DOCSLIB.ORG

Transnational Impact on Urban Change: Modern Projects in Vinh

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Transnational Impact on Urban Change: Modern Projects in Vinh Tim Kaiser Transnational Impact on Urban Change Modern Projects in Vinh, Vietnam February 2016 Revised edition The original edition was submitted as dissertation in Southeast Asian Studies to the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Passau, in September 2013 The picture on the cover combines the pre-colonial history of Vinh, the city’s repeated destruction, and its reconstruction with assistance of the German Democratic Republic (Bundesarchiv Koblenz, BArch DH 1 Bild-28568-10-01). The original dissertation can be downloaded at http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:739-opus-27446. Für Lisann Already during my undergraduate studies in Passau Rüdiger Korff has been great in nourishing my interest in the study of Southeast Asian urbanism. As a supervisor he gave me the liberty and support to pursue my own ideas but put me back on track when I strayed too far. It was great to work with my colleagues in Passau, especially Sandra, Hannah, Martin, and Dũng. I wish all of you the best in your private and professional life. These wishes are of course also extended to my Vietnamese teachers, Ngân Nguyễn-Meyer and Ngô Thị Bích Thu, whose patience and dedication has made my research in Vietnam possible in the first place. Financial support of the Elitenetzwerk Bayern and the University of Passau was also crucially important for this dissertation. My research has relied on the generosity of many people. For the second time, the support of the International Institute for Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences at the National University has been invaluable. I wish to particularly thank then Director Nguyễn Quang Ngọc as well as Đỗ Kiên who did not only guide me through the intricacies of the Vietnamese administration but is also a good and supportive friend with a wonderful family. Discussions with Bùi Văn Tuấn have greatly contributed to my understanding of urban dynamics in Vietnam. In Vinh, I thank Ngô Văn Yêm and the Vietnamese-German Friendship Association for providing insights into the shared history of our countries as well as for facilitating contacts with Vietnamese and German interviewees. Staff of Vinh’s library and particularly the Provincial Archive has been extremely welcoming and helpful, going far beyond their duties in servicing my endless requests for documents. Christina Schwenkel was a source of valuable information and partner in fruitful discussions. Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy of the Association of Vietnamese Cities has become a good friend whom I wish all the best for her own PhD research. In Germany, staff at the federal archives in Berlin and Koblenz have pointed me to relevant sources and have sympathetically supported me in the at times seemingly interminable task of archival research. Furthermore, the Bundesarchiv has supported the publication of this dissertation by allowing me to reproduce some of its material free of charge. At the University of Leuven in Belgium, Kelly Shannon has generously provided access to the PGCHS’ library. Of course my gratitude extends to all those who were willing to share their time and knowledge over tea in Vietnam or coffee in Germany. Most importantly, friends and family have supported me throughout. Stefan and Sara Stöpler, as well as Mirjam, Dang, and Margareta Tường Vi were great hosts in Passau. The same goes for Nguyễn Xuân Hiêng and his family in Vinh as well as Hải Âu in Hanoi. Ly Huong Nguyen was a great friend not only in times of need. Ingolf Biehusen’s support during the last days of this work is very much appreciated. My parents Siegbert and Ute have probably instilled in me the curiosity for travelling; their own visits in Vietnam have been terrific experiences. My brother David is not only great for sharing the same curiosity, but also for being a biologist and glancing at this endeavour from a different perspective. Finally, there is my wife Lisann and it is hard to find the words to thank her for her love, support, and patience. Du bist wunderbar. 1 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 4 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Urban Centres as Expressions of Modernity ................................................................................. 8 1.1.1 The Study of Modern Projects .............................................................................................. 11 1.1.2 Actors and Urban Change ..................................................................................................... 18 1.2 Locating the Study in a Medium-Sized Urban Centre ................................................................. 21 2. The History of Vinh ............................................................................................................................ 24 2.1 Pre-colonial Vinh (15th Century to 1885).................................................................................... 24 2.2 Colonial Vinh (1885 to 1940) ....................................................................................................... 28 2.3 The First Two Destructions of Vinh (1940 to 1964) ..................................................................... 35 3. The Socialist City ................................................................................................................................ 40 3.1 The Origins of the Socialist City ................................................................................................... 42 3.1.1 Planning Ideals ...................................................................................................................... 42 3.1.2 Unplanned Characteristics ................................................................................................... 46 3.1.3 National Politics and Power Struggles .................................................................................. 48 3.2 The Socialist City Travels to Vietnam .......................................................................................... 