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Temple Đô  (Lý Bát Đế)(English version)

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Temple  Đô  (Lý Bát Đế)

Vietnamese version

Version française

This Đô Temple was built in the year 1030 during the return of King Lý Thái Tông to celebrate the anniversary of the death of his father Lý Công Uẩn (Lý Thái Tổ). However, this building was completely destroyed during the colonial period. That is why in 1989 the Vietnamese government decided to restore it based on the still preserved historical documents. In front of its entrance gate is a water pavilion erected on a large pond in the shape of a half-moon, which once connected to the Tiêu Tương River that no longer exists today. This historic architectural complex is dedicated to the worship of the 8 kings of the Lý dynasty, which the famous historian Ngô Sĩ Liên described as a dynasty of clemency in the collection entitled « The Complete Historical Records of Đại Việt » (Ðại Việt Sử Ký toàn thư) (1697).

According to the popular saying, in the work « Florilegium of the Thiền Garden (Thiền Uyển Tập Anh) » there is a kệ (or gâtha) alluding to the 8 kings of the Lý dynasty, which is attributed either to the disciple of the patriarch monk Khuôn Việt, Đa Bảo, or to the monk Vạn Hạnh as follows:

The word Bát with the Lý family

Một bát nước công đức
Tùy duyên hóa thế gian
Sáng choang còn soi đuốc
Bóng mất trời lên cao.

A bowl of meritorious water
Flows with causality to transform the world
Brightly shining continues to light the torch
When the shadow disappears, the sun rises behind the mountains.

By implication, this Kệ (or stance) intends to evoke the 8 kings of the Lý dynasty, from the founder Lý Công Uẩn to the last king Lý Huệ Tông, through the word bát which means both bowl and eight in Vietnamese. As for Huệ Tông, his given name is Sảm. Being the combination of two words 日 nhật (sun) and 山 sơn (mountain) in Chinese Han characters, the word Sảm indeed means « the sun hides behind the mountains, » signifying the end or disappearance. This kê proves to be prophetic because Princess Lý Chiêu Hoàng (daughter of King Lý Huệ Tông) ceded the throne to her husband Trần Cảnh, who was none other than King Trần Thái Tông of the Trần dynasty. It can be said that the Lý dynasty had the kingdom by the will of God, but it was also by this will that they lost it.

Lý Bát Đế

                                       

[RETURN]

TANG DYNASTY (Đại Đường)

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Version vietnamienne

The Chinese are proud to always be the sons of the Han. Yet the golden age of Chinese civilization is not the Han period but rather that of the Tang, which lasted three centuries later (618-907). Thanks to the abundance of documentation and the discovery of minqi figurines, ritual objects placed in the tombs of the elites of the time, we know that the Tang period was a time during which significant progress was made in sciences and technology (gunpowder, woodblock printing, mechanical engineering, medicine, cartography, etc.). It was a dynasty open to the world, showing unprecedented tolerance towards foreign cultures and religions (the Nestorian Church, Zoroastrianism, a polytheistic religion from Persia, Buddhism in full expansion, etc.).

It was also under the reign of the founding emperor Tang Tai Zong (Đường Thái Tôn or Lý Thế Dân) that the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang (Huyền Trang) began in the year 629 the sacred pilgrimage known as the « Journey to the West (Tây Du Ký) » by leaving alone from the capital Chang An for 17 years, at the emperor’s request to bring back the sacred scriptures from India. It was also a period when the flourishing of arts and letters was at its peak with poets Du Fu (Đỗ Phủ), Li Bai (Lý Bạch), Bai Juji (Bạch Cư Dị), the painter Wang Wei (Vương Duy), etc., and a time of relative freedom for women. They could excel in the arts, particularly in music and poetry. Sometimes they could have a higher status in society. This was the case with Empress Wu Zetian (Võ Tắc Thiên). Women could wear less restrictive clothing with the loose Hanfu robe (Hán phục).

It was also under this dynasty that the Silk Road experienced significant growth for various economic, political, and religious purposes through the establishment of strategic marriage policies, military conquests, and silk to consolidate alliances, bribe and divide the nomads, and expand its empire westward. Thanks to this setup, the dynasty succeeded in establishing trade and cultural links along the Silk Road. It was along this route that two Nestorian monks brought silk worm eggs from China to Byzantium, hiding them in their bamboo canes. Finally, it was also the period when Vietnam was under the control of the Tang after being annexed earlier by the Sui with General Liu Fang (Lưu Phương).

Under the Tang dynasty, Chang-An was the largest cosmopolitan city in the world at that time. It was nicknamed the « city of a million inhabitants » in Chinese records. Known as « Eternal Peace, » it was the most densely populated city in the world, ahead of Baghdad and Byzantium. But according to the census record in the year 742 in the New Book of Tang (Tân Đường Thư), Chang-An and its surroundings had 362,921 families totaling 1,960,188 people, while it is estimated that more than 50 million inhabitants lived in China at that time across a territory stretching from the East China Sea to Central Asia, from the Gobi Desert in the north to beyond the Nanglin (Lĩnh Nam) mountains in the south where Annam is located. Covering an inland area of almost 87 km², the cosmopolitan capital Chang-An was not only a center of political and economic power but also a haven of peace with wide avenues, magnificent palaces, Buddhist temples, private gardens, and vast markets. Its broad avenues and streets were arranged in a rectangular grid of 114 blocks of houses, each individually walled and all protected by the same outer wall.

