VIETNAMESE CULTURE: THE PIG IN OUR CULTURE

Ever since the early stage of hunting and gathering culture, pigs appeared in our nature as a primary source of food. Over time, humans have domesticated this species which was considered quite “aggressive" in the wild, making it one of the most important domestic animals in human life. Because of its attachment to humans since ancient times, the pig holds an important position in Asian culture in general and in Vietnamese culture in particular, being one of the "Lục súc" (6 cattles raised near the house) and is the last in the "12 Zodiacs".

THE PIG IN VIETNAMESE LIFE AND CUISINE

Pig is a close and familiar animal to the Vietnamese people, so we call it by many names, for example: “heo, lợn, ỉn, hợi, trư”. As mentioned, humans have tamed wild boars into domestic pigs, and from the domestic pig breed, we have created various traditional Vietnamese dishes, including:

Beef and pork vermicelli - Hue specialties - Source: pasgo.vn

Lean pork paste (a Vietnamese specialty which was meticulously described by Nguyen Tuan)

The filling for cakes such as: bánh giò, bánh chưng, bánh cuốn (special dishes of Vietnamese Tet holiday)

Beef and pork vermicelli (a specialty of Hue)

Braised pork belly is an indispensable dish in the New Year of the Saigonese and other Southern people.

Vietnam has more than 20 pig breeds, including the Nghe An’s wild pig breed with a special farming method which is free-range and fed with wild vegetables, bananas, potatoes, cassava...

Not only the flesh, other parts of the pig are also used thoroughly. For example, pig skin can be dried to make “bóng bì” for savoury or sweet soup. The offal of the pig is also used as food (lòng lợn), especially “cháo lòng” (porridge with pig’s offal). In the Northwest, Central Highlands, and Viet Bac, fangs of wild pigs are processed into jewelries (usually necklaces) and sometimes even have spiritual values ​​(such as for exorcism).

THE PIG IN VIETNAMESE TRADITIONAL RITUALS, CUSTOMS, FOLK SONGS AND PROVERBS

Pig procession festival in La Phu village. Source: dangcongsan.vn

Because of its very early appearance and important role in Vietnamese life, pigs appeared in ancient rituals and were honored as "Ông Ỷ" in the festival of the Village's Tutelary God. Before that, there was a series of complicated procedures such as selecting “Ông Ỷ” among the strongest and biggest pigs, then cleaning and feeding them thoroughly. The person raising "Ông Ỷ" must be a person of virtue and talent who has both a son and a daughter.

In the festival, “Ông Ỷ” is decorated beautifully and carried in a palanquin to the communal house. Pigs eat and sleep very well and also breed a lot, which can relate to the cultural belief of “Fertility rites". By this ritual, people pray for a favorable harvest and a prosperous year.

Pork is an indispensable ingredient in the food trays of weddings, funerals, and memorial days. Pig is also mentioned regularly in many folk songs, proverbs and is a part of "folk poetry" which is always preserved and kept as treasure. From proverbs such as: "Don’t judge a book by its cover/ A fat pig means delicious offal.", "The chicken clucked, pecked on a lime leaf/ The pig goes, oink, oink, buy me an onion."; or idioms: "It is better to leave well alone”, "A wedding pig and a new shirt" to the catchphrases in daily communication: "Eat like a pig", "Dirty like a pig", it shows the influence of this animal in the life of Vietnamese people in all aspects.

THE PIG IN PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES

In caves with traces of prehistoric people, people found images of wild boar carved vividly on the cliffs. Pig was one of the "raw materials" for artistic creation, especially in folk art of painting and sculpture.

Pigs in Dong Ho painting. Source: Vnexpress.vn

Dong Ho painting series were among the most famous art pieces. Because of distinctive and outstanding features of their images and colors, the pig has since become so lively.

The sentence implies image of a well-fed pig, expressing the wish for a full and prosperous year in Tet paintings such as "Lợn ăn lá ráy", "Đàn lợn"; combined with "traditional colors" - bright and brilliant colors made from traditional ingredients creating a series of art paintings with enduring vitality.

Besides, we can easily see the image of the pig in the art of pottery and sculpture. Every child once has a lovely "piggy bank", with different sizes, empty inside with a small groove carved on its back which is used to keep saving money. Pig is also the inspiration for folk artists to mold "tò he" (a toy of Vietnamese children), in the famous and beautiful set of "12 zodiac animals".

The pig keeps coming into life and plays an important part not only in daily life but also in the spiritual life, culture and folk art of the Vietnamese people. The pig is also the main inspiration for artists of Sun Wolf when creating the character "Nghệ Trư An/ Uncle Pig Chef" in the animated short “LINH: Magic Powder". Let’s watch the animation and get to know Uncle Pig Chef of Linh World!

THE PIG IN ANIMATION “LINH: MAGIC POWDER”

In “LINH”, Uncle Pig Chef is introduced right at the beginning of the film. This character is a famous chef with exceptional cooking skills. To him, every meal is like a battle because he puts all his mind and energy into cooking the best dishes.

Uncle Pig Chef is a strong and persistent person. After pursuing culinary quintessence throughout Linh World, he finally found the happiness of his life. He returned to his hometown and opened a restaurant serving the one-of-a-kind dish - Pig Chef’s Fish Noodles.

Yên Tâm

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SUN WOLF ANIMATION STUDIO OPENING EVENT

On the morning of June 15, 2022, Sun Wolf Animation Studio had a press conference to launch the studio to Vietnamese audiences. The event was extremely successful with the support of the director, producer and professionals as well as the press and audience in Vietnam.


MC Nguyen Tat Dat, also known by the nickname Samurice, was the official MC of the press conference. Samurice has always been passionate about cartoons and comics. He has a very interesting way of hosting the show to create an enjoyable atmosphere.

After the introduction, Mr. Leo DINH, founder of Sun Wolf Animation Studio gave a speech in 15 minutes, sharing about Sun Wolf's projects, vision and direction for the next 12 years. The highlights of the show was Karma Journey and Tan Vien Phong Chau will be produced at the same time.