52 3.3 Vinh as a Socialist City ................................................................................................................. 59 3.3.1 First Reconstruction Efforts and the Third Destruction of Vinh ........................................... 61 3.3.2 GDR Assistance in the Reconstruction of Vinh (1973 to 1980) ............................................ 66 3.3.2.1 GDR – DRV Relations and Cooperation ......................................................................... 66 3.3.2.2 Preparing Cooperation .................................................................................................. 69 3.3.2.3 Urban Planning in the GDR ............................................................................................ 72 3.3.2.4 First Steps of Cooperation ............................................................................................. 79 3.3.2.5 Vietnamese-German Planning of a Socialist City .......................................................... 86 3.3.2.6 Implementation ........................................................................................................... 100 3.3.2.7 Results ......................................................................................................................... 121 3.4 The Failure of a Modern Project................................................................................................ 124 4. Multiple Modern Projects in Vinh ................................................................................................... 128 4.1 The Modern and Civilised City ................................................................................................... 128 4.2 The Participatory City ................................................................................................................ 142 4.2.1 The Localising Agenda 21 Programme (1997 to 2002) ....................................................... 147 4.2.1.1 Approach ..................................................................................................................... 148 4.2.1.2 Implementation ........................................................................................................... 149 4.2.1.3 Results ......................................................................................................................... 153 4.2.2 Improving Possibilities for Participation............................................................................. 156 2 4.2.3 The Cua Nam Model (2009 to 2012) .................................................................................. 159 4.2.3.1 Actors ........................................................................................................................... 162 4.2.3.2 Approach ..................................................................................................................... 165 4.2.3.3 Implementation ........................................................................................................... 168 4.2.3.4 Structures .................................................................................................................... 172 4.2.3.5 Results ......................................................................................................................... 175 4.3 The Enabling De-Politisation of Modern Projects
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Regional Responses to U.S.-China Competition in the Indo-Pacific: Vietnam
    Regional Responses to U.S.-China Competition in the Indo-Pacific Vietnam Derek Grossman C O R P O R A T I O N For more information on this publication, visit www.rand.org/t/RR4412z6 For more information on this series, visit www.rand.org/US-PRC-influence Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN: 978-1-9774-0520-3 Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2020 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark. Cover: globe: jcrosemann/GettyImages; flags: luzitanija/Adobe Stock Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions. The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. Support RAND Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute www.rand.org Preface As part of the project Regional Responses to U.S.-China Competition, this country-level report explores Vietnam’s perspective on rising U.S.-China competition and potential implications.
    [Show full text]
  • Results of a Gibbon Survey in the Kim Hy Nature Reserve (Bac Kan Province) in Northeastern Vietnam
    Citation: Geissmann, T., Vu Ngoc Thanh, Dine, M. C., and Tu Minh Tiep (2009). Results of a gibbon survey in the Kim Hy Nature Reserve (Bac Kan province) in northeastern Vietnam. People Resources Conservation Foundation (PRCF), Vietnam Programme, Hanoi, 25 pp. Results of a gibbon survey in the Kim Hy Nature Reserve (Bac Kan province) in northeastern Vietnam Thomas Geissmann1, Vu Ngoc Thanh2 , Michael C. Dine3 and Tu Minh Tiep3 1 Anthropological Institute, University Zürich-Irchel, Winterthurerstr. 190, CH–8057 Zürich, Switzerland. E-mail: [email protected] 2 Zoological Museum, Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, Vietnam. E-mail: [email protected] 3 People Resources and Conservation Foundation Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam. E-mail: [email protected]; E-mail: [email protected] The cao-vit crested gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) is one of the wold’s most endangered primate species, with one single protected forest patch in the border area between Cao Bang province (Vietnam) and Guangxi province (China) supporting the last known population. No other locality is known to support a population of this species, however, some gibbons are rumoured to have survived in Kim Hy Nature Reserve of Bac Kan province (northeastern Vietnam). Although several previous surveys in Kim Hy failed to find direct evidence for the continued occurrence of gibbons there, each provided interview information indicating that Kim Hy still supported a few gibbons. In order to resolve the contradiction, we conducted a two-week survey in Kim Hy in June 2009. We recorded intrusion of agriculture in the periphery of the nature reserve, massive logging going on mostly, but not exclusively, in the periphery of the reserve, and hunting and gold mining in all areas including the core zone of the reserve.
