An artisan introduces a pair of nghe statues at an exhibition in Da Nang (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Statues of traditional sacred animalsguarding the gates of temples, pagodas and relics are gradually replacingfiercer looking animals designed in China, but made in Vietnam.
This follows three years implementing regulation No 2662, issued by theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, that bans foreign-style symbols,sculptures and worship objects unsuitable for Vietnamese culture.
In the past 20 years, many foreign-style symbols, products and animalsculptures have been made and sold throughout the country, distorting localtradition.
Cultural heritage researcher Tran Lam Bien said it was easy to defineVietnamese sacred animals from foreign-style objects. Nghe (mythological lion)can represent Vietnamese or Chinese sacred symbols.
“Both Vietnam and China are not home to native lions, but they remainone of the country’s cultural and spiritual icons,” said Bien.
“Vietnamese lions look tolerant and solemn, while the foreign lions seem topossess superpowers, from giant eyes under bushy eyebrows and open mouths, toneatly carved teeth and strong paws with sharp nails,” he said.
“It’s obvious that Chinese lion models are not suitable for Vietnameseculture, especially in modern times.
“Nghe were used widely in the past with various facial appearances, happy,joyful, faithful, respectful and serious. That’s how our ancestors should beremembered, not overwhelming and frightening, but amicable and happy with asense of humour."
Dang Thi Bich Lien, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, saidregulation 2662 had received positive feedback and sympathy from varioussectors and agencies, including the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; People’sCommittees; and local departments of culture, sports and tourism.
“There is one thing to clarify: we don’t boycott all cultural factors withforeign elements because we are in the integration process,” she said. “We justhonour and preserve the fine values of the traditional culture.”
“After three years, people now actively move sacred animals that areunsuitable,” she said.
“I expect that in the near future, people will not place foreign symbolsoutside religious places, but also outside office buildings, banks and privateresidences. We will display traditional objects instead.”
Tran Thi Thu Dong, Vice Director of the Department of Fine Arts, Photographyand Exhibition, said since the resolution was issued in 2014, Stateadministrators and management board of vestiges actively replaced statues oflions designed in Chinese or European style.
Training courses were organised in various cities and provinces such as Hanoi,Thai Binh, Hai Phong and Nghe An to provide knowledge of Vietnamese sacredanimals for managers of the cultural, historical and religious sites and staffof local cultural departments.
Various activities have been held throughout the country to popularisetraditional symbols and sacred animals, such as exhibitions, competitions,conferences and publications.
“Beside academic books, we need a book with many lively images and informationeasy to understand for the public, especially young people and children,” shesaid.
Art researcher Tran Hau Yen The said when he visited China in 2013 he found aninteresting thing that in some regions, people no longer used fierce lionstatues to guard the gates.
“I was told that 16 pairs of stone lion statues were moved from the Party’sadministrations because people thought that they were the symbol of the rulingclass in feudalism.”
Experts at the Hanoi Ceramics Museum recently restored Kim Hoang folk paintingswith an image of anghe. It will be promoted to mark the coming Lunar New Year.
Sculptor Nguyen Van Vu, owner of the Lien Vu Sculpture Company, said he wouldjoin hands to implement the regulation No 2662 by producing more and moreVietnamese sacred animals.
“As for the foreign-style lions that have already been made, we will use themto carve smaller objects in Vietnamese style or destroy the whole sculptures torecycle the stone powder," he said.
Researcher The released a book entitled Nghe – The Sacred Animal on theEdge to give readers an overview on the Vietnamese traditional symbol.
It’s the result of 10 years researching of The and his fellow workers.
The 330-page book provides images and information of nghe and how the sacredanimals used to decorate and display at the vestiges nationwide.
The ministry commended and rewarded individuals and organisations who have agreat contribution in implementing the regulation No 2662. They are Nguyen TriQuang from Hanoi who digitalised 100 statues of Vietnamese sacred animals toprovide a data treasure to help artisans, sculptors, researchers and the publicapproach closer to the objects; Ninh Van craft village, book author The and VanBao Ngoc Company from Ninh Binh province, which uses traditional patterns toproduce souvenirs for domestic and international tourists. - VNA
This follows three years implementing regulation No 2662, issued by theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, that bans foreign-style symbols,sculptures and worship objects unsuitable for Vietnamese culture.
