VietNamNet Bridge - In this second part of a series on Thang Long Royal Citadel in Hanoi, Thanh Thu explains what’s been uncovered so far and how it will be further preserved.

The Thang Long Royal Citadel complex was accidentally discovered in 2003 during the initial phases of construction on the new National Assembly in Hanoi. Since this fortuitous discovery the Vietnam Archaeology Institute has excavated 19,000 of 47,000 square metres at the site, making it the biggest archeological excavation site in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

The archeological value of the Thang Long Royal Citadel is virtually incalculable. These grounds have been the political, cultural and economic centre of Vietnam for 1,300 years, covering feudal dynasties of Ly, Tran, earlier Le, Mac and later Le dynasties. It wasn’t until the Nguyen dynasty transferred the royal seat of government to Hue city that the citadel was downgraded to the status of provincial capital.

The six year excavation of the citadel has uncovered a complex of foundations of palaces, pavilions, water wells and drainage systems as well as thousands of artifacts some of which date back to 1,300 years ago, when Vietnam was known as An Nam and under the administration of China’s Tang dynasty. All architecture and artifacts were made with the most high-end materials of the time and offer an invaluable insight into Vietnam’s feudal rulers.

“The artifacts reflect the long history of Thang Long (Hanoi) between the seventh and 18th centuries,” says Nguyen Van Son, Director of the Centre for Preserving Co Loa and Hanoi Citadels. Ceramic wares and bricks were found dating back to the Dinh (968-979) and earlier Le (989-1009) dynasties, whose capital was located in Ninh Binh province’s Hoa Lu district The palaces and pavilions in the Ly and Tran dynasties are well decorated and indicative of Vietnam’s traditional cultural traits, says Nguyen Thi Hau, the vice head of Ho Chi Minh City’s Institute for Sociology.

“Influenced by Buddhism, many artifacts from the Ly and Tran periods carried stamps of this religion – the lotus-shaped stone foundations, birds and phoenixes,” says Hau. “The image of a dragon embracing a banyan leaf embodied the combination of spiritual power with the king’s authority.”

“We have very little relics from the Mac and later Le dynasties because of the political upheavals in the 18th century and the destruction to make way for the Hanoi citadel which was built in the 19th century,” says historian Phan Huy Le. In the late 19th century, when Vietnam was under French rule, parts of the Hanoi citadel were destroyed to enlarge Hanoi’s streets.

Now, only Thang Long citadel’s Kinh Thien Palace foundation and Doan Mon (main gate) and the Hanoi citadel’s Bac Mon (north gate) and Ky Dai (flag tower) can be seen. “In the world, there are many thousand-year-old citadels. But it is rare to find a citadel which served as a centre of power for 13 centuries and as a nation’s capital for nearly 1,000 years,” says Le. Located by the Nhi river (present-day Hong river), the citadel was an intersection of roads and waterways which ran through all regions of the nation and beyond. As a result, Thang Long was a rendezvous point of civilisations.

Chinese ceramics, coins as well as earthen ware and enamelled terra-cotta pieces from Western Asia prove that Thang Long citadel had economic and cultural exchanges with foreign nations. Influenced by Chinese civilisation, the citadel was built according to feng shui principles.

Writing in the Proclamation of the Transfer of the Capital in 1010, King Ly Thai To stated that the citadel was located in the middle of the four cardinal points: namely between a coiling dragon and a crouching tiger and embraced by rivers and mountains. Under the Ly and Tran dynasties, Buddhism flourished and pagodas were built everywhere. Thang Long Citadel would also have featured extensive Buddhist architecture.

“Archeologists found images and models of seven to nine storey towers on the site. Images of banyan leaves and lotus flowers, which symbolise Buddhism, were also uncovered,” he says. The earlier Le dynasty was more influenced by Confucianism which would have been introduced from China.

The image of the dragon with five sharp claws became the most powerful symbol of kings. It would have been drawn or carved on all kings’ belongings and has been found on ceramic wares on the citadel’s site. Thang Long also incorporated Cham and Western influences. For example, an ancient brick found features Cham script. The image of the nymph Kinnari, an Indian genie, was also found on bricks from a Buddhist tower built in the Ly dynasty.

Later on in the 17th and 18th centuries, the architectural concepts of Vauban were used to construct the Hanoi citadel. “These foreign cultures have imbued the citadel with great value that has enriched the nation’s culture,” says Hau. Preservation society Over the past six years, the Thang Long site has urgently been seeking a master plan for preservation.

There is the added pressure of Hanoi-Thang Long’s 1,000th anniversary, to be held in 2010. In May 2006, a makeshift roof and a water drainage system were installed at part of the site to protect the findings on the ground. Photos and positions of precious artifacts were also taken and marked before they were moved to place more suitable for preservation.

However, structures such as wells, bridge abutments, paths and sewers had to be left as they were – outdoors. The Director of the Vietnam Archeology Institute, Tong Trung Tin points out that the site is at risk of erosion. The capital’s climate can be harsh as anyone who witnessed the heavy rainstorm and ensuing floods in early November will know.

Chairman of the National Council for Cultural Heritage, Luu Tran Tieu says bricks and tiles need to be kept in 20-22 degrees Celsius and at a humidity level of no more than 55-60 per cent. According to archeologists, the degradation of the site is already apparent.

Kazuto Inoue from Japan’s Nara Research Institute for Cultural Properties of Japan says a master plan for conservation of the site is urgently needed otherwise relics will be further degraded. “Common preservative solutions include filling relics with sand, building outdoor or underground museums, restoring parts or the whole of relics,” he says.

“Japan has applied these solutions effectively [in similar situations].” Oliver Tessier from the French School of the Far East Studies (EFEO) proposes that the site be built into an archeological park with museums. A small museum could exhibit the most valuable artifacts and be earmarked for research while a larger one would be open to the public.

He also suggests recreating the citadel using computer-generated imagery. EFEO and South Korea’s Preservation Society for Gyeongju Cultural Heritage have also offered to help Vietnamese scientists to study and preserve the Thang Long site.

(Source: Time-out)