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Showing posts from March, 2016

What is Hải Thượng Lãn Ông's most important contribution to Vietnamese medicine?

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Medical science in Việt Nam progressed through contributions by Lê Hữu Trác (1702 - 1791), better known by his pseudonym Hải Thượng Lãn Ông. A learned scholar, he shunned a mandarin's career, retiring to his village, where he devoted his life to the study of medicine. Following decades of observation and study, he wrote a medical treatise in 28 volumes, whose parts include: a theoretical section; a section on pathology, with special studies on smallpox, measles, infantile diseases, women's diseases; a section on drugs; a section on pharmacology; a collections of clinical observations; a section on hygiene. Lãn Ông laid the foundation of medical practice based on observation of clinical facts, climatic conditions, and the properties of local plants and products. his observations and formulas remain of great value. Lãn Ông understood classical Chinese medical theories, but relied mostly on observation. He collected his medical data with great care so he could compare

Which of Tuệ Tĩnh's books uses verse to present medical and pharmaceutical principles?

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The Medical Books of Master Hồng Nghĩa. In 1717, the Liễu Chàng Bookstore in Hà Nội presented a set of medical books by Tuệ Tĩnh to Lord Trịnh Cương, who read the books and and found them valuable. He asked the mandarins in the Health Department to review them and then gave the series the name The Medical Books of Master Hồng Nghĩa. He had copies printed and distributed them throughout the country. The Medical Books of Master Hồng Nghĩa contain Tuệ Tĩnh's work on medical and pharmaceutical principles and demonstrate a profound and creative analysis of medical problems. They include pulse-examining diagnoses, analysis of disease mechanisms, and preparation and use of medicines. Principle of Asian medicine are adapted to the Vietnamese people and climate. Tuệ Tĩnh wrote many of the books in popular verse, making the remedies easy to remember. The Medical Books of Master Hồng Nghĩa has been a companion to many generations of Vietnamese physicians. With the motto of "Vietnam

Which of Tuệ Tĩnh's works did ordinary people use as a guide to treat common illnesses?

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The Miraculous Medicine of the Southern Country. It is a practical guide to traditional medicines and contains effective remedies. In previous centuries, Vietnamese families would copy the individual volumes of this work and then hand the copy down form generation to generation. This practice helped the books survive the turmoil of war an destruction so that modern readers and researchers can benefit from the traditional lore. Tuệ Tĩnh's massive compendium consists of  11 volumes. The first one gives a summary of 581 remedies of plant, animal, and mineral origin and includes 499 specifically Vietnamese medicines. The remaining ten volumes present 3.873 ways of treating 184 different diseases. The text is written in a simple, clear language and concentrates on practical medical knowledge. The Miraculous Medicine of the Southern Country treats each disease in turn, describing its causes, symptoms, and effects on organs. It suggests treatment on the basis of individual cases. Ev

How to find a good accommodation in Nha Trang with a low budget?

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If you are about to go to Vietnam on a trip, Nha Trang is a city that should never be missing from your visiting list. Thus, how could you find a perfect accommodation when you want to spend most of your money on the activities there instead of paying for a accommodation? Four tips below here are the most important things that you need to apply as soon as you come to this beautiful city.  Tips No.1 : Find a accommodation yourself without the help of the biker. The first thing you will see when you put your first step to the ground from a bus or a train is full of bikers. They will offer you a hotel or guesthouse and they will take you there instantly. Basically, there is nothing wrong with it except for the fact that you will be announced a considerably higher price than if you find it on your own. The guest house owner would have to charge you more to pay the commission for those bikers who took you there.  Tips No.2 : A hotel is not much different than a guest house. It

Where is one of Hà Nội's oldest áo dài shops?

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Ms. Phạm Ngân An, one of the most famous and experienced áo dài designers in Hà Nội, was born and wrapped in silk, for her parents ran a silk shop during the early 1930s at 28 and 47 Hàng Đào, a busy trading street in Hà Nội's Old Quarter. The shop was called Hy Hoa, compound name made from her father's and mother's given names. Her mother was also called "Madam Scholar Hy" because fer father, Mr. Hy, was a village teacher in the outskirts of Hà Nội. Ms. Ngân An's father also helped her mother trade in local cloths such as silk, floss silk, and gauze and assisted with orders of material from France, England, China, and India. As the Hy Hoa Shop began to grow, Ms. An's parents opened more shops until 1946, when the Resistance War Against France broke out. Ms. An had nine sisters and brothers, all with names that begin with "A". Her father wanted their names to appear on the top of their teachers' lists so that his children would feel more

How to reach Vạn Phúc from Hà Nội?

