To visit Mac Dynasty Citadel in the northern province of Tuyen Quang after its recent so-called "restoration and preservation" process is a miserable experience. These wonderful historic military remains which survived the test of five centuries have been swept clean of all the scars of ages and dust of history and made to look like a modern-day brick kiln.
Also gone are the recent aspects, the cobwebs, the lichen, the leaf canopies, the roots, even the trees which gave atmosphere to this rock of ages and pleased the souls of the residents of Tuyen Quang city, where it stands.
The citadel's "restoration" is a prime example of over-zealous makeovers which are taking place throughout the country, which are of great concern to historians and archaeologists, who say some restorations have actually destroyed historic sites.
The citadel in Tan Quang Ward, in the centre of the city, was built in 1592 under the Mac Dynasty. It was said to hold an important strategic position for the army as it faced the Lo River as well as the incoming provincial roads.
The Mac Dynasty, which ruled Viet Nam's northern provinces, began in 1527 when King Mac Thai To mounted the throne after seizing power from King Le Cung Hoang. Numerous citadels were built by the dynasty across the land, such as at Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, Lang Son and Cao Bang provinces.
Although the citadel in Tuyen Quang was a solid structure, time got the better of it. During the Nguyen dynasty, the citadel was repaired and reinforced with smaller bricks, but today all that remains are the two entrance gates, one in the west and another in the north, and portions of the citadel walls. It was recognised as a national historical vestige in 1991.
Tuyen Quang is probably the only city in Viet Nam to have remnants of an old citadel at its crossroads, right in the centre of city. It was a unique ancient beauty surrounded by modernity. Now it's a roundabout of regret to many local people, including Quang Minh, a photographer in the city, who can't hide his sorrow when talking about the restoration.
"I have taken photographs of newly-weds there for 20 years," he says. "They really loved the background of the old walls, in different moods and different angles, with shadows, moss and huge roots.
"Now, I can only see the citadel through my old photos, no one wants to pose there any more. Sometimes I look at the photos and feel miserable, that a citadel which had stood firmly through so many upheavals was destroyed by the very people trying to restore it."
Minh's concern is shared by others around the country, including cultural heritage specialists like Professor Tran Lam Bien, who are anxious that preservation is being carried out on historic sites without expert supervision.
"In some instances, preservation is actually destroying cultural sites," Bien says, giving an example of the Yen Phu Communal House, on the eastern side of Ha Noi's West Lake, which dates back to the 17th century.
"The temple had dragon-shaped relief work with knives thrown from the dragon's eyes," he says. "Very few people know that the dragon is a symbol used to pray for rain and knives represent thunder. When the temple was restored, workers removed the knives because they didn't know of their significance."
A relic needs to be restored when it is more than 70 per cent damaged. If not, we can preserve it by soaking or spraying it with chemicals to keep it in good condition. We don't need to rebuild everything that we call heritage."
"The most important thing is to preserve what our ancestors envisioned, we must keep them for as many generations as possible because of their spiritual value to the nation.
"For historic relics that have been recognised, restoration should be carried out carefully under the supervision of specialists. Authorities can revoke a site's certificate if it is restored incorrectly.
"Restoration workers should love and respect heritage, but above all they should be aware of what they are doing. Restoring cultural and historic relics is not the same as restoring a residential house."
The local authorities spent VND9.8 billion (US$490,000) to restore the citadel, but in the minds of residents of Tuyen Quang the symbol of their ancestral roots, their connection with the past, the very essence of their souls, has gone.
Author: Minh Thu | Source: Viet Nam News [October 04, 2010]