Bảo tàng lịch sử Quốc gia

The results of the study and of the excavation of Lam kinh this last time have shown the great values of this site on various points of view. Rare are sites having such a density of vestiges and ancient objects; moreover, the architectural vestiges buried in the earth, when discovered, have a plan which can easily be reconstituted. The architectural plans which last from the first Le to the restored Le are very rare in the present state of the archaeological research. In particular, the Cong-shaped plans in the Main Palace, the nine palaces Thai Mieu disposed in arch, are “special” dispositions never seen before among ancient architectures of Vietnam. The architectures of Lam Kinh with marvellous decorations by dragons, flowers and leaves have an obvious character of palace, not to be found anywhere, except in the royal palace of Thang long.

Before a site having so great values, how to carry out the restoration, the improvement and the valorisation of the site? That is a question causing a lot of different opinions this last time, which influences badly the quality and the progress of the enterprise. That is why the project still makes no progress now that the delay of time has ended (1995-2005).

Before, the Ministry of Culture and Information has proposed the project of appropriate restoration and amelioration,which consists to restore the architecture of the upper layers, while preserving the vestiges in the depth of soil. Such a measure is certainly very difficult for the economy and the present industrial and technical level of our country (but not impossible if we look at the world and at the future).

Certain opinions recommand to construct a new quarter to glorify Le Loi, to glorify the dynasty of the Le, in another place of large extent, while preserving intact the present site of Lam Kinh. The project and the construction of such a new quarter is not difficult. It would be a product of the time of Hochiminh, to glorify the memory of Le Thai To and of the dynasty of the Le. But where to construct such a new quarter? Will it be able to meet the spiritual needs of the population toward Le Loi and the dynasty Le? Moreover, the new quarter cannot be separated from the system of tumbs, because speaking of Lam Kinh, it is speaking of palaces, temples and of the tumbs of the kings and queens of Le.

In the point of view of specialists, having followed archaeological studies and restoration works, we think that now Lam Kinh is possessing the most important thing, that is the point of view of restoration, amelioration which is present in the content of Project 609TTg of the government. In fact, when the project is being realized, it has followed the orientation, the site has been planified as a whole, with many stages of realization beside the restoration and the amelioration of the site, taking account of the landscape, the environment and the infrastructure. Concretely, first realize works that are relatively visible in periphery (bridge, wells, river Ngoc…), or the west lake, the aqueduct, and at the same time improve the infrastructure, so that one can restore and preserve at the same time.

In the present time, such a project is objective and rational. However, in spite of the efforts of administrators, specialists, projectors and realizators, with the concentration of human and material resources for the fundamental and comparative study, though restored vestiges have been valorized to a certain point, a reality remains to be considered, it is that certain restored vestiges have not won the sympathy of the public opinion.

What is the reason? We think that, in each unit of construction, there must be a “meeting” between the projetor, the realizator, the administrator and the specialist to make them agree in the intention of realization. The archaeology, with its advantages in its methods of approach and its study objects, can only furnish a plentiful source of documents, through the plan of the site (the units, its extent, dimensions), the cutting sections (the cultural and architectural layers, the age of the site), the vestiges (the types, motives of decoration). In order to restore, the projetors and realizators must consider archaeology as the necessary basis, while consulting other sources of documentation. Have the projetors read archaeological documents? Have the realizators read the project? Have the workers enough experiences? Are they helped by artists? That is the weak point, very usual in the projects of historical and cultural restoration at present time. It is still more difficult to avoid for a site as large and old as Lam Kinh.

We hope that in the future, this weak point will be solved.

Nguyen Van Doan