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To reach Vạn Phúc Commune form Hà Nội, take a bicycle, xe ôm, or taxi along Nguyễn Trải Street until you reach the Hà Đông Bridge (the border of former Hà Tây Province). Take the first turn right into Chu Văn An Street. Kepp going for nine hundred metres, and you will see a large sign, "Vạn Phúc Traditional Village". The Vạn Phúc Communal House will be on your right

Where is one of the one oldest villages for making silk for áo dài?

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Visit Vạn Phúc Village in Hà Đông Town (Hà Tây Province) for a taste of Việt Nam's traditional craft villages and also for surprisingly good bargains on high-quality silk. Vạn Phúc, traditionally the nation's silk manufacturing hub, is only 10 km from central Hà Nội on the border between city and countryside. The silk-production facilities in the village include both small factories and home workshops. Most of the silk looms, which fill entire rooms of local homes, are constructed on site. The noise of shuttles clacking back and forth is overwhelming in such small spaces. The homemade products are quietly beautiful. According to the commune's record, Vạn Phúc started making silk int he late 4th century and was famous for the craft by the 11th century, when King Lý Thái Tổ moved the capital to Thăng Long (present-day Hà Nội). He used Vạn Phúc silk for Nguyễn Dynasty (1802 - 1945), Vạn Phúc produced seventy different kinds of silk, including the (silk with tiny holes), gấm

4 must-do things when traveling to Vietnam

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Vietnam has widely recognized as an ideal place for travelers from all over the world. If you are interested in visiting this beautiful country in a near future, 4 things listed below should never be excluded from your detailed plan. Try Vietnamese coffee at least one time It is obviously that Vietnamese coffee is not well- known as Brazilian or African ones. However, the taste of Vietnamese coffee is absolutely unique in some ways. Many foreigners have tried it and most of them admit that this kind of taste is spectacular. The average price of a small coffee-cup is a little bit more than half a US$, so do not hesitate to give a try. As a reminder, the taste and the appearance of a cup of coffee are varied differently in separate regions of Vietnam. Thus, you should try as many kinds as you could. Enjoy the culture of sidewalk food Sidewalk food is a definition that has been existed for such a great duration of time and remained popular up to now. This phrase stands for

What does a flying dragon on the áo dài represent?

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The dragon in Western myth and folklore is often a monster and a symbol of evil. Many Western artists have used the dragon to depict the on-going struggle between good and evil. For example, Saint Michael who defeats the devil, and in many stories a gallant knight duels with a dragon and either dies in the depth of the dragon's teeth or returns home victorious. In contrast, in Asian countries the dragon is revered as a sacred animal. The Vietnamese people are proud to be descendants of a dragon and a fairy. The dragon came from the ocean and fairy from the heavens. They fell in love with each other and married. Later, the fairy became pregnant and gave a birth to 100 eggs, from which 100 sons emerged. Fifty sons followed the father to rule the regions near the sea, while the mother took the other fifty sons to conquer the mountains. One of their sons founded the country of Lạc Việt. "Lạc Việt" is the name of ancient Việt Nam. In Việt Nam, the dragon is a symbol of pow

Who is the founder of Vietnamese medicine?

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It's Tuệ Tĩnh. He may have been born in Nghĩa Phú Village, Hải Dương Province. Researchers have not determined the exact dates of his birth and death. Some say that Tuệ Tĩnh lived in the 14th century A.D. Analysis of his works and a stele at Giám Pagoda suggest that he was probably born in the 17th century and died in the early 18th century. According to legends from Nghĩa Phú Village, his real name was Nguyễn Bá Tĩnh, but he adopted the Buddhism. Since his home village was Nghĩa Phú, Thượng Hồng District, he also used the name Hồng Nghĩa. Tuệ Tĩnh studied medicinal plants and cured many people. He combined information he collected from others with his own medical experiences into two major works, The Medical Books of Master Hồng Nghĩa and The Miraculous of the Southern Country. Tuệ Tĩnh was not only a knowledgeable researcher but also an excellent organiser and practitioner. he initiated a health system for common people based at pagodas. Buddhist monks and nuns not only pra

What is the Vietnamese people's attitude toward traditional medicine?

