VIETNAM R

Magazine PR
Published by The Vietnam Council on Foreign Relations
Vol . VII , No. 2 , 1974

X
ARX
W R
* E

Indiana University
X

MAY 2 0 1974
MEREM Li
BENEMbrar
ERE *y
***
All roads used
to lead to Rome .
Times have changed. Today,Frankfurt
is the hub of European commerce .
It's in the center of the European
Common Market and a gathering point
for international banks, insurance
companies and trading groups.
And right in the middle of the greatest
vacation paradise the world has
to offer- Europe.
To Lufthansa, it's home.
Most of all, Frankfurt is Europe's
major take - off point,with roughly
300 departures daily to everywhere.
Even Rome. Just in case .

Lufthansa
The more you fly
4

General Sales Agent

Asian American Transportation
22 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, Saigon ( Vietnam )
Tel. 91.507, 98.493
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NEDERLANDSCH BANK
E

100
HONDERD GULDIN
 FROM OUR READERS
As one who has been to your country and regaled
in the beauty of its scenery, historic landmarks, and
grandeur of ancient lore, I would imagine intense
and comprehensive efforts on the part of the Republic
ET NAM
of Vietnam's government to give emphasis to court
tourists to visit your country .
Many developing nations are reaping the rewards
Magazine
Board of Directors of
of a flourishing tourist industry in terms of foreign THE VIETNAM COUNCIL
currency reserves, cultural exchanges, goodwill, bet ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
ter understanding among peoples, etc.
Editorial Address :
Projected into the world limelight during the P. O. Box 932
protracted years of the Vietnam conflict, your coun SAIGON, VIETNAM
try finds itself in the vantage position of attracting Officers
visitors from around the globe . Tran Van Lam , President
There is, however, a dearth of more detailed in Nguyen Duy Tai, Vice President
formation about what the tourist may expect if he Nguyen Ngoc Linh, Secretary General
were to opt for a visit to Vietnam . The history of Dao Trinh Binh, Assistant Secretary General
Indochina finds in Vietnam , more than in any of the Lai Bao, Treasurer
other countries in the peninsula, evidence in the way Directors
of relics and artifacts as well as recorded information Wang Tsio Yong
of the great civilizations that reached their apogee Mrs. Huynh Ngọc Anh
Ho Van Cham
on your land .
Pham Quy
We are grateful to Vietnam Magazine for its Nguyen Huu Chung
articles in this regard. Nguyen Van Tho
Gobind Daswani
May your efforts on tourism meet with success.
Editor - in -Chief
NORMAN LIM Nguyen Ngọc Linh
Singapore

The recent exchanges of prisoners held by the

two sides in the Vietnam conflict represent a triumph
of humanitarianism in a world beset by forces bent CONTENTS
on terrorism and resort to force for the attainment Vol. VII, No. 2, 1974
of their wrong-or-right ends.
Man, we may assume, will always be completed
by ideological differences or selfish motives to justify FROM OUR READERS 1
depriving his fellow man of freedom or even his life FROM OUR PRESIDENT 2
in the course of conflict. MAP OF REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM 2
HONOR ROLL ... 3
We are not aware of what transpired during the
recent visit to North Vietnam by the chiefs of delega YEAR OF THE TIGER 4
tions of the International Comniission for Control VIETNAM HOROSCOPES 5
and Supervision (ICCS) of the Vietnam cease - fire VINH BÌNH 8
agreement signed in Paris in January 1973. DAO DUY TU 13

Even if it was mere coincidence that the ex WORLD VISION VIETNAM 14

change of Vietnamese military and civilian prison BIRTH, DEATH AND MARRIAGE 20
ers came immediately after that visit, we are still VIETNAM DRUG INDUSTRY 22
