Equality and the family dilemma

I've always thought Vietnamese women were strong. In the U.S., you rarely see women carrying a basket full of bricks on their heads, or pushing around carts full of garbage. Those difficult jobs are left for men back home. In Vietnam I see it all the time. I've heard many stories about Vietnamese women war heroes. The new generation of women have not lost this strength, I'm sure because I have seen it. But it seems that in modern society it shows up in different ways. _______________________ I've taught in Hanoi, as so many other foreigners have. And also learned a few things from my students. One of the things I learned is the difference between the roles between sexes. In one way, they seem to be much more strict than what I'm used to. For example, yesterday a female friend of met me at my house for coffee. As we were leaving my house we decided that it would be best to take one motorbike. Since mine was already parked inside, we took hers. She drove. I was on the back. As we approached the street, the woman who sells tea near my house made fun of me for being driven on the back of a motorbike by a girl. But my feeling is that the attitudes towards such things are changing quickly. While I was teaching, I met a number of bright, capable, strong-minded young ladies. I'm sure many of them will become very successful. I wouldn't doubt that one of them could be Prime Minister one day. This is a great thing, in my opinion. On the other hand, as women start to become more financially successful, more independent and more self-assured, it will inevitably change Vietnamese society. Some of these changes will not be welcomed by everyone. For example, it is a simple historical fact that around the world, once women begin to make more of their own money - maybe even more than their husbands - the divorce rate will go up. A woman who is financially independent is much less likely to put up with a husband who does not treat her right. If she feels that she has the option to leave, she is much more likely to do so. I know that The Family is, and has been, the cornerstone of Vietnamese society. But it seems to me that progress and development, things that everybody seems to want, will change the Vietnamese Family. ____________________ One of the most intelligent, young students I've ever had once told me that, although she loved her family, she also felt it was like a prison. Now I'm not saying that all, or even most, women feel this way. But as the economic realities change in Vietnam, it will definitely have an effect on the Vietnamese family. "Economic Development" and "Women's Equality": both sound good. I doubt many people would argue with that. But, unless this country is different than every other nation in the world, the "Vietnamese Family" will ultimately change along with the first two. Of these three, which is most important? Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
Mã số bài viết 29cb2faa4c96d3b56a9e976025c6f06e

“New life” in Son Dong craft village

Son Dong craft village in Hoai Duc district, Hanoi, is Vietnam's largest craft village making wood statues of Buddha and objects of worship. The village has set many national records for the quantity and quality of its wooden products and the number of people involved in the profession. Arriving in the village in early July, the first impression for tourists is the strange but interesting sound of people busing carving the wood. In every nook and cranny of the village, the workers are concentrating on different kinds of statues. Each worker has his own task; some saw the timber while others carve the wood and paint the statues. After painstakingly painting a horizontal lacquered board, Nguyen Viet Da, an 85 year-old artisan in the village, tells visitors about his village's profession. According to Da, the imitation antique statues are often made from three different types of timber brought in from the central highlands, Hai Phong or even imported from Cambodia. Only jackfruit wood can be used to carve the reproduction antique Buddha statues, as it is soft, durable and easy to carve. From the raw timber, the skillful workers easily carve statues of Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light) and the God of Prosperity, or create horizontal lacquered boards with parallel sentences. The workers must go through dozens of steps before finishing a product including selecting the wood, carving it, then painting it. This highly skilled work requires great patience and concentration. "These wooden objects are for worship, therefore the maker must have a good heart and mind," said Da. Sharing his point of view, Nguyen Viet Loi, another popular artisan in the village said the statutes can only be perfect if the workers put all their concentration into the work. This is why the statues made in Son Dong village are quite easily distinguished from others. Sustainably preserving and developing the craft village and tourism is a concern of all the workers in Son Dong workers. To achieve that, the village has made considerable changes. Along with wooden statues, the villagers are now making objects that contain traditional and spiritual elements of the Vietnamese culture. The familiar image of the areca nut, betel leaf, calabash and luffa can now be seen in many of the village's unique products. Moreover, the statues of Buddha and fairies are now being made colourful and small enough to fit in a man's hand. Entering the shop of Nguyen Chi Thanh, is one of the trailblazers in making new products, and when visitors enter his shop they feel that they are in a mini museum displaying carefully designed wooden statues. Thanh said that these new products have been very popular and preferred by the international markets. Foreign visitors are willing to pay high prices for these products, which helps generate work for most of the villagers. However, the villagers still want their products to reach domestic customers and for their village to become more popular and attract more domestic tourists. "I am considering a price frame for our products so that they will be appropriate for each particular market and also trying to fill a niche in the home market," said Thanh. Wood carving has existed in the village for more than 300 years and during some periods it seemed that the villagers could not maintain their handicraft. However, some of them secretly preserved their traditions and passed them on to the younger generations. Nguyen Duc Dau (1896-1988) is respected by the whole village for his outstanding skill. In 1986, he opened training courses for the villagers and worked with the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Art to provide them with the necessary scientific knowledge and techniques for their work. Thanks to these courses, the traditional craft has been well preserved and today many villagers are owners of a traditional woodworking shop. Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
Mã số bài viết eda8659aae5ce3753ab0e6e881135e8f

