Laws in Vietnam

A Vietnamese delegation attended the 7th US-ASEAN Joint Co-operation Committee (JCC) meeting held on April 28 at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta.  Ambassador Nguyen Hoanh Nam, Head of the Vietnamese Permanent Representative Delegation to ASEAN said Vietnam has always coordinated closely with other ASEAN member countries and the US to promote co-operation areas of mutual interest. Vietnam will work with the US and ASEAN member states to speed up two initiatives on establishing an ASEAN-US centre for small and medium enterprises, and a centre for studying climate change issues, which were proposed by former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the last ASEAN Summit. The US Ambassador to ASEAN, Nina Hachigian, attested to the strategic partnership of the two sides in many areas, including economics, politics, marine security and climate change. She revealed the US and ASEAN will continue to map out relation development plans in c...

In top 4 special cafeterias that you should to visit when coming to Hoi An, Quang Nam province, Vietnam, Cargo club is the last one we want to introduce. Cargo club  is really famous with international tourists although it has recently opened. The main reasons of their reputation are  Cargo ’s beautiful space with delicious food and reasonable prices. Hoi An means “peaceful meeting place”. In English and other European languages, the town was known historically as Faifo. In 1999, the old town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as a well-preserved example of a south-east Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, with buildings that display a unique blend of local and foreign influences. According to the UNESCO Impact Report 2008, tourism has bought changes to the area which are not sustainable without mitigation.

Saigon in 1960s was the central of the  independent republic  of South Vietnam which was also known as “Pearl of the Far East” because of its modernity and prosperity. We are proud to introduce you a part of this amazing collection.

Traditional Vietnamese medicine has a  long history  starting from the Hung Vuong dynasty near 2000 years B.C  ago. Vietnam culture – What is the unique characteristic of Traditional Vietnamese medicine? Traditional Vietnamese medicine or oriental medicine was formed and based on interactions and influences between the two schools of chinese and vietnamese medicine for thousands of years ago. 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...

  Narrative – Chèo Theatrical Art gives voice to the farmers of Red River Delta, Northern of Vietnam. What dramatic techniques are used in this Theatrical Art ? Its stories differ from those of  the classical European theatrical tradition , which evolved from Aristotle. Unlike European narratives which choose a dramatic event in the life of a character and follow it to its inevitalble conclusion, stories involving Chèo  characters unfold throughout the hero’s or heroine’s life. As a result, one doesn’t find Aristotle’s life. As a result, one doesn’t find Aristotle’s dramatic unity of time, place, and action in Chèo  drama. Chèo  narrative method  is not realistic but instead is based on conventions and stylization, similar to Tuong and Brechtian staging. Chèo Theatrical Art is also rich in folk stories and narration. These characteristic determine Chèo’s language. Early skits incorporated songs, danced, gestures, and narrati...

According to ancient Chinese philosophy (which includes Sino Vietnamese medicine), two  primary principles  – yang and yin – influence man and nature. What is the philosophical principle underlying Sino Vietnamese medicine? 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 Vietnames...

When Canadian Annie Graham's friend suggested she go to Việt Nam Institute of Traditional Medicine in Hà Nội for treatment of chronic sinus problems, she nearly dismissed the idea. "I'm a member of the medical profession", Graham said. "I'm trained as a laboratory technician in Western medical practices. I was sceptical about the treatments offered at the Institute". The friend did manage to convince her to tag along one day on a trip to the Institute. Still doubtful of the efficacy of traditional Vietnamese medicine, Graham went, she says, out of curiosity. Arriving at the Việt Nam Institute of Traditional Medicine, Annie Graham was impressed at first with its size. Once inside, she was impressed with the professionalism of the staff. But she still wasn't quite convinced acupuncture could cure her sinus problems. Still, a treatment, Graham asked Dr. Hương if she could have a massage for her back pain caused by a chronic thoracic spine. ...

On the eve of the August Revolution in 1945, Hồ Chí Minh fell seriously ill at Tân Trào in the Resistance Zone. A traditional healer of the Tày ethnic minority cured him with a special root.  The memoir, From Pác Bó to Tân Trào. There was much to do, but Uncle Hồ was ill. He'd had a high fever for some days. He tried to work anyway. Whenever I asked him about his health, he simply said, "You go and do your work. I'am all right". I noticed, though, that he was getting weaker and thinner. We had to special medicne for him, just some anti-cold and quinine tablets. He had taken them, but his condition did not improve. Normally he would never lie down during working hours, but now he was bedridden and had first of delirium. I was the only 1 of his close associates worried. "I don't have much to do", I said one day. "Can I stay with you tonight?" He opened his eyes and nodded waekly. That night, I stayed with Uncle Hồ in his hut in the middle...

