SHINING HERITAGE OF TRANG AN

With stunning natural beauty and nationally-significant cultural and historic sites, the Trang An Natural Complex is drawing more and more visitors to Ninh Binh Province

THE TRANG AN NATURAL COMPLEX OFFERS UNIQUE GEOLOGY RUGGED NATURAL BEAUTY, AND SITES OF CULTURAL AND HISTORIC RUGGED NATURAL BEAUTY, AND SITES OF CULTURAL AND HISTORIC IMPORTANCE

Vituated in Ninh Binh Province in the South­ern Downstream Basin of the Red River Delta some 90km from Hanoi, the Trang An Natural Site spans a total of 12,440 ha throughout 20 com­munes and wards. The Trang An Natural Complex comprises three main areas: Trang An eco-tourism site; the Hoa Lu former capital complex; and the Tam Coc – Marble Grottos and parts of the Hoa Lu special-use forest. The historical, cultural and architectural complex of Hoa Lu and the Tam Coc – Marble Grot­tos were honored as national sites of spe­cial significance. The sites offer superior cultural and natural values coupled with globally significant value for their geology and landscape. Local authorities re­cently completed a mixed heritage file to apply for UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site acknowledgement.

THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF HOA LU

The former capital ofHoa Lu is encir­cled by the limestone mounts of Hoa Lu and demarcated by the Chanh River to the east, the Hoang Long River to the north and the Ben Dang River to the southwest. The site is home to various relics from different dynasties spanning a turbulent millennium. Hoa Lu was the first capital of the first feudal states of Vietnam: Dinh, Pre- Le and Ly. It offers historical evidence of national reunifica­tion, defeats of the Song – Chiem in­

vaders and the relocation to Thang Long – Hanoi. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Hanoi.

Although it was no longer the capi­tal, successive dynasties of the Ly, Tran, and Le Nguyen ordered massive restora­tions and extensions of the pagodas, mausoleums, temples and pavilions in Hoa Lu. Hoa Lu is home to temples of Dinh and Pre- Le rulers featuring unique and sophisticated architecture resem­bling former splendid palaces mixed with folk elements. Wooden and stone engravings are exceptionally diverse and brilliant. Apart from above-ground remnants, archeologists also discovered and -excavated Dinh and Pre- Le temples that were the foundations of palaces built over 1,000 years ago and a variety of precious artifacts demonstrating the architectural, artistic, economic, social and cultural aspects of the Vietnamese nation at that time.

Visitors can explore natural grottos, ancient pagodas and serene waterways winding through limestone mounts

TRANG AN ECO-TOURISM SITE

Some 48 caves with a total length of 12,226 m have been found in the Trang An eco-tourism complex. Among the most notable are long water caves such as Dia Linh Cave (1500 m), Sinh Duoc Cave (1300 m) and Cloud Cave (1200 m). The caves, grottos, mountains, val­leys, lakes and fountains of Trang An

form a rich world of above-ground and underground wonders, with high peaks, deep pools and colorful stalactites. The site is also home to Tran Temple (also known as Noi Lam Temple), and the temples of Quy Minh the Great General and his wife, the royal consort Quy Nuong. Tran Temple is an ancient tem­

pIe where pilgrims pray for peace and at­tend the annual Phat Lat Festival. Visi­tors marvel at the unique architectural relics and the artistic statues exquisitely chiseled onto stone pillars and rafters by ancient artisans.

TAM COC – MARBLE GROTTOS COMPOUND

The Tam Coc – Marble Grottos are situated in Ninh Hai Commune, Hoa Lu. The site was once dubbed “The second finest grotto of the South” and boasts pris­tine beauty and famous cultural and his­torical attractions such as Thai Vi Temple, Marble Grotto Pagoda and a bird garden. The Marble Grottos are home to many breathtaking grottos such as the Fairy Cave and Thien Huong Grotto. Tam Coc means “Three Caves”, which are called Lofty, Second and Third. A single water­way leads into Tam Coc and a tour takes around two hours. The Tam Coc Wharf epitomizes the rustic charm of the Viet­namese countryside. Visitors can watch the emerald waters of the Ngo Dong River meander around embracing moun­tains. Adventurous visitors can drive 2 km further along the Ngo Dong River to the Fairy Fountain and make the steep climb to Noi Lam Temple.

This complex boasts some of the finest geological, natural and cultural sites in Ninh Binh Province and the en­tire country. The Trang An Natural Complex is drawing growing numbers of domestic and foreign visitors. With globally significant geological and cul­tural values, and support from provin­cial and local authorities and domestic and foreign experts, the Trang An Nat­ural Complex may soon become the eight UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first Mixed Heritage Site in Vietnam. This site is a must for both Vietnamese and international visitor.

SHINING HERITAGE OF TRANG AN
First post at: Vietnam Culture

Saint Gióng

GIONG CRIED: “COME. ASK THE KING TO MAKE ME AN IRON HORSE, AN IRON BLADE. ARMOR AND AN IRON HELMET AND I WILL DEFEATTHOSE SAVAGES!”