The inspiration from the beauty of Vietnamese culture

Sun Wolf Animation Studio - formerly known as Red Cat Motion - was born in the spirit of "Connection, Pioneer, Vietnamese Traits", pursuing a fantasy (mythical) cartoon style mixed with a bit of adventure and actions. The passion for animation motivates Sun Wolf to put all effort into exploring, researching and implementing our animation projects. With consultation from cultural experts, Sun Wolf brings novelty from simple and familiar aspects in Vietnamese life through stylized, creative drawings and modern graphics. All fairy characters, legends, folk songs, cuisine, poetic village scenes... are all inspirations for Sun Wolf to learn and develop our own animation universe..

The press conference also officially launched Sun Wolf's first animation - LINH: Magic Powder. It acts as a proof of concept in the Karma Journey project created and produced by Sun Wolf Animation Studio.
Proof of Concept is relatively new to Vietnamese audiences, in which the short film helps to portray the initial idea of ​​​​the world, characters, images, graphics, and acting techniques that the team will apply for our animation projects.

LINH: MAGIC POWDER was screened in the 29th International Animation Film Festival Stuttgart (ITFS) and the 48th Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). ITFS and SIFF are among the earliest and most famous animation festivals in the world and listed as Oscar-qualified festivals.

We had the honor to welcome many guests including:

Historian Duong Trung Quoc. Sun Wolf Animation Studio was fortunate and honored to have his enthusiastic support in the process of developing ideas as well as inspiring us to discover the beauty of Vietnamese folklore throughout our production journey.

Director Phan Gia Nhat Linh - director of many popular movies such as Sweet Twenty (Em là bà nội của anh), The Girl from Yesterday (Cô gái đến từ hôm qua), Child Master (Trạng Tí)... In particular, he is also a popular movie commentator under the familiar nickname - Phan Xi Nê.

Director Tran Thanh Huy, a young and talented director with "Rom" (Ròm) - the first Vietnamese film to win the New Currents award (Best Movie award) at the Busan Film Festival (2019). His perseverance in film production is a great inspiration for young filmmakers.

Director Phan Gia Nhat Linh and director Tran Thanh Huy shared and highly appreciated the expertise of Sun Wolf and truly hoped that in the future we could see original Vietnamese animations in the cinemas.
The event received the attention of the press and media.

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VIETNAMESE CUISINE IN ANIMATION “LINH”

IF YOU HAVE WATCHED LINH: MAGIC POWDER, YOU MUST HAVE WONDERED ABOUT THE CUISINE IN THE FILM. HERE ARE SOME INSIGHTS FOR YOU TO EXPLORE. IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE FILM, PLEASE ENJOY IT HERE.

VIETNAMESE CUISINE IS MORE THAN JUST PHO AND BANH MI

Vietnamese cuisine is cleverly integrated into the animation. As a natural reflex, when we asked which dish to put on the film, the Director immediately said "Let's make fish vermicelli soup". At first, the whole team was quite hesitant, but the more we were involved in the project, the more this choice made sense. The dish sells itself with a large, white and delicious piece of fish which will surely create a culinary impression for the movie. Besides, this is also one of the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine. In fact, the traditional Vietnamese food besides pho must also include bun (rice vermicelli). The soft rice vermicelli with mildly sweet broth have trembled the hearts of so many passionate food lovers. Authors Dan Tham and Karina Tsui once admired that Vietnamese vermicelli soup is as charming as a jazz song.

From sketch…

To “reality”…

Fish vermicelli soup is also a culinary quintessence of Vietnam. Each region has different cooking methods, but they are all delicious no matter how. The fish vermicelli soup in our film has familiar ingredients of Southern sour & sweet fish soups, placed on a simple stainless steel tray, yet still looks incredibly appetizing. To have a “final” bowl of fish vermicelli soup, it took us several months with a series of different versions. From the gorgeous, vibrant drawings, we finally chose the basic yet extremely eye-catching version.

Read more articles about Vietnamese fish vermicelli here.

MAGIC POWDER

You must be very curious, right? Just sprinkle this powder on any dish and it will become vibrant and delicious.

Magic powder is not totally strange but is inspired by the "miracle" kitchen corner of Vietnamese people. Regardless of the region, most Vietnamese people cook with lots of spices. One of the indispensable things is seasoning powder. However, this famous Magic Powder is one of the research works of Blue Ghost and Uncle Pig Chef. No one can know for sure the exact formula.

The director told us that when he went abroad for the first time, he visited a Vietnamese friend who treated him with home-made stir-fried beef with onions. The most interesting thing about his recipe is the seasoning powder. He put the seasoning powder "generously", saying that this is his indispensable ingredient.

A foreign director was also curious about the reason why we still need this powder if the dish was already delicious? If he lived in Vietnam, he would understand right away.

Well, now you know that our inspiration to build this animated world is just that simple and familiar.

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ANIMATION JOURNAL: LINH WORLD’S ECO SYSTEM

From the very beginning of our animation journey, we have chosen a long and perhaps challenging path: Building our own world in which we can explore our creativity to write our own stories.

From the very beginning of our animation journey, we have chosen a long and perhaps challenging path: Building our own world in which we can explore our creativity to write our own stories.

LINH WORLD

Linh World was created by us towards such direction based on the spiritual inspiration of Vietnamese people. Its “vastness” in both literal and figurative sense took us over 3 years of constantly struggling, discovering, trying and fixing. Above all, it was a wonderful journey.

Our great inspiration to develop Linh World began with Son Doong cave in Quang Binh, Vietnam.

Source: https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/index.php/items/31968

Creatures in Linh World are all extremely magical and unique. They were created from folk tales or even real animals inhabiting Vietnam.

Dã Tượng is a member of Linh’s Guardians - the protectors of Linh World. Ông Voi Chiến was sketched based on Vietnamese elephants, which have participated with humans in ancient wars to defend our country.

Ma Lon is recruited to guard the graves of the deceased. Its name speaks for this character's inspiration. It is actually a game of the Southern kids as a ritual for summoning spirits. Sounds a bit "scary", doesn't it? During the day, Ma Lon in Linh World only likes to sleep.