Short trips attract tourists on National Day

On the occasion of Vietnam's National Day (September 2), there is an increased demand for travel during the three-day national holiday. Travel agencies are offering tourists a wide variety of short trips and excursions. Despite rising inflation, the prices of most travel packages over the holiday remain unchanged and many travel agencies are even offering massive discounts to attract visitors and promote their brand. Saigontourist, one of Vietnam's leading tour operators, is offering an extensive range of package tours from the Iko Travel package for budget travellers to the Premium Travel for luxury holidaymakers. Most people who purchase a tour will receive free travel insurance as a bonus. In addition, Saigontourist, in cooperation with Vietnam Airlines, are also organising many autumn tours from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. During these trips, tourists will have a chance to explore places of interest in the north at discounted fares. Tourists will get a discount of VND 3 million when they book the six-day 'Hanoi – Sapa Autumn' package, which now costs only VND 8.768 million (US$420.86). The 'Hanoi – Bai Dinh Temple – Trang An – Ha Long' tour, which is one of the most popular, is also discounted up to 46%. Besides these promotions, travel agencies have also designed attractive new short trips so that tourists can have a unique and unforgettable experience during the national holiday. Details of these packages are available on the travel agency websites. Most travellers in the north choose to spend their holiday in mountainous retreats rather than at the seaside as the storm and rainy season is not yet over. Major destinations in the north are the beautiful towns of Sapa in Lao Cai province and Tam Dao in Vinh Phuc province, as well as the Bai Dinh Temple Complex in Ninh Binh province. Hanoi-based Luxury Travel is launching interesting new day trips from Hanoi to Tam Dao National Park. The trips start at US$69 per person for a party of six, and include a private car with individual pick-up and drop-off, entrances fees, meals and an English-speaking guide from Hanoi. Luxury Travel is also offering a four-day tour of Hanoi, where visitors can experience the fascinating Old Quarter and join a cooking class to taste and make the finest cuisine in Vietnam. For those interested in exploring UNESCO heritage sites in Vietnam, their choices include the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province, the Hue Monuments Complex, the ancient town of Hoi An, and the My Son Relics Sanctuary in Quang Nam province. In the south, attractions include amusement parks in Binh Duong province, scenic spots in the Mekong River Delta and resorts in Dalat (Lam Dong province), Buon Don (Dak Lak province) and Bien Ho (Gia Lai province). Trips to famous beaches and islands are also ideal for adventure lovers. Travellers in Ho Chi Minh City can choose three-day trips to the paradise island of Phu Quoc or the Con Dao islands, one of Southeast Asia's most breathtaking and untouched getaways. Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
Mã số bài viết 2c4a21b463613618ab017d937998ed32

Hue Monuments Conservation Center

THIEN MU PAGODA

Located beside the picturesque Huong River, Thien Mu Pagoda, with its ancient architecture, adds its charm to this beautiful natural setting. The sound of Thien Mu bell is like the soul of Hue, ever resounding over the Huong River flow winding its way in front of the Citadel to the sea, resonating in the hearts and minds of the people and of visitors to Hue, the ancient capital.