    [Show full text]
  • Tây Sơn: 1771 – 1802 Một Thế Hệ, Trong Vô Thức, Đi Tìm Vƣợt Thoát Khỏi Vòng Kềm Thúc Của Truyền Thống Khu Vực
    TÂY SƠN: 1771 – 1802 MỘT THẾ HỆ, TRONG VÔ THỨC, ĐI TÌM VƢỢT THOÁT KHỎI VÒNG KỀM THÚC CỦA TRUYỀN THỐNG KHU VỰC Đây là một chương (Chương XIV) của một tập thông sử ngắn “Sơ thảo: Bài sử khác cho Việt Nam” đang thành hình. Thời gian bàn luận nhắm vào một giai đoạn của lịch sử Việt Nam đã gây nhiều tranh cãi mà nguyên nhân lại không phải vì bản thân của vấn đề khoa học. Tai nạn từ đó đã đến với quyển sách đồng dạng của chúng tôi gần nửa thế kỉ trước, quyển Lịch sử nội chiến ở Việt Nam từ 1771 đến 1802, quyển sách mà sau ba mươi năm xuất hiện lại đã được BBC bên ngoài sắp hạng Top Ten tin tức trong tháng 2-2007 (thứ nhì, đếm từ dưới lên) cùng với lời nhắn bên trong: “Bestseller đấy!” Đúng ra, đây chỉ là bằng chứng về sự thành công của nền kinh tế thị trường theo định hướng xã hội chủ nghĩa mà thôi. Nhân dịp thì cũng có thể nói rành rẽ rằng quyển sách kia thật ra chỉ là một bài luận văn, làm để mong kéo dài thời gian hoãn dịch (mà không đạt được mục đích), và cũng với dự tính kiếm thêm mảnh bằng câu cơm (mà cần câu lại gãy trước khi sử dụng.) Chẳng có gì là “ý đồ chính trị” để cổ động hay biện minh cho “chính sách Việt Nam hoá” (của Nixon, trong thời kì ông ta còn thất cử!) hay rộng hơn, là “phục vụ có ý thức về mặt tư tưởng và chính trị cho chế độ Mĩ nguỵ “ cả.
    [Show full text]
  • Elements of Early Modern Vietnamese Military Technology1
    EASTM 21 (2003): 48-93 Flaming Tiger, Burning Dragon: Elements of Early Modern Vietnamese Military Technology1 George Dutton [George Dutton is an Assistant Professor of Asian Languages and Cultures at the Uni- versity of California, Los Angeles. He specializes in eighteenth-century Vietnamese histo- ry and has conducted research on a range of topics related to the Tay Son period. His publications include “From Civil War to Uncivil Peace: Army and Society in the Early Nguyen State,” in Armies and Society in Southeast Asia, c. 1750-2000, eds. Marie-Eve Blanc, Gilles De-Gantes, and Tobias Rettig (Paris: Les Indes Savantes, forthcoming), and “Crossing Oceans, Crossing Boundaries: the Remarkable Life of Philiphê Binh (1759-1832),” in Viet Nam: Borderless Histories, eds. Anthony Reid and Nhung Tuyet Tran (Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, forthcoming).] * * * Their main arm is a long lance, and they also carry some sa- bers, some fire lances, guns, cannons and sometimes have elephants. They have many standards in order to make a great display; they spread out their ranks, it is said, to allow the cannonballs and bullets to pass through; they charge the enemy with loud cries, and after they make their retreat they go to sleep. If one of the two parties can withstand the im- pact, the other will flee in disorder, and it will be arrogantly pursued. Their forts are surrounded by perches with soldiers ...2 This was the nature of Vietnamese warfare as described by a European mission- ary in the 1790s. The description highlights many of the fundamental elements of early modern Vietnamese military technology and strategy that bear examination.