Linh World exists below the Human World and is supported by a giant tree, called the Karma Tree.

KARMA TREE

Linh World seems to have no boundaries and very wild. At the heart of Linh World is a giant KARMA TREE. Its branches are so large that it can cover the entire Linh World. Therefore, even in daytime or nighttime, the sky appears the same. Interestingly, this sky can change upon each season.

Since its early days, this world has been maintained by the Karma Tree. Millions of lives are all connected to the tree. Whether it is a God, a Human, a Goblin or a Devil, each individual action become nourishment for the Karma Tree which will bear fruit in return - sweet or bitter, depending on the thoughts, actions, or words of that individual.

It can be said that Karma is also a unique spiritual concept in Vietnamese culture. Let's watch the below video to discover how Karma Tree was formed in the eyes of Sun Wolf artists.

KARMA CITY

Existing under branches of Karma Tree is a big city with 12 districts called the Karma City, which we got our inspiration from Hoi An. It retains the traditional beauty, but also absorbs modern elements. Obviously, Karma City is so much more futuristic comparing to Human World.

Karma City was also inspired by Saigon in 2018 - the point when we started the project. Residents from all regions rush here to live and make their living. Each district is famous for their distinctive feature. For example, Pig District is known for its traditional restaurants. The story of Linh: Magic Powder takes place in the Pig District.

Each creative element is meticulously researched from Vietnamese architecture.

SKY MARKET

Sky Market is a floating market with many boats passing by and was inspired by Vietnamese floating markets. Around the market, there are several huts and shops, connected by rope bridges. Sky Market can only be found in Linh World. Its local residents have their own rules. The Market does not stay in a same place, but moves from one place to another.

There are stills many things waiting for us and you to discover. Let’s follow Sun Wolf Animation Studio for more journeys.

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Animation journal: “Nghê" - The Vietnamese Guardian Animal

NGHÊ IN VIETNAMESE CULTURE: "THE UNIQUE GUARDING ANIMAL IN VIETNAMESE TRADITIONAL ART"

Nghê family is the main character line who takes the great responsibility of protecting Linh World. The image of "Nghê” in the film is also somewhat different and unique. Let's learn about the great inspiration of Sun Wolf’s creative team.

Because Nghê is not a real species but a mythical creature, the ancient folk artists have had many creations and changes throughout the history and culture of our country. Accordingly, we can have Nghê as a combined sacred animal based on a dog - a close and familiar animal of the Vietnamese people.

Source: Wikipedia, Báo Pháp luật, nghiencuulichsu.com, vietnamplus, vanmieu.gov, tuoitre

Sacred creatures have always played a crucial role in the folklore and myths of Vietnam. Those can be real animals or products of folk creativity, used as ways to express a certain hope or belief. We can mention dragons, unicorns, turtles, phoenixes, etc., each of which has its own role and carries different cultural symbolic meanings. In the process of development, Vietnamese culture has acculturation and interference with different cultures and since then, our sacred creatures are also increasingly diverse but still imbued with Vietnamese national identity.

Speaking of the sacred animals of Vietnamese culture, it would be inevitable not to mention Nghê, a popular Vietnamese traditional symbol carrying such a profound national identity. The painter Tran Hau Yen The - Editor of the book "Sketching Nghê – a Sacred Guardian Animal" said: "Nghê is truly the unique guarding animal in Vietnamese traditional art. Even though it's just an initial sketch, Nghê sometimes appears quiet and dignified; sometimes welcoming, cheerful, unmindful, and smiling from ear to ear”. Have you ever heard of them?

Source: Wikipedia

THE ORIGIN OF NGHÊ

Throughout the history and culture of Vietnam, Nghê regularly appears in poetry, and architecture as well as in temples, pagodas, and especially in the royal court. The image of Nghê sitting on either side of the temple door or on top of a pillar in front of the communal house yard has long been familiar to many Vietnamese people. Still, many people don’t really understand this creature, although it carries such a profound Vietnamese identity.

According to the researcher, Dr. Tran Hau Yen The: “Nghê is a fictional animal and this fiction creates the Vietnamese identity for Nghê. It shows the creativity of Vietnamese artisans.”

So what kind of sacred creature is Nghê? Author Huynh Thieu Phong once introduced Nghê in the article "Some issues about the origin and characteristics of the symbol “Nghê” in Vietnamese culture". In the article, it is clearly stated that, according to the legend “Nine Sons of the Dragon”, Nghê was one of the nine sons of the dragon, but at that time Nghê had two names. In the document Tiềm Xác Loại Thư, Nghê's full name is Toan Nghê and according to Tham Khảo Tạp Ký, it was called Kim Nghê.

However, if we take a closer look, the characteristics of Toan Nghê and Kim Nghê are different: Toan Nghê likes to rest, sometimes assimilated with lions, while Kim Nghê prefers to swallow fire and release smoke. Toan Nghê is often carved into thrones and couches, while Kim Nghê is often used for riding.

Nghê statue at the Museum of Fine Arts (Source: Natural Resources and Environment Newspaper)

According to researchers, Nghê can be considered a hybrid creature of three cultures including Vietnamese, Indian and Chinese. In the history of the formation, existence, and development of a nation, cultural exchange and acculturation between countries are inevitable. The civilizations of China and India had a strong impact on the cultural formation of the Vietnamese people, helping to diversify our national culture. Nghê is just one of countless cultural elements that Vietnamese people had learned from neighboring cultures and added our creativity to turn into our own cultural products. When Nghê was "conceived and gradually shaped" in Vietnamese culture, our ancestors completely changed its appearance, characteristics, and missions, turning it into a pure Vietnamese sacred animal.

Many people still confuse Nghê and lân (Asian unicorn), but in fact, there are clear differences between these two mythical animals. According to ancient Chinese books, unicorns were originated from deer, so their appearance is quite similar to deer, with traces of deer on their body, legs, soft horns, and two-hoofed feet, later it was transformed into a creature with a broad head, lion's mane, ox's tail, body covered with scales like a dragon and five claws. Meanwhile, Nghê has the form of a miniature lion: twisted mane without horns, body covered with fur but not scales, tail spreading out in curls, feet with many hairy nails. Three dictionaries including “Dai Nam Quoc Am Tu Vi” by Huynh Tinh Cua, Dictionarium Anamitico Latinum (Annam - Latin Dictionary) by J.L.Taberd, and Thieu Chuu Dictionary also mentioned this fact.

