

Researching Sexual Health and Rights:
An Advanced Course
Hanoi, August 30 – September 3, 2010

In the wake of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, questions of sexual health have received increasing attention in research, policy and programming. Research on human sexuality is, however, a challenging endeavor, especially so since problems related to sexuality can be personally sensitive and politically fraught. This short course invites experienced Vietnamese researchers to reflect on sexuality as an object of knowledge: How can we approach and conceptualize matters related to intimate human experiences and practices? The course will adopt an interdisciplinary approach, combining anthropology and public health.

Aim and contents
Researching Sexual Health and Rightsaims to strengthen the capacities of Vietnamese researchers to conduct critical research on problems related to human sexuality in general and sexual health and rights in particular. The course offers an overview of different research approaches to sexuality; discusses the linkages between sexual health and sexual rights; and addresses the particular ethical and methodological challenges that research on sexuality entails. Throughout the course, particular attention will be paid to sexual health as a public health issue and to questions of risk, vulnerability and inequality.

The short course is organized by the ENRECA project ‘REACH’ (Strengthening Population and Reproductive Health Research in Vietnam), as a collaboration between the Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen and Centre for Population Information and Documentation (CPID), General Office for Population and Family Planning (GOPFP). The course will be held in Hanoi and taught by Associate Professor Tine M. Gammeltoft, Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen.

More informations : read the attachment.

[Article] “3000-year-old” paddies to be tested for date.

Wednesday, 09/06/2010 | Vietnam.net Bridge | PV

VietNamNet Bridge – Three samples of paddies excavated from an archaeological site in Hanoi, which are believed to be 3000 years old, will be sent to Japan for identifying the date this week.

--

A paddy that sticks together with the ancient soil.

While excavating a historical site named Thanh Den in Hanoi’s Me Linh district, archaeologists discovered many burnt paddies in a layer of soil estimated to be 3000 years old. A dozen of the paddies sprouted while soaked in a preservative.
Agricultural scientists are very excited, saying this is a very rare phenomenon.
Scientists said even the most modern technology can only preserve seeds that can sprout 50-100 years later at maximum. It is necessary to analyze the carbon content of these paddies to have an accurate and convincing answer.

Dr. Lam Thi My Dung, Chair of Archaeology in the History Department of Hanoi University for Social Sciences and Humanities, said a Japanese colleague agreed to perform free tests for the three samples of paddies.
“We will choose three samples of paddies which were excavated at different times, including those collected on June 7, to send to Japan,” Dung disclosed.
She also said there are two options. First, a test can be conducted at the Nagoya University, which owns a Tandetron AMS, the best equipment to define age, using the C14 method in Japan. However, the results of the test could not be yielded for at least one full year, because the list of samples for testing is very long.
Another option would be for the Vietnamese paddies to be tested at an independent centre, which also would have an AMS machine, and the result of that test could be supplied after one month.

[... Read the full article here ...]

[Article] Thang Long Royal Citadel to open for visitors.

VOVNews | March, 09, 2010

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung has approved the opening of the Thang Long Royal Citadel Relic Site for visitors on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The Royal Citadel lies on the archeological sites at18 Hoang Dieu Street and the Hanoi ancient citadel, covering an area of 18sq. metres.

They include diverse architectural forms, proving the long and traditional history of the Thang Long ancient capital over nearly 1,300 years, raging from the pre-Thang Long era (7th-9th  centuries) to the Dinh and pre-Le dynasties (10th  centuries) and the Thang Long-Hanoi era.

The great cultural value of the Royal Citadel has been recorded in the profiles by the Hanoi municipal People’s Committee to UNESCO for recognition as a World Cultural Heritage site.

[Article] 82 historic stone stelae recognised.

VNA/VNS | Anh Tuan | March, 11, 2010

HA NOI — The United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has recognised 82 stelae commemorating laureates at court exams from the 15th to 18th century at Ha Noi's Temple of Literature as world documentary heritage.

The decision was announced at the meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and Pacific (MOW-CAP) on Tuesday in Macau.

"I am extremely happy at the decision," deputy minister of foreign affairs Nguyen Thanh Son told the Vietnam News Agency at the ceremony. "This is a real honour for Viet Nam. The laureate record stelae, which bear historical meaning and symbolise Vietnamese intellect, have officially been recognised by the world. We have proved that Viet Nam has a proud culture and history."

Speaking at the ceremony, Son, on behalf of the Vietnamese Government, thanked MOW-CAP for the decision.

He also confirmed Viet Nam's commitment to effectively restore and preserve documentary heritage, actively making contribution to UNESCO's activities in all fields at regional and international levels.

The Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) wood block documents were recognised with the same title last year.

The 82 stone stelae are inscribed with the names of 2,313 doctorate holders who passed the court examinations between 1442 and 1779 under the Earlier-Le, Mac and Later-Le reigns.

