Where the French war ended

Statue at Điện Biên Phủ cemetery

Điện Biên Phủ is a remote city inside the Mường Thanh valley in the north west of Vietnam, only 36.5km from the Lao border. The ethnic minority people living in this area are the Thai and H'mong. The city is famous for the site of the battle, where the French troops were defeated by Việt Minh (the League for the Independence of Vietnam - Việt Nam độc lập đồng minh hội) forces on 7 May 1954 after a 56-day siege, resulting in the end of the French rule in Vietnam (1858 - 1954) and its colonial control in Indochina.

To achieve this victory, the Viet Minh forces, under General Võ Nguyên Giáp, dug trenches and tunnels to reach the French positions without coming under fire. They also carried 105mm artillery pieces and anti-aircraft guns (pháo cao xạ) through jungles, across rivers, up and down passes and mountains, then emplaced them in secret positions overlooking the French positions. All 16,200 men of the French garrison were either killed or taken prisoner, while Vietnam's casualties were about 25,000.

Chinese vessels keep up pressure in East Sea

HA NOI (VNS) — China has shown no signs of stopping its aggressive actions around the oil-rig it illegally placed in Vietnamese waters a month ago, officials said yesterday.

Hundreds of Chinese vessels are used to protect the rig and attack Vietnamese vessels.
In the last four weeks, China had damaged a total of 24 Vietnamese vessels and injured 12 fisheries surveillance officers, Ngo Ngoc Thu, vice commander of Viet Nam's Coast Guard, told an international press meeting yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Thu said China had maintained three layers of patrol vessels around the oil rig, which has been relocated but was still within Vietnamese waters.
He said Chinese ships kept close to Vietnamese ships, ramming them and attacking them with hire-pressure water cannons.
Tran Duy Hai, deputy director of the National Boundary Commission, said there had been 30 communications of various types with the Chinese, adding that the international community recognised Viet Nam's commitment to solving tensions peacefully.
According to the Viet Nam Fisheries Resources Surveillance Department yesterday, China has maintained 110-115 ships around the oil rig and dispatched two more military ships to within 15-20 nautical miles southwest of it.
On June 4 and 5, at least five Chinese ships fired water cannons at Vietnamese ships at close range, seriously damaging one of the vessels.
Ha Le, deputy head of the Viet Nam Fisheries Resources Surveillance Department, told the media normally a busy time for Vietnamese fishermen in the central region, who had to remain at sea for extended periods.

Hundreds of Chinese vessels are used to protect the rig and attack Vietnamese vessels. Chinese ships kept close to Vietnamese ships, ramming them and attacking them with hire-pressure water cannons. — VNA/VNS Photo Cong Dinh Huu Trung

Le said Vietnamese boats were now attacked by Chinese fisheries ships. Even their hauls of fish and equipment were robbed.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Le Hai Binh said Vietnam had sent three diplomatic notes to China's Foreign Affairs Ministry but received no replies.
Despite no response from the Chinese side, he said Viet Nam would adopt a peaceful stance.
Binh said he appreciated that the international community had condemned China's acts and hoped for more "strong voices and actions" from them.
Regarding the content of upcoming ASEAN meetings in Myanmar, Binh said apart from the ASEAN Community and regional trust-building and preventive diplomatic measures, the meetings would focus on the East Sea issue.
"Maintaining peace, stability, security and safety of navigation in the region is both the interest and obligation of regional and non-regional countries. So the East Sea issue and tensions in the region will be on the table at the meetings at an appropriate level," he added.

Source: vietnamnews.vn

Ham Rong Mountain - a fairy of Sapa

Ham Rong in spring is filled with colorful flowers blooming along the way through. The poetic and grandiose Ham Rong mountain is considered as a fairy land of Sapa for its natural beauty as well as rich cultural value.

Ham Rong Mountain, situated in the center of Sapa town, is a impressive tourist attraction. According to Legend, once upon a time there were a couple of dragons so mad in love that while a biblical flood was rising but they didn't know. When they awoke, it was too late for them to escape from the flood so they were washed away separately. Even now, turned into stone, but due to be natural instinct, the female (Ham Rong Mountain) always looks toward her lover in the west (the Hoang Lien Son mountain range).

Shaped like a dragon’s head in the clouds, Ham Rong Mountain is approximately  2000 meters high with green trees and colorful flowers almost all year round. Most tourists in Vietnam travel  visiting Sapa do the exciting climb up to the mountain. The path leading up to Ham Rong Mountain consists of many stone steps and a winding trail higher up will help to see small streams lazily run through bushy foliages. About mid­way, travelers will find themselves in an orchid -garden with over 400 species of colorful blooms. Standing on the highest point of Ham Rong Mountain, tourists will have a breathtaking view over the romantic Sapa town.