Musée des arts asiatiques Guimet

Dynastie_Tang

Every morning, as soon as the announcement of the opening of its main gate was made by the first beats of the drums, people coming from all corners of the empire as well as numerous foreign merchants attracted by the significant trade of the capital began to enter and go about their business. At night, one could only move from one street to another with a pass. All kinds of goods could be found there, from furniture to spices (Persian saffron, Indian pepper, etc.) in the two large markets of the city, one in the east and the other in the west. The imperial court regulated the control of prices and product quality on a weekly basis. The discovery of a number of Sogdian tombs in the capital has helped to better understand how elements of foreign culture infiltrated the Chinese society of Chang’an and vice versa. There was even a foreign quarter.

The Tang army included many important contingents of Turkish soldiers called Tujue (proto-Turkic). Thanks to this recruitment policy and the steppe experience that the Turkish officers had, it allowed the Tang dynasty to expand its empire westward. This was the conquest of the oasis kingdoms of Karakhoja by the Tang with the Sogdian general Ashina She’er (A Sử Na Xã Nhĩ) in 648 in what is now Xinjiang province. He was appointed general of the right guard by Emperor Tang Gaozong (Đường Cao Tông). He died in 655 and was buried alongside Emperor Taizong (Đường Thái Tông). He was posthumously renamed Yuan (元).

Chang An played a key role in commercial exchange on the Silk Road with regions as far away as India, the Middle East, and Europe. Its urban layout and religious architecture (the Great Wild Goose Pagoda housing the sacred texts brought back by the monk Xuan Zang) and palatial architecture (the Palace of Great Clarity (Daming Gong), or the residence of the emperors) testify to technical expertise in respecting harmony and the environment and later brought significant influence in the planning of the capitals of Silla in Korea and Heian in Japan. Chang An remains an important part of China’s historical and cultural heritage. 

Under the reign of Emperor Tai Zong, merchants and traders could move freely throughout the empire without fear of bandits. Prisons were empty, and people did not feel the need to lock the doors of their homes. Harvests were abundant: one only needed 3 or 4 qian to buy 10 liters of rice. This was not only a period of prosperity that China experienced until the reign of Emperor Xuan Zong before the revolt of the Sogdian general An Lu Shan in 755, but also a good model of governance often referenced in the history of China.

Pagode de l’Oie (Tháp Đại Nhạn)

Phố Bùi Viện (Saigon Quận 1)

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Phố Tây Ba Lô

Quartier des routards européens

Còn có tên gọi là phố Tây Ba Lô, phố đi bộ Bùi Viện là một khu vui chơi nổi tiếng mà du khách nước ngoài không thể bỏ qua khi đến thành phố Saigon cũng như ở Hanội với khu phố Tạ Hiền. Nó là khu phố không ngủ về đêm và được yêu thích bởi giới trẻ Việt Nam

Etant connu sous le nom de « quartier des routards européens, le quartier piéton de Bùi Viện est un lieu que les touristes étrangers ne peuvent pas manquer lorsqu’ils viennent dans la ville de Saigon comme à Hanoï avec la rue Tạ Hiền. Celui-ci est l’endroit très animé au fil de la nuit et il est fréquenté par la jeunesse vietnamienne.

Also known as Backpacker Street, Bùi Viện Walking Street is a famous entertainment area that foreign tourists cannot miss when coming to Saigon as well as in Hanoi with Tạ Hiền Street. It is a street that never sleeps at night and is loved by young Vietnamese people.

Quartier Bùi Viện

au fil de la nuit

 

Vestiges of the past (Di tích của một thời)

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di_tich_cua_mot_thoi

Vietnamese version
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It is quite surprising to see that modern Vietnam has incorporated the architectural achievements of colonial France into its national heritage. These structures have not become traces to be erased from the painful war but are now a lasting part of the architectural and cultural heritage that Vietnam strives to preserve while respecting the urban environment and building a historical identity. Some of these architectural achievements were constructed based on models from masterpieces of the French motherland’s architecture. This is the case with the Hanoi Opera House, built following the design of the famous Opera Garnier in Paris. Da Lat Station closely resembles the Deauville-Trouville station. Even the red and white painted television tower strongly reflects French beauty, with a small tower similar to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, located in the middle of Da Lat city. There are also other buildings seen erected in a classical architectural style in the center of Hanoi’s capital with massive facades. For example, the residence of the Governor-General of Indochina, built between 1901-1905, which now serves as the Presidential Palace or the Museum of Fine Arts.

Saint Joseph’s Church, often visited by tourists today, draws inspiration from the famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It was built in a neoclassical style on the site of the old Báo Thiên Pagoda, which was constructed during the Lý dynasty and destroyed in 1883 by the French authorities. Today, the « Long Biên Bridge, » the famous bridge named after Governor-General Paul Doumer, still stands firmly despite being heavily destroyed (14 times in total) during the war years. Today, it symbolizes the unity and resilience of the Vietnamese people.

Vestiges d’une époque.

Remains of an era

In addition, there are buildings designed by architect Ernest Hébrard, who did not hesitate to draw special inspiration from the structural principles of temples and communal houses to choose a hybrid architecture (Indochinese style) that carries influences from both the West and Asia. For the French architect Christian Pédémusore de Loddis, Ernest Hébrard succeeded in synthesizing Eastern and Western influences by combining modern techniques and Western styles with the fundamental skills of the construction industry and the spaces of Asian tradition. By allowing Ernest Hébrard to express his creative and innovative abilities in architecture, Vietnam introduced a movement that returned to the modernity of civilization and traditional architecture through magnificent works.

Among these works, we can mention the Museum of the French School of the Far East (or Louis Finot), which today has become the Museum of History, the general finance building (1925-1928), which has become the current headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the old Indochina University, now Hanoi National University.

For the Pearl of the Far East (or Saigon) in southern Vietnam, some colonial relics are still visible in the city center. Notre-Dame Cathedral is a neo-Romanesque church designed by architect Jules Bourard, with its exterior walls built from red bricks imported from France. The City Hall, where the Ho Chi Minh City committee is located, illustrates a rational design similar to the public buildings of France under the Third Republic. The Saigon Opera House (Ho Chi Minh City Opera House), located not far from the famous Caravelle Hotel, does not hide its flamboyant style from the French Third Republic.

