Ha Noi

[Hà Nội]

cột cờ Hà Nội

Hà Nội is the capital of Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Hà Nội lies in Red River Delta and is situated in a tropical area having a strong monsoon influence. The name of Hà Nội (Interior side of a river) has been derived from an ancient language which is literally known as a land area located in the inner side of Red River. It does not mean that the city is inside the river, but it is embraced by about 100 km of the Red River dykes. Hà Nội has four inner precincts (Hoàn Kiếm, Ba Đỡnh, Hai Bà Trưng, Đống Đa) and five suburban districts (Từ Liờm, Thanh Trỡ, Gia Lừm, Đụng Anh and Sỳc Sơn). From the time when the first State of ancient Vietnam was established , Hà Nội (formerly Thăng Long) has been considered a sacred and typical part of Vietnam. It was in the autumn of 1010 that Lý Cụng ủừn (also known as Lý Thỏi Tổ) - the founder of Nhà Hậu Lý (Post-Ly Dynasty) - removed the court from Hoa Lư (present-day Ninh Bỡnh province) to Đại La Citadel which was later renamed as Thăng Long . As soon as the royal fleet with King Lý Thỏi Tổ aboard cast anchors at the landing wharf in the Nhị River (present-day Red River) , there ascended a golden dragon. Thinking that it was a good omen for his trip, King Lý Thỏi Tổ had Đại La Citadel renamed Thăng Long (Ascending Dragon) . He also had Hoa Lư - his former capital - renamed Trường Yờn. 1397 was the year marking an end to the decline of Nhà Hậu Lờ (Post-Le Dynasty). It was the time when the king indulged himself in entertainments. Hồ Quý Ly, a high-ranking court official, overthrew the king and proclaimed himself the king of a new dynasty - Hồ Dynasty. This dynasty removed the court to Từy Đụ (Western Capital) in Thanh Hoỏ province. Thăng Long was then renamed Đụng Đụ (Eastern Capital). In 1407, the Ming aggressors defeated the army of Hồ Dynasty. They rushed to Đụng Đụ Citadel and renamed it Đụng Quan Citadel. In 1418, a farmer whose name was Lờ Lợi (future Lờ Thỏi Tổ) grouped an insurrection army in Lam Sơn district in Thanh Hoỏ province. He proclaimed himself as Bỡnh Định Vương (King of Pacification) and led the resistance against the aggressors for 10 years and regained national independence. He entered the then Đụng Quan Citadel and the next year, he renamed the citadel as Đụng Kinh (Eastern Imperial City). In 1527, when a new dynasty - Nhà Mạc (Mac Dynasty) - was in the control of the country, the citadel resumed its former name (Thăng Long). In 1802, King Gia Long established the first court of Nhà Nguyễn (Nguyễn Dynasty) in Phỳ Xuừn in the central coastal city of Huế. Thăng Long was then used as the regional capital exercising influence on 11 northern citadels. But the word LONG which literally meant RồNG (Dragon) was changed to LONG which was understood as THịNH (Prosperity). In 1831, King Minh Mạng established the province of Hà Nội which includes the ancient Thăng Long Citadel and the districts of Từ Liờm, ứng Hoà, Thường Tớn and Lý Nhừn. In 1888, after the tragic defeat of Nhà Nguyễn (Nguyễn Dynasty), Hà Nội became a colonial city until 1954. On September 2, 1954, President Hồ Chớ Minh read the Declaration of Independence and formally established the first government of the young republic - Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Hà Nội was then formally declared the capital of Vietnam. Hà Nội capital was liberated from French colonialists on October 10, 1954. After the complete victory on April 30, 1975 and the reunification of the country the next year, Hà Nội was officially recognized as the capital of Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In the old days, each of 36 guild streets in Hà Nội had its name closely associated with the trade and occupation of the inhabitants. Now, Hà Nội has 381 streets representing a tenfold increase as compared with the ancient Hà Nội with 36 guild streets only. These are some tourist attractions of Hà Nội :

chựa Diờn Hựu

chựa Một Cột

Chựa một cột (One-pillar Pagoda) : Its original name was Diờn Hựu (long-lasting happiness and good luck). Legend has it that King Lý Thỏi Tụn was very old and had no son of his own. Therefore, he often went to pagodas to pray for Buddha's blessing so that he might have a son. One night, he had a dream that he was granted a private audience with Buddha with a male baby in his hands. Buddha, sitting on a lotus flower in a square-shaped lotus pond in the western side of Thăng Long Citadel, gave the king the baby. Months later, the queen got pregnant and gave birth to a male child. To repay gift from Buddha, the king ordered the construction of a pagoda which was supported by only one pillar resembling a lotus seat on which Buddha had been seated. The pagoda was dedicated to Buddha.

Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giỏm

bia tiến sĩ ở Văn Miếu- Quốc Tử Giỏm

Quốc Tử Giỏm (Temple of Literature) was built in 1070 as a dedication to the founder of Confucianism. Six years later, Quốc Tử Giỏm - the first university of Vietnam - was built in the premises of Văn Miếu. Quốc Tử Giỏm was the first school for princes and children of royal family members. In 1482, King Lờ Thỏnh Tụn ordered the erection of steles with inscription of all the names, birth dates and birth places of doctors and other excellent graduates who took part in examinations since 1442. Each stela is placed on the back of a turtle representing the nation's longevity. During Nhà Nguyễn (Nguyễn Dynasty), Temple of Literature was moved to Phỳ Xuừn (Huế Royal City).

chựa Kim Liờn

Chựa Kim Liờn (Kim Lien Pagoda) : Legend has it that in the 12th century, Princess Tu Hoa, daughter of King Lý Thần Tụn, led her ladies-in-waiting to this area. They cultivated mulberry and silkworms to make silk. Later, a pagoda was built right on the site and by 1771, it was named Kim Liờn (Golden Lotus).

cổng tam quan - chựa Quỏn Sứ

Chựa Quỏn Sứ (Quan Su Pagoda) was built in the 17th century. It is located in the street of the same name. Since 1958, Vietnam Buddhism Association has used this pagoda as its head office.

Đền Quan Thỏnh (Quan Thanh Temple) : The three ancient Chinese characters which are still seen today on the top of the entrance to the temple mean Tran Vu Quan. Literally, the temple is dedicated to Saint Tran Vu. Temples are places for worshipping saints while pagodas are dedicated to Buddha and faithful disciplines. Saint Tran Vu was a legendary figure which was a combination between a legendary character in Vietnam's legend and a mystic character derived from China's legend. In Vietnam's legend, he was a saint who had earned the merits of assisting Thục Phỏn (future King An Dương Vương) in getting rid of ghost spirit during the construction of Cổ Loa Citadel. An Dương Vương Temple in Cổ Loa Citadel (Đụng Anh district) is also named Thuong Temple. Inside it, there are An Dương Vương's bronze statue (cast in 1897) and a big arbalest symbolizing the magic arbalest in the old days. In China's legend, Saint Tran Vu was a saint who had made many contributions in safeguarding the northern border. Quan Thỏnh Temple was built during the reign of King Lý Thỏi Tổ (1010-1028). Special attention should be paid to the black bronze statue of Saint Tran Vu. Another object of no less significance is a smaller black bronze statue of Old Trong, a chief artisan of the bronze casting team who had made the giant statue of Saint Tran Vu and the great bell on top of the entrance.

lễ hội Hai Bà Trưng

Đền Hai Bà Trưng (Hai Bà Trưng Temple) is also called Đồng Nhừn Temple, because it is located in Đồng Nhừn village, Hai Bà Trưng precinct. Built in 1142 under the reign of King Lý Anh Tụn, it is dedicated to the two Vietnamese heroines Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị. On the 5th and 6th days of the lunar second month , there is a grand festival at this temple to commemorate the two national heroines.

