Vietnamese Art

Vietnamese art has its roots from the kingdom of Champa's and Chinese art. It is best typified by the sculpture associated with architecture, in which lavish ornament is paired with vigorous sensuality. As Champa art declined after the 13th century, China held the Tonkin gulf area as a vassal state until the 10th century when the Vietnamese in 938 seized power from the Tang. Therefore, much of the art owes its influence to Chinese models and neighboring Champa styles. Of particular note are ceramics similar to some provincial Sung Chinese wares.

Dance
Folkdance is usually performed during ceremonies or festivals. The most interesting and stunning is the Conical Hat Dance, in which a group of people wearing ao dai spin and intermingle using their elaborate Hue-style hats as props. Traditional dances are including unique-style dance of ethnic minorities which differ sharply from Vietnamese majority. While in most hill tribe the majority of dancers are women but in a few hill tribes, only men are allowed.

Music
Vietnamese traditional music is heavily influenced by the Chinese, Khmers, and Indian Cham musical traditions. It is originally unique in style and instrumentation. Vietnamese folk music includes children's songs, love songs, work songs, festival songs, lullabies, lamentations and funeral songs. These are usually sung without and instrumental accompaniment. Classical or 'learned music' is more rigid or formal. A traditional orchestra consists of 40 musicians. There are two main types considered a classical chamber music: hat a dao from the north and ca Hue from central Vietnam. Everyone of Vietnam's ethno-linguistic minority has its own musical traditions that often include distinctive costumes and instruments such as reed flutes, lithophones (similar to xylophones), bamboo whistles, gongs and stringed instruments made from gourds.

Literature
There are three types of Vietnamese literature. First is the traditional oral literature dates back long before the recorded history, includes legends, folk songs, and proverbs. The second is the Sino-Vietnamese literature written in Chinese characters. It began in AD 939, when the first independent Vietnamese kingdom was established. The Sino-Vietnamese literature was dominant because of its Confucian and Buddhism texts and strict rule of meter and verse. Finally, Modern Vietnamese literature includes anything recorded in nom characters. The earliest text recognized is the late-13th-century Van Te Ca Sau.

Architecture
Most of Vietnamese architecture was made from wood and materials that easily decay in the tropical climate. In addition, almost all of pre-historical Vietnamese stone architecture has been destroyed in the wars and invasions. Although many pagodas and temples functioning nowadays, were built hundred years ago, have usually been rebuilt and reconstructed, however, with a little concern of making an upgrade structure an exact copy of the original. Numerous architecture remains today are those ancient graves which survive because of the custom of ancestor worship, also, including temples erected in memory of high-ranking mandarins, royal family members and emperors. Memorials for Vietnamese who died in the wars against Chinese, French, and Americans usually contain cement obelisks inscribed with the words to quac qhi cong means 'the county will remember their exploits' and usually built upon empty graves as most Viet Minh and Viet Cong dead were buried where they fell.

Painting
Vietnamese painting dates back to the 13th century. Silk painting was one time preserve of scholar-calligraphers, who also painted scenes from nature. Before the advent of photography, realistic portraits were used in the ancestor worship. Today, some of these still remains such as portraits of former head monks kept in Buddhist pagodas. During the part century much of the country were stressed with the wars atmosphere which were illustrated in the paintings. Most of them were influenced by Western trends and had political rather than aesthetic or artistic motives. However, recent economic liberalization has convinced many young artists to abandon the revolutionary themes and concentrate on producing commercial work.

Sculpture
The themes of traditional Vietnamese sculpture were mainly of religious. It can be mostly seen in common pagodas, temples and tombs, for example, the inscribed stelae (carved stone slabs or columns) erected hundred years ago to commemorate the founding of the pagoda or important national events. Chams also produced beautiful carved sandstone figures for their Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries. Cham sculpture was profoundly influenced by Indian art but, for centuries, it managed to integrate Indonesian and Vietnamese elements.

Lacquerware
Art of making lacquerware was originally from China and brought to Vietnam in the mid-15th century, before that Vietnamese had used lacquer in practical ways such as for making things watertight. It then became popular when Japanese teachers in the Fine Art School (1930s) taught students to develop new styles and production methods. Most of the lacquerware for sale today is inlaid with mother-of-pearl, which appears to be of traditional design.

Ceramics
In ancient times, ceramic objects were made by coating a wicker mould with clay and baking it. Later, ceramic production became refined and each dynastic period is known for its particular techniques and motifs.

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by Royal Exclusive Travel

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