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Many doctors who practise modern medicine doubt the effectiveness of traditional medicine. Similarly, some Vietnamese feel uncomfortable in a Western hospital with its smell of alcohol and other chemicals. Moderately Westernised Vietnamese favour a combination of traditional and modern medicine; they believe modern medicine is better in the treatment of microbial diseases and in surgery, while traditional medicine works best for non-microbial diseases, functional disorders, and general exhaustion.

What is the philosophical principle underlying Sino-Vietnamese medicine?

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According to ancient Chinese philosophy (which includes medicine), two primary principles - the male or yang and the female or yin - influence man and nature. The interaction of these two principles generates the five cosmic elements - metal, wood, water, fire, and earth - that from the common substance of all living beings and also lifeless matter. Ancient Chinese philosophy held that the cosmos exercises its influence on the various parts and organs of the human body; thus, human structures have their cosmic correspondents, and human anatomy and physiology are related to cosmogony. According to this thinking, the entire cosmos influences a person's organs. Sino-Vietnamese medicine denies the existence of disease as a primary category, whereas Western medicine sees disease as having its own existence and attacking the body from outside. Traditional Chinese and Vietnamese medicine sees disease as an imbalance between yang and yin in particular organs. The imbalance directly affec

“Chả ram”- Spring roll, have you ever tried this Vietnamese cuisine before?

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Vietnam is famous for the diversity in different kinds of food. One of them, which has received many positive comments from the foreigners, is “chả ram”- widely known as Vietnamese Spring roll. This is one of the oldest traditional food of Vietnam that you really should try at least one time once you travel to Vietnam. How to make “Chả ram” Spring Roll- it is such a luxurious name for a dish, so it must be made of some kinds of high-level ingredients. This is the thinking of many people when they have first heard the name of this food. However, interestingly, the ingredients used to made “Chả ram” are so simple that they are always available around us. Potatoes, carrots, ground pork, vegetable oil, chicken eggs, some types of mushrooms alongside with other additives are mixed together and then this mixture is wrapped into a sliced rice paper carefully and patiently in order to be ready for the next step. Subsequently, they will be put on to the saucepan with he

What is Northern Medicine (Thuốc bắc)?

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Northern Medicine or thuốc bắc - "bắc" means "north" - is synonymous with Chinese medicine. Elements of this rather scholarly medicine were no doubt introduced into Việt Nam during the period of Chinese domination (second century B.C. to the tenth century A.D.). There is no strict dividing line between Southern and Northern medicines. Practitioners often blend them together and commonly make parallel use of the two traditions. Traditional Vietnamese medicine may in fact be seen as a system in which both the indigenous southern folk medicine and the more scholarly northern practice combine in a symbiotic relationship. The practice of Chinese medicine traces back to the Shang Dynasty (1800 B.C.); its basic work is the Nei Jing (Internal Classic), written 200 years earlier and attributed to Huangdi. In Vietnamese, it is known as Nội Kinh. The basic Chinese works on pharmacology include Shen Nong's Herbal Classic; New Medicinal Materials written by Su Jing and Li

What is Southern Medicine (Thuốc nam)?

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Southern Medicine - "thuốc" means "medicine" and "nam" means "south" or "southern" - is synonymous with indigenous Vietnamese medicine. In Vietnamese history and culture, the word "nam" evokes what pertains to Việt Nam and the Vietnamese, while "bắc" (which means "north) is associated with China. Southern Medicine is comprised chiefly of folk recipes that use local, tropical flora and fauna. Over the centuries, many of these ingredients have proved effective in treating certain diseases. For instance, the hòe flower (sophora japonica) is a good source if vitamin B. The flowers of frangipani (đại), which grow on the grounds of temples and pagodas, have anti-hypertensive properties. Lotus seeds are thought to have a sedative effect. Moxibustion, a method of stimulating acupoints on the human body with burnt moxas (a kind of medicinal plant), was probably used in Việt Nam for the first time in the third century B

What is the unique characteristic of Vietnamese traditional medicine?

