Within two years 2016-2017, a temporary exhibition entitled "From the country of Flying Dragon - The treasures of Vietnamese archaeology" will be presented across Germany.
Its first show will take place in LWL Museum in Herne (7/10/2016-26/2/2017), then Reiss Mannheim Museum and the National Archaeology Museum of Germany in Chemnitz. It's recognized a chance for German and European audiences to approach Vietnamese culture.
Vietnam is a country having most archaeological excavations in Southeast Asia. Many of them have been done under the collaboration between Vietnamese archaeologists and German. Through this exhibition, you can experience an interesting journey to discover the long, outstanding and diversified culture of Vietnam. From Red River to Mekong River, to catch stone and earthen sacred animals and gods, big bronze drums ... those of lively evidences of a long history of Vietnam from Stone Age to modern life.
The exhibition displays around 400 objects selected from collections of the Vietnam National Museum of History and another 7 museums and relics in the North, Central and South of Vietnam. Many objects are firstly introduced overseas. Especially, some of Vietnam's National Treasures such as Viet Khe boat coffin, Doc Chua animal statue and many come from the World's Cultural Heritage as My Son Sanctuary and Thang Long Royal Citadel.
The exhibition is the first effort to present German and European visitors, including overseas Vietnamese in Germany a picture of whole Vietnamese culture and history.
It contains 10 topics:
Topic 1: Hunting, harvest and agriculture - Stone Age
Introducing the appearance of the Vietnamese ancient human, a process from Homo erectus to the wise man, moving from mountainous caves to the plain areas, delta and islands, and how they developed tools and technique, and developed economy from hunting to husbandry and agriculture.
Objects presented include stone tools of Nui Do and Son Vi (Old Stone), Hoa Binh (new Stone), tools and jewelry of Phung Nguyen culture.
Exhibition space of the topic "Hunting, harvesting and agriculture - Stone Age"
Topic 2: More than the coming of the new material - Bronze Age
Displaying the coming and its advantages of the bronze in manufacturing tools, relic's features and breakthroughs in that period in all regions in Vietnam.
Objects: jewelry of Dong Dau culture, Giong Ca Vo pottery, stone wares, casting form of bronze axe of Doc Chua, especially Doc Chua animal statue - a Vietnam's National Treasure.
Corner "More than the coming of the new material - Bronze Age"
Topic 3: Sound of bronze drum - Dong Son culture in the North of Vietnam
Present the high development of the bronze casting of Dong Son culture with various working tools, wares and jewelry, in particular the bronze drums. Through those collections, the topic highlights the characteristics of the first state Van Lang - Au Lac, the society and rituals, especially burial custom.
Objects: Viet Khe boat coffin - national treasure, Co Loa bronze ploughshares and arrows, bronze drums (Sao Vang, Phu Phuong, Truong Thinh).
Corner: Sound of bronze drum - Dong Son culture in the North of Vietnam
Topic 4: Jar burial and sea-oriented mind - Sa Huynh Culture in Central Vietnam
Introduce generally achievements of Sa Huynh culture, focused on two features or jar burial and sea- oriented economy of Sa Huynh citizen.
Objects: Sa Huynh jar coffin, jewelry and objects of Giong Ca Vo (HCM City) relic.
Exhibition space: Jar burial and sea- oriented mind - Sa Huynh Culture in Central Vietnam
Topic 5: Gods, stupas and tempers, water-line international trading – Champa Kingdom
Object: presenting Hinduism architectural and stone sculptural items of Champa people, in particular Shiva – the super God of the Champa.
Exhibition space: Gods, stupas and tempers, water-line international trading – Champa Kingdom
Topic 6: Dong Son bronze objects in the Southeast mounds – Pre-Oc Eo culture and bronze age in the South of Vietnam
Featuring the collection of Go O Chua relic (Long An province) highlighting salt making technique, the collection of Phu Chanh relic (Binh Duong province) with Dong Son bronze drums and wares.
Exhibition space: Dong Son bronze objects in the Southeast mounds – Pre-Oc Eo culture and bronze age in the South of Vietnam
Topic 7: International trading – Oc Eo culture in Mekong Delta
Featuring sculptural art of Buddhism and Hinduism and an economy of water-line trading of Oc Eo people with the collection discovered in Go Thap relic (Dong Thap province) and Cat Tien relic (Lam Dong province).
Exhibition space: International trading – Oc Eo culture in Mekong Delta
Topic 8: Struggling for independence and conservation of Vietnamese ethnic cultural identity – in the first 10 centuries A.D against Chinese invasion
Presenting achievements on culture, technique and economy of Vietnam in the first 10 centuries A.D with struggles for independence and conservation of cultural identity. Especially, presenting the collection of Luy Lau with new discoveries of bronze drum casting mold sample.
Exhibition space: Struggling for independence and conservation of Vietnamese ethnic cultural identity – in the first 10 centuries A.D against Chinese invasion
Topic 9: Flying dragon – Dai Viet in the construction and national defense and sovereignty
Highlighting the event that King Ly Cong Uan decided to move the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Thang Long (Hanoi), and the legend of King Le Loi returned the sword to the Golden Turtle God, and records of Dai Viet civilization with collections secured in Royal Thang Long Citadel, and collections of Cu Lao Cham shipwreck and other interesting objects found in Thang Long citadel…
Exhibition space: Flying dragon – Dai Viet in the construction and national defense and sovereignty
Topic 10: Western people – Observation of the German to Vietnam
Featuring a period since Vietnam started to contact with Western culture: from 16th century to modern time. In particular, highlighting the role of President Ho Chi Minh with his policy that Vietnam wants to be friend with every countries, and showcasing the remarks of Vietnam-Germany cultural exchange history by documents, archives from many international libraries and museums.
Exhibition space: Western people – Observation of the German to Vietnam
Except the main 10 topics, this exhibition also installed suitable zones to introduce the main features of Vietnamese culture such as Water-puppet, Vietnamese bamboo in handicrafts, musical instruments, working tools made of rattan and bamboo… ; a shop for introducing Vietnamese products; Vietnam – impressive numbers and import-export trading turnover between VN-Germany. A catalog also published on this case.
Vietnamese image in bamboo
Shop for consumer products
This exhibition aims to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Vietnam – Germany diplomatic relationship and 25 years of signing of Vietnam – Germany cultural co-operation agreement and 5 years of the foundation day of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership of Vietnam – Germany.
M.A Nguyen Quoc Huu
EN: Tran Trang
(Vietnam National Museum of History)