If visitors in Vietnam tourism come here in spring, the surprise will be greater to see blooming peach, plum and apricot garden. At midway upwards, there are ethnic cutural villages where visitors will enjoy art-performance by Dao, Mong or Sa Pho young locals.
The sound of bamboo flutes by Mong minority boys echo far and wide, their dances, songs, folksongs sound strong and romantic that will leave unforgettable impressions. A little further more will be a mini stone-forest where thousands of stone columns, pillars that surprisingly open visitors’ eyes.
A stroll among these pillars seems to be a walk in the fairyland, thentourists proceed to the heavens gate, a beaten trail leads to the cloud-yard and a TV station. San May (Cloud Yard) is an ideal location to view the whole panorama of Sapa.

Source: vietnamtourism.org.vn

Ban Than Cliffs

Nui Thanh District of central coast Quang Nam Province has two tourist sites that always attract visitors, i.e. Rang beach in Tam Quang Village and Ban Than cliffs in Tam Hai Village. These two sites are less than 6km away from each other, and both are about 10km to the east of Nui Thanh.

«           Ban Than cliffs are one of many magnificent rock slabs in Vietnam’s central coastal Quang Nam Province. The cliffs are more than 40 meters high, and in strange, unique shapes.                   »

Unlike other beaches which are normally crowded with people, Rang is quiet, romantic and fanciful. The name of the beach (brilliant) reflects its beauty particularly when the first rays of sunrise mirror the sea. Along the beach, young couples enjoy bathing in the blue water or sitting on the rocks for sight-seeing.

To get to Tam Hai fishing village where the Ban Than cliffs are, we had to depart Rang by ferry in the early morning. The village is located near the coast, with a coconut forest on the right, and rock grounds on the left.

In that wild, coastal village, we met Thu Duyen, a native of this fishing village, who was on a camping trip, with her colleagues who are doctors and nurses from Quang Nam Province’s general hospital.

“I love looking at the scenery in my native place with a wild, natural environment, particularly the rock cliffs with spectacular shapes and sizes, including the Ban Than cliffs,” Duyen said, adding that she used to invite her friends to come here, where they would stay for the whole day enjoying camping, bathing and climbing the cliffs to discover their beauty.

Ong Dun and Ba Che are the most famous peaks of the Ban Than cliffs.  Rock cliffs at Rang beach. A wild beach in Tam Hai. The unique beauty of the Ban Than cliffs attracts a large number of visitors. The imprint of nature on the cliffs at Rang beach. Rocks with unique shapes. Ban Than cliffs are located in Tam Hai Village, about 40km from Tam Ky City. Sunrise on the Rang Beach. Most of the rocks in this place are black. The locals catch seafood at the foot of Ban Than cliffs where there is a 10km long coral reef  with many species of seafood, especially larva of lobster.

Tam rice

Originated from Dien Bien, Tám Rice is a famous speciality of MuongThanh Valley. No matter who you are or where you come from, in Dien Bien, you would be just as amazed by this wonderful dish as the local people and other travellers.

Tám Rice in Dien Bien has become well-known for a long time. Grown naturally, the rice typically has 4.5mm to 5mm long seed, each of which is as transparent as water and as fragrant as a flower.

When cooking, we have to pay great attention so that the rice is moderately soft. Thus, the rice would not get hard when it cools down, or break down when we have it with soup. Eating a well-cooked bowl of Tám Rice, you would not only satisfy yourself with the gentle taste of the rice but also conjure up in your mind the images of TayBac forests and mountains.

Source: vietnamfood.org

Buddhism in Vietnam

In theory there are three main religions in Vietnam: Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism; but in fact there is “tripple religion”, which is an amalgamation of these three doctrines, each of which represents a particular aspect of the whole. And now Buddhism still is main religion in Vietnam.

Buddhism spread first from China to Vietnam's Red River Delta region in approximately the second century A.D., and then from India to the southern Mekong Delta area at some time between the third and the sixth centuries. The Chinese version, Mahayana Buddhism, became the faith of most Vietnamese, whereas the Indian version, Theravada (or Hinayana) Buddhism, was confined mostly to the southern delta region. The doctrinal distinction between the two consists of their differing views of Gautama Buddha: the Mahayana school teaches that Gautama was only one of many "enlightened ones" manifesting the fundamental divine power of the universe; the Theravada school teaches that Gautama was the one-and-only enlightened one and the great teacher, but that he was not divine. The Mahayana sect holds further that laypersons can attain nirvana, whereas the Theravada school believes that only ordained monks and nuns can do so.