Mr. Nguyễn Huy Cương He is a man with a mission. His family has practised traditional medicine for 5 generations; despite his old age, he travels regularly between the north and the south to treat patients and to poromte traditional medicine. For several months, he wrote 10 hours each day, summarising his professional experiences in a book, The Vạn Xuân đường (Ten Thousand Springs). He has presented the hand-written draft to the Medical council of Hải Dương Province. Mr. Cương looks the part of a man of traditional medicine. He has a silvery beard, healthy skin, a calm attitude, and an air of self-confidence. He exercises everyday. Mr. Cương says he wants to stay healthy and continue to work and share his knowledge with other traditional physicians. He especially hopes his book will be useful for both doctors and patients. Mr. Cương learned traditional medicine from hos father. He first treated other family members and then patients outside his home. During his long career, he h...

Pharmacist Đỗ Tất Lợi Following Việt Nam's Declaration of Independence in 1945, the public talked about a newspaper article suggesting the overhaul of Vietnamese medicine as part of Việt Nam's reconstruction. The writer, who advocated training medical doctors and pharmacists in both Western and Vietnamese medicine, was pharmacist Đỗ Tất Lợi, then only 27 years old. Even though ordinary people had been treating themselves with plants from gardens and forests for thousands of years, the ruling class before August 1945 did not promote traditional Vietnamese medicine. Chinese medicine had been the standard during the thousand years of Chinese rule between the first and 10th centuries and the subsequent reign of Vietnamese dynasties up through the 19th century. Knowledge of traditional Vietnamese medicine was in danger of disappearing. The situation grew worse during French domination from the late 19th century until the August Revolution of 1945. The French promoted only West...

If you have been to  Vietnam , trust me, you have to try Banh mi, the symbol of  Vietnamese street  food. Source: VTV4 Shared by Laws in Vietnam

What is the mission of the Vietnam Chèo Theatrical Company to develop in future? The mission of the Vietnam Chèo Theatre company, which was established in 1951, is to restore traditional Chèo and develop modern Chèo. With its nearly 120 members, the company has played widely in Vietnam and abroad. Chèo performance on foreign stages has taken audiences by storm in China , Mongolia , Poland , Russia , Belgium , Singapore , and Malaysia . Two memorable events took place in the history of the company: In 1985, it performed Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle at the International Opera Festival in Berlin ; in 1994, it received a Vietnam-Germany prize. The Vietnamese Government has recognized the Vietnam Chèo Theatrical company achievements by awarding it two Independence orders (Second class and Third class) and various other honors. Related topic: Why is Chèo Theatrical Art currently in crisis? How good are Chèo’s chances of survival?

How good are Chèo’s chances of survival? A disturbing question remained as the curtain descended after Vietnam ’s first National Traditional Chèo festival held in 2001 in ha Long City : “Will Chèo actors and the art of Chèo survive this gathering?” Watching five young actresses play Xúy Vân, a classical character, might dispel worries about the future of Chèo. Although senior actors’ experience is necessary, the continuity of Chèo depends on a greater stage of characters and, of course, on more community support. To restore the traditional art of Chèo, recent improvements have focused on theatrical facilities and training. Experienced artists have been encouraged to pass their knowledge and skill on to young actors. The French dominated Vietnam from 1884 to 1945, causing the county to become increasingly Westernised. Urbanization and industrialization also had an impact. Traditional Chèo gradually fell out of favor with city dwellers, especially after the First World War....

Why is Chèo Theatrical Art currently in crisis? Vietnamese people ,especially those living in rural areas, have not turned their backs on Tuồng, Chèo, or Cải lương operas, yet professional theatre and companies in these traditional art forms struggle to find audiences. Tran Bang, a profession of traditional performing arts, explains the paradox: “We lack qualified artists, especially playwrights, who can write decent plays for traditional operas. We are using play wrights trained in Western-style spoken drama to write scripts for traditional operas. Western-style spoken dramas to dreams are different from traditional Vietnamese operas in terms of structure, languages, character development and denouement. Therefore, some Tuồng, Chèo, or Cải lương operas have lost the identity of their original art from and have become spoken dramas.” Traditional opera companies account for two-thirds of the country’s theatre companies and once had many scriptwriters. In 1960s, there wer...