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The two outstanding figures of Vietnamese traditional medicine are Tuệ Tĩnh (fourteenth century?) and Lãn Ông Lê Hữu Trác (eighteenth century). Although trained in the ways of Chinese medicine, they saw in indigenous medicine an important resources. Far from being a mere copy of Chinese medicine, Vietnamese traditional medicine has its own structure and practices. It derives from two basic sources: Southern (indigenous) Medicine, and Northern (Sino-Vietnamese) Medicine. Like all traditional medicines, it does not separate man from nature and see human existence as an indissoluble union between body and soul, combining physical, mental, social, moral, and spiritual factors. During the twentieth century, traditional medicine has continued to develop and play an important role in Vietnamese life. Vietnamese schools of modern medicine have taught traditional medicine since the end of French colonialism in Việt Nam, which banned the teaching of traditional medical practice. During the Ame

COLLECTION, PAYMENT, MANAGEMENT OF FEES FOR ISSUANCE OF PASSPORTS, VISAS, DOCUMENTS RELATED TO ENTRY, EXIT, TRANSIT, AND RESIDENCE IN VIETNAM

CIRCULAR COLLECTION, PAYMENT, MANAGEMENT OF FEES FOR ISSUANCE OF PASSPORTS, VISAS, DOCUMENTS RELATED TO ENTRY, EXIT, TRANSIT, AND RESIDENCE IN VIETNAM. Pursuant to the Law on entry, exit, transit, and residence of foreigners in Vietnam No. 47/2014/QH13 dated June 16, 2014; Pursuant to the Law on State budget No. 01/2002/QH11 dated December 16, 2002; Pursuant to the Ordinance on Fees and Charges No.  38/2001/PL-UBTVQH  dated August 28, 2001, the Government's Decree No. 57/2002/NĐ-CP  dated June 03, 2002, and the Government's Decree No.  24/2006/NĐ-CP  dated March 06, 2006 on amendments to Decree No.  57/2002/NĐ-CP; Pursuant to the Government's Decree No.  136/2007/NĐ-CP  dated August 17, 2007 on entry and exit of Vietnamese citizens and the Government's Decree No.  65/2012/NĐ-CP  dated September 06, 2012 on amendments to Decree No. 136/2007/NĐ-CP; Pursuant to the Government's Decree No.  215/2013/NĐ-CP  dated December 23, 2013 defining the functions, tas

New policies into effect from late March 2016

Below are new significant policies that are going to enter into force from March 21 – 31, 2016: 1. Application for registration of e-commerce service applications  From March 31, 2016, the Circular No.  59/2015/TT-BCT  providing for management of electronic commerce operations via mobile applications will enter into force. Pursuant to this Circular, the application for registration of e-commerce service applications includes: - Application form for registration of e-commerce service applications. - Authenticated copy of the establishment decision (in respect of organizations), business registration certificate, investment certificate or investment license (in respect of traders). - Scheme for providing e-commerce services, including contents referred to in paragraph 3 Article 54 of the Decree No. 52/2013/ND-CP  . - Rules for management of operations of e-commerce service applications. - Form of the service contract or cooperation agreement between traders or organizations in posse

New noticeable policies to take effect from mid-March, 2016

Below are new noticeable policies that enter into force from March 11 – 20, 2016. 1. Increase in the limited loan amount granted traders and family households    From March 15, 2016, the limits on loans granted traders and family households that set up their business and production activities in disadvantaged areas under the provisions of the Decision No.  306/QD-TTg  and  307/QD-TTg  will increase as follows: Subject to the Decision No.  306/QD-TTg  , the maximum amount of a loan granted a business household is VND 50 million. In certain particular cases, that amount may be more than VND 50 million but will be restricted to VND 100 million.    Any loan amount which is more than VND 50 million must be secured by assets derived from such loan in accordance with laws on secured transactions. Pursuant to the Decision No.  307/QD-TTg  , individual traders who do not set up any accounting records and pay lump-sum taxes as requested by tax authorities will be entitled to the maximum loa

New regulatory policies into effect in early March 2016

As a continuation of the headline "Significant policies into effect on March 1, 2016”, THƯ VIỆN PHÁP LUẬT would like to present to you new policies that are going into effect March 2 – 10, 2016. 1. Validity period of representative office establishment permit On March 10, 2016, the Decree No.  07/2016/ND-CP  , setting out specific provisions of the Law on Commerce in respect of representative offices or branches of foreign traders located within the territory of Vietnam, is going into effect.  Subject to this Decree, the validity period of representative office or branch establishment permit is provided for as follows: - The permit for representative offices or branches of foreign traders will have the validity period of 05 years and this validity period will not exceed the remaining validity period of the business registration certificate or any other papers of a similar value of foreign traders to the extent that such papers are subject to any regulation on the valid