Hue is home to many of the most beautiful sites and ancient pagodas in Vietnam The oldest pagoda in Hue is Thien Mu Pagoda whose establishment is associated with the early actions of the first Nguyen Lord in Dang Trong (South Vietnam).  This legend relates how, when Nguyen Hoang was sent to Thuan Hoa (now Central Vietnam) to rule this area, he himself made a survey of the terrain to choose a site for settling down. As he rode his horse upstream along the Huong River side he saw a small hillock beside the river, whose terrain looked like a dragon turning its head back. This hill was called Ha Khe. The local people told a story that every night an old lady in a red blouse and green trousers appeared here saying that a true Lord would come to this place and build a pagoda for the prosperity of the country. Thus this place became known as Thien Mu Son (Heavenly Lady Mountain). It seemed that the grand ideas of Lord Nguyen Hoang matched the people's desires so he ordered a pagoda to be built on the hillock, facing the Huong River and to be named "Thien Mu Tu" (Thien Mu Pagoda).  In fact, a pagoda of the Champa people had previously stood on this site - a relic mentioned in the book O Chau Can Luc written by Duong Van An in 1553. It was not until 1601 that the pagoda was built following the decision of Lord Nguyen Hoan. With the development, prosperity and spread of Buddhism in Dang Trong, the pagoda was rebuilt on a larger scale in the reign of Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu (1691-1725).  In 1710, this Lord ordered that a big bell with an inscribed teaching be cast. And in 1714, he again had the pagoda renovated and many great architectural structures added. These new additions included the Thien Vuong, Dai Hung and Thuyet Phap buildings, Tang Kinh Pavilion, Monks' rooms and a house for religious meditation. Many of these buildings no longer exist today.  Nguyen Phuc Chu himself wrote a narrative description describing the construction of the buildings here, praising the philosophy of the Buddhism, and relating the merits of the Buddhist monk Thach Liem, who was instrumental in helping Lord Nguyen boost Buddhism in Dang Trong. The inscribed stele was placed on a big stone turtle with simple decorations which enhanced its beauty. With its enlarged scale and natural landscape, Thien Mu pagoda was said to be the most beautiful one in Dang Trong at that time. During the ups and downs of history, Thien Mu was once the place for sacrifices to the Deity under Tay Son's reign in 1788 and was restored many times under the Nguyen reign. In 1844, on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Queen Thuan Thien Cao Hoang Hau (Gia Long's wife and Thieu Tri's grandmother), the pagoda was again renovated together with the construction of Tu Nhan Tower (later renamed Phuoc Duyen), Huong Nguyen temple and two steles inscribed with Thieu Tri Emperor's poems. Phuoc Duyen Tower is a famous symbolic link with Thien Mu Pagoda. It is 21 metres high, has seven storeys, is located in front of the pagoda and is visible from the Huong River. On each of the seven storeys there is a statue of Buddha. Inside the tower a spiral staircase leads to the top storey where formerly a gold Buddha statue was displayed. Huong Nguyen temple is in front of the Tower. Thien Mu Pagoda was ranked one of the twenty most beautiful landscapes in Hue with the poem Thien Mu chung thanh, composed by the emperor Thieu Tri, inscribed on the stone stele set near the Pagoda gate. In 1862, during the reign of Tu Duc, who prayed for a child, the Emperor was afraid that the word Thien profaned Heaven because it means heavenly.  So Tu Duc renamed the Pagoda as Linh Mu which means Holy Lady. It was not until 1869 that the Emperor allowed the reuse of the old name Thien Mu meaning Heavenly Lady. The Pagoda is still known by both names today. In 1904, a terrible storm seriously damaged the Pagoda. Many structures were ruined and Huong Nguyen Temple was destroyed. Through many re-constructions and restorations Thien Mu Pagoda still retains valuable architectural structures such as Phuoc Duyen Tower, Dai Hung, Dia Tang and Quan Am temples, the stone steles and bronze bells.  Thien Mu Pagoda is also home to many valuable antiques of both historical and artistic value and importance, such as the statures Ho Phap, Thap Vuong, Di Lac Buddha, the three Buddhas symbolizing Past, Present and Future Lives, lacquered boards and panels with parallel texts that mark the glorious periods in history of the Pagoda.   The Pagoda is surrounded with a garden of flowers and plants that are carefully tended every day. There is a bonsai of the ancestor of Vietnam Tuong (Classical drama), Dao Tan, situated next to the car left in 1963 by the Superior Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, before burning himself to protest the policy of Ngo Dinh Diem regime in suppressing Buddhism. At the end of the garden is the Tower of the Superior Buddhist monk Thich Don Hau, a famous head of Thien Mu Pagoda who devoted his whole life to the promotion of Buddhism and the good of society.

