The family of artisan Pham Khac Ha of Van Phuc village in Hanoi, has been involved in silk weaving for 5 generations. Ha himself has been instrumented in reviving a silk craft which was once thought to be dying out. Silk products of Van Phuc village At the age of 67, artisan Pham Khac Ha, Chairman of the Van Phuc Silk Weaving Village Association, is still working tirelessly to preserve the village’s silk weaving craft. Ha joined the army in 1971 and fought on the southern battle front. He left the army and returned to his home village in 1977 when Vietnam was in its subsidy period. Due to difficult economic conditions, many villagers quit their traditional craft and left the village to seek better-paying jobs. Ha was determined to keep the silk weaving craft alive. “At that time, Vietnam was struggling economically in the early days after reunification. This affected our village’s silk weaving. Raw materials were scarce and production was inefficient. The … [Read more...] about Hanoi artisan preserves the soul of Van Phuc silk village
Royal costumes
Da Lat mansion of the last empress of Vietnam
Now situated in the Lam Dong Province museum, Empress Nam Phuong’s palace is atop a tall hill with a panoramic view of the resort town of Da Lat. It was built by Nguyen Huu Hao, her father, as a vacation house in 1932. It has three floors and a total area of around 500 square meters, and is set in a vast garden of green pine trees. The mansion has French architectural style combined with eastern features. The top floor is pentagon shaped, with a protruding tiled roof. The ventilation system has decorative details resembling peach branches. This floor is now a place to exhibit artifacts from the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the country’s last feudal rulers. The last ruler of Vietnam, Emperor Bao Dai, and Empress Nam Phuong used to stay in the mansion occasionally while on vacation. The inside and outside of the house are painted yellow, a common feature of French buildings. The staircases, windows and furniture are paneled with high-quality wood. There are 10 rooms in the … [Read more...] about Da Lat mansion of the last empress of Vietnam
Royal symbols, opulence on display in central Vietnam
By Vo Thanh  September 9, 2018 | 08:12 pm GMT+7 The dragon and the phoenix, mythical creatures appropriated by Vietnamese royalty, were depicted predominantly in gold, silver and jade. An exhibition titled “"Dragon and Phoenix in Nguyen dynasty artifacts” is now open in the central city of Hue. It features 80 artifacts of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last feudal monarchy that ruled Vietnam. Most of them are made of gold, silver and gems. These artifacts, including royal seals and costumes, were used everyday by the royal family and high-ranking officials. The details of all the exhibited objects carry images of the dragon and phoenix, either engraved or embroidered, symbolizing the ultimate power of the feudal rulers. The exhibition is organized by Hue Museum of Royal Fine Arts in collaboration with National Museum of Vietnamese History in celebration of the 25th anniversary of UNESCO recognizing the complex of Hue monuments as a World Heritage. … [Read more...] about Royal symbols, opulence on display in central Vietnam
Young people join hands to restore traditional costumes
A group of young people that share a love for Vietnamese traditional cultural values joined hands to set up a company to restore traditional costumes and rituals to spread their love to others. This is a performance of five-paneled aristocratic gown worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries under the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945). The current ao dai (long-dress) evolved from this type of traditional costume which was decorated with delicate details. The performance is part of Ỷ Vân Hiên Joint Stock Company’s activities to bring restored products closer to the public to preserve and uphold ancient cultural values. The restored products will also be used in recreations of royal and folk rituals to introduce Vietnam’s cultural values to the public both at home and abroad.-VNA … [Read more...] about Young people join hands to restore traditional costumes
Vietnam Centre raises funds for publishing book
The money will be used for publishing a book on royal customs and costumes of Dai Viet (the old name for Vietnam) in the Early Le reign from 1437 to 1471. The project aims to raise funds of 200 million VND (8,800 USD) through the website comicola.com. Donors can choose various levels to support the project, ranging from 200,000 VND to 6 million VND, and will receive different gifts according to their support. The draft of the book “Weaving a Realm”. Photo: comicola.com Titled “Weaving a Realm”, the 100-page English-Vietnamese book will include two parts on costumes and customs of the Early Le reign based on research by prestigious scholars such as Tran Quang Duc and Phan Huy Chu, and objects at museums in the north. Besides text, the book will be illustrated with sketches and paintings clearly describing the forms, structures and materials of each costume. The book will also include photos of royal costumes that the organisation designed in … [Read more...] about Vietnam Centre raises funds for publishing book
Centre raises funds for publishing book