In the era of the Hung Kings, there was an old woman who led a lonely life. One morning she came out to in­spect her eggplant field and saw that huge footprints had trampled several furrows. “Whose giant footprints are those?” cried the astonished old woman.

As she measured her foot against this strange footprint, the old lady shivered. Suddenly, she was pregnant! When the time came she gave birth to a chubby son named Giang. At the age of three, this boy remained motionless, crying out for food but unable to sit, speak, crawl or laugh.

At that time Yin troops were rav­aging our country. These merciless sav­ages were led by a cruel Yin general. The enemy set fire to every house and massa­cred villagers wherever they went. The army of King Hung had tried to fight back many times, without success. The anxious king sent ambassadors throughout the country to search for a talented savior.

One day the ambassador reached Giang’s village. Hearing the cry of the king’s scouts, Giang’s mother joked with her son: “My dear, how can you beat our enemies for the king when you’re still un­able to walk or talk?”

All of a sudden, Giang opened his eyes and said: “Please, let the ambassador in!” Feeling both joyful and terrified, the boy’s mother told her neighbors. People rushed to witness this strange phenome­non. Some said: “We should call the am­bassador:’ But when the king’s ambassador came and saw baby Giang, he said: “You are just a three-year-old who has learned to speak. Why did you call me?”

Giang answered clearly: “Come, ask the king to make me an iron horse, an iron blade, armor and an iron helmet and I will defeat those savages!”

The crowd froze in amazement. Thinking a deity had appeared, the am­bassador immediately returned to the king. The relieved king ordered his black­smiths to craft a horse, a sword, armor and a helmet. Dozens of people touched the sword, yet could not move it. The king had to send thousands of soldiers to carry these weapons to Giang.

At the approach of the king’s troops, Giang’s horrified mother told her son: “My dear, the king’s affai”rs shouldn’t be taken lightly. His men are assembling in the field! What should we do?’:

Giang got up and answered: “Don’t worry about defeating the enemies. But you should feed me as much as possible:’

The mother prepared a meal for her son. However, Giang devoured every single pot of rice. Each time he finished a pot of rice, he grew a bit and asked for more. The more his mother fed him, the more he grew, until he was transformed into a well-built lad. Running out of rice, she asked the other villagers for help. People rushed to bring rice, sweet pota­toes, buffalos, liquor, fruit and cakes and pile them in the yard. However, Gi6ng promptly consumed all of this food and asked for more.

Later, Gióng said: “Give me clothes:’ People rushed to sew silk clothes but the boy continued to grow, so that soon, the clothes were too short for him. It wasn’t long until Gióng’s head hit the roof. As everyone stared in amazement, the king’s troops managed to carry the iron horse, sword, armor and hat into the yard. Gióng walked outside and stretched. He was a giant, with legs more than ten feet long! He boomed: “I’m a general of the Gods!”

Gióng put on the armor and the iron helmet, and waved his new sword. He bid farewell to his mother and the villagers and jumped onto the iron horse. The iron horse came alive, snort­ing out a stream of fire. Gi6ng urged it forward and the horse galloped away, each earth-shaking step covering sev­eral miles. In the blink of an eye, the horse had ploughed through the enemy’s encampment. Gióng’s sword flashed like lightning. His horse spat fire and burned up their barracks and the surrounding forests. Screams rose through the smoke, until all of the enemy troops perished.

Saint Giong

However, the Yin general was still alive and calling for reinforcements. Suddenly, Gióng’s sword broke. Without a second thought, Gióng plucked bamboo hedges along the way and used them to mow down the Yin general’s soldiers. All the reinforcements fled into the jungle and the Yin general crumbled into little pieces. In less than a day, Gióng had obliterated the invaders. He rode his horse to the foot of Soc Son Mountain, removed his armor and helmet, and soared up to Heaven.

After the victory, in memory of the hero, King Hung founded a temple in Gi6ng’s village and proclaimed him the “Heavenly King of Phil Dong Region”. Nowadays a series of round ponds lie in straight rows from Kim Anh and Da Phuc to Soc Son. These are said to be the footprints of Saint Gióng’s giant horse. The forests destroyed by the horse’s fire lie in a region called the “Burning Vil­lage” (lang Chay). And the bamboo whips used by Gióng were also scorched, turning them from green to blue with black dots. Known as “golden bamboo” (dang nga), this species of bamboo still grows in this area.

A helpless handicapped child turns out to be the nation’s savior in this folk tale, adapted from a story in the Folk Tale Treasures of VIetnam by Nguyen Dong Chi.

Saint Gióng
First post at: Vietnam Culture

Vietnamese Buddhism

Vietnamese Buddhism

A major world religion, from its start, Buddhism spread quickly. Over 2,000 years ago, Buddhism was di­rectly intro uced from India into Vietnam. Start­ing as an exotic religion, Buddhism was promptly assimilated with local agricul­tural deities to create a doctrinal and ide­ological system unique to Vietnam.

