Gold-leaf making craft in Kieu Ki

Located on the northern bank of the Red River, Kieu Ki is known as the only village in Vietnam still practicing the traditional craft of producing gold leaf. The deftness of Kieu Ki artisans can be seen in pagodas and temples where statues are covered with thin gold leaf. On the path to the village, visitors can hear locals hammering gold to produce thin sheets. Old and young alike are committed to the craft. The village elders believe Kieu Ki villagers learned to make gold leaf 300 years ago from Nguyen Quy Tri, a man from Hai Duong province, who gained his doctorate in the reign of King Le Canh Hung in the 18th century. Tri became a mandarin and a member of the Royal Academy. As an envoy to the Qing dynasty in China, he learned the art of using thin gold sheets to trim red-lacquer devotional objects. After returning home, he passed the craft to Kieu Ki villagers, who proclaimed him the forefather of the gold leaf craft. His statue in the Kieu Ki village Temple inlayed with thin gold leaf is the joint work of his descendants. After fading almost to extinction, the craft of gold leaf in Kieu Ki experienced a rebirth after the war. Some 30 households in the village are involved in the craft, which provides jobs for nearly 200.

Lotus blossoming in Hue

When summer arrives, lotus flowers are in full bloom, releasing a delicate scent all day long. However, lotus flowers in Hue have their distinctive scenic beauty that cannot be found elsewhere. Entering any pagodas and enjoying the serene and tranquil atmosphere of the former imperial city, visitors feel as if their entire body and soul are purified by the subtle fragrance of lotus which wiggles its way into local people’s life and is associated with their childhood.                         For a long time lotus flowers have been closely linked to Buddhist philosophy, symbolising the good, mercifulness and tolerance.

VN joins in int'l gifts, stationery fair in Malaysia

The Vietnamese embassy in Malaysia are taking part in the 4th International Gifts, Premium & Stationery 2012 Fair (KLIGP 2012) in Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur from June 13-15.  The fair, organised by the Malaysian Gifts and Premium Entrepreneur Association (MGPA), attracted more than 300 businesses from Malaysia , Singapore , Thailand , Indonesia , Brunei , the Philippines , Cambodia , Hong Kong , Taiwan , Republic of Korea and Vietnam , showcasing a wide range of products. Vietnam 's pavilion with diversified and skillful art and handicraft products draw many entrepreneurs and visitors. Vietnamese Commercial Counsellor Vu Van Canh said that the Embassy of Vietnam joined this fair because the country has strong potential of art and handicrafts. He expressed hope that through KLIGP 2012, Vietnamese products will be introduced to Malaysian customers as well as international friends, thus promoting the export of these products.

Lang Co-World Beautiful Bay Festival to take place

The Lang Co-the World Beautiful Bay Festival will be held in Hue on June 16-17 within the framework of the 2012 National Tourism Year of Northcentral Coastal Region. The event aims to draw visitors to Bien Ngoc tourism area in Lang Co town, Phu Loc district to enjoy different activities, including a showcase of traditional products, local seafood and beer, cycle race, kite flying, tug of war and other folk games. The annual event, organized by the Thua Thien-Hue provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Phu Loc district People’s Committee, is expected to advertise tourism potential and attract domestic and foreign investment.

Imperial Citadel to become historical park

The Hoang Dieu Archaeological Site and the ancient Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi are to become a cultural and historical park to promote the global value of the 1,300 year-old relic site.  Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has just approved plans for the transformation. Under the PM’s instructions, the master plan will preserve the architectural vestiges, artifacts and archaeological remains. It will also establish an architectural harmony between the landscape and the Ba Dinh Political Centre. Covering an area of 45,380 sq.m., the proposed site is located inside the Ba Dinh Political Centre, next to the National Assembly House now under construction.

Evidence of time and Cham culture at Banh It towers

If you are on a journey from the South to the North, when passing Tuy Phuoc District in Binh Dinh Province at Ba Di Bridge, you are fortunate enough to witness the stunning Cham Towers in the distance highlighted with the recognizable red bricks amidst the endless green mountains.  They are the complex of Banh It Towers, an old tower cluster of Champa people. Standing under the foot of the towers or on the peak on a high mount, tourists can sense the immenseness of the universe and never-ending of time. The complex includes four towers built on a peak of a hill in Dai Loc Hamlet, Phuoc Hiep Commune, Tuy Phuoc District, about 20 kilometers from Quy Nhon City. This is the most striking and best-preserved towers in the seven complexes of Cham towers in Binh Dinh Province. The Banh It Tower has got specific architectural characteristics and is one of the great temple-towers of the Champa Dynasty, which draw the attention of researchers and tourists. The name of the complex comes from the shape of the tallest tower with its peak which looks like a banh it (three-cornered glutinous rice cake filled with green been paste and meat). Each tower has been built with different design and architecture and varied shape, creating diversity in the complex. The main tower is 22 meters tall and the architecture bears the Binh Dinh sculptural style of the 12th century with small, embossed lines on the walls. Leaf and flower-shaped motifs are only found on the edges of the roofs, and dancing girls are found on false gates.

Hue festival 2012 reviewed

A conference reviewing the Hue festival 2012 and looking towards to the 8th Hue Festival in 2014 took place in June 11th in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue. According to the report, Hue festival 2012 drew the participation of 65 Vietnamese and foreign artistic troupes, including more than 5,000 professional and amateur artists. The festival attracted more than two million people, including 80,000 foreign tourists. It was suggested that instructions for tourists at relic sites should be more detailed and that a wider variety of tours should be held during the festival. On this occasion, the organizing board of the Hue Festival 2012 presented certificates of merit to 74 groups and 126 individuals for their outstanding contributions to the festival.

VietJet Air offers discounted flights

Vietnam’s budget airline VietJet Air will offer discounts of up to 40% off of normal prices on return flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Ha Noi from June 15 until the end of 2012 through a domestic tourism stimulus program. The co-operation agreement was signed yesterday between the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, a number of travel companies, and VietJet Air. Accordingly, VietJet Air will offer 80 promotional return tickets per day, at the special price nearly VND3.3 million (tax included) for each flight between the country’s two biggest cities. In addition, the travel companies can book tickets up to two weeks before the scheduled date of departure.