Cham architecture dates back to the 1st century AD.
The reverse of history.
Unique features in sculpture of the Cham Pa people influenced by Indian culture. The unique feature here is that they sculpt on sandstone, mainly their gods. Having witnessed with our own eyes about 2,000 artifacts here, we can imagine the feat as well as the sophistication of the ancient Cham sculpture. From the Tra Kieu altar (7th - 8th centuries), Apsara dancer statue, Vishu relief, Sarasvati relief, Skanda statue... at the Museum of Champa Sculpture in Da Nang...also known as the Ancient Institute of Cham. Most of the artifacts in Cham sculpture from Quang Tri to Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan are present here.
Cham architecture dating from the 1st century AD, is the earliest artistic development in Southeast Asia, influenced by Indian religious thought. Currently, there are many different large and small stupas located in provinces such as Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan... The towers all face the East, which is the direction of the gods, the direction of fertility, but there is still a number of towers facing the West represents the concept of the Champa kings who wanted to learn about the afterlife, the unrecognized world.
Along with sculpture, architecture is also a thriving cultural area of the Cham people. Over thousands of years, the towers still stand there with a unique beauty, recording the once imprint of the mighty Champa kingdom despite the buried time. Up to the present time, the Cham temples and towers are still a mystery and there is no explanation for the architectural composition as well as the durable adhesion from Cham bricks before the decomposition of climate and time. Recognized by Unesco as a world cultural heritage, the architectural works of the Cham people show that its value lies not only in the actual value, but above all, a story with spiritual value about beliefs, beliefs and even human survival messages. This recognition of Unesco once again affirms the uniqueness and distinction of Cham towers compared to most pagodas of ethnic groups living and settling in Vietnam.
One of the typical elements that generations of Cham people still preserve is traditional music, which is played every season of the Kate Festival, during working hours including weaving, in a hammock lulling the cradle... The Cham people use a variety of musical instruments, with three main groups being percussion, wind and string sets, the most popular being Gineng drums, Paranung drums and Saranai trumpets. Traditional music of the Cham people is still preserved for hundreds of years, still keeping the mysterious and beautiful melodies under the shadow of the ivory tower. The music of the Cham people is diverse, rich, and always reflects their life and worldview, although a little different from what the Vietnamese think, but they are all remarkable differences. cherish and respect, creating a cultural synthesis of a multi-ethnic country.
Along with music are dances. If sculpture and architecture create the sophistication and mystery of the physical values of the Cham people, music and dances blend together to form the soul of the Cham people. Through music and dance, we once again have the right to affirm the cultural diversity of the Cham people. Cham women in traditional dresses and colorful and graceful khans show their ingenuity and flexibility. The Cham people call it a religious dance. Take water to offer to the gods; there is also a dance, most unique of all, that is the Apsara dance, which simulates the dance of the goddess Siva. And that is considered the best and most unique dance of the Cham people.
Through music and dance, we once again have the right to affirm the cultural diversity of the Cham people.
Preservation and preservation of Cham Pa culture in Ninh Thuan
Although Cham culture is preserved and preserved by Cham ethnic communities living in many provinces and cities, changes are inevitable, even some things are in danger of disappearing. In which, the researchers pointed out that many Cham cultural heritages so far cannot be restored; degraded Cham relic system; many cultural values, especially literary works, ancient stories, sutras, especially tens of thousands of pages of ancient bibliographies... are at risk of being lost. In the current process of integration and development, preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups in general and the Cham people in particular presents many opportunities and challenges.
According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ninh Thuan province, over the years, “The province has focused on evaluating the results of the implementation of the conservation planning under the decision of the Prime Minister.
This place still preserves many precious heritages of Champa culture.