Hue Da Nang | Da Nang Hoi An | Hoi An Hue | Du Lich Hue | Du Lich Hoi An | Du Lich Da Nang | Du Lich Sapa | Du Lich Da Lat | Du Lich Phu Quoc | Du Lich Lao | Du Lich Cambodia | Du Lich Thai Lan |Du Lich Singapore | Du Lich Malaysia | Du Lich Trung Quoc
Mã số bài viết bbb3596593cf9767f01966ca7750fe13

NA deputies approve personnel for key positions

HA NOI -- The 13th National Assembly this morning casted their votes for the personnel of deputy prime ministers, ministers and other key positions of the cabinet structure. Four proposed cabinets for deputy prime ministers received the highest percentage of votes from NA deputies. Current Deputy Prime Ministers Hoang Trung Hai and Nguyen Thien Nhan will continue to keep their posts, with 93.8 and 91.6 per cent of votes. Two new Deputy PMs, Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vu Van Ninh received 95.2 and 81.8 per cent of votes for the positions. The NA also approved nominated cabinets for the positions of ministers, with 98.4 per cent of votes. Seven current ministers and 12 fresh faces, two of whom were female, were elected. Other key positions, including Giang Seo Phu as Minister and Chairman of the Government Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs; Nguyen Van Binh as Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam; Huynh Phong Tranh as Government Inspector General and Vu Duc Dam as Minister and Chairman of the Government Office, were also elected. Speaking at the meeting, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung expressed his wish that the current and newly-elected cabinets would strive their best to successfully fulfil their tasks. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stressed that the Government would take all efforts to implement the national socio-economic development plan of 2011-15. The Government would give priority of curbing inflation, stabilising the macro-economy and assuring social welfare, especially to improve the life of poor and low-income people. -- VNS Yen viet yen sao
to yen
Cong dung yen sao
nuoc yen
mua yen sao
Mã số bài viết cf93803ee87058959d343327d41b4cfd

FAA shutdown: Obama urges Congress to settle latest row

President Barack Obama has again urged Congress to end a funding row that has partially shut down the body which oversees US air safety. He said it was a "lose-lose situation" that could cost the government $1bn (£610m) in uncollected air fare taxes. Many lawmakers left for summer breaks after the US debt crisis was resolved, without extending the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget. About 70,000 construction workers on airport projects have had to stop work. Safety inspectors are now being asked to work without pay. Air traffic control is not affected. 'Get this done' Nearly 4,000 FAA employees, including engineering technicians and computer specialists, have been forced to take a temporary leave of absence. Continue reading the main story " Start Quote This is why people shake their heads when they think about Congress" Ray LaHood US Transportation Secretary The FAA was forced into partial shutdown after its operating authority expired on 23 July. The government has already lost more than $200m because airlines are unable to collect taxes on ticket sales. Lawmakers are not due back from their annual leave until September. President Obama said on Wednesday: "This is a lose-lose-lose situation that can be easily solved if Congress gets back into town and does its job." When asked what he could do to step in, Mr Obama told reporters: "I have made calls to key leaders, and I am urging them to get this done." A White House official later confirmed that Mr Obama had called House Speaker John Boehner about the issue on Wednesday. Mr Boehner said the problem could be resolved if Senate Democrats would only accept $16.5m in air service subsidy cuts that the House last month attached to a bill to extend FAA's operating authority. 'Conservative hostage takers' Senate Democrats opposed the cuts and went into recess on Tuesday until early September without voting on the bill. Some airlines raised their ticket prices within hours of the 23 July partial shutdown A spokesman for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said the Senate would not allow House Republicans to "jam through a policy" on subsidies within a stop-gap funding extension bill. He said the real issue was that Republicans wanted to scrap new rules which give airline employees greater trade union rights. The partial shutdown could last at least until congressmen arrive back from their annual break. But Mr Reid said on Wednesday it could be resolved sooner if Republicans agreed to a congressional procedure called unanimous consent that did not require lawmakers to cast votes in person. He also said conservatives were "taking Americans hostage" by not passing the bill which would end the partial shutdown. The FAA debate was overshadowed earlier in the week by last-minute legislation passed in Congress to increase the US debt ceiling and avert a financial default. The shutdown is costing the federal government some $200m per week in passenger ticket taxes that can no longer be collected, officials say. On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a Republican, also said Congress should come back and pass on a short-term bill resolving the dispute. "This is not fair to people. These are people that work hard, these are people right in the middle of construction season," Mr LaHood said. "This is why people shake their heads when they think about Congress," he added. Airline passengers are not being forced to pay ticket taxes, which average around 10% of each fare, while the political scuffle continues. But within hours of the shutdown on 23 July, many airlines had raised their fares by the amounts equivalent to the taxes that were no longer being collected. Mr LaHood responded to the hikes at a White House news conference in late July, saying airlines should not have their raised fares and that he had contacted major carriers to express his dissatisfaction. The air service subsidy programme costs the federal government about $200m per year, about the amount the government lost during the first week of the FAA partial shutdown. Source : Vietnam tour | HUE – DA NANG - HOI AN | HUE - DANANG - HOIAN | HUẾ - ÐÀ NẴNG - HỘI AN | DU LỊCH HUẾ | DU LICH HUE | Thiền Viện Trúc Lâm
Mã số bài viết ef29f0d79b3ff33b477e6cf7f1091495