However, because Nghê is not a real species but a fictitious creature, the ancient folk artists have had many creations and changes throughout the history and culture of our country, so now we can have Nghê as a combined sacred animal based on a dog - a close and familiar animal of the Vietnamese people. Why did they choose a dog? According to Associate Professor, Dr. Dinh Hong Hai, the dog in Vietnamese folk art is originally a simple symbol and cannot be compared with other "prestigious" sacred creatures such as unicorns or dragons. However, when Confucianism culture was imported from China to Vietnam, this symbol was raised to be able to take on new roles and meanings. Therefore, it was possible that the ancient folk artists added many features to "upgrade" their gatekeepers.

Nghê in the form of adoring at the temple of King Le Thanh Tong (Source: Nguyen Dinh)

As for the researcher, Dr. Tran Hau Yen The in the article "Perceiving intercultural universality in traditional art through visual samples of Nghê statue in temples" said that: "The word Nghê in Chinese characters consists of “cẩu” (dog) and “nhi" (child) characters. In other words, Nghê originally took the form of a dog.

NGHÊ THROUGH THE AGES AND ITS ROLE

Nghê's visuals are unique and interesting. Like other mythical creatures, with the creativity of Vietnamese people, Nghê does not have a fixed shape. The shape of Nghê through historical periods had a clear change and existed in different forms. From the image of Nghê combines with a lion or dragon to a unicorn or dog, in general, all of them show the idyllic, rustic, close and familiar personality of Nghê in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.

Sư tử nghê (Nghê in the form of a lion) often have short and fat bodies, appearing a lot in the fine arts of the Ly - Tran dynasties. Long nghê (Nghê in form of a dragon) appeared in the Le Trung Hung Dynasty (later period of the Later Le monarchy) with a dragon's head, large mouth, long beard, calves with flashes of fire, often seen on the roofs of architectural works, and it was named “con kìm”. Kỳ lân nghê (Nghê in the form of a unicorn) appeared in both the Le Trung Hung and the Nguyen dynasties, but there were some differences. Under Le Trung Hung dynasty, Kỳ lân nghê had scales and horns on its back, and often stood by the side of the altar and the examination door; while in the Nguyen dynasty, Kỳ lân nghê had no horns and was favored to stand in a sanctuary place like the Thai Hoa Palace in the Hue Citadel. As for khuyển nghê (Nghê in the form of a dog), its body had no scales but was round with no horns on its head, and often wore a signboard or a door mortar and steps.

Long Nghê at Dinh Huong Mausoleum. (Photo: Nguyen Dinh)

Any sacred animal in Vietnamese culture has its own role and Nghê is not an exception. According to Dr. Tran Hau Yen The, Nghê has two basic functions of welcoming or showing sympathy. In the Nguyen Dynasty, Nghê had one more meaning as a sacred animal that examined and distinguished between right and wrong.

If dragons and phoenixes are known for their great roles, such as kingship of the heavens and mother of the world, Nghê has the function of "guarding". In folklore, there is a saying "Phoenix dances while Nghê guards", or "Every person has a profession - The phoenix dances and Nghê guards".

However, Nghê guards (chầu) but not served (hầu). Because “serve" was the word used for servants, while “guard" was used for the generals who attended the royal court with the King. Nghê had such a high level, don’t you think so?

One thing to note is that when Nghê guards, it did not look aggressive, fierce, or threatening, but looked quite friendly and close. We can easily see Nghê on the sides of the gate pillars of temples, under the door, or sometimes sitting on the roof or on the pedestal, looking extremely majestic.

Moreover, Nghê is also present in tombs such as Dinh Hương Mausoleum, Tomb of Quận Nghi, and Tomb of the Ngọ family with its mouth wide opening. In this form, it is not threatening anyone, but as if it is crying out painful groans, showing respect and mercy, and expressing pain.

A pair of Nghê in front of the altar of Linh Quang Từ (Tomb of the Ngọ family) (Photo: Nguyen Dinh)

IN VIETNAM'S FOLK CULTURE,, EACH TYPE OF NGHÊ WILL BEAR DIFFERENT MEANINGS OF LOYALTY, HONESTY, DIGNITY… AND WE CAN SAY THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW SACRED ANIMALS THAT CARRY MANY MEANINGS AS NGHÊ. DR. TRAN HAU YEN THE WRote IN THE BOOK “SKETCHING NGHÊ - THE SACRED GUARDIAN ANIMAL": “NGHÊ SOMETIMES APPEARS QUIET AND DIGNIFIED, SOMETIMES WELCOMING, CAREFREE, AND SMILING FROM EAR TO EAR”

Animation journal.

Dai Lam Moc

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Animation journal: hoi an

Hoi An is like a special, warm and subtle fragrance that anyone who has ever smelled will remember it forever. The impression of Hoi An in the eyes of each person may be very different, but it can be said that the architecture and people in Hoi An have played a significant part in building and keeping the impression on first-time visitors.

HOI AN IS THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR SUN WOLF'S ARTISTS WHEN BUILDING THE WORLD IN THE ANIMATED SHORT “LINH”.

A digital painting inspired by Hoi An.

DIVERSE ARCHITECTURE AND KEEPING HISTORICAL MARKS

Speaking of Hoi An, we immediately think of the combination of "ancient and old". Hoi An wears an ancient and quiet appearance thanks to the architecture built ages ago which was considered to be from the sixteenth century according to some documents.

From then to the end of the nineteenth century, Hoi An was known as the busiest commercial center in Southeast Asia and an important stop for Chinese and Japanese merchant ships. Especially, during the Trinh - Nguyen war, the Nguyen Lords allowed and encouraged Chinese and Japanese merchants to get married, have children, and set up businesses in Hoi An. Up to now, most of the large and beautiful assembly halls that still exist in Hoi An are imbued with Chinese signatures. Some documents also showed that many old houses and assembly halls were dismantled from the homeland of the Minh Huong Chinese people and transported by ship to be reassembled in Hoi An.