Only these architectural works show us the presence of France in Vietnam in the distant past because nowadays, few people in Vietnam can still speak French, a language that for the Vietnamese people is a literary language for the local elite and is only known by older generations. According to recent census data, more than 70,000 people speak French out of a total population of over 100 million. France did not know how to exploit its historical, cultural, and economic advantages at the time when Vietnam was unified. In Vietnamese culture, there are still many elements influenced by France.

This is what we observe in the field of language at the dictionary level and in rhetoric. Despite the close attachment of the Vietnamese people to French culture and French still being chosen by Vietnam as the spoken language at the United Nations, France has not regained its dominant role. Today, French is being replaced everywhere by English, an international communication language, and then by Chinese. This observation is no longer an illusion.


 

Forbidden city of Beijing (Cố Cung): Part 3

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Vietnamese version

French version

Nails on the doors, this tradition has long existed since the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907). Specifically, in the Forbidden City, all four main gates have nails, but besides this, only the Meridian Gate has five gates, while the other gates have only three gates.

Except for the East Hua Gate, which has 8 rows horizontally and 9 rows vertically of yellow nails (8*9=72) with an even number (Yang number, which is an integer divisible by 2 and multiple of 3), all other gates have 9 rows horizontally and 9 rows vertically, meaning 9*9=81, which is an odd number (Yin number). The Chinese often use Yang numbers, while the Vietnamese tend to prefer odd numbers (Yin numbers). Through the use of nails on the doors, besides their structural and decorative functions, it is also seen to reflect the solemnity and grandeur of the feudal regime of that time.

Door frame

There are many questions about the choice of Yang numbers on the eastern gate (or the East Flower Gate). This is a mystery that historians have not yet found an answer to. Some believe that when Emperor Jiaqing and Emperor Daoguang were buried, they had to borrow this gate to bring the coffin out. Therefore, this gate is often called the Ghost Gate. This explanation may be reasonable because with Yin numbers, the deceased return to the Underworld. The number of nails fixed on the gates was determined according to the rank and class of the owner in the feudal system.

Since the Son of Heaven is the son of the Heavenly Emperor (Heaven), the number of rooms in the Forbidden City must be less than the number of houses that Heaven has in the celestial palace (10,000). This number is a Yang number and represents infinity in China. According to a survey in 1973, there are 8,704 rooms in the Forbidden City (a Yang number).

As for the color yellow, in Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, this color is usually associated with the Earth element and is located at the center in the management of all things and supervision of the four directions. Because it is the color of the midday sun, this brilliant color belongs only to the emperor as it symbolizes the respect and protection of the Heavenly Emperor. There was a custom of not using certain colors during the feudal period: red, yellow, and sky blue.

img_3307

Incense Burner

Conversely, the common people used: black, white, and gray colors. Therefore, it is not surprising to see the prominent use of these two standout colors: purple-red and yellow in the construction of the royal palace in the Forbidden City. The walls are purple-red, while the glazed tiles of the palace are yellow. However, there are exceptions, all related to the theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. That is the Wenyuan Palace, where the royal library is located. This place has a black roof. Fire was a concern in the Forbidden City. Fires were discovered many times in the Forbidden City. The last fire occurred when Emperor Guangxu was about to marry his cousin Longyu in one month. This was an ill omen for the marriage.

Using this as a pretext, Empress Dowager Cixi immediately executed the two eunuchs responsible for arranging the lanterns. Therefore, the color black, symbolizing water, was used in the Wenyuan Palace to prevent fire disasters and to protect the books in the library. Some houses near the East Flower Gate have roofs painted blue because this is where the princes lived. This is also the blue color assigned to the east in the Five Elements theory.

[RETURN]

Forbidden city of Beijing (Cố Cung): Part 2

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Forbidden city of Beijing (Cố Cung): Part 2

Vietnamese version

French version

The Càn Thanh Palace has often been the place witnessing intrigues, assassinations, and betrayals during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Moreover, above the throne, on the folding screen, there is always a horizontal plaque inscribed by Emperor Thuận Trị ( Shunzhi ) that reads: « Bright and Upright. » There is also a commendatory comment praising it from his successor, Emperor Kangxi. This is a wonderful structure, transcending ancient and modern times, radiant and eternal, worthy of being a model for future generations. But unfortunately, behind this plaque, there were many underlying conflicts and power struggles within the palace.

During the 500 years of reign of the Ming and Qing dynasties, many incidents occurred in this palace. First of all, there was the story of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming dynasty (1507-1567), who was notoriously licentious and cruel beyond description, nearly suffocated by palace maids. Taking advantage of his deep sleep and avenging his paranoid behavior, the maids conspired to strangle him with a rope on the dragon bed. However, because one maid in the group betrayed them to the empress, the emperor was saved. All the maids, including the favored consort of the emperor, were immediately executed.