hồ Từy

Hồ Từy (West Lake) & Đường Thanh Niờn (Youth Road) : Youth Road can be compared to a beautiful bridge spanning across the two large bodies of water - West Lake to the northwest and Trỳc Bạch Lake to the southeast. Covering an area of nearly 500 hectares, Hồ Từy was also called Dam Dam (Misty Pond), Lang Bac (White Waves)....Oral tradition has it that Hồ Từy derived from a low-lying area upturned by a golden buffalo, so the stream derived from Hồ Từy was named Sụng Kim Ngưu (Golden Buffalo River). As for Trỳc Bạch Lake, legend has it that in the old days, Trỳc Bạch Lake was where lived the abandoned ladies-in-waiting who were forced to weave silk. Therefore, beautiful silk was called Trỳc Bạch (Silk of the Trỳc village). As the biggest lake in the city, Hồ Từy is surrounded by many areas reputed for their traditional occupations : Yờn Phụ and Nghi Tàm (silkworm-breeding and silk-weaving villages in the past), Quảng Bỏ, Nhật Từn (peach-growing village), Bưởi (paper-making village). In Từy Sơn times, Nguyễn Huy Lượng wrote Tụng Từy Hồ Phỳ (Eulogy for West Lake) so as to highlight the landscapes of the West Lake and Nguyễn Huệ (future Quang Trung)'s glorious merits. Now, Hồ Từy has been earmarked for the city's major tourism development center.

hồ Hoàn Kiếm

Hồ Hoàn Kiếm (Lake of Restored Sword) : The name of this lake is derived from a legend having it that a fisherman named Lờ Thừn caught a sword blade when drawing the fish-net. Thừn decided to offer it to his commanding general Lờ Lợi (future Lờ Thỏi Tổ). Afterwards, Lờ Lợi found a hilt fitting that blade very well. This sword had always been on his side during 10 years of resistance against Ming aggressors. After winning over the foreign aggression, King Lờ Thỏi Tổ returned to Thăng Long Citadel. One day, aboard a royal boat, he took a cruise in the Lục Thủy lake. Suddenly, a giant turtle emerged and came towards him. The king withdrew his sword, and pinpointed with the sword the direction of the coming turtle for his soldiers' attention. All of a sudden, the turtle caught the sword between its teeth from the king's hand and submerged. The king thought that during the resistance against Ming aggressors, the genius had offered him this sword to help him defeat the enemy. At that time, the peace was returning, and the genius appeared to take back the sword. Consequently, King Lờ Thỏi Tổ decided to name the Luc Thuy lake Hồ Hoàn Kiếm (Lake of Restored Sword). In the middle of the lake is Thỏp Rựa (Turtle Tower). The lake abounds in big turtles aged five or six hundred. When there are the changes in weather, they often emerge or expose themselves at the foot of the Turtle Temple.

cầu Thờ Hỳc - đền Ngọc Sơn

Đền Ngọc Sơn (Ngoc Son Temple) : Initially, the temple was called Ngọc Sơn Pagoda. Later, it was renamed as Ngọc Sơn Temple, because it was dedicated to the saints. Saint Van Xuong was a person considered the brightest star in Vietnam's literature and intellectual circles. Trần Hưng Đạo was worshipped because he was the national hero who led the Vietnamese people to a resounding victory over the Mongol aggression. The temple as it is seen today was attributable to the restoration efforts of Nguyễn Văn Siờu, a great Hanoian writer. He had a large pen-shaped tower (Thỏp Bỳt) built at the entrance to the temple. On the upper section of Thỏp Bỳt, there are three Chinese characters Tả Thanh Thiờn which mean literally that to write on the blue sky is to imply the height of a genuine and righteous person's determination and will. Behind Thỏp Bỳt is Đài Nghiờn (Ink Stand). The Ink Stand is carved from stone resembling a peach, which is placed on the back of three frogs on top of the gate to the temple. Passing through Đài Nghiờn, visitors will tread on the wooden bridge called Thờ Hỳc. Thờ Hỳc is literally understood as the place where beams of morning sunshine are touching.

Besides, Hà Nội has such attractions as Hồ Chớ Minh's Mausoleum, Hồ Chớ Minh Museum, History Museum, Revolution Museum, Army Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Palace of Friendship....

ARE HOàN KIếM TORTOISES AN UNKNOWN SPECIES?

The legendary tortoises in Hoàn Kiếm lake have turned out to be an unknown species, following recent research. The existence of tortoises in the lake was only known after the appearance of Kim Qui (the Golden Tortoise) God in the fifteenth century, when he took back the magical sword that brought victory to Emperor Lờ Thỏi Tổ.