Besides the Chinese, Japanese merchants also left their marks in Hoi An through architecture, although only a few decorative details now remain. Legend has it that Cau Pagoda is a work built by a Japanese merchant in the middle of the sixteenth century, but through many restorations, the distinctive architectural features were gradually lost.

Moreover, before becoming a prosperous trading port, Hoi An was originally Đại Chiêm Hải Khẩu - a port of the Kingdom of Champa.

From the historical vestiges, we can see that the architecture in Hoi An is very diverse and long-standing, and is a combination of the architecture of the Cham, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese. Experiencing a long process of formation and significant changes in history, fortunately Hoi An still preserves almost intact the architectural complex of an ancient trading port, so that today our descendants can still admire that quiet, old beauty.

Our working progress during the making of the film

DISTINCTIVE HOUSE ARCHITECTURE

After hundreds of years of living and sharing cultural values ​​with the Cham, Chinese and Japanese people, we inherit Hoi An with a diverse architectural complex, including 1360 monuments and landscapes, such as ancient houses, temples, pagodas, god shrines, ancient wells, bridges, assembly halls, and special ancient tombs.

Research has shown that there is a combined architecture of the ancient Vietnamese and other ethnic groups that used to live in Hoi An. Firstly, the house frames were formed by the association of trusses as the bearing base. There are three basic types of trusses, including the “chồng rường” truss (seen in most of the assembly halls, ancestral temples, and ancient temples of the Chinese living in Hoi An); “kẻ truyền" connecting truss (typical for the architecture of the ancient Vietnamese) and “bằng kèo” connecting truss (usually used in residential architecture in South China and North Vietnam).

Besides the architecture of the house base, the tile roof is also a special feature of houses in Hoi An. There are two types of roof tiles commonly used, namely tube tiles and yin and yang tiles.

In addition, the "door eye" is also an important architectural element of a house in Hoi An. Door eyes are often used to decorate the main door, back door, front gate, and back gate in old houses. Researches show that there are about 14 different types of door eyes with various shapes such as polar shape, tiger shape, bat shape, thọ (longevity) letter shape, carp fish shape, etc. Although the door eyes were originated from the culture and beliefs of the ethnic groups that used to live in Hoi An, up to now, there has not been any research with enough grounds to fully confirm its meaning in the cultural and spiritual life of Hoi An people in particular and Vietnamese people in general.

Thus, we can mention the typical architecture of Hoi An houses such as truss structures, tile roofs, and symmetrical features which are basically architecture with many characteristics of Central Vietnam combined with signature decorations of the Chinese and Japanese who used to live in Hoi An. Since then, we have had such an ancient, rustic, and special Hoi An.

Another idea that combines tradition and modernity.

PEOPLE OF HOI AN

Hoi An was famous as the most prosperous trading port in Southeast Asia, so the wholesale trade has probably become an integral part of the people here. Whether it's a bowl of “cao lầu” noodles in a restaurant or a cup of tea on the roadside, we have the chance to experience the rich flavor, subtle taste of the countryside, and the warmth of the sellers. Besides the old houses, people with street vendors are also considered a "heritage", because the street vendors have made a unique feature for Hoi An, as well as the simplicity and kindness of the locals. This combo is what attracts tourists. Hoi An is not too crowded, or bustling, but cozy enough to make a person who has visited this place wish to return. Coming to Hoi An, we find simple joys in eating and listening to the stories of the vendors.

A design depicting the characters in Linh World.

In the past, Hoi An also had artisans who crafted lanterns and silk fabrics. They were "soul" creators of the city because Hoi An would not be complete without lanterns, tailored boutiques, as well as the people who always carry the responsibility of keeping the ancient jobs and retaining the classic features of Hoi An in a world that is constantly integrating and developing.

HOI AN IS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL LADY - AN ENDLESS INSPIRATION FOR WRITERS, POETS, PAINTERS AND MUSICIANS. THE ARTISTS OF RED CAT MOTION HAVE BROUGHT A PART OF HOI AN INTO THEIR WORKS AND BUILD A DREAMY, MYSTERIOUS WORLD, EXPRESSED THROUGH THE SHORT ANIMATED FILM “LINH". WE HOPE THIS MOVIE WILL LEAVE AN UNFORGETTABLE IMPRESSION TO THE VIEWERS, JUST LIKE HOW poet CHE LAN VIEN REMEMBERED HOI AN AS A LINGERING FRAGRANCE…

Animation journal

Yen Tam

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Animation journal: vietnamese fish vermicelli soup

FISH NOODLE: A STAR OF VIETNAM'S TRADITIONAL CULINARY WORTH BEING “PROMOTED”

THEY ARE SO POPULAR THAT ANYONE WHO VISITS A CERTAIN REGION IN VIETNAM MUST ONCE TRY ITS TYPICAL LOCAL NOODLE DISH.

Source: VNExpress, Thanh niên, CNN

Vietnamese cuisine is cleverly integrated into the animation. As a natural reflex, when we asked which dish to put on the film, the Director immediately said "Let's make fish vermicelli soup". At first, the whole team just simply agreed to do it, but the more we are involved, the more this choice makes sense. Yes, this dish is actually very attractive and the image of a large, white, delicious piece of fish on the film will create a flavorful culinary impression. Besides, this is also one of the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine.

A sketch in the process of "creating" Fish Noodle Soup by the artists of Sun Wolf Animation Studio.

In fact, the traditional Vietnamese food besides pho must also include bun (rice vermicelli). The soft rice vermicelli with mildly sweet broth has trembled the hearts of so many passionate food lovers. Authors Dan Tham and Karina Tsui once admired that Vietnamese vermicelli soup is as charming as a jazz song.

On the famous American website CNN, they excitedly shared: "Hiding in plain sight of travelers is another delicious vermicelli dish: bun, as surprising, variable and seductive as jazz. Noodles are soft and flavorful, combined with many other ingredients, creating a dance of flavors.”