    [Show full text]
  • Quang Trung Nguy Ễn Hu Ệ
    Đức Quang Trung Nguy ễn Hu ệ Bách khoa toàn th ư m ở Wikipedia Mục l ục • 1 Thân th ế • 2 Tiêu di ệt chính quy ền chúa Nguy ễn o 2.1 Tham gia kh ởi ngh ĩa o 2.2 Tái chi ếm Phú Yên 2.2.1 Tây S ơn lâm nguy 2.2.2 Xu ất quân th ắng tr ận o 2.3 Ti ến công Gia Đị nh • 3 Tr ận R ạch G ầm - Xoài Mút • 4 Tiêu di ệt chính quy ền chúa Tr ịnh o 4.1 Đánh chi ếm Phú Xuân o 4.2 Ti ến ra Th ăng Long • 5 B ất hòa v ới vua anh • 6 Nam B ắc đề u mong • 7 Chi ến th ắng K ỷ D ậu (1789) o 7.1 Th ần t ốc b ắc ti ến o 7.2 Giai tho ại v ề vi ệc ra quân • 8 Chính sách th ời h ậu chi ến o 8.1 Bang giao v ới nhà Thanh o 8.2 S ắp đặ t đơn v ị hành chính o 8.3 T ổ ch ức b ộ máy o 8.4 Thu hút nhân tài o 8.5 Giáo d ục o 8.6 Tôn giáo o 8.7 Kinh t ế o 8.8 Qu ản lý nhân kh ẩu • 9 K ế ho ạch Nam ti ến d ở dang o 9.1 K ế ho ạch Nam ti ến o 9.2 Lo vi ệc h ậu th ế • 10 Nh ững gi ả thuy ết v ề cái ch ết o 10.1 Áo thêu c ủa Càn Long o 10.2 B ệnh • 11 An táng o 11.1 Vi ếng Quang Trung o 11.2 L ăng m ộ b ị phá o 11.3 Ông Vò • 12 Gia quy ến o 12.1 V ợ o 12.2 Các con • 13 Nh ận đị nh o 13.1 Chi ến tích o 13.2 Chính tr ị 13.2.1 Đối n ội, đố i ngo ại 13.2.2 Quy ền bi ến o 13.3 Cai tr ị • 14 Ghi công t ừ h ậu th ế • 15 Nh ững di ngôn n ổi ti ếng • 16 Hình t ượng Nguy ễn Hu ệ trong điện ảnh • 17 Xem thêm • 18 Chú gi ải • 19 Chú thích và tham kh ảo o 19.1 Th ư m ục tham kh ảo • 20 Đọc thêm • 21 Liên k ết ngoài Quang Trung Hoàng đế Hoàng đế Vi ệt Nam (chi ti ết...) Hoàng đế nhà Tây S ơn Tr ị vì 22 tháng 12 năm 1788 – 16 tháng 9 năm 1792 Đă ng quang 22 tháng 12 năm 1788 Ti ền nhi ệm
    [Show full text]
  • International Influences and Local Adaptation in Urban Development a Research Note from Vinh City, Central Vietnam
    International Influences and Local Adaptation in Urban Development A Research Note from Vinh City, Central Vietnam Tim Kaiser Abstract: As the built environment of urban areas is the result of interactions between different actors and power relations, researching urban dynamics in Vinh City in Central Vietnam’s Nghe An province reveals a rich field of international influences and local adaptations. Since the late 19th century, with the establishment of French Colonialism in Indochina, international influences have been a driving force behind the city’s development and have at the same time been adapted to local con- ditions. Three different economically thriving settlements were merged into the multi-centred city Vinh by the French colonial administration. After its destruction during the French and American Wars, Vinh had been reconstructed with help from the German Democratic Republic. From the 1990s on, inter- national cooperation promoting new priorities of community participation and sustainability in urban development became influential in Vinh City. Using (expert) interviews and participatory observation as well as document analysis and archival research, the author’s ongoing research analyses the po- wer relations and interactions between actors shaping the history and development of Vinh City. This research note introduces some of his preliminary findings, aiming at providing an overview of how different actors contributed to the particular development of Vinh City since the late 19th century. Key words: Vietnam; urban development; international cooperation; local adaptation [Submitted as Research Note: 15 March 2011, Acceptance of the revised reviewed manuscript: 19 September 2011] View from TECCO to Tower Quang Trung Zone C and the temporary Quang Trung market 18 Pacific News #37 • January/February 2012 Urban areas are the result of interactions between a large number of actors who try to put into concrete their visions of urbanity, thus expressing ideologies, political, social and personal agendas.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Species of Phytotelm Breeding Frog (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Central Highlands of Vietnam
    Zootaxa 4779 (3): 341–354 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2020 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4779.3.3 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:74D8F480-0D91-4060-9B77-F366442C0D38 A new species of phytotelm breeding frog (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Central Highlands of Vietnam JODI J. L. ROWLEY1,2,*, DUONG THI THUY LE3,4,5, HUY DUC HOANG3,4,6, TRUNG TIEN CAO7 & VINH QUANG DAU8 1Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia. jodi.row- [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2011-9143; Phone: +61 2 9320 6014 2Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences,University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia. 3University of Science, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, 227 Nguyen Van Cu, 5 District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 4Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City. 5 [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3832-7944 6 [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6528-193X 7Institute of Biology, Chemistry and Environment, Vinh University, 182 Le Duan St, Vinh City, Vietnam. [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4256-8951 8Hong Duc University, 565 Quang Trung Street-Dong Ve Ward-Thanh Hoa City, Vietnam. [email protected]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8976-1644 *Corresponding author Abstract We describe a new species of phytotelm-breeding rhacophorid frog from central Vietnam.