Then Emperor Taizong of the Ming dynasty (1582-1620), known as Zhu Changluo, suddenly died one month after ascending the throne. It was suspected that he was either sexually abused or poisoned. This caused the court to fall into a power struggle. This case is known as the Hongyuan Case because before his sudden death, the emperor had taken medicine. Finally, the penultimate emperor of the Ming dynasty, son of Ming Guangzong, Zhu Youxiao (1605-1628), known by the era name Tianqi, became entangled in the Di Gong Case. Taking advantage of the young age of the emperor, a consort of his father (Emperor Wanli), Li Xuanzi, deliberately controlled Zhu Youxiao. She intentionally stayed in the Qianqing Palace and demanded the emperor to confer upon her the title of Empress Dowager so that she could govern the court. Facing strong demands and opposition from the officials, Emperor Tianqi (Zhu Youxiao) issued an edict forcing her to leave the palace and live elsewhere, where she died a few weeks later in a fire. Ultimately, she did not die along with her daughter. Through this event, everyone noticed the emperor’s involvement, despite opposition within him. Historians often collectively refer to these three cases under the name « The Three Late Ming Cases (Vãn Minh Tam Án) »

During the Qing dynasty, there were two important events. Although Kangxi was regarded as a great emperor in Chinese history, he also faced difficulties in appointing a crown prince due to the struggle for the throne among his sons. Initially, he appointed Yinreng as crown prince at the age of two, but later Kangxi changed his mind and chose the 14th prince, Yinzhen, as his successor. He secretly hid behind a plaque with the four characters « Guang Ming Zheng Da » a box containing an edict « Transfer the throne to the 14th son, » meaning to pass the throne to the 14th prince because Yinzhen was the prince he favored. According to legend, when Kangxi was seriously ill, Yinzhen was on a campaign in the Xinjiang region. Prince Yinzhen took advantage of the opportunity to take the box and altered the edict from « Transfer the throne to the 14th son » to « Transfer the throne to the 4th » son » by removing the character « ten. » Thanks to this, Yongzheng became emperor. According to popular discussion, Yinzhen also fled to the garden to observe Kangxi’s illness after previously giving Kangxi a bowl of ginseng soup. Historians believe Yongzheng bears some responsibility for Kangxi’s sudden death, and this remains a mystery and a topic of speculation among people.

Just after ascending the throne under the name Yongzheng, he immediately eliminated or exiled all those who had the potential to oppose him. After his coronation, to avoid disputes over succession—something he understood well and knew to be difficult in power struggles—he devised a clever method by writing the decree naming the heir in two copies: one sealed and kept in a box behind the plaque inscribed « Guangming Zhengda, » and the other he carried on his person. When he was about to pass away, the decree in the box could be retrieved and compared with the one he carried to identify the rightful successor to the throne. This way, no resistance could arise. This method of appointing the crown prince remained effective until the reign of Emperor Xianfeng, but since Xianfeng had only one child, Tongzhi, with Empress Dowager Cixi, the method lost its effectiveness. To consolidate her regency, Empress Dowager Cixi abolished this method by successively enthroning the « child emperors, » namely Guangxu and Puyi.

[Forbidden city of Beijing (Cố Cung): Part 3]

Forbidden city of Beijing (Cố Cung): Part 1

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Forbidden city of Pékin

Cố Cung

The Forbidden City in Beijing (Part 1)

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Vietnamese version

After defeating his nephew Zhu Yunwen (also known as Jianwen Emperor), whose death remains a mystery to historians, the third emperor of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Di (also known as Yongle Emperor), decided to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, mainly for strategic reasons. Facing the serious threat of the Mongols to the empire, he thought this was the quickest solution to deal with the raids. He entrusted the chief architect, the eunuch Nguyen An of Vietnamese origin, with the construction of the Forbidden City on the ruins of Khanbaliq, the Yuan dynasty city built by Kublai Khan in 1267 and described by Marco Polo in his book titled « The Description of the World » in 1406, following a designated protocol. Two hundred thousand workers were recruited for this grand project, which lasted 14 years.

Besides the participation of a large number of provinces in supplying materials: Xuzhou (Jiangsu) marble, Linqing (Shandong) bricks, stone from the Fangshan and Panshan quarries not far from Beijing, nanmu wood for the house frame from Sichuan, columns from Guizhou and Yunnan, and so on, it was also necessary to renovate the Grand Canal dating back to the Sui Dynasty. This canal was essential for transporting materials and food to the capital Beijing. From 1420 to 1911, a total of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties resided here. The last emperor to live in this Forbidden City was Emperor Puyi of the Qing Dynasty.

There are many questions about the preservation and conservation of the capital by the Qing army when they seized power in China because, according to Chinese tradition, the victors usually thoroughly destroyed all palaces belonging to previous dynasties. One can look at the example of Zhu Yuanzhang, also known as the Hongwu Emperor. He ordered his soldiers to completely destroy the capital of the Yuan Dynasty in Beijing and move the capital to his hometown in Nanjing. It is unclear what motivated the Qing Dynasty to keep the Ming capital intact.

 

Cố Cung

cite_pekin

 

Although the Qing emperors made efforts to renovate the Forbidden City and built many additional palaces, this Forbidden City forever retains the mark of its founder, Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di). One of the three famous emperors alongside Han Wudi and Tang Taizong in Chinese history, Zhu Di appointed Admiral Zheng He to lead the naval expeditions to the « Western Oceans, » which were later recorded by his companion Ma Huan in the book titled Ying-yai Sheng-lan (The Marvels of the Oceans). Taking advantage of the usurpation of the throne by Hồ Quý Ly, Zhu Di annexed Vietnam in 1400. Without the nearly ten years of resistance by the Vietnamese people under Lê Lợi, Vietnam could surely be a province of China today, like Yunnan or Guangdong.

1 Porte du Midi (Ngọ Môn)

2 Tiền Triều (Waichao)

  • Điện Thái Hoà (Taihe)
  • Điện Trung Hoà (Zhonghe) 
  • Điện Bảo Hoà  (Baohe) 

3  Hậu tẩm (Neichao)

  • Cung Càn Thanh (Qianqing)
  • Điên Giao Thái (Jiaotai)
  • Cung Khôn Ninh (Kunning)

4) Six Palais de l’Ouest (Lục viện)

5) Six Palais de l’Est (Luc viện)

The Forbidden City is truly a city within a city and was built on a rectangular piece of land measuring 960 chi in length and 750 chi in width. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts: the front section called the Outer Court (waichao), designated for ceremonial life (such as coronation ceremonies, investiture ceremonies, and royal weddings), and the rear section called the Inner Court, reserved for the emperor and his family. There are three halls in the Outer Court: the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which together form the complex known as the Three Halls of the Outer Court. In the Inner Court, there are the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, each surrounded on the east and west sides by six six-yards (residential quarters). This is commonly referred to as the Three Palaces and Six Yards of the Forbidden City.