As for us, rice vermicelli dishes are so familiar in family meals and restaurants. Even Wikipedia mentions that rice vermicelli is the third most popular starchy food in our country, after rice and pho. Traveling across the country from North to South, we can see various delicious vermicelli dishes everywhere. They are so popular that anyone who visits a certain region must once try its typical local vermicelli dish.

Fish vermicelli soup is one of such dishes! Coming to the West, people cannot forget to stop by a small diner to order a bowl of fish vermicelli soup - flavorful yet still sweet and mild. Coming to Nha Trang, no one can ignore a bowl of vermicelli soup with chopped fish. Arriving in Da Nang, a bowl of vermicelli soup with mackerel is always on the "hunting" list of diners. When flying to Hanoi, people are immersed in the mildly sweet taste of each bowl of fish vermicelli soup in every corner of the Capital.

None knows for sure where the origin of fish vermicelli soup comes from, but throughout the North - Central - South are many different types of fish vermicelli soup with diverse flavors. In general, the broth of fish vermicelli soup is cooked from fish bone and quite delicately. In some places, it is also cooked from pork bone. Therefore, each bowl of vermicelli soup is a harmonious combination of mild broth and slices of tasty fish without a fishy smell.

Ingredient selection is also a complicated step. The ingredients in Linh World are extremely fresh.

Linh World's chefs are experimenting with different dishes from fish. Every dish is attractive.

NORTHERN FISH NOODLES: FLAVORFUL AND EYE-CATCHING

In the North, there are many types of fish vermicelli soup from Thai Binh, Hai Phong to Nghe An, etc. However, when it comes to fish vermicelli soup, people immediately think of vermicelli soup with river perch - a dish originating from Hai Duong province and then becoming extremely popular in Hanoi. Fish vermicelli soup is often served as breakfast or lunch. A hot bowl of vermicelli soup with broth cooked from pounded fish bones combined with some vinegar and tomatoes brings a natural sweetness and sourness that makes everyone fall in love. This rice vermicelli dish must be served with vegetables such as Indian taro, mustard greens, dill, spring onions, and pineapple, to contribute more flavor to this rustic dish. The "main character" of the vermicelli soup is the crispy, golden fried fish slices, cut into small pieces about 2-finger wide and richly marinated.

Each bowl of hot perch vermicelli soup is both flavorful and eye-catching, with colors from the fish slices and the fresh green vegetables making the vermicelli bowl look extremely tasty. Just imagine, eating some vermicelli, biting into a piece of crispy fish and slurping a spoonful of sweet and sour broth, with a bit of spiciness from pepper and chili, and tasting the freshness of vegetables too. It makes everyone starving with just its smell and look and tastes even more wonderful.

FISH NOODLES IN THE CENTRAL REGION: CAN NOT GET ENOUGH OF THEM

Down along the central coast is a whole new "horizon of vermicelli soup". Being favored by nature, the long coastal strip is full of fish and shrimps, which are an endless source of food for the local people to cook into attractive specialties. From Da Nang to Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, etc., fish vermicelli soup is available everywhere and leaves a great impression on diners. Depending on each person’s taste, some may think that these dishes are similar, but in fact, the real gourmets will recognize their distinct flavors. However, all have to say the word: Delicious!

The bowl of fish vermicelli soup in Da Nang has a rather elaborately cooked broth. The cook has to stew fish bones to get naturally sweet broth, and they also add pumpkin, cabbage, pineapple, tomatoes, and fresh bamboo shoots to increase the sweetness of the broth. A special feature that only a bowl of fish vermicelli soup in Da Nang has is that the broth is also seasoned with shrimp paste. The locals often use mackerel, tuna, and sailfish, to enhance its richness and delicious smell. But don't rush eating right away, add some lettuce, banana flower, raw bean sprouts, and herbs to the bowl of vermicelli soup, then slowly sip the broth, and dip fish slices into the sweet, sour, and spicy fish sauce. Wow! The rich sweetness of the broth and fish, the pungent taste of chili, and a bunch of fresh vegetables. Just like that, the diners keep on complimenting and eating constantly.

Arriving in Nha Trang, after putting away their luggage, the travelers often go to a local food stall to enjoy the specialty of this land. No one can ignore bun ca dam. When I first heard the fish's name, I kept wondering: "Is the fish smashed (dầm), or is it the name of this kind of fish?". As it turns out, according to VNExpress, “the name "bun la ca dam" comes from the typical broth of this dish. A pot of clear, non-fishy, ​​low-fat broth is cooked from different types of fish, depending on the recipe of each place. Before cooking, the fish will be deboned and chopped into small pieces.” Like other fish vermicelli soup, this broth is also stewed from fish bones to have a sweet taste without any fishy smell from the fish. The art is here! Each bowl of vermicelli soup with chopped fish brings different ingredients to the diners, including fish, jellyfish, and fish cake, with a sprinkle of spring onions and sweet onions, enhancing its delicious smell. Ah, but it would not be enough without fresh vegetables! You will never get bored with eating them.

Coming to Phu Yen, the food lovers once again fall for the bowls of fish vermicelli soup here, and among them, the most famous one is bun ca thac lac. In fact, this is the short name for bun ca soc lac - a basic breakfast dish of the people in the land of “yellow flowers and green grass”. The vermicelli bowl looks very eye-catching with clear and sweet broth, crispy and chewy fish cake, and of course a plate of fresh vegetables. It is so simple but its rich, sweet taste makes the diners unforgettable.

FISH NOODLES IN THE WESTERN REGION: HONESTLY, ONE BOWL IS NEVER ENOUGH

In the West, fish vermicelli soup has changed quite a lot, from taste to presentation. The most famous is Chau Doc and An Giang fish vermicelli soup. According to VNExpress, fish vermicelli soup in the West of Vietnam originated from Cambodia. Over the years, the dish has changed compared to the original version, but in general, it still retains the soul of the original fish vermicelli soup. Unlike vermicelli dishes in the North or Central region, the Western fish vermicelli soup is cooked with field fish and river fish, not sea fish.