In the past 20 years, many foreign-style symbols, products and animalsculptures have been made and sold throughout the country, distorting localtradition.
Cultural heritage researcher Tran Lam Bien said it was easy to defineVietnamese sacred animals from foreign-style objects. Nghe (mythological lion)can represent Vietnamese or Chinese sacred symbols.
“Both Vietnam and China are not home to native lions, but they remainone of the country’s cultural and spiritual icons,” said Bien.
“Vietnamese lions look tolerant and solemn, while the foreign lions seem topossess superpowers, from giant eyes under bushy eyebrows and open mouths, toneatly carved teeth and strong paws with sharp nails,” he said.
“It’s obvious that Chinese lion models are not suitable for Vietnameseculture, especially in modern times.
“Nghe were used widely in the past with various facial appearances, happy,joyful, faithful, respectful and serious. That’s how our ancestors should beremembered, not overwhelming and frightening, but amicable and happy with asense of humour."
Dang Thi Bich Lien, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, saidregulation 2662 had received positive feedback and sympathy from varioussectors and agencies, including the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha; People’sCommittees; and local departments of culture, sports and tourism.
“There is one thing to clarify: we don’t boycott all cultural factors withforeign elements because we are in the integration process,” she said. “We justhonour and preserve the fine values of the traditional culture.”
“After three years, people now actively move sacred animals that areunsuitable,” she said.
“I expect that in the near future, people will not place foreign symbolsoutside religious places, but also outside office buildings, banks and privateresidences. We will display traditional objects instead.”
Tran Thi Thu Dong, Vice Director of the Department of Fine Arts, Photographyand Exhibition, said since the resolution was issued in 2014, Stateadministrators and management board of vestiges actively replaced statues oflions designed in Chinese or European style.
Training courses were organised in various cities and provinces such as Hanoi,Thai Binh, Hai Phong and Nghe An to provide knowledge of Vietnamese sacredanimals for managers of the cultural, historical and religious sites and staffof local cultural departments.
Various activities have been held throughout the country to popularisetraditional symbols and sacred animals, such as exhibitions, competitions,conferences and publications.
“Beside academic books, we need a book with many lively images and informationeasy to understand for the public, especially young people and children,” shesaid.
Art researcher Tran Hau Yen The said when he visited China in 2013 he found aninteresting thing that in some regions, people no longer used fierce lionstatues to guard the gates.
“I was told that 16 pairs of stone lion statues were moved from the Party’sadministrations because people thought that they were the symbol of the rulingclass in feudalism.”
Experts at the Hanoi Ceramics Museum recently restored Kim Hoang folk paintingswith an image of anghe. It will be promoted to mark the coming Lunar New Year.
Sculptor Nguyen Van Vu, owner of the Lien Vu Sculpture Company, said he wouldjoin hands to implement the regulation No 2662 by producing more and moreVietnamese sacred animals.
“As for the foreign-style lions that have already been made, we will use themto carve smaller objects in Vietnamese style or destroy the whole sculptures torecycle the stone powder," he said.
Researcher The released a book entitled Nghe – The Sacred Animal on theEdge to give readers an overview on the Vietnamese traditional symbol.
It’s the result of 10 years researching of The and his fellow workers.
The 330-page book provides images and information of nghe and how the sacredanimals used to decorate and display at the vestiges nationwide.
The ministry commended and rewarded individuals and organisations who have agreat contribution in implementing the regulation No 2662. They are Nguyen TriQuang from Hanoi who digitalised 100 statues of Vietnamese sacred animals toprovide a data treasure to help artisans, sculptors, researchers and the publicapproach closer to the objects; Ninh Van craft village, book author The and VanBao Ngoc Company from Ninh Binh province, which uses traditional patterns toproduce souvenirs for domestic and international tourists. - VNA
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