22
Nov
2021
Cao Lanh
Posted by: admin /810
Although the town itself is not remarkable, the drive to Chau Doc via Cao Lanh is pleasant. The Dong Thap Museum, which displays many of the traditional implements used by delta farmers and fishermen, including a large model of a boat and fish traps, is a worthwhile stop. The Soviet-style War Memorial is a big […]
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01
Dec
2021
The last battle
Posted by: admin /770
Meanwhile, in the north, Trinh Tac and his literati advisors embarked on the most ambitious effort to reform government since the time of Le Tu Thanh, two centuries before. King Le Duy Ky died in late 1662. Trinh Tac selected one of Le Duy Ky’s sons, 10-year-old Le Duy Vu, to sit upon the throne. […]
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24
Nov
2021
Tet Nguyen Dan
Posted by: admin /810
As the country’s single most important festival, Tet Nguyen Dan or Festival of the First Day marks the onset of the lunar new year. Celebrated as a time of rebirth and renewal, this spring festival serves as an opportunity for thanks giving and paying homage toances tors. Preparations begin a week before Tet, as people […]
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01
Dec
2021
Relations with the Khmer vassal
Posted by: admin /850
One of Gia Long’s final decisions would have a long-term effect on Khmer–Viet relations. In 1819, Gia Long decided to dig what became the Vinh Te and Vinh An Canals. Gia Long’s stated intention was to benefit Cambodia by creating a more convenient water route from the Khmer capital to the sea and to benefit […]
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01
Dec
2021
Poetry and language
Posted by: admin /810
Tran kings and princes were trained to appreciate and write poetry in the form of “regulated verse” that had developed during the Tang dynasty (jintishi in Chi- nese, “new style prosody”). Very few poets during the Ly dynasty mastered this form, but in the Tran dynasty it became the dominant mode. Ly dynasty poetry was […]
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24
Nov
2021
Giac Vien Pagoda
Posted by: admin /740
Established by the monk Hai Tinh Giac Vien in 1744, this temple is located on the outskirts of the city, and is one of the most peaceful places around. Well known for its collection of more than 150 wooden statues, the pagoda seems to serve mainly as a dedication to the departed. Several large, beautifully […]
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24
Nov
2021
Hanoi Citadel
Posted by: admin /860
For centuries, Hanoi Citadel was only accessible to the country’s rulers, but in 2010, it was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is now open to the public. Unfortunately, much of the site was destroyed by the French in the late 19th century, however, the surviving buildings are worth a visit. At […]
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01
Dec
2021
The Fifty Years War
Posted by: admin /850
The north For seven weeks in late 1618 and early 1619, sky gazers around the world watched what came to be called “the great comet of 1618.” Europeans called it “the angry star” because of the remarkable length and reddish hue of its tail and because it was visible even during daylight. Astronomers, astrologers, and […]
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01
Dec
2021
Collapse of the Ly dynasty
Posted by: admin /830
After Do Anh Di’s death in 1188, his assistant Ngo Ly Tin attempted to direct affairs but became the object of public humor instead. Ngo Ly Tin was a soldier who rose to prominence in the early 1180s, first by suppressing the banditry that had reached the level of rebellion under the leadership of the […]
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01
Dec
2021
The Nguyen Dynasty
Posted by: admin /870
Between north and south The country that appeared at the beginning of the nineteenth century stretching from the southern border of China to the eastern border of Cambodia had never existed before. The name Vietnam can be found in some earlier Vietnamese texts, and the Qing court used this name when recognizing the new country […]
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24
Nov
2021
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel
Posted by: admin /800
Hanoi’s most prestigious and oldest hotel, the Metropole was built in French-Colonial style, with plenty of wrought iron and Art Nouveau decorations. Originally opened in 1901, it was for many years the most favored accommodation in all of French Indochina. Notable guests, both past and present, include actors, writers, heads of state, and many other […]
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01
Dec
2021
Trinh Doanh and the age of rebellion
Posted by: admin /760
Trinh Doanh was only 21 years old when he assumed power. He demonstrated a competence and a decisiveness that enabled the Trinh family to survive as lords of the palace for another generation. But most of his 27 years of rule were devoted first to surviving more than a decade of widespread rebellions and then […]
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24
Nov
2021
Landscape And Wildlife
Posted by: admin /800
Vietnam is one of Asia’s most ecologically diverse countries. Habitats range from the cool mountains of the northwest, through the narrow coastal plains and high land plateaus of the center, to the delta regions of the Red and Mekong Rivers. Especially noteworthy for wild life enthusiasts are the expansive national parks of Northern Vietnam, filled […]
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01
Dec
2021
Dynastic discipline
Posted by: admin /860
The fourth issue raised by Nguyen Van Thanh in 1812 proved to be his undoing. This was the succession question. Gia Long’s three eldest sons were already dead. The choice of crown prince was between My Duong, the eldest son of former Crown Prince Canh, who was in his teens and was Gia Long’s eldest […]
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