In Chau Doc, cooking a pot of broth is also very sophisticated. The cook has to simmer bones for many hours, skimming continuously so that the water is clear and does not smell bad. Fish will be boiled in water, including the fish intestines. Thanks to that, the broth is always extremely sweet. However, it doesn't stop there, we still have to season the broth, with fish sauce, filtered shrimp paste, some finger roots, and extract juice from crushed turmeric. To increase visual stimulation and taste, the fish broth also has a yellow color from turmeric and a slight scent of lemongrass. Thanks to that, the broth doesn't have any fishy taste. Fishbones are removed and fish meat is lightly stir-fried with turmeric, so the fish will be firmer and get an eye-catching color. A bowl of fish vermicelli soup will be served with lots of fish, roast pork, and a plate of different vegetables including water lily, sesbania sesban flowers, bitter greens, and finely chopped water spinach, water mimosa, etc.

Now, diners just need to pick up a piece of turmeric-scented fish, sip a spoonful of yellow broth and eat some vegetables. Trust me, many diners have fallen in love with Chau Doc fish vermicelli soup already.

Kien Giang fish vermicelli soup is cooked more simply. In this region, people still choose snakehead fish, boiling it to get the fresh broth. Some places will also use pork bone and dried shrimp to add sweetness to the broth. Especially, because Kien Giang has the sea, the fish vermicelli bowls are also added with shrimp, making it quite attractive. The shrimp will be peeled and the shrimp heads are cooked with cashew oil to create an extremely eye-catching orange-red color for the vermicelli bowl. Fish meat is not fried with turmeric, but only with garlic and fat to enhance the flavor of the fish. The vermicelli bowl will be a harmonious combination of fresh rice vermicelli soup with a light, sweet broth, dotted with the red-orange color of cashew oil, and a piece of white snakehead fish as the main “actress"  and some green color of fresh vegetables. Honestly, one bowl is never enough.

FISH NOODLE SOUP: A STAR OF VIETNAMESE TRADITIONAL CUISINE

You see, it is undeniable that fish vermicelli soup is a star of Vietnamese cuisine that needs to be "promoted" alongside other traditional dishes. To have a complete bowl of fish vermicelli soup, meeting all the requirements for filming, it took us several months with a series of different versions. From the gorgeous, vibrant drawings, we finally chose the basic yet extremely eye-catching version.

Our fish vermicelli soup has a little more ingredients that you can easily see in… oh well, everyone, you can find out more in the animation.

Let's wait and see how fish vermicelli soup will look like when it is on screen. Now then, let's have some fish vermicelli soup, shall we?

Animation journal 

Dai Lam Moc

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Animation journal: vietnamese spiritual life

THE VIETNAMESE SPIRITUAL LIFE HAS LONG BEEN RICH AND COMPLEX - JUST LIKE THE DEFINITIONS AND CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUALITY. THIS ARTICLE WILL REFER TO SPIRITUAL FACTORS EXPRESSED THROUGH BELIEFS AND OUTSTANDING SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF VIETNAMESE PEOPLE FROM THE PAST TO THE PRESENT.

This article summarizes the research of the creative team at Red Cat when learning about the Vietnamese spiritual world, one of the biggest inspirations for the Karma Journey project.

The Vietnamese spiritual life has long been rich and complex - just like the definitions and controversies surrounding the concept of spirituality. This article will refer to spiritual factors expressed through beliefs and outstanding spiritual phenomena in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people from past to present.

FERTILITY RITES

The Vietnamese people have many beliefs, the first of which must be mentioned is the most ancient belief - fertility rites (phon thuc). "Phon" means many, "thuc" is flourishing. The fertility rites come from the agricultural culture of the ancient Vietnamese, with the desire to maintain and develop life through rice production and human production.

Symbols of fertility beliefs include two types: the first is to worship the male and female genital organs, and the second is to worship the act of mating itself. In the past, at the Dong Ki (Ha Bac) village festival, there was a custom to bring a “qi” (male sex organs) made of wood, then burn it and divide the ashes among the villagers. The ancients believed that this would bring good luck to the villagers and the crop and if ignored, the whole village would have bad luck in that year. Moreover, there was a custom of "mortar pounding to welcome the bride" of the ancients also had a basis from traditional beliefs. The pestle and mortar represent the genitals of a man and a woman, and the ancients believed that the pounding of the mortar to welcome the bride had the effect of wishing the couple to have "many children and grandchildren". The fertility rites have existed throughout history and are found on many relics and antiquities, including statues, bronze drums or caves. This forms the foundation for spiritual elements in Vietnamese spiritual life from the earliest days.

NATURE WORSHIP

Have you ever wondered why our nation is proud to be the son of Dragon and descendant of Fairy or the descendants of the Lac Hong? This belief took root from the worshiping of nature, including animals and plants, of the ancient Vietnamese. The image of Dragons and Fairies were originated from birds, snakes, crocodiles, animals that are abundant in rivers and were worshiped by the ancient Vietnamese. These animals were often engraved on the sides of bronze drums. The Dragon is a combination of crocodile and snake, born in the waters and flying to the sky, hence a Southeast Asian dragon does not have wings. The word “rong" (Vietnamese) and the word "long" (Sino-Vietnamese) were both derived from words in ancient Southeast Asian languages: krong, krông or klong, which means "river". Besides the Dragons, there is also Fairies. According to the legend, our ancestors belonged to the Hong Bang family, and Hong Bang was a large water bird.

Animation “Dragon and Fairy Legend” produced by Red Cat Motion and Sun Wolf Animation Studio.

It is the belief in nature worship that leads to worshiping all the "gods" that govern nature, which was the cause of Vietnamese polytheism. We worship  Mother of Sky (Mau Cuu Trung, Cuu Thien Huyen Nu, Thien Mu), Mother of Earth (Dia Mau, Ba Chua Xu) and Mother of Water (Ba Thuy, Ba Chua Song). Later, when the consciousness with yin and yang appeared, we worshiped God (Ong Troi) and under the influence of Chinese culture, we had Jade Emperor (Ngoc Hoang), Tho Cong, and Ha Ba, but in the most ancient times, our ancestors mostly worshiped goddesses. Besides worshiping the Heaven, Earth, and Water, we also worship the gods who manage the weather (because weather affects the crops), the god of space and time (eg. Thap Nhi Hanh Kien - the twelve gods, each of whom manages a year according to the twelve guardian animals Mouse, Ox, Tiger, etc. and manages the birth, therefore we have Twelve Midwives).