    [Show full text]
  • Open Letter to Young Vietnamese … Who Wonder About Their Origin (New Edition)
    Vĩnh Đào open letter to young Vietnamese … who wonder about their origin (new edition) . Vĩnh Đào Open Letter to Young Vietnamese ... Who Wonder about their Origin New edition Adapted and translated from the French original title: "Lettre ouverte aux jeunes Vietnamiens… qui s'interrogent sur leurs origines" Translated by Phạm Trương Long Edited by Huỳnh Thị Kiều Dung lamson ©2017. Éditions lamson ISBN : 978-2-9507707-3-8 To Émeline Nhã Vi, Élodie Lan Thi, Alain Vinh, This book is written for the generation of young Vietnamese who either grew up abroad or were born there. Guiding the reader through different stages of the long but fascinating history of the Vietnamese nation, it introduces the country and its people, as well as the main characteristics of its society and culture. The reader will make some surprising discoveries. For example, where did the Vietnamese language come from? Or better, he will learn that since the 11th century, the Vietnamese monarchy has recruited all their top civil servants through competitive exams, which gave the ancient Vietnamese society a surprisingly democratic character. By bringing them closer to their country's history and culture, this "Open Letter" invites the young Vietnamese to reflect on the problem of integration and of respect for their cultural heritage. __________________________ VINH DAO holds a French Doctorat ès lettres from the University of Paris IV-Sorbonne, and is the author of a doctoral thesis on André Malraux. A former economist with the National Bank of Vietnam in Saigon, he has lived in France since 1983. He retired from French public administration in 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • Building Socialism
    CHRISTINA BUILDING SCHWENKEL SOCIALISM The Afterlife of East German Architecture in Urban Vietnam BUILDING SOCIALISM BUILDING SOCIALISM The Afterlife of East German Architecture in Urban Vietnam CHRISTINA SCHWENKEL Duke University Press Durham and London 2020 © 2020 Duke University Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of Amer i ca on acid- free paper ∞ Designed by Drew Sisk Typeset in Minion Pro and Eurostile by Westchester Publishing Ser vices Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Names: Schwenkel, Christina, author. Title: Building socialism : the afterlife of East German architecture in urban Vietnam / Christina Schwenkel. Description: Durham : Duke University Press, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: lccn 2020016882 (print) lccn 2020016883 (ebook) isbn 9781478010012 (hardcover) isbn 9781478011064 (paperback) isbn 9781478012603 (ebook) Subjects: lcsh: City planning—Vietnam—Vinh—German influences. | Urbanization—Vietnam—Vinh—History—20th century. | Architecture, German—Vietnam—Vinh—History—20th century. | Architecture—Political aspects—Vietnam—Vinh—History— 20th century. Classification: lcc HT169.V5 S394 2020 (print) lcc ht169.v5 (ebook) ddc 307.1/21609597/8—dc23 lc record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020016882 lc ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020016883 Cover art: Façade of block C7 in Quang Trung housing estate, Vinh City, Vietnam, 2011. Photo by Christina Schwenkel. Duke University Press gratefully acknowledges the University of California, Riverside,
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation Status and Needs of the Francois Langur in Vietnam
    Conservation status and needs of François’s Langur in Vietnam Paul Insua-Cao, Thach Mai Hoang, Michael Dine September 2012 Citation: Paul Insua-Cao, Thach Mai Hoang, and Michael Dine (2012) Conservation status and needs of François’s Langur in Vietnam. People Resources and Conservation Foundation, Hanoi, Vietnam. Authors: Paul Insua-Cao, People Resources and Conservation Foundation, and Fauna & Flora International Thach Mai Hoang, Vietnam National University, Hanoi Michael Dine, People Resources and Conservation Foundation, Chief Technical Officer (Vietnam and Trans-boundary China) Date: September 2012 Cover photo: Adult female Francois’ Langur / Xu-Jianming This report is an output of the project “Promoting Community Based Collaborative Management to Strengthen Long Term Conservation of Globally Threatened Primates and Trees in Priority Sites of Northern Vietnam”. This report was funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund and commissioned by the People Resources and Conservation Foundation. The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation. All views expressed within are the author’s alone unless attributed otherwise and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the People Resources and Conservation Foundation or the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund or any of its donor partners. While the authors and editors strive for rigor and accuracy in presenting this report, the aforementioned organizations make no representations as to completeness, suitability, or validity of any information contained, and will not be liable for any errors or omissions.
