Admire 3 national treasures nearly 1000 years old at Thang Long Imperial Citadel

(Fatherland) - The Prime Minister has just signed Decision No. 1742/QD-TTg dated December 31, 2024, recognizing national treasures (batch 13) for 33 artifacts and groups of artifacts with special historical and cultural values. Among them, 3 collections of artifacts from the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi were honored, each collection has its own unique values.

Accordingly, the Ly Dynasty Phoenix Head Collection (XI-XII century) includes 5 artifacts made from terracotta, discovered underground at the 18 Hoang Dieu Archaeological Site in the central area of ​​Thang Long Imperial Citadel. The works demonstrate the sophistication in the Ly Dynasty's art of creation with round statues of various sizes.

Each phoenix head is shown in a powerful and lively motion.

Each phoenix head is depicted in a powerful and lively movement with a mane that curves forward in many directions, a long beak with bulging cheeks, and a crest shaped like a Bodhi leaf tilted forward. In particular, details such as large, round, prominent eyes, eyebrows that form a strip flying backwards, and large, wide, and curved ears are all meticulously crafted, demonstrating the high level of technical skill of the artisans at that time.

Next to it is the Royal Vase of the Early Le Dynasty (15th century), a unique work with a structure including a bottom, body, shoulders, mouth, spout and handle. The highlight of the artifact is the creation of a hidden dragon motif, in which the spout is shaped like a dragon's head raised high with horns and a mane embossed, the vase handle is like a dragon's body with raised fins, and four dragon legs are embossed on both sides of the shoulders showing a strong movement posture.

The Royal vase used during the early Le Dynasty (15th century) has just been recognized as a national treasure.

The vase's manufacturing technique demonstrates the high level of ceramic craftsmanship during the Early Le Dynasty, from hand-shaping on a turntable, making and joining parts individually, to special firing techniques at high temperatures in separate firing chambers.

Finally, the Truong Lac ceramic collection from the early Le Dynasty (15th-16th century) consisting of 36 artifacts including cups, bowls and plates, was discovered at the relic site at 18 Hoang Dieu.

The special feature of this collection is that the artifacts all bear traces of Chinese characters: 31 artifacts have the word Truong Lac written on them, 4 artifacts have the word Truong Lac Kho, and 1 artifact has the word Truong Lac Cung.

The position and way of writing also have their own meanings. The words inside the bowl are written under the glaze before firing to show authenticity, while the words on the bottom of the plate are written after firing as a mark of ownership.

The Truong Lac ceramic collection from the early Le dynasty (15th-16th century) includes 36 artifacts including cups, bowls and plates.

According to the Thang Long-Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center, the greatest value of these three collections lies in their originality and uniqueness. These are not only valuable artifacts in terms of art but also important historical documents.

The collection of phoenix heads from the Ly Dynasty shows the uniqueness of Dai Viet sculpture, reflecting the fusion of Buddhism and Confucianism. The Royal Vase demonstrates the level of development of ceramics and royal culture in the early Le Dynasty.

In particular, the Truong Lac ceramic collection has special value in studying the structure, spatial organization and daily life in the royal palace during the early Le Dynasty, contributing significantly to restoring the appearance of the ancient Thang Long citadel.

The recognition of these three collections as national treasures not only affirms their special cultural and historical values ​​but also contributes to preserving and promoting the nation's cultural heritage, while providing valuable resources for research on a glorious period of the nation's history./.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/chiem-nguong-3-bao-vat-quoc-gia-co-tuoi-doi-gan-1000-nam-tai-hoang-thanh-thang-long-20250104212548533.htm