Vietnamese people often say to each other: hu hon hu via, or ba hon bay via - these sayings were all derived from ancient spiritual beliefs, when people began learning about the world and surrounding phenomena. The Vietnamese people believe that there are three parts in each person: soul, body and spirit. Spirit is a concept to refer to the intermediate part between the body and the soul. According to the ancient concept, man’s spirit has seven parts and the woman’s has nine. This is also the ground for explaining phenomena like coma, fainting, death or pain in children. Because there is a spirit existing between the soul and body, there are also concepts such as “light spirit", "heavy spirit" and also give rise to spiritual practices such as "burning ill luck" in case of unfortunate events. When a person dies, the body and the spirit (which are considered “the heavy parts”) dissipate, but for the soul, since it is much lighter, it leaves the body and wanders on earth.

HUMAN WORSHIP

The Vietnamese also believe in an afterlife world existing alongside the human world. Therefore, for those who die, their souls after wandering in the living world will be led to the afterlife world, or eternity world. Thanks to this belief, we have the custom of worshiping our grandparents and ancestors. This custom is much more common in Vietnam than in other nations in Southeast Asia. It can be said that ancestor worship has almost become a religion in Vietnam (Taoism) and almost every Vietnamese family has an altar to worship grandparents. Our people believe that the living world and afterlife exist in the same way. Therefore, on the anniversary of the death, we offer food (with normal or vegan meals). In addition to food, we also offer clothes, utensils, and money (made of paper, collectively known as votive paper) so that the grandparents in the afterlife can have necessary items and amenities just like when they were living.

Altar of ancestor - Source: tuoitre.vn

OUTSTANDING SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA

From the basis of the oldest beliefs closely related to the spiritual world of the Vietnamese people, we find that there are some outstanding spiritual phenomena. These phenomena have a crucial role in the spiritual world and there was a period when strange related events were widely discussed in the community.


The first thing to mention is the phenomenon of calling souls (len dong) (to contact with the gods, enter the souls, talk to the dead). This phenomenon comes from the belief that people have souls and bodies and that the soul exists forever. There are souls which are so powerful that they can enter the living or another dead person (e.g. in the story of Truong Ba's Soul in the Butcher's Body). Calling souls is a phenomenon where the soul of a dead person is called to enter a living person (in this case, the body of a medium who performed the rituals). The called soul can be of the grandparents (descendants want to call the grandparents' soul to inquire something or ask for help) or it can be the soul of a certain god, or soul of a person who died unjustly so that the living person could ask why he or she died.


A dancing medium - Source: Wikipedia

Another well-known and widely discussed phenomenon is the extrasensory phenomenon (also known by many as finding martyrs' graves). A person with extrasensory power will have many different abilities such as: reading other people's minds, seeing events or objects in another place, foreseeing the future, or finding a living person or corpse of a dead person by touching an object (utility) related to the person to be found. If you're a fan of the Stranger Things series, then you can imagine a person with telepathic powers would be quite similar to Eleven. Unlike calling the souls, extrasensory phenomena are considered more positively, although both phenomena have in common that a living person can "call a soul" or communicate with the souls of the dead. The reason for this difference can be attributed to the merits of psychics who found the bodies of national heroes, such as Tran Phu and Nguyen Duc Canh. This is probably the crucial reason why psychics attract much attention and people with psychic abilities are more appreciated.

The above are just two of a series of other spiritual phenomena present in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people (for example, enchantments, ghosts, retribution, predestined ghosts, etc.). These facts prove that the spiritual world of the Vietnamese people is very rich and complex, from ancient times to the present.

THE DIVERSITY OF SPIRITUAL PHENOMENA, BELIEFS AND RELIGIONS IN VIETNAM IS PARTLY DUE TO THE INFLUENCE OF NEIGHBORING CULTURES, BUT IT CAN BE SAID THAT THE RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL BELIEFS OF THE VIETNAMESE ORIGINATE FROM AGRARIAN CULTURE, THUS THERE ARE NATURE WORSHIPING BELIEFS, POLYTHEISTIC BELIEFS AND TAOISM, REFLECTING THE YIN AND YANG PHILOSOPHY (THE OBJECTS OF WORSHIP ALWAYS COME IN PAIR: HEAVEN - EARTH, DRAGON - FAIRY, MALE AND FEMALE MEDIUM, ETC.). IT IS ALSO BECAUSE OF THE RICHNESS AND COMPLEXITY IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE THAT LEADS TO RELATED NEEDS, SUCH AS PRAYING WITH OUIJA BOARDS, PRAYING AT PAGODAS , FORTUNE TELLING, OR EVEN EXTREME SUPERSTITIOUS PHENOMENA SUCH AS CURING DISEASES OR ASKING FOR BENEFITS WITH ENCHANTMENTS, OR DRINK INCENSE OR DRINK ASHES TO CURE ILLNESS. THE GAP IN SPIRITUAL BELIEFS AND SUPERSTITION CAN BE VERY CLOSE, PLUS THE DIVERSITY AND COMPLEXITY IN SPIRITUALITY, WHICH IS THE REASON FOR US TO GAIN MORE KNOWLEDGE TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE FOR OURSELVES THE RIGHT SPIRITUAL VALUES AND BRING SPIRITUAL BENEFITS TO EACH INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY.

Yen Tam

References:

  • Tracing back to Vietnamese cultural identity - Professor-Academic Tran Ngoc Them 

  • http://dsvh.gov.vn/Upload/files/Tap chi DSVH/So 26/2609_Van de tam linh va van hoa tam linh hien nay.pdf

  • https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tâm_linh

  • http://khxhnvnghean.gov.vn/m/?x=4062/nghien-cuu-khxhnv/ngay-xuan-lam-ban-ve-doi-song-tam-linh-hien-nay

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