    [Show full text]
  • Vietnamese and Chinese Movies About Royalty: from Confucian Cosmology to Ecological Politics
    DOI: 10.4312/as.2020.8.2.135-162 135 Vietnamese and Chinese Movies about Royalty: From Confucian Cosmology to Ecological Politics Cam-Giang HOANG* Abstract Since 2002, with the enormously successful release of the movie Hero by Zhang Yimou, we have been witnessing the resurrection of the royal theme in contemporary East Asian cinema, and the return of Confucian cosmology as its philosophical foundation. In this paper, I focus on Vietnamese films which represent royal subjects and court life, like Heroes of the Tay Son Dynasty (Tây Sơn hào kiệt; Lý Hùng, Lý Huỳnh, and Phượng Hoàng; 2010), Blood Letter (Thiên mệnh anh hùng, Victor Vũ, 2012), and Tam Cam The Untold Story (Tấm Cám chuyện chưa kể, Ngô Thanh Vân, 2016); and Chinese films, like Hero (英雄, Zhang Yimou, 2002), The Banquet (夜宴, Feng Xiaogang, 2006), and Red Cliff (赤壁, John Woo, 2008). Firstly and most importantly, my essay examines how the cosmic and environmental elements in such movies are manipulated to advocate some particular political discourse as a kind of ecological politics. From this analysis, I analyse and explain the similarities in how the filmmakers in Vietnam and China establish the ste- reotypes of power and legitimacy of authority utilizing and transforming the Confucian spiritual cosmology. I also try to clarify the difference between the two cinemas in how they express the concepts “the Unity of Heaven and Man” (tianren heyi), “Rectification of Names” (zhengming), and “Virtue of Loving Life” (haosheng) in their political impli- cations. Finally, I will discuss the layers of meaning and visual narratives by analysing the characters and social contexts of the films to reaffirm the varying degrees of influence of Confucian tradition on contemporary forms of cultural and political practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Application of Center-Periphery Theory to the Study of Vietnam-China Relations in the Middle Ages*
    Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 49, No. 2, September 2011 Application of Center-Periphery Theory to the Study of Vietnam-China Relations in the Middle Ages* Nguyen Thi My Hanh** Based on the generalizations in international researchers’ views on the relationship between the center and the periphery, the author maps out a theory on the relation- ship between Vietnam (as the periphery) and China (as the center of East Asia) during feudalism. On the basis of the theory of central-peripheral relationships and the realities of a diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and China during feudal- ism, the article proves not only that China considered itself to be the center of East Asia with the role of “educating” surrounding peripheries, but also that surrounding countries were influenced by Chinese Confucian ideologies. For example, Vietnam also followed the Chinese-centric order. Accordingly, acts such as requesting inves- titure and tribute from Vietnam to the “center” (China) were sustained for a long period, although there was no balance in interest between the two countries. In addition to the subordinate tendency of the periphery in relation to the center, there is a centrifugal tendency because of the asymmetry in interest. In the case of the Vietnam-China relationship at that time, Vietnam’s subordinate tendency was rela- tive and superficial, while the centrifugal tendency was mainstream. The author shows that the strong centrifugal tendency led to the transformation of Vietnam’s position from a Chinese vassal/peripheral state into a center in relationships with smaller countries in Southeast Asia. Keywords: center, periphery, subordinate tendency, centrifugal tendency, Chinese-centric order Introduction The center-periphery theory and the interaction between the two elements is a well- established research subject.
    [Show full text]