Mubarak bắt đầu bị đưa ra xét xử

Cựu tổng thống Ai Cập Hosni Mubarak hôm nay được đưa bằng cáng tới phiên toà tại Cairo, nửa năm sau khi ông bị lật đổ do làn sóng nổi dậy của người dân hồi tháng 2 vừa qua. Cựu tổng thống Hosni Mubarak được đưa tới toà bằng xe cáng và đặt trong một chiếc lồng sắt trong phòng xử. Ảnh: AFP. Cựu lãnh đạo kỳ cựu này bị buộc tội tham nhũng và sát hại nhiều người biểu tình, những tội danh khiến ông có thể đối mặt với án tử hình. Hai con trai của Mubarak là Alaa và Gamal cùng cựu bộ trưởng nội vụ Habib al-Adly và 6 quan chức trong chính quyền cũ cũng ra toà với các cáo buộc khác nhau. Ban đầu phiên toà dự tính diễn ra tại Trung tâm Hội nghị Cairo, nhưng sau đó giới chức Ai Cập quyết định lập phòng xử trong Học viện Cảnh sát do lo ngại an ninh. Hơn 3.000 binh sĩ và cảnh sát đã được huy động để bảo đảm an ninh cho phiên toà xử Mubarak tại đây. Khoảng 600 người được trực tiếp tham dự phiên toà. Mubarak, 83 tuổi, được đưa bằng máy bay từ một bệnh viện ở thành phố nghỉ mát bên bờ Biển Đỏ Sharm el-Sheikh tới Cairo. Cựu lãnh đạo này bị tạm giam và nhận sự điều trị của bác sĩ từ tháng 4 vừa qua do bệnh tim. Trước đó ông buộc phải từ chức ngày 11/2, sau 18 ngày người biểu tình tràn ngập thủ đô Cairo. Cáo buộc nặng nhất nhằm vào Mubarak là ra lệnh sát hại người biểu tình. Có khoảng 850 người biểu tình Ai Cập thiệt mạng trong làn sóng nổi dậy. Tuy nhiên rất khó biết chính xác ai đã ra lệnh thực hiện các vụ bắn giết này nên cáo buộc nhằm vào Mubarak có nguy cơ thiếu bằng chứng. Nhiều người biểu tình thiệt mạng do bị bắn không phải từ các sĩ quan an ninh mặc đồng phục, mà do các tay súng ẩn nấp trên nóc các toà nhà. Họ bị bắn chủ yếu vào ban đêm nên càng khó xác định tung tích các hung thủ. Những điều này khiến việc chứng minh trách nhiệm của ông Mubarak trong các vụ bắn giết thêm thách thức. Luật sư của Mubarak khẳng định rằng thân chủ của họ đang ốm rất nặng. Giới quan sát cũng nhận định quân đội Ai Cập không muốn vị cựu tổng thống bị hạ nhục tại toà án. Tuy nhiên, nếu ông Mubarak không bị đưa ra toà thì sự kiện này có thể châm ngòi cho làn sóng biểu tình mới trên đường phố Cairo. Trong những tháng qua, dù chính quyền Mubarak đã bị hạ bệ, các cuộc biểu tình vẫn tiếp diễn tại Cairo do người dân tức giận vì sự chậm trễ trong việc thực thi các thay đổi của đất nước. Một trong những yêu sách của họ là đòi hội đồng quân sự đang điều hành Ai Cập đẩy nhanh quá trình xét xử các quan chức chế độ cũ. Source : Vietnam tour | HUE – DA NANG - HOI AN | HUE - DANANG - HOIAN | HUẾ - ÐÀ NẴNG - HỘI AN | DU LỊCH HUẾ | DU LICH HUE | Thiền Viện Trúc Lâm
Mã số bài viết 448dd21e9efef84c5818dfb2660b11f0