Da Nang is the fourth largest central city of Vietnam, after Ho Chi Minh city, Ha Noi and Hai Phong. It has an area of nearly 1,260 km², and a population of 752,493 people. Da Nang is the city in the South Center Coast, on the coast of South China Sea, the middle of Vietnam.
Da Nang is a picturesque city by the Han river, and by the coast of the East Sea with distinctive attractiveness in comparison with other sea cities, luring hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world.
The city is in the site of the East Sea and Han River with special different charms. Nature has offered the city a great position among three World heritages generously: ancient royal capital Hue, ancient city Hoi An and Holy land My Son. Thanks to this, Da Nang plays an important role in hosting, serving and transferring visitors. Not only being in the middle point of three world heritages, but also does it have numerous unforgettable beautiful scenes.
Danang has the high and dangerous Hai Van Pass with full of perilous obstacles, engraved “the most grandiose beauty spots in the world”. Son Tra peninsula with My Khe beaches - an ideal rendez-vous for tourists, which is surrounded by Da stream, Bai But, Bai Rang, Bai Bac, Bai Nom - the beautiful alluvial plains which bring relaxing moments for tourists on being ingulfed in the splendid dawn and the quietness of crepuscle in a picturesque land. The eco-tourism resort Ba Na - Mo Stream is considered as Dalat, Sapa of Central Vietnam and the legendary Marble Mountains – “a beautiful landscape of the southern heaven and earth”.
Mentioning about Danang, tourists can not forget the poetic Han river and its bridge - the first swing one in Vietnam. This is the great pride of Danang people. The Han River bridge - the symbol for new vitality and the developing desire of the city - was built with the contribution of all the city's people. It seems that all poetic features of the Han River can be only expressed deeply in the space of Han river bridge with full of wind and ventilation. It not only facilitates transport and potential for tourism, wakening economic prospects of a vast area in the eastern city but is a cultural spot of Danang people today left behind for the future generations.
Danang is also endowed with sea - the vast tourist source of inspiration. In addition to beautuiful and clean stretching beaches, Danang seaport is one of the most well-known seaport in Vietnam.
Da Nang people are very keen on participating in the city traditional festivals. It is an opportunity for everybody to come to dedicate their prayers for good weather to facilitate the argricultural seasons and to be more loser, for the ancestors' support and to pray for for good luck to their close relatives and friends. Danang festivals have a lot in common with those of the coastal areas in Central Vietnam but bear lots of specific features and distinctive beauty of the region. In the festive days, with the whole colorful area and thrilling songs of praying peace, ardent rhythm of "bai choi". The festivals in Danang City were originated long time ago, passed from generations to generations such as Cau Ngu festival, Avalokitecvara festival, Hoa My village festival, An Hai village festival etc. Time went by, many festivals were not generated such as "Pastor festival" - a very special one for pastors only, naughty children with muddy legs and bareheaded.
Da Nang, the city on the site of Han river, is a fascinating romantic coastal and friendly destination that deeply worths a visit.
The Cham Museum
The Cham Museum in Danang is the largest collection of Cham sculpture and artwork in the world. Whenever visiting the museum, you still perceive an individual atmosphere particular to this place, the reverie of reminiscences.
Situated in a quiet area of Da Nang City, Cham Museum was built in 1915 according to the motifs of ancient Cham Architecture. The museum is officially known as the Museum of Champa Sculpture. The kingdom of Champa (or Lin-yi in Chinese records) controlled what is now south and central Vietnam from approximately 192 through 1697. The empire began to decline in the late 15th century, became a Vietnamese vassal state in 1697, and was finally dissolved in 1832. At present, the museum houses 297 stone and terracotta sculptural works made between the 7th and the 15th centuries. These are impressive works typical of the Cham culture.
The Cham museum was built in Cham architectural style, using thin lines that are simple and gentle. The museum displays an intensive and diverse collection of Champa sculpture dating from the 7th to the 15th centuries, when a matriarchal society prevailed.
The artifacts displayed at the museum are altars, statues and decorative works collected from Hindu and Buddhist temples and towers. Champa sculpture displays various styles. Sometimes they were influenced by other cultures but no matter at what period or in what style the Champa artifacts were made they always displayed original characteristics.
Visitors to the museum will have the opportunity to appreciate the eight centuries of evolution of Champa sculpture from its golden age to its decline. In their own way, the artifacts exemplify the rise and fall of the Champa civilization. When we stand before these artistic masterpieces we can comprehend the noblest ideal of art, the creation of the infinite from the finite. The eight centuries of art at the Champa museum is a thick history book reflecting the ups and downs of Champa art. From inanimate stones came living art, and from these wonderful invaluable artifacts we can get the feeling that the warmth from the Champa artists' hand is still there, on the fine skin of the stone-timeless.
The sculptures displayed here almost have the same drifting life as the very destiny of the once-glorious culture that generated them. Through the ruins of time, war and even the oblivion, such original Champa sculptures were hardly collected and brought here by many human generations. And in this systematic collection, these works of the ancient Champa artists again have a new life.
Coming to visit the museum, it seems that you can see again the glorious time of the past of a nation for whom both the passion for art and the creative talent were already at a very high level. The mysterious world of deities, the pictorial legends, the religious symbols, the curving lines of the bodies of dancing girls, the features of full swelling breasts, the smiles of a vague time, all of these are shown very lively and in much in details.
Profoundly influenced by the architecture and sculpture of the Indian civilization, the ancient Champa has a vision of life and religion according to their own feeling. Such refraction brought to their world of art a subtle and distinct beauty: spiritual and very close, unique and familiar...
Source: internet