Currently focusing on building a new project in preserving the temple and tower area. Ninh Thuan has focused on many sources; Central, provincial, socialization and cooperation with international organizations, diplomatic agencies, focus on restoration and embellishment “Promoting well, anti-degradation”. The implementation of conservation and restoration activities has initially achieved practical effects as from 1992 to now, 12/13 national-level monuments of Ninh Thuan province have all been paid attention to and invested in. degree in the National Target Program on Culture. Phan Rang - Thap Cham city coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ninh Thuan province to restore and embellish Dinh Van Son - Van Hai ward (03 periods) with a total amount of more than 3 billion VND (source) National Target Program). In 2019: Restoration and embellishment of 03 relics (Nhon Son Communal House, Temple of Xom Banh, Tomb of Ong Hai Chu) with a total amount of nearly 1.5 billion dong…
Speaking of keeping, there is the most famous Cham tower in Ninh Thuan as well as the Central Coast region. Po Klong Garai has been located on Betel Hill for thousands of years (from the 13th century to the present). Located about 7km from the center of Phan Rang Thap Cham city, in the northeast direction, the tower of Po Klong Garai stands tall and majestic with its characteristic yellow brick color. This is a unique spiritual work of ancient Champa people. Currently, the tower is a very attractive destination because it has a great view of the Ninh Thuan sea. Besides, Po Klong Garai is also an artwork that has been recognized as a unique art monument of Champa.
Po Klong Garai tower stands tall and majestic with its characteristic yellow brick color.
Or Kate Festival usually takes place in July according to the Champa calendar, which coincides with the end of September and the beginning of October of the solar calendar. This is the largest traditional festival of the Cham people, held annually once a year with the meaning of remembering the merits of the gods they respect such as: God Po Klong Garai, God Po Pôme... During the festival, people organize a lot of unique sacrifice rituals bearing the colors of Champa, including offering homage to ancestors to pray for a peaceful life, bountiful crops, and a happy family.
With Cham culture, there are also handicrafts such as ceramics and brocade, a feature that now has constructions such as Hoa Lai tower and Po Klong Garai tower, Po Rome tower cluster built from The terracotta carved with the image of a Cham dancer in the Apsara dance is an eloquent testimony to the wonderful hands and creative minds of the Cham people. These are the tangible and intangible cultural values that the Cham people have created throughout the development process, creating a unique and attractive national culture.
Currently, Ninh Thuan has 233 listed and classified relics including 46 communal houses, 11 temples, 85 pagodas and 91 other relics, of which 27 are ranked at provincial level and 14 at national level. Ninh Thuan is one of the living areas of the ancient Vietnamese. Archaeologists have discovered in Nhon Hai of Ninh Thuan ancient tombs buried with stone and iron items belonging to Sa Huynh civilization about 2500 years ago. Therefore, this place also preserves many valuable heritages of Champa culture, including writing, folk songs and dances, costumes, pottery and brocade weaving, architectural art and sculpture.
With Cham culture, handicrafts such as ceramics and brocade are also mentioned.
It can be said that the Champa civilization is both close and far away. The preservation and promotion of unique Cham cultural values is extremely necessary. According to the flow of time, the world is increasingly moving towards new cultures, ancient artistic values are receding into the past, hidden in historical vestiges. But it is also time that illuminates the pages of past history that Cham art is still imprinted in community cultural activities, on epitaphs, on sculptures and architecture. After many centuries, history has its ups and downs, there are harmony and also tragedies, history has been turned and sunk into the past. Vietnamese and Cham people still hold hands on the S-shaped land.
In order to preserve and maintain unique and extremely valuable cultural values, Ninh Thuan province has focused on preserving and promoting the highlights in Cham culture. Along with conservation, it is necessary to promote and introduce Cham culture to a large number of people in the country as well as to promote it internationally, for the purpose of introducing unique features that are not found elsewhere in the world. also get. In addition, it is also necessary to research and collect to create conditions for Cham artisans who are still teaching and imparting jobs to young people to avoid the loss of good cultural values as well as full of identity…
by Nguyen Ngoc Bao San