As soon as Buddhism was intro­duced to Vietnam, it became obviously different from the original form and from forms of Buddhism found else where. During the course of Vietnam’s national foundation, a time characterized by lenience and fraternity, Buddhism was integrated into the local culture and engrained in people’s minds to exert a profound influence on all aspects of society. The impact of Buddhism re­mains significant, as shown through the existence of over 15,000 Buddhist insti­tutions including pagodas, monasteries and prayer halls, along with Buddhist hu­manitarian values and doctrines.

Early symbols of Vietnamese Bud­dhism include Buddha images created in the ancient kingdom of Phu Nam in the early centuries AD. Made of wood, stone, gold, etc., these large statues were took the forms of standing and preaching Buddhas. A 1991 excavation of Dong Duong Buddhist Monastery in Quang Nam revealed the wealth of ancient Champa Buddhist arts in the 9th century under the reign of King In­dravarman II. Remaining relics include com­plexes of stone and terracotta temple towers. These are among the largest and most unique sites not just in the Champa Kingdom but also in all of Southeast Asia. In particular, many large-size bas-reliefs offer brilliant vi­sual accounts of the history of Buddhism.

In North Vietnam, Buddhism was also in­troduced early as Luy Lau (Bac Ninh) became a major Buddhist hub. As soon as it entered Vietnam, Buddhism managed to integrate with cults of natural deities based on Man Nuong legends that were the origins of the Four Deities religious system. However, it was not until the 10th century, during the dawn of the Grand Viet’s sovereignty, that Buddhism became the national religion. In the former capital of Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh), many famous pagodas were built in distinct architectural styles. Remaining remnants in­clude ancient stone stupas such as Lang~ Nghiem stupa in the Single Pillared Pagoda and the Usnisavijaya Dharani stupa.

Vietnamese Buddhism

From left to right

- Statue of Sakyamuni as a newborn Crimson and gilded wood Restored Le dynasty, 17th-18th century.

- Shakyamuni Buddha statue Bronze. Restored Le dynasty, 17th – 18th century.

- Statue of Avalokitesvara with child Crimson and gilded wood, Nguyen dynasty, 19th-20th century

After the 11 th century, a string of pagodas were built with collec­tions of Buddhist statues modeled after archetypical Vietnamese women: the Amitabha Buddhist statue with her benevolent beauty (Phat Tich Pagoda, Bac Ninh – 11th century); thousand­eyed and thousand-armed Guan Yin Buddha statue featuring 11 benevolent and tender faces and a halo (But Thap Pagoda, Bac Ninh – 17th century); and a statue of Sakyamuni entering Nirvana full of optimism about the spirit of tran­scendence (Chern Temple, Tu Liem Dis­trict, Hanoi – 18th century). Buddhism’s integration was also demonstrated through the assimilation of Buddhism and folk cults of natural deities includ­ing the Cloud Deity, Rain Deity, Light­ning Deity, Thunderbolt Deity and Mother Goddess. Such assimilation fur­ther intensified the feminine look of Buddha statues, also considered a God in the Red River Delta…

AFTER THE 11TH CENTURY, A STRING OF PAGODAS WERE BUILT WITH COLLECTIONS OF BUDDHIST STATUES MODELED AFTER ARCHETYPICAL VIETNAMESE WOMEN

The spirit of Buddhism wa~epre­sented in virtually all aspects of Viet­namese life, from religious architecture and arts to consumer items, particu” larly in Ly and Tran dynasty ceramics. These plates, bowls, altars and cande­labras of blue, ivory or brown enamel feature slim shapes, flared brims, elon­gated bottoms and lotus petal reliefs to create a sense of flower-like purity and delicacy.

A unique characteristic of Viet­namese Buddhism was the foundation of a native Zen School – Truc Lam Zen School founded by King Tran Nhan Tong. This powerful ruler at the height of his glory was willing to leave everything behind and embrace stoic Buddhist prac­tices as a monk. He managed to become awakened and became the Founder of a Zen school. His “devout pleasure” in this mundane world was clearly highlighted in this poem he wrote:

“Religious pleasure in this world is up to destinies

Eating and sleeping should be free Turn a blind eye on worldly treas­ures

And contemplate Zen from what you see”

Buddhism was a companion of the nation as our country developed. Buddhist cultural essences were subject to change to suit different historical eras. Many valuable Buddhist relics dating back to theiLe, Mac, Resurrected Le, Tay Son and Nguyen dynasties are forceful examples. Thousands of pago­das all over the country have been built and restored; bells and statues com­pleted; numerous Buddhist scriptures printed or carved; and many religious paintings produced. In these eras, pagodas reflected old values of mod­esty, simplicity and harmony with the mortal world.

Buddhism is not just a religion or philosophy, but a way of life. The nature of Buddhism is largely based on toler­ance and forgiveness. As a result, once this belief system spread to Vietnam, it went native and served as a genuine companion throughout the highs and lows of history..

Le Thi Tuyet.

Vietnamese Buddhism
First post at: Vietnam Culture