When visiting the Imperial City, tourists are obliged to pass through Ngo Mon Gate. This is the main gate of the Imperial City. At one time, this gate witnessed many ceremonies related to military departures or the triumphant return of the royal army, as well as the announcement of a new lunar calendar. It is the only gate, or more precisely, a U-shaped structure, 8 meters high, with five buildings on top featuring double roofs and five gates, but the middle gate is reserved only for the king. This architectural complex is often called the Five Phoenix Pavilion because its shape resembles a phoenix. Beyond Ngo Mon Gate, there is a very wide courtyard crossed by an artificial river with shimmering golden water called Neijindhuihe. This river has five beautifully decorated bridges, with the middle bridge reserved for the emperor. Along the riverbanks, there are stone balustrades carved with dragons and phoenixes.

The front court enjoys Yang energy, so the palaces here are usually built higher than the palaces in the rear chambers, thanks to a large common foundation with three steps carved from jade stone, raised to highlight not only the splendor of the front court palaces but also the majestic and magnificent nature of Yang energy. Similarly, the rear chambers enjoy Yin energy, so the palaces here are all low, except for the Kien Thanh Palace, where the king works and discusses state affairs with high-ranking officials, which enjoys Yang energy and is therefore taller than the other palaces.

In this place, one can see a typical metaphor, which is Yang within Yin, often mentioned. Between the Qianqing Palace, where the emperor resides and enjoys Yang energy, and the Kunning Palace, the empress’s resting place receiving Yin energy, there is the Jiaotai Hall. Considered the connecting link between the Qianqing and Kunning Palaces, Jiaotai Hall not only represents the perfect harmony of Yin and Yang but also symbolizes peace within the Forbidden City. All the palaces in the Forbidden City face south to benefit from the advantages of Yang energy.

Based on traditional Chinese feng shui, to the north of the Forbidden City, there is an artificial mountain called Jinshan and the Great Wall to prevent the harmful effects of Yin energy coming from the north (cold winds, nomads, ghosts, and so on). To the south, thanks to water-filled pits and an artificial river with shimmering golden water (Neijindhuihe), the qi buried in the earth can circulate, which is difficult to disperse due to the levels created on the surface. This arrangement is seen in the construction of the three-tiered foundation for the three halls used for rituals in the front court. As a result, qi is guided up and down through the halls to break the monotony of the flat land and reach the summit where the emperor’s throne is in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. As the connection between Heaven and Earth, the emperor usually faces south, with his back to the north, the east on his left, and the west on his right.

Each direction is protected by a guardian creature: the pink swallow in the south, the black turtle in the north, the blue dragon (qinglong) in the east, and the white tiger (baihu) in the west. On the ceiling, at the vertical axis of the throne and above the emperor’s head, there is an exquisitely decorated celestial dome featuring a recessed panel with two golden dragons carved playing with a huge pearl. It is here, when visiting, that tourists wonder how many dragons are used in the decoration of this palace, as this guardian creature appears everywhere. According to some records, there are a total of 13,844 dragons of various types and sizes, giving this place a solemn and majestic appearance never seen in other palaces.

Located along the main north-south axis, the Forbidden City is decorated according to rules of numbers and colors. The choice of Yang numbers (or odd numbers) is commonly seen through the arrangement of mythical creatures on the eaves of the palace roofs or the ornate display on the doors of the Forbidden City with yellow nails, as well as the number of bays the Forbidden City has.

The number of divine beasts on the eaves corners of the palace can range from 1 to 10. Depending on the importance and scale of the palace as well as the rank of the owner in the court, this number can vary. The number of these divine beasts is specified in the book that records all the regulations under the Qing dynasty, known as the Da Qing Hui Dian. These divine beasts are arranged in odd numbers 1-3-5-7-9 on the eaves corners in a clear order as follows: dragon, phoenix, lion, heavenly horse, seahorse, aplustre, fighting bull, suan ni, sea goat, and monkey. Always leading these divine beasts is a figure riding a chicken or phoenix, often called the Prince Min. Nearby is an additional horned beast, the ninth son of the dragon. Each divine beast represents a good omen or virtue and is thus cherished and worshipped. However, there is an exception: the Hall of Supreme Harmony has up to 10 divine beasts on its eaves corners because it is where the emperor holds important ceremonies (such as coronations, weddings, birthdays, year-end celebrations, etc.). The use of these divine beasts mainly serves to protect the palaces against evil spirits and to demonstrate the emperor’s power and prestige. Conversely, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, although it is where the emperor works and discusses state affairs with officials, does not have as significant a role as the Hall of Supreme Harmony and therefore only has 9 divine beasts on its eaves corners.

As for the Khôn Ninh palace, seven divine beasts were found on the eaves of the hall because this was the palace of the empress during the Ming dynasty. However, this place was also where the sacrificial rituals to the Tát Mãn religion’s spirits were held, which corresponded to the position of Yin under Yang during the Qing dynasty. It is important to remember that before conquering China, the Qing dynasty was originally Manchu, so they still maintained their own religion.

[The Forbidden City in Beijing (Part 2)]

 

Maison Loo, centre d’exposition d’art privé

j050807 art, Chine, Gallery, site touristique, Paris

Une somptueuse pagode chinoise au cœur de Paris.

Ngôi chùa Trung Hoa độc đáo giữa lòng Paris.

