Hello and welcome to VOV’s Letter Box, our weekly feature dedicated to our listeners throughout the world. We are Mai Phuong and Phuong Khanh.
A: First on our show today, we’d like to welcome to VOV Markku Takala of Finland who resumed listening to us after 48 years.
B: In a letter to us this week, Markku wrote: “I’m writing to you, because I listened to your transmission again after 48 years. The date of your last QSL card was August 5, 1968. DX listening was then my hobby and now that I’m at the retirement age, I once again have time to listen to the radio”.
A corner of Hanoi in March |
A: Thank you, Markku, for coming back. Please send us a photocopy of your old QSC card and we’ll send you gift to acknowledge your listening.
B: Using a Tecsun S 2000 with an internal antenna, Markku listened to the VOV program on 7280 khz on February 17, 2016, from 16:07 to 16:30 UTC and rated SINPO at 54444.
A: Markku, we’ll send you a QSL card to confirm your report along with a program schedule and a frequency list. VOV’s English broadcasts are now also available on the internet at www.vovworld.vn. And in regard to your question about VOV programs of Vietnamese music, every Saturday we have a weekend music show featuring Vietnamese folk and contemporary music and introducing Vietnamese singers and songwriters. So you can tune in to our broadcast on Saturday to listen to Vietnamese music. Also, at the end of our weekday program, we often play a Vietnamese song.
B: So we hope to hear more from you. In an email to VOV this week, Rachid Dahmani of Algeria reported listening to our broadcast on March 9th, 11th, and 14th on the frequency of 9730 and rated SINPO at 54455, 44344, and all 4s.
A: Rachid also wrote: “I’m very pleased to send you my reception report and I thank you for all the radio programs you offer. I’m following them with great interest and I wish you more success. I have a question: What are the most important archeological sites in Vietnam?”
B: Thank you Rachid for your report. We’ll confirm it with a QSL card and send you some VOV souvenirs. It’s hard to say which archeological sites are most important. Vietnam has a history of more than 4,000 years and archeological sites are scattered around the country, but there are more in the north.
A: On today’s program, we’ll take oa look at the archaeological features of the Thang Long Royal Citadel and Kinh Thien palace.
A: Kinh Thien Palace is the most important building in the Thang Long Royal citadel, which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2000. It is at the center of the complex with the Doan Mon and the Flag Tower in front, the North Gate and the Hau Lau at its back and walls to the east and the west. A restoration of the palace is now underway.
Kinh Thien Palace in Thang Long Imperial Citadel |
B: Kinh Thien is the main palace and the most important building in the capital of the Oriental Monarchy. Doctor Tong Trung Tin of the Archeology Institute says the construction of Kinh Thien Palace was not much recorded in history books. According to the National History Records of the Le dynasty and the Vietnamese History Book of the Nguyen dynasty, it was built in 1428 during the reign of King Le Thai To and was completed during the reign of King Le Thanh Tong
A: Historical records say that Kinh Thien Palace was built after King Le Thai To wiped out Ming invaders and began a reconstruction of the capital city. The palace was built first because of its importance as a place for the King to host royal ceremonies and decide major national issues.
B: The palace later was almost entirely destroyed until only its foundation remained. The foundation is 57 meters long, 41.5 meters wide and 2.3 meters high. Its steps were built with green stone. Four stone dragons are the palace’s only evident remains. The four stone dragons which divided the staircase leading into Kinh Thien palace into three sections were carved in 1467. The dragons are typical of sculptures in the Le dynasty.
A: The stone dragons of Kinh Thien palace indicate how gigantic the palace was. Painter and researcher Nguyen Duc Hoa says the palace was a venue for royal ceremonies and rituals. That’s why its architecture and decoration were lavish. The palace was destroyed but the stone dragons carved in 1467 in King Le Thanh Tong’s reign prove that the Vietnamese Kings employed some skillful artisans.
Kinh Thien Palace in Thang Long Imperial Citadel |
B: According to archaeologists, the palace contains cultural layers from several historical periods. Its front yard served as a venue for ceremonies and rituals and was where mandarins waited for appointment with meet the King. Doctor Tong Trung Tin says archaeologists have unearthed two main yards overlapping in front of the palace which belonged to the post-Le dynasty from the 15th to the 18th century. Archaeologists have only excavated small parts of the palace, but what has been unearthed reveals the history of the ancient Thang Long citadel. Artifacts found at Kinh Thien palace will help guide the restoration work.
A: That’s a short take on the Kinh Thien Palace at Thang Long Royal Citadel, one of Vietnam’s important archeological site.
B: This week we were happy to learn that VOV Natun Radio Listeners’ Club in West Bengal, India, is going to organize a seminar on Radio the Voice of Vietnam. We appreciate your enthusiasm for our programs and hope to receive photos of the event. We wish your event a great success.
A: Masahiro Tsuyoshi of the US reported listening to a VOV program on February 14 on the frequency of 6175 khz from 01:00 to 01:26 and rated SINPO at 45554.
B: He wrote: “This is my fourth reception report for Voice of Vietnam. I listen to VOV regularly and enjoy your programs, VOV is my favorite station. I listened to your program on World Radio Day. The signal was strong and there was no interference. I was able to listen to your program easily with my portable radio. The signal from VOV is very good not just this evening, but most of the time.
A: Masahiro continued: “The temperature in Wisconsin was minus 20 DC tonight and my home was covered by snow and ice. In such a cold winter, the news from your station about your spring festival was very interesting. How nice you are!!! I really enjoyed the music tonight. The traditional folk songs with male vocalist were very beautiful. And the explanations of the music deepened my understanding and enjoyment of the wonderful music”.
A: Thank you very much, Masahiro, for your useful report. We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm it. Today, we’d like to acknowledge letters and emails from Allen Ogrizovich and Richard Nowak of the US, Razzak Hoshin of Bangladesh, Tjang Pak Ning of Indonesia, and KP Muneer of the United Arab Emirates. We’ll send you all QSL cards to confirm your reports.
B: We welcome your feedback at: English section, Overseas Service, Radio Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at www.vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Good bye until next time.