To be the master of the country, one must protect identity.

Historian Duong Trung Quoc

What is your opinion on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issuing a document prohibiting the use of mascots that are not suitable for Vietnamese culture?

- Although it is late, I still think it is necessary to acknowledge the decisive and straightforward spirit of this document. Whatever we want must be based on the Heritage Law, which has already been stipulated by the law, what can be placed in a relic, what cannot be placed, and the conditions for bringing artifacts into the relic are very strict.

Many opinions say that it is not by chance that the stone lion was put into the relic?

- In fact, when we went to survey, we saw many things. When Professor Hoang Dao Kinh and I went to Truong Sa, we saw that the Martyrs' Monument had not yet been completed but there were already two stone lion statues sitting there. We asked and found out that an official from the mainland had sent them out with the intention of donating them. Then there were some important projects of the country that also had stone lions displayed, and when asked, they said that the locality sent them as gifts. That shows that it is necessary to equip the whole society with knowledge about this matter.

Stone lions of foreign origin are suddenly honored as "mascots"

Communal houses, temples, pagodas and shrines are filled with foreign products. Do we not have any sacred animals to honor?

- We have beautiful lions, crocodiles, and elephants, but they are rarely displayed. In my opinion, on this occasion, the cultural sector needs to review, and the art community and cultural researchers should try to develop and promote beautiful models that have existed in the history of art and religion. If we worship Quan Vu because we respect his chivalry, then why don't we worship Thanh Giong or Duc Thanh Tran? Those are beautiful images that also have those qualities and, moreover, they are closely associated with the nation. Our ancestors lived for thousands of years next to China, but no Chinese lion could ever enter villages, communal houses, or temples because in the past, people had a strong sense of national identity. I will just give you an example like this: before 1954, I lived in Hanoi. Whenever I saw a lion, I knew right away that it was a Chinese temple or a Chinese assembly hall, it could not be confused with anything else and everyone respected that.

Does that mean we need to be more vocal about protecting our own identity?

- Many fields, big or small, show that. Our attitude must be proactive. If we want to be the masters of our country, we must protect our own identity and "I". Especially in the cultural field, we must avoid discrimination but must fulfill our responsibility to preserve and promote our own culture.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tong Trung Tin: "If it can be done thoroughly, it would be great" The decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to inspect, examine and relocate stone lions, "strange mascots" from the relic site is very welcome to me. For many years, scientists like me have been very upset about this issue. It is essentially a cultural invasion, the cause of which stems from the unconsciousness of both the people and the indifference and negligence of the relic management agency. Why would we bring an animal used only to guard the tombs of another culture to display in our country's sacred places? Is that ignorance? Relocation is good, but along with that, the managers should bring out some models of mascots that have been worshiped in Vietnamese culture to create, so that the Vietnamese people can realize how the Vietnamese lion from the Ly, Tran, Le and then Nguyen dynasties... differs from foreign lions. It is not a ferocious animal but a symbol of good things and good omens. 3 years ago, we spoke out strongly, but at that time we only saw the media involved and did not receive the approval of the management agency. Now it is so good. Dr. Nguyen Quoc Tuan - Director of the Institute of Religious Studies: "Ignorance beyond the threshold" In my opinion, anyone who moves in without permission must be asked to move out of the relic site. The origin of this is the concept of "suppressing", if one person spreads the word to another, it will become a "disaster", it will spread, it will be very scary. Not only communal houses, temples, pagodas, but also agencies and offices now have the trend of stone lions. Personally, I think it is superstition, ignorance. If one person can do it, then two, three, and then many others will follow. I support the move of these lions out of our relics.

According to ANTĐ