The stelae, which bear the names of Trang Nguyen, Bang Nhan, Tham Hoa, and Hoang Giap (the first, second, third and fourth winning categories at the royal competition), sit on top of stone turtles.

Dang Kim Ngoc, director of the Temple of Literature, told Viet Nam News that the stelae at the temple were different from those in other Asian countries, including China, which had influenced Vietnamese feudal education.

The stelae are mainly in rectangular slanted slabs while those in China have varied forms, including square slabs and cylinders.

The decorative patterns on Viet Nam's stelae are more diverse.

The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Parts of the complex date to the earliest period, although much of the architecture dates from the Ly (1010-1225) and Tran (1225-1400) dynasties, with the latest restoration conducted in 1999.

In 1076, Viet Nam's first university, the Quoc Tu Giam or Imperial Academy, was established within the temple to educate bureaucrats, nobles, royalty and the elite.

The university functioned from 1076 to 1779. The doctorate laureate exams were extremely difficult, with few students passing them. Each year, the names of those who did were engraved on the stelae.

UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme, also called UNESCO World Documentary Heritage is an international initiative launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and wilful and deliberate destruction.

It calls for the preservation of valuable archival holdings, library collections and private individual compendia all over the world for posterity, the reconstitution of dispersed or displaced documentary heritage, and the increased accessibility to and dissemination of these items. — VNS

Illustration : The stelae, which commemorated laureates at court exams at Temple of Literature, have been recognised as world heritage by UNESCO. VNA/VNS

--

[Article] Van Mieu steles endangered by human touch.

3 jan. 2010 - Thanh Nien Daily (link).

Eighty-two stone steles at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature – first National University) in Hanoi are in danger of being irreparably damaged because of the large number of people who are touching them.
Temple official Nguyen Hai said last Thursday that more than 70,000 people visited the place over four days of the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival from February 14-17.
"People visiting the Temple of Literature during Tet has for long been a cultural feature.
"Recently, however, many people have come to touch the stone steles and stone tortoises to wish for good luck and this can damage the precious structures," Hai said.
The situation has developed over the past few years and this year, the temple built an iron fence to prevent visitors from touching the stone tortoises and steles, but a large number of people broke the fence on Lunar New Year's Day, he added.
Last December, the cultural activity center at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam sent documents to UNESCO for recognition of the stone steles of doctoral candidates in the Le – Mac dynasties (1442- 1779) as a world cultural heritage.
However, the damage being caused currently to the structures will soon destroy them, experts have cautioned.

Image : Many people touch the stone steles and stone tortoises to wish for good luck but this can damage the precious structures.

Source : SGGP.

[Article] Journey through history with antique swords

Blades of glory: The collection of rare swords on display at the exhibition offers visitors a chance to learn more about history's most popular weapon. — VNS Photo Doan Tung

HA NOI — An exhibition of 99 ancient swords recently opened in Ha Noi, offering visitors a chance to learn more about history's most popular weapon.

The swords were selected from the private 300-sword collection owned by collector Duong Phu Hien.
Four generations of Hien's family have maintained and added to the collection. "By collecting and preserving ancient Vietnamese artefacts, especially those relating to the defence of our nation, every member of my family has demonstrated their love for the country and its magnanimous history," Hien said.
The exhibition features a large array of swords, including 37 that were made in Viet Nam. The others came from different countries, including China, Japan, and the UK.
Each scabbard is decorated with unique and sophisticated patterns, including typical ancient royal Vietnamese designs like pine trees, daisies, bamboo, apricots and dragons.
Hien said almost all of the Vietnamese swords in his collection date from three centuries ago.
The collector was visibly filled with pride when he talked about one of his rare Samurai sword, which is considered as one of the "stars" of the exhibition. The 2.02m-long and 18kg sword is the biggest and longest in his collection.
According to Hien, the 18th century sword was made out of very special steel. "A very complicated refining technique was necessary to create such a long sword. For this reason, long swords were very rare," he said.
The valuable collection also includes a bayonet with a solid golden handle, two 17th-century royal swords covered with Han Chinese characters, and a 1,500-year-old Cham sword.
Historian Duong Trung Quoc said: "The unique sword collection has a historical value which is much more significant than its material value."
American visitor Brian Brousseau said the exhibition was "beautiful and interesting". However, he added that the displays needed to be more organised because "it is difficult for people to know detailed information, such as which swords were made in Viet Nam".
A limited number of informational captions about the history of each sword disappointed another Vietnamese visitor.
"All I can do is look at the swords and admire them, but there are no stories to go alongside the experience," said Thanh Ha.
However, she was still interested in taking the time to enjoy the exhibit.
"Before I only knew about swords from TV, movies and the theatre, which are usually all the same. Here I see that there are many differences in their shapes and decorations," she said.
The exhibit also includes five bronze drums from the Dong Son civilisation which date back to 3,000 years ago.
The exhibition will last until the end of May at the Museum of Military History, 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Ha Noi. — VNS (Read the article here)

Congrès de l'IPPA - Hanoi - Court "compte rendu".