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Au début du 19ème siècle, un marchand d’art chinois de nom Ching Tai Loo racheta un hôtel particulier de style français classique  construit en 1880  au cœur du quartier chic, non loin du parc Monceau. Pour l’amour de son pays et le lien qu’il voulait garder avec son pays d’adoption, il  demanda à l’architecte Fernand Bloc de transformer ce bâtiment en une somptueuse pagode d’inspiration chinoise peinte en rouge comme la cité interdite de Pékin  dans sa totalité car à cette époque le permis de construire ne lui fut pas demandé. Malgré les protestations des gens vivant aux alentours, la maison Loo continue à exister jusqu’aujourd’hui et devient un centre d’exposition collective  d’art privé pour les collectionneurs avertis. Etant invité par la galerie d’art Hioco, j’ai l’occasion de le visiter ce matin. Je suis frappé non seulement par le caractère original de cette maison insolite mais aussi la présentation des objets d’art des galeries associées  à cette exposition. Un grand merci à tous les exposants.

Vào đầu thế kỷ 19, một thương gia nghệ thuật người Trung Quốc tên là Ching Tai Loo đã mua lại một biệt thự theo phong cách cổ điển Pháp được xây dựng vào năm 1880 tại trung tâm khu phố sang trọng, không xa công viên Monceau. Vì tình yêu dành cho đất nước Trung Hoa và mong muốn giữ mối liên kết với quê hương thứ hai của mình, ông đã nhờ kiến trúc sư Fernand Bloc biến tòa nhà này thành một ngôi chùa lộng lẫy mang cảm hứng từ Trung Hoa, được sơn đỏ như Tử Cấm Thành ở Bắc Kinh, bởi vì vào thời điểm đó ông không cần xin giấy phép xây dựng. Mặc dù có sự phản đối từ những người sống xung quanh, ngôi nhà Loo vẫn tồn tại đến ngày nay và trở thành trung tâm triển lãm nghệ thuật tư nhân dành cho các nhà sưu tập tinh tường. Được mời bởi phòng tranh Hioco, tôi đã có cơ hội tham quan nơi nầy vào sáng nay. Tôi không chỉ có ấn tượng bởi tính độc đáo của ngôi nhà kỳ lạ này mà còn bởi cách trưng bày các tác phẩm nghệ thuật của các phòng tranh liên kết với cuộc triển lãm nầy. Xin gửi một lời cảm ơn chân thành đến tất cả các nhà triển lãm.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a Chinese art dealer named Ching Tai Loo bought a French classical-style townhouse built in 1880 in the heart of the upscale district, not far from Parc Monceau. For the love of his country and the connection he wanted to maintain with his adopted country, he asked architect Fernand Bloc to transform this building into a sumptuous pagoda inspired by Chinese design, painted red like the Forbidden City of Beijing in its entirety, as at that time no building permit was required. Despite protests from the local residents, the Loo house continues to exist today and has become a private collective art exhibition center for discerning collectors. Invited by the Hioco art gallery, I had the opportunity to visit it this morning. I was struck not only by the original character of this unusual house but also by the presentation of the art objects from the galleries associated with this exhibition. A big thank you to all the exhibitors.

 

 

 

La chauve-souris dans l’art de Huế ( Dơi trong mỹ thuật cung đình Huế)

j050807 art, tourisme, Văn Hóa, Vietnam, Villes

La chauve-souris dans l’art de Huế

The bat in Hue art

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Được biết đến với tên khoa học (Chiroptera), dơi là một loài động vật có nhau thai được đặc đứng  sau các loài gặm nhấm. Đối với người phương Tây, sở thích của dơi  sống trong bóng tối và ban đêm  được xem  là một điềm xấu. Nó còn thuộc các thú vật của Satan mà  Giáo hội chỉ định. Chúng ta thường thấy nó dang rộng hai cánh với  khuôn mặt nhăn nhó trên đỉnh nhà thờ như một người bảo vệ có chức năng xua đuổi tà ma. Đôi khi nó được coi là một con chuột biết bay (thiên thử hay chuột nhà trời) hoặc một con én bay trong đêm (chim nhạn bay đêm, phi thử). Dơi là loài động vật thường được coi là loài vật có tính xảo quyệt và tinh quái trong các truyền thuyết phương Đông.

Trong  tiếng Hán Việt dơi tên là ‘bức’ (蝠), được  đọc gần giống chữ ‘phúc’ (福), từ đó người ta dùng hình ảnh con vật này để chỉ ‘phúc đức’. Khi minh họa bằng hình 5 con dơi thì có hàm ý chỉ ngũ phúc: (1) Phú 富 nghĩa là giàu, (2) khang ninh 安寧 là yên lành, mạnh khỏe (3) Thọ 壽 là sống lâu (4) hảo đức 好德 là có đức tốt (5) khảo chung mạng 考終命 là hưởng trọn tuổi trời.

Theo  cố cả Léopold Cadière, trong nghệ thuật  Huế, chúng ta thường thấy sự kết hợp của nhiều họa tiết theo nhiều cách khác nhau. Đôi khi chỉ là một sự kết hợp đơn giản: con dơi ẩn núp trong góc sẽ lướt đôi cánh qua những đường cong uốn lượn hồi văn, hoặc những biểu tượng của sự trường thọ và hạnh phúc sẽ được áp dụng cho một cành mận, một bông hoa mẫu đơn vân vân . Những sự kết hợp này không phải do ngẫu nhiên hay ý thích của nghệ sĩ. Thậm chí đối với một số chủ đề nhất định, còn có một quy tắc rất nghiêm ngặt, những liên kết gần như không thể tách rời.

