A Glimpse of ancient town Hoist An

As far as the impression of Vietnam is concerned, to be exact, I personally will associate this country with sunshine, indolence, elegance and French expressions. Of course, there will be flowing rivers, adorable bridges and pure girls in white and blue with a big bamboo hat，odd-flavored fish sauce or G7 coffee. Even in the original name “Am Nam” given by ancient China, an outlandish taste can be sensed. 

Sea View of Vietnam

Peculiar Tracffic

Period of Tide Rising

In Vietnam, it is said that there is the more beautiful landscape when traveling the more southward. In my opinion, there is the more noise actually. All the real motorcycle racers gather in Ho Chi Minh City. With speeding, racing and going against traffic, they fill the road or play drifting in some outlandish venues such as Red Church, Old Post Office, Penang Market, and Liberty Street. Sometimes, like jugglers, they will play some breathtaking tricks, one hand picking bags and the other driving, a 5-people family pinched in a racing motor, or holding a baby while driving, all of which are as amazing and thrilling as in Hollywood films. When we see over 100 motors waiting behind red lights and rushing to the opposite road like horse racing, we can’t help gasping in fright while the local brides, getting used to this, raise their wedding gown in a graceful manner and take photos in front of the Red Church in and out of the racing motors. This is just the motor culture in Vietnam, probably the living hormone of Vietnam. 

Street of Vietnam

Having enough boisterous noises, we head for the middle part of Vietnam, quiet cities such as DaNang, Hoi An and Hue. Located over 40 kilometers away west of Hoi An, My Son Valley is the largest religious ritual of the Ancient Champa Reign in Vietnam and enjoys a nickname of “Angkor Wat in Vietnam”. 

There is a big hole in front of My Son Sanctuary. It is said that the hole was bombed by American Air Force during the Vietnam War. As a miracle, the distance of a few meters from the site hindered a further destruction. For tens, hundreds and even thousands of years, people from China, France and USA have been to this S-shape country. As My Son stays in blood connection with Hinduism and Buddhism cultures, Vietnam is always proud of her distinctive cultural scenery. In this way, thinking of that bombing hole, we suppose that it was nature that preferred to maintain this ritual of ancient architecture in this peninsula. 

Like Chinese people, the Vietnamese bear a liking for hard working. By the Hoi An River at sunset, many motors and bikes as well as some baggage are boarded on rubber raft and head for some unknown destination against the torrential tides. This reminded me of an oil painting titled Ferry on Yellow River at Night by Mr. Ai Zhongxin who once confessed that in reality it is impossible for a ferry to take as many people as the painting exaggerated. However, as a matter of fact, the ferry on Hoi An River is much more crowded than that painting. Besides motors and bikes, daily commodity such as chicken and duck are on board as well. In such circumstance, everyone becomes an expert on how to make space in a small ferry.  

I have no idea what impression the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) has left on people’s mind. Some photos such as Shooting Dead CPV and Girl in War implied misery of that Vietnam War. That reportage might be some old news to us, but for many of them, might be a spiritual injury that will never become history. 

My plane takes off at the airport of Ho Chi Minh City. In the instant of take-off, I suddenly find outside the window that tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of motor lights, white and yellow, have converged into rivers of light and shadow. The roaring noises hang over this S-shape country, which is far beyond my imagination.