19th Congress Of The Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association

Organised in collaboration with the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology.

Sunday 29 November to Saturday 5 December 2009

Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences Conference Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam.

November 30, 2009 | Indo-Pacific pre-historians meet in Hanoi

The 19th congress of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association (IPPA) opened in Hanoi on November 29, attracting more than 400 scientists from 35 countries.

At the week-long conference, the first hosted by Vietnam, Vietnamese scientists will make presentations on Sa Huynh culture and Thang Long ancient citadel.

A large number of reports will be presented at the congress, which is held every four years by the 80-year-old organistion.

A topic of interest is how to get the community involve in the protection of archaeological relics, with scientists from China and Thailand to share their experiences in this area. (VNA)

Program : http://arts.anu.edu.au/arcworld/ippa/IPPAsessions.htm

More informations : http://arts.anu.edu.au/arcworld/ippa/19thcongress.htm

(Thanh Nien News) Historic pagoda on verge of collapse

A 700-year-old pagoda on the outskirts of Hanoi is so dilapidated the whole place could tumble down at any moment.

Bao Thap Pagoda stands beside the Nhue River in Ta Thanh Oai Commune, Thanh Tri District, and will only stay that way if the massive repair job starts soon.

Every month when the moon is full, Buddhists flock to worship under a roof that leaks copiously whenever it rains.

In the Room of Three Refuges, pillars are crumbling, rafters are rotten and broken, and the roof above the main altar is propped up with thick bamboo canes.

Out front, the triple entrance is so rickety that nobody dares open the door lest the structure collapse.

Bao Thap Pagoda was founded in 1225 by Ly Tham, son of King Ly Cao Tong and uncle of King Ly Chieu Hoang. Also known as the Temple of Bo Tat (Bodhisattva), the 5,788- square-meter pagoda was formally recognized for its historical importance in 1990 and its architectural merit in 1992.

Exquisitely painted statues in mint condition fill the front hall of worship, in stark contrast to the building that houses them, and throughout the temple there are delicate religious figurines made of silver and ivory, decorated with gemstones.

Other priceless objects kept inside the museum-like pagoda include a stone stele carved in 1388 during the reign of Tran Thuan Tong, a woodblock carved in 1725, when the pagoda was restored, a copper gong cast in 1813, and a huge copper instrument cast in 1843. And in the library are ancient parchments detailing the rituals for conferring 11 titles.

Nguyen Xuan Thuy, who heads Thanh Tri District’s Culture Division, says the district People’s Committee promised VND300 million (US$16,806) last year to repair and restore the pagoda. However, the money has only just been disbursed to Ta Thanh Oai Commune as the district had to wait for Hanoi’s permission to fix and embellish the pagoda.

With the money in hand, Ta Thanh Oai Commune can now hire a specialized firm to save Bao Thap Pagoda.

* Picture: Bao Thap Pagoda propped up with bamboo canes, repairs are desperately needed.

Reported by Viet Chien - Si Ta.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Extrait du Figaro

Le musée d'Hanoï ne distingue plus ses originaux des copies

Article de Florence Compain (Bangkok) - 24/9/2009

Craignant les bombardements dans les années 1960, le personnel du musée a remplacé les œuvres exposées par des faux si réussis qu'il est aujourd'hui quasiment impossible de les identifier.
Le conservateur du Musée des beaux-arts de Hanoï est un homme perplexe. Quand il arpente ses galeries, Truong Quoc Binh ignore si les œuvres exposées sont des faux ou des originaux.

L'authenticité des 20 000 sculptures, peintures, laques et céramiques que comptent ses collections est aujourd'hui mise en doute.
Le Vietnam a fini par révéler son lourd secret. Craignant un bombardement par les Américains à la fin des années 1960, le personnel du musée avait caché des centaines de pièces majeures dans les campagnes et chargé les artistes eux-mêmes ou des copistes du département de la restauration de produire des faux de haute qualité pour les remplacer.
Les copies sont si réussies que c'est aujourd'hui un désastre. Personne ne sait vraiment combien d'originaux ont retrouvé leur place sur les murs du musée à la fin de la guerre.
L'universitaire américaine Nora Taylor, spécialiste de l'art vietnamien, estime que plus de la moitié des peintures exposées au Musée des beaux-arts sont en fait des copies, tandis que les originaux sont en vente dans des galeries à Tokyo ou à Singapour.
Le musée tient d'autant plus aujourd'hui à se livrer à un tri dans ses collections que cette affaire de faux pose le problème de l'authenticité des œuvres d'art vietnamiennes sur le marché international.

Source: Le Figaro.