Until very recently, leprosy (Hansen's Disease) was considered incurable and highly infectious. However, in the late 1870s, royal physician Nguyễn Văn Toán, head of the Royal Health Department, submitted a petition to set up a centre to treat the disease. The king knew that Chinese doctors, then thought to be the most medically advanced, were powerless against the disease. He summoned the best physicians for seminar. Participants listened to Nguyễn Văn Toán's description of the disease and the proposed treatment centre and discussed its pros and cons. King Tự Đức approved the plan. Mr. Toán assigned his deputy to the daily work at the Health Department, while he plunged into researching the Vietnemese and Chinese medical literature on Hansen's Disease. He also brought patients to his centre for treatment. Many of his friends were concerned for his reputation if he failed. Some colleagues at the Centre dropped out after initial failures; his opponents saw the chance to att...

Which village has contributed many artists to professional Chèo theatre companies? Chèo artist from Khuốc village have more than once impressed Vietnamese and foreign audiences with their ardent, sweet, and moving singing. Khuốc is one of the three famous Chèo villages in Thái Bình Province . In turn, Thái Bình is one of Vietnam ’s Chèo cradles. No one knows the exact origins of Khuốc Chèo; villagers say they have performed since ancient times. At the peak of its theatrical development, the village had eight Chèo groups. Some Khuốc performers such as Phạm Văn Điền, Đào Thị Na, Hà Quang Bồng, and Cao Kim Trạch have become household names. Khuốc village supplies talented artist to the Vietnam Chèo theatrical company as well as Chèo theatre in other provinces. Khuốc Chèo us unique; Chèo artist from Hà Tây, Hưng Yên, Hà Nam, and Hải Dương journey to Khuốc Village for training. Khuốc villagers have staged many Chèo plays they them selves wrote. One of them, the Orange Orch...

Which is one of the most successful Chèo village troupes ?  Thiết Trụ Village Troupe, Bình Minh Commune (Hưng Yên province), is located sixty kilometers far from southeast of Hanoi . The audience always fills the courtyard of the communal house by late afternoon, hours be fore the troupe stages its show. Spectators who arrive just before the curtain rises have to watch from the courtyard banyan tree or from atop the communal house gate. The Thiết Trụ Chèo Troupe, all of whose members are volunteers, was formed in the 1960s. It performed not only for commune residents but also travelled to play for audiences in other locations. The troupe won high prizes whenever it entered a theatrical contest. However, the troupe stopped performing after 1975, when economic conditions became extremely difficult, because its members were too busy making a living. However, from time to time, the artists gathered to recall the past and sing classic Chèo song. The troupe revived in 1996...

Below is a personal experience by writer Ngọc Hiền: I was at a Vietnamese wedding recently but saw only one áo dài. The interesting thing was, the wearer was a Western woman. I dont mean to object to the fact that none of the Vietnamese women at the wedding wore an áo dài because each Vietnamese woman looked attractive in her Western dress or skirt. Cultural exchanges happen 2 ways. If Western costumes make us look good, we should wear them. If a foreigner becomes more graceful in our Vietnamese áo dài, we'll favour her wearing it. This is not strange. The interesting thing is that the áo dài has turned out to be very useful, for it can hide ninety per cent of the wearer's physical imperfections. The two free-floating flaps will hide short legs or bow legs. You don't have to worry if you have a large waist. In fact, a fat woman can use an áo dài to make her body look slimmer. However, these advantages for Vietnamese girls may turn out to be disadvantages for Western...

Twenty years ago, Đàm Thị Ngọc Thơ, then principal of Hồ Thị Kỷ High School, created a stir in the town of Cà Mau at the southernmost tip of the Mekong Delta. Thơ announced a school regulation in 1983 to reintroduce the traditional white áo dài as a uniform for girl students. "Ladies and Gentlemen, let us demonstrate beauty and equality in our socialist school," she told an audience of more than 800 parents. "I believe I'm right. Otherwise, the Communist Party will discipline me." One provincial officer even accused Thơ of being bourgeois. He and others believed the áo dài (popular under the former Sài Gòn regime) was a remnant of the past. The flowing dress had nearly disappeared after South Việt Nam was liberated in 1975. Thơ's critics felt that modern students shouldn't waste their money on clothing and detergent. Even one of Thơ's best friends expected the decision to be withdraw within a year. However, after the principal finished her speech...

Have you ever eaten “Bacon with caramelized fish sauce and vegetable dip”? This is a special dish of Vietnamese Cuisine which often appears in Vietnamese Southerner’s meals. Source: Papi and son Kitchen and Kenh 14 Engsub: Laws in Vietnam