Đây là trường hợp của hình ảnh con dơi với các họa tiết thường có lối chơi chữ. Thường nhất là với chữ ‘phúc’ nhưng cũng có khi đi với chữ ‘khánh’ (慶 có nghĩa là ‘chúc mừng’) thay cho lời cầu chúc phúc. Khánh lại có thêm âm là ‘khương’ có nghĩa là phúc. Âm khánh lại có chữ viết là 磬, chỉ một món nhạc khí quý trong cung đình, thế là có họa tiết con dơi ngậm chiếc khánh có hai quả tua; hình này có tên ‘phúc khánh’ với ý chúc mừng hưởng phúc an lạc và thịnh vượng.Thay cho khánh ngọc hay chữ thọ, con thấy hình con dơi ngậm một giõ hoa. Giõ hoa là một món trong ‘bát bửu’ nên hàm chỉ sự vui hưởng hạnh phúc (hình CLXXXIV).

Về mặt trang trí con dơi hay có kèm theo hai quả tua, gọi là họa tiết ‘dơi tua’, nhưng hình như hai quả tua đó chẳng mang một ý nghĩa sâu xa nào ngoài sự trang trí. (hình CLXXXI, …) Dơi có thể được biến cách từ lá, họi là lá hóa phúc, từ hoa mai gọi là mai hóa phúc, từ sen gọi là liên hóa phúc, từ quả gọi là quả hóa phúc; nhưng chủ yếu là từ hình hồi văn có tô điểm thêm hia lá gọi là hồi văn hóa phúc. Tùy theo ngẫu hứng người nghệ sĩ còn cho con dơi đi chung với rồng. Một vài chỗ thấy dơi xuất hiện ngay giữa tấm chi tiết của đồ gỗ, nhưng thường thì nằm ở các góc và giang cánh rất trang nhã.

Theo nhà nghiên cứu Nguyễn Hữu Thông,  dơi được xem là mẫu hình được sử dụng nhiều nhất trong mỹ thuật Huế. Nhiều đến mức cảm nhận thấy có sự lạm dụng (tr. 144).

 Nhưng nhờ cấu trúc thân hình với đôi cánh rộng, điều nầy cho phép nó nêu bật vẻ đẹp cân đối mẫu mực và tạo ra nên một hình mẫu hoàn hảo về mặt thiết kế và sống động trong mỹ thuật  Huế.

Étant connu sous le nom scientifique (Chiroptera), la chauve-souris est un animal placentaire  placé derrière les rongeurs. Pour les Occidentaux,  sa préférence de vivre dans les ténèbres et  la nuit est perçue comme un mauvais présage.  Elle fait partie du bestiaire satanique  désigné par l’Eglise. On est habitué à la voir étendre ses deux ailes et son visage grimaçant  au sommet des églises comme le gardien ayant pour fonction de repousser le Mal. Parfois on la considère comme un rat volant (thiên thử hay chuột nhà trời) ou  une hirondelle volant dans la nuit (chim nhạn bay đêm, phi thử). La chauve-souris est l’animal fréquemment considéré dans les légendes orientales comme l’animal ayant le caractère rusé et espiègle.

Étant un nom sino-annamite ‘bức’ (蝠) et se prononçant de la même manière que le mot  ‘phúc’ (福), on est convenu à prendre la figure de l’animal pour exprimer le bonheur. C’est pourquoi  la chauve-souris joue un grand rôle dans l’art vietnamien, surtout  dans l’art de Huế car elle est le symbole de bonheur.  On a l’habitude de grouper ensemble cinq chauve-souris (ngũ phúc) pour faire allusion à un bonheur parfait: (1) Phú 富, richesse ; (2) khang ninh 安寧 là yên lành, la paix et la santé ; (3) Thọ 壽 là sống lâu, une longue vie ; (4) hảo đức 好德 là có đức tốt, l’amour de la vertu ;  (5) khảo chung mạng 考終命 là hưởng trọn tuổi trời, une mort naturelle  à un âge avancé.

Selon le prêtre missionnaire Léopold Cadière, dans l’art de Huế, on voit souvent l’association de plusieurs motifs se produire de façons diverses. Tantôt il y a une simple association: la chauve-souris, tapie dans un angle, glissera ses ailes à travers les méandres de la grecque, ou bien les caractères de la longévité et du bonheur  seront appliqués  sur une branche de prunier, sur une fleur de pivoine etc. Ces associations ne sont pas livrées au hasard ou au caprice de l’artiste. Il y a même pour certains sujets, un code très sévère, des alliances quasi indissolubles.

C’est le cas de l’image de la chauve-souris avec un jeu de mots multiple suivant. Au mot phúc « bonheur » est souvent associé  dans le langage ou en littérature, le mot khánh 慶 qui a un sens analogue « bonheur et félicitations  résultant d’une faveur reçue » Le mot khánh, à son tour, est également la prononciation du caractère 磬, désignant  un lithophone dans la cour royale. Il s’agit bien de la représentation d’une chauve-souris tenant dans sa gueule un lithophone agrémenté de deux glands.  Ce dessin se lira « phúc khánh », ce qui signifie « bonheur et félicité ».

Au lieu du tam-tam en pierre ou du caractère de la longévité, la chauve-souris tient parfois suspendue à sa bouche une corbeille de fleurs. C’est un des « huit joyaux » ; nous l’avons vu, symbole de jouissances et de bonheur.

Au point de vue décoratif, la chauve-souris est souvent munie de deux longs glands, dơi tua qui n’ont, semble-t-il, aucun sens figuré. Elle peut se transformer en feuille, lá hóa phúc; en fleurs de pruniers, mai hóa phúc; en nénuphar, sen hóa phúc; en fruit  quả hóa phúc; mais surtout en grecque, avec ou sans feuilles,  hồi văn hóa phúc. La fantaisie de l’artiste se donne libre carrière avec elle, autant qu’avec le dragon.  Elle coupe parfois le centre d’un panneau, mais le plus souvent, elle se tapit dans les encoignures, que ses ailes garnissent avec élégance.