Kim Qui has appeared twice throughout national history, according to legend. Before the appearance in Hoàn Kiếm lake, the first appearance was in the 3rd century BC when a golden tortoise helped King An Dương Vương (Thục Phỏn) to construct the spiral shaped defences of the ancient capital of Cổ Loa. But the actual place of the appearance is still unknown. When Cổ Loa was attacked by Triệu Đà, the king of a neighbouring country, Kim Qui gave An Dương Vương his claw to make a magical cross-bow which created a rain of arrows upon the foreign invaders. The arrogance of victory eclipsed the King's mind, however, and he lost the next war, after losing the magical cross-bow. The remains of the city can be seen in Đụng Anh district, 25 kilometres from Hà Nội . It is believed that Kim Qui is one of the tortoises currently living in the lake. However, many different species of tortoise apart from the giant tortoise (Pelochelys bibroni) have been identified in a study of the lake's habitat in 1993.

This was affirmed by Dr. Peter C.H. Pritchard, Director of the US Chelonian Institute during a visit early this year. "Hoàn Kiếm tortoises may be a division of Chinese soft-shell tortoises (Rafetus swinhoei) or an unknown species. It is perhaps an unknown species, and if so, may be named after the lake as Hoankiemensis or Hoguomensis.

To prove this conclusion, a sample of skin or bone from the Hoàn Kiếm tortoises will be sent to foreign genetics laboratories for DNA analysis. (VNS)

NGHI TàM: A VILLAGE OF FLOWERS ?

Once upon a time, the King of Nhà Hậu Lý decided to build a palace for Princess Từ Hoa in a village near Thăng Long so that she could spend her time farming silk cocoons on the large mulberry fields. The village was Nghi Tàm, a name now famous throughout the country for the flowers grown here. Nghi Tàm flowers in fact add to the beauty of Hồ Từy or the West Lake area in present-day Hà Nội. It is said that Nhà Hậu Lý in Vietnam was not only famous for its glorious victories in defence of the country against foreign invaders. It paid much attention to the development of agriculture and handicrafts. For long, the village of Tằm (or the village of silk cocoons) had been known for its handlooms. The story of this village goes as follows : Initially, there were only three basic kinds of trees grown here, i.e. the peach, kumquat and chrysanthemum. Peach trees and their spring blossom have brought fame to this village. Originally, the cultivation of peach started in the village of Tằm, then spread to Nhật Từn. Young peach trees are carefully tended and allowed to blossom only on the Lunar New Year's Eve. Hanoians take the utmost care in the selection of their New Year branch of peach. From the size to the form of the branch and the design of the pot, every tiny detail must be in harmony with the sentiment or philosophy that one wishes to express, in addition to matching with the interior decoration of the house. Kumquat is another species that spread from Tằm village to Từy Hồ. During tết, most families in Hà Nội, and now throughout the country, have their kumquat trees inside the home. Kumquat is used by Vietnamese to symbolise "talents" and "wealth" for the family.

White apricot blossoms called "Bạch mai" in Vietnamese are yet another scene-stealer in Nghi Tàm. The villagers of Nghi Tàm consider an apricot blossom as beautiful only when it has six white soft petals on a green calyx. They must resemble the swallow's wings in the spring days. There is also a kind of green apricot which is rare and valuable. Then there is "Song mai" or "Double apricot" since each flower gives two fruits. The apricot branch should be able to incorporate the spirit. After the flowering season, the branch starts to give fruit which are washed and put in a ceramic cask to prepare apricot wine for the following New Year's festival. Narcissus of various kinds are also cultivated in Nghi Tàm. The people here know the secret of making these flowers bloom at the required time as on New Year's Eve or on the wedding day etc. Each narcissus pot should have about 20-30 flowers blooming to the right degree to express the virginity of the bride. Along with these species of flowers, Nghi Tàm is also known for the chrysanthemum and camelia species it grows. But the concern now is that with the rapid urbanisation of the locality, will it continue to preserve this beautiful tradition? (VNS)