At the 13 century, during the Tran dynasty (1225-1400), the first 3 Kings Trần Thái Tôn, Trần Thánh Tông, Trần Nhân Tông and many high-ranking mandarins and royal members were Zen Buddhists. Among them King Trần Nhân Tông was the most prominent, being the founder of Trúc Lâm Yên Tử Zen School after his retirement from the throne in 1299. The essence of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen school is to “live the dharma” and Trần Nhân Tông’s life is the illustrated example. Trần Nhân Tông’s Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen School marked the beginning and foundation of Vietnamese Buddhism, which is exemplified by the tenet, “Dharma applied to worldly life,” all of the characteristics of which are outlined in the verse Cư Trần Lạc Đạo. In this interpretation of Buddhism, practicing Buddhism is not limited to ritual activities, worship, and meditation, but right within daily activities. There is no need to search for enlightenment and peace anywhere outside of self and of the environment one lives in.

Vietnamese Buddhism continues to hold this supremacy in our own time. It is therefore easy to understand how great an influence the Buddha has had on the Vietnamese mind, and the generous contribution it has made to the moral and spiritual training of a people whose gentleness and simple outlook on life predisposed them to accept the «Religion of Compassion.»

Source: vietnamtourism.org.vn

Trawler captain: Chinese vessels out to kill

The wreck of sinking fishing trawler DNa TS 90152 was hoisted to the dock of Tho Quang shipyard, seven days after it was rammed by Chinese boats near the Hoang Sa (Paracel) islands of Viet Nam. — VNS Photo Hoai Nam

DA NANG (VNS) —  "It was brutal and inhuman, the piratic action of wild beasts."
This was how the captain of a Vietnamese fishing trawler, Dang Van Nhan, described the sinking of his vessel, DNNa 952, by Chinese boats near the Hoang Sa (Paracel) islands on Monday.
Ten crew members from the trawler were returned home safely to Da Nang yesterday.
"The Chinese crew left myself and the nine crew members swimming in the sea and they did not try to rescue us," Nhan said.
The fishermen were rescued by another Vietnamese trawler. They were towed back home in their half submerged vessel by Vietnamese Marine Police and Fishing Surveillance crews.
Captain Nhan said his vessel was fishing 17 nautical miles from the illegal Chinese oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 when a Chinese steel ship coded 11209 rammed into it from behind, causing it to topple and sink.

Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa, owner of sinking fishing trawler DNa TS 90152, in Da Nang city expresses her anger against illegal collision of Chinese on her boat near the Hoang Sa (Paracel) islands of Viet Nam.

Nhan, 41, and his crew fell or jumped into the sea, but were rescued by Vietnamese fishing vessels in the area. He said the incident happened at about 4am on May 26.
"We were trawling for fish when the Chinese ships passed us on the right side. The crew threw bottles at us and shouted loudly," Nhan said.
"We warned our men to prepare for a brutal collision, but a Chinese vessel travelling at higher speed rammed the rear left of our boat, capsizing it."
"It was brutal, inhuman - the piratic action of wild beasts without human manners. They intentionally set out to slaughter us. It was not an accidental collision.
"It was obvious the Chinese vessel was not for fishing and its crew were not fishermen. They did not even seem to have nets or fishing gear on board," Nhan said.
Le Van Ha, a crew member on the Vietnamese trawler, said the Chinese were heartless.
"I have been working in the Hoang Sa islands of Viet Nam since I was a teenager, but it was the first time I've seen an intentional collision," Ha said.
"They were not fishermen, but butchers on fishing boats. We have met many fishermen from different countries, but none of them have ever acted like that.
"Real fishermen will rescue crew members from any ship if they see them in danger," Ha said.

A 10-crew-member of sinking fishing trawler DNa TS 90152 return home safety three days after the attack. They were rescued by Vietnamese fishermen and their boat were towed back home in their half submerged vessel by Vietnamese Fishing Surveillance crews. — VNS Photo Hoi Nam

"The Chinese wrecked our trawler, destroyed our assets, fishing tools and nets. We lost everything."
The Vietnamese crew now face months without work.
Huynh Thi Nhu Hoa, 37, owner of the Vietnamese trawler, said she lost VND5 billion (US$235,000).
"We can't fish as our boat is almost a complete wipe-out. I also have to pay interest on a VND1.5 billion loan as well as salaries for the crew," she said.
"A new boat costs around VND5 billion ($235,000) and takes six months to build. We will miss the usual bumper catch of tuna in summertime.".
Hoa said that she had received VND800 million ($38,000) from donors from Da Nang and people throughout the country.
Captain Nhan and his crew said they would not stop fishing around the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, despite the attack. "The islands belong to Vietnam. It's been the fishing ground of many generations of Vietnamese fishermen." he said. — VNS

Source: vietnamnews.vn