Viet Nam News HÀ NÔI — The Vietnam Centre, based in Australia, has recently kicked off a crowd-funding project. The money will be used for publishing a book on royal customs and costumes of Đại Việt (the old name for Việt Nam) in the Early Lê reign from 1437 to 1471. The project aims to raise funds of VNĐ200 million (US$8,800) through the website comicola.com. Donors can choose various levels to support the project, ranging from VNĐ200,000 to VNĐ6 million, and will receive different gifts according to their support. Titled “Weaving a Realm”, the 100-page English-Vietnamese book will include two parts on costumes and customs of the Early Lê reign based on research by prestigious scholars such as Trần Quang Đức and Phan Huy Chú, and objects at museums in the north. Besides text, the book will be illustrated with sketches and paintings clearly describing the forms, structures and … [Read more...] about Centre raises funds for publishing book
Fit for a princess: Vietnamese dance troupe dons royal clothing for Japanese street dance
Hanoians flocked to the pedestrian streets around Hoan Kiem Lake at the end of March to enjoy the annual Japanese festival, with highlights including a cherry blossom display and a traditional Yosakoi dance contest. Seventeen teams from all over the country showed off their skills on March 25, with one standout performance, partly because of the flamboyant choreography, but mainly because of their unique costume choice: the nhat binh, a 19th-century dress designed for a Vietnamese princess. Prominent dance team Hanoi Sennen Yoseiko took first place with a routine titled "Diem Tinh Hoa Nhan," in which the team members performed in dresses designed after the antique royal attires from the Nguyen Dynasty, Vietnam’s last ruling family. While the male members wore ao tac, a variant of the ao dai with baggy sleeves and used as formal attire for all social castes in the 19th and 20th centuries, the females showed off their moves in a modern recreation of the nhat binh, a … [Read more...] about Fit for a princess: Vietnamese dance troupe dons royal clothing for Japanese street dance
Hanoians enjoy the best fashion show on Ao Dai Vietnam
The Hanoitimes - Leading designers in Hanoi introduced their latest collections of both traditional and modern ao dai for the new year at a fashion show at 7.30 pm on January 12. Residents and visitors to Hanoi have been able to admire the latest versions of the Ao Dai, Vietnam’s traditional dress, and try some on from January 12 to 17 at an event organized by A designer Hanoi and the Center for Culture Exchange to welcome Tet, the lunar new year festival, and honor the beauty of the Ao Dai. In addition, a 20 to 50% discount will be offered to all visitors. The fashion show "Pose with Tet Ao dai". Another highlight is “Pose with Tet Ao dai”, where visitors can don an Ao Dai, with advice from professional designers on the dress and the accessories. Those taking part also be made up by make-up experts from Royal Salon and others at the event. Local painters then do a sketch before photos are taken by professional photographers. The most exciting part of the event … [Read more...] about Hanoians enjoy the best fashion show on Ao Dai Vietnam
Olympic flame stops in Seoul on journey to Pyeongchang
Cheering crowds welcomed the Olympic flame to a freezing Seoul on Saturday, where the torch will be paraded for four days before making its way to Pyeongchang for the start of the Winter Games. The outlook for next month's sporting extravaganza has brightened since North Korea confirmed its participation, lifting security concerns over the South's nuclear-armed neighbour. The North has agreed to send an unknown number of athletes to the Games, expected to be accompanied by a high-level delegation, supporters, observers and an art troupe. South Korean freestyle figure skater Park Hee-Jin raised the flame high before a crowd of hundreds who were gathered in the capital's Sangam district in a ceremony held just weeks before the event on February 9-25. Fans unfurled banners wishing the Olympics success accompanied by the rousing sound of traditional Korean drummers, while others took pictures with their phones. "I am happy to become the first torchbearer in Seoul", Park, wearing a white … [Read more...] about Olympic flame stops in Seoul on journey to Pyeongchang
Tet ao dai show opens in Hanoi
Residents and visitors to Hanoi will be able to admire the latest versions of the ao dai, Vietnam’s traditional dress, and try some on from January 12 to 17 at an event organized by A designer Hanoi and the Center for Culture Exchange to welcome Tet, the lunar new year festival, and honor the beauty of the ao dai. Photo: A designer Hanoi Leading designers in Hanoi will introduce their latest collections of both traditional and modern ao dai for the new year at a fashion show at 7.30pm on January 12. A 20-50 per cent discount will be offered to all visitors.Another highlight is “Pose with Tet Ao dai”, where visitors can don an ao dai, with advice from professional designers on the dress and the accessories. Those taking part will also be made up by make-up experts from Royal Salon and others at the event. Local painters then do a sketch before photos are taken by professional photographers.The most exciting part of the event is professional models taking to the … [Read more...] about Tet ao dai show opens in Hanoi