Selon le chercheur Nguyễn Hữu Thông, la chauve-souris est considérée comme le modèle le plus employé dans l’art de Huế. On a l’impression d’en abuser. (p144).

Mais grâce à la structure corporelle de la chauve-souris avec de larges ailes, cela lui permet de révéler la beauté de l’équilibre  exemplaire et créer un modèle parfait dans la conception et vivace dans l’art de Huế.

 

Known by its scientific name (Chiroptera), the bat is a placental animal  ranked behind rodents. For Westerners, its preference for living in darkness and  at night is seen as a bad omen.  It is part of the satanic bestiary  designated by the Church. We are used to seeing them spread their wings and grimace at the top of churches as guardians whose job is to ward off evil. Sometimes they are considered flying rats (thiên thử hay chuột nhà trời) or swallows flying in the night (chim nhạn bay đêm, phi thử). The bat is frequently considered in Eastern legends to be an animal with a cunning and mischievous character.

Being a Sino-Annamite name ‘bức’ (蝠) and pronounced in the same way as the word ‘phúc’ (福), it was agreed to use the figure of the animal to express happiness. This is why the bat plays an important role in Vietnamese art, especially in the art of Huế, as it is a symbol of happiness. It is customary to group five bats (ngũ phúc) together to allude to perfect happiness: (1) Phú 富, wealth; (2) khang ninh 安寧 là yên lành, peace and health; (3) Thọ 壽 là sống lâu, long life; (4) hảo đức 好德 là có đức tốt, love of virtue; (5) khảo chung mạng 考終命 là hưởng trọn tuổi trời, a natural death at an advanced age.

According to missionary priest Léopold Cadière, in Huế art, we often see several motifs combined in various ways. Sometimes there is a simple combination: a bat, lurking in a corner, will slide its wings through the meanders of a Greek key pattern, or the characters for longevity and happiness will be applied to a plum branch, a peony flower, etc. These combinations are not left to chance or the whim of the artist. For certain subjects, there is even a very strict code, with almost indissoluble alliances.

This is the case with the image of the bat, which has multiple puns associated with it. The word phúc, meaning “happiness,” is often associated in language and literature with the word khánh 慶, which has a similar meaning: “happiness and congratulations resulting from a favor received.” .“ The word khánh, in turn, is also the pronunciation of the character 磬, referring to a lithophone in the royal court. It is indeed a representation of a bat holding a lithophone decorated with two tassels in its mouth. This drawing can be read as ”phúc khánh,“ which means ”happiness and bliss. »

Instead of the stone tam-tam or the character of longevity, the bat sometimes holds a basket of flowers in its mouth. This is one of the “eight jewels”; as we have seen, it is a symbol of pleasure and happiness.

From a decorative point of view, the bat is often depicted with two long tassels, dơi tua, which seem to have no figurative meaning. It can be transformed into a leaf, lá hóa phúc; into plum blossoms, mai hóa phúc; into a water lily, sen hóa phúc; into fruit, quả hóa phúc; but above all into a Greek key, with or without leaves, hồi văn hóa phúc. The artist’s imagination runs wild with it, as much as with the dragon. It sometimes cuts through the center of a panel, but more often than not, it lurks in the corners, which its wings elegantly adorn.

According to researcher Nguyễn Hữu Thông, the bat is considered the most commonly used motif in Huế art. It seems to be overused. (p144).

But thanks to the bat’s body structure with large wings, it allows him to reveal the beauty of exemplary balance and create a perfect model in design that is enduring in Huế art.

Bibliographie:

Léopold Cadière: L’Art à Huế. Nouvelle édition Association des Amis du Vieux Huế.

Nguyễn Hữu Thông: Mỹ Thuật Huế. Nhìn từ góc độ ý nghĩa và biểu tượng trang trí.

                               Nhà Xuất Bản Thế Giới

Cathédrale principale de Bùi Chu (Nam Định)

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Nhà thờ chính tòa Bùi Chu (Nam Định)

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Dù nguyên vật liệu lấy tại địa phương là gạch, vôi vữa rất đơn giản, nhà thờ nầy có kiến trúc độc đáo với phong cách chính là  Ba-rốc Tây Ban Nha, kết hợp với cách thức xây dựng truyền thống Việt Nam. Nhà thờ chính tòa Bùi Chu cách thị trấn Xuân Trường 3 km, cách thành phố Nam Định 31 km và cách thủ đô Hà Nội  115 km. Hàng năm vào ngày 8 tháng 8 có rất nhiều giáo dân tập trung về dự lễ kính Thánh Đa Minh quan thầy của giáo phận, quen gọi là lễ đầu dòng.

Malgré l’utilisation des matériaux locaux comme les briques et le mortier, cette église présente une architecture unique, dominée par le baroque espagnol, mêlé aux méthodes de construction traditionnelles vietnamiennes. La cathédrale de Bùi Chu se trouve à 3 km de la ville de Xuân Trường, à 31 km de la ville de Nam Định et à 115 km de la capitale Hanoï. Chaque année, le 8 août, de nombreux paroissiens se rassemblent pour assister à la fête de Saint Dominique, patron du diocèse, communément appelée la première messe.

Despite the use of local materials such as bricks and mortar, this church features a unique architecture dominated by Spanish Baroque, blended with traditional Vietnamese construction methods. Bùi Chu Cathedral is 3 km from the town of Xuân Trường, 31 km from the town of Nam Định and 115 km from the capital Hanoi. Every year, on August 8, many parishioners gather to attend the feast of St. Dominic, patron saint of the diocese, commonly known as the First Mass.

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