Đình Làng Đình Bảng (Dinh Lang Village Temple)

By Tran My

Dinh Bang Village is in Tu Son District, Bac Ninh Province, 20km northeast of Hanoi. Dinh Bang Village Temple is one of the most well-known temples of the northern plain.

Together with pagodas in a village, temples were one of the social and cultural centers in the countryside of Vietnam. Pagodas were a typical place for religious practices while temples were where villagers discussed public affairs, organized festivals and ceremonies, praised and maintained good customs of the village.

Dinh Bang Village Temple began to be built in 1700 and construction lasted 36 years. The temple is now more than 300 years old, so it is a good place to study the architectural and artistic styles of Vietnam in the 18th century.

Like other Vietnamese temples, the most important areas of Dinh Bang Village Temple is the central part. It stands on a foundation with the height of two steps, and this foundation is surrounded by pieces of blue rock. It measures 25 meters by 14. The central part has seven main sections and two secondary sections, with six lines of pillars on square pieces of blue rock. There are 60 pillars altogether, each of which has a diameter of 60 centimeters.

The root of the temple is eight meters high. The four corners of the roots are bent upward and look beautiful. Their extension prevent sunlight from going straight into the temple and keeps the rain from wetting the foot of the pillars.

Dinh Bang Village Temple is an artistic construction with beautiful decoration. It was carved in different styles, with patterns such as flying clouds, sliding waves, dragons and phoenixes, apricots, chrysanthemums, and bamboo.

The temple worships three gods. These are Mountain God, Water God and Cultivation God, and six gods of human origin, who are the heads of six lineages that made contributions to setting up the village in 15th century.

In Dinh Bang Village, there is Dinh Bang Festival. It is organized annually in the third lunar month. On the festive days, there are cultural activities in the front yard of the temple such as playing chess, wrestling, cock fighting, and traditional opera singing.

Dinh Bang Village Temple is a proud example of the fine folk art typical of the Kinh Bac culture. With ancient beauty and grandeur, it is a place that attracts both locals and foreigners.

(from The Saigon Times Weekly, 2004)

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Chim Sâu (Flowerpecker)

A friendly and helpful bird

In summer, especially in July and August, the peaceful gardens in the countryside of Tien Phuoc District in the central province of Quang Nam are filled with the chirps of newborn flowerpeckers. The mother flowerpeckers beat their wings and feed their chicks beside suspended nests made of twigs, grass and feathers.

The sight of a little flowerpecker with a little peak is familiar to many locals. As hard-working birds, flowerpeckers fly to every corners of the gardens to search for food. Perching on the branches, they diligently peck at clusters of leaves and flowers for small insects, spiders and even pollen and nectar. By feeding on insects, the flowerpeckers help the farmers. They contribute to protecting plants from insects and help spread the seeds.

While the pouch-like nests of flowerpeckers can be found on the trees or bushes in the gardens, the flowerpeckers are a family of passerine birds that live in the forests. Like sparrows, these are small birds from 4-10 grams in weight. Flowerpeckers are active birds. They hop continually, perching and flitting from shrub to shrub around the gardens.

There are 55 species of flowerpecker. Some are raised for bright colorful plumage, which is used for ornamentation. In Vietnam, there are eight species of flowerpecker, with two genera: Prionochilus and Dicaeum.

(from The Saigon Times Weekly 2008)

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Bãi đá Ông Địa (Ong Dia Rocky Beach)

The beauty of waves and rocks

Tourists visiting the central coastal provinces of Binh Thuan will witness the distinctive beauty of rocks. Ong Đia (the Earth God) rocky beach, Tuy Phong colorful rocky beach, Lan boulder and Chim rocky cape all offer a breath-taking view.

The beach was naturally strewn with boulders long ago. Some locals visiting the beach found a stone that resembled the Earth God. They offered incense and prayed for good luck in their business, and when they were blessed with prosperity, more local people put their trust in this stone. Since then, the beach has been named after the Earth and a temple was built near the beach for people to pray for good luck and happiness.

A detour to Ong Dia rocky beach on the way from Phan Thiet City to Mui Ne Beach leads to the delicious seafood at Cay Bang Restaurant. The sound of breaking waves and the sparkling blue waters as the sun sets on the beach attracts many tourists to the rocky beach, which is a popular site for fishing among the silence and serenity of the boulders.


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Đỉnh Langbian (Langbian Peak)

Explore the legendary Langbian Peak

Twelve kilometers north of the Dalat City's downtown, the impressive Langbian Mountain in Lac Duong District, Lam Dong Province, which is known as the "roof-top" of Langbian Highlands, attracts those who want to conquer the mountains.

Visitors can walk along a path or hire a car to drive to the peak. A two-kilometer trans-forest road also leads to the top of the mountain. On sunny days with cloudless blue skies, one can feel peaceful and comfortable at the peak of the mountain.

On top of it, crooked Dankia-Suoi Vang (Golden) and Bac (Silver) streams appear like pieces of silk. With binoculars available on the spot, tourists will enjoy a panoramic view of the poetic Dalat City with its villas and bell-towers.

Langbian Mountain, 2,169 meters above sea levels, is a wonderful place for travelers to inhale fresh air amidst drifting clouds. Adventurous tourists can participate in sports such as climbing, trekking, or parachuting. Recently, paragliding from the top of Mount Langbian has also been introduced.

At night Mount Langbian offers tourists the opportunity to learn about the local culture. Sitting beside a bonfire at the foot of the mountain and tasting can wine while listening to the legend about the love of K'Lang and H'bian is something special. In the daytime, tourists can see ethnic girls weaving brocade and buy beautiful brocades as their souvenirs and pose for photos at K'lang and H'bian statues.


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Vịnh Nha Trang (Nha Trang Bay)

A hidden place to escape the noisy city life

Located in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, Nha Trang Bay is one of the most beautiful bays in the world, and for that reason is a must-visit destination for locals as well as international travelers when traveling to Vietnam.

The heart of the bay is Nha Trang City on a 10km long beach, embracing the small bay which is decorated with tens of islands of various shapes and sizes scattered around the region. Beautiful landscapes, a temperate climate plus geographical convenience give the seaside resort city an edge over other tourist destinations around the country.
Each year, the bay receives millions of travelers who want to have the chance to take a boat ride to Hon Mun (Mun Islet), an important ecological area famous for its diversity and exotic sea, as well as a collection of many small islets such as Hon Tre, Hon Mieu, Hon Tam, Hon Mot, Hon Mun and Hon Cau.

Visitors to Hon Mun can dive in a crystal-clear water to explore the colorful coral reefs of the ocean world, or take a tour to several islets to see and learn about the swiftlets, for which the province is famous.

The hotels in Nha Trang, a city of half a million people, vary in standards as well as in shape and size. The choice ranges from an inexpensive mini hotel to a luxury, secluded resort nestled in a desert on the bay to escape the daily noise of city life.
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Quả Gấc (Balsam apple fruit)

The brilliant red of balsam apple

Attracted by the bright red, many people may have craving for fresh, ripe balsam apple (Momordica vietnamensis). Compared with other fruits, balsam apple, a fruit of the gourd family, is seldom seen at markets and supermarkets. The fruit, which is in season once a year, from September to January, is used by the Vietnamese as a coloring for cakes and steamed glutinous rice.

Steamed balsam apple glutinous rice is an indispensable dish for worshiping ancestpr in Lunar New Year and festivals. Only balsam apple can give the glutinous rice such a beautiful color and a tasty flavor. The warm red of steamed balsam apple glutinous rice dished embodies good luck, happiness and the best of everything for every member of the family.

A package of steamed balsam apple glutinous rice is a favorite of many people. To cook a kilogram of steamed balsam apple glutinous rice, one has to buy two or three kilograms of fresh balsam apple fruit. Everyone can have steamed balsam apple glutinous rice as their cheap, nutrient and delicious breakfast in every corner of Saigon.

In addition, balsam apple is regarded as a valuable remedy in traditional Vietnamese medicine. Herbalists liken it to bear gall to relieve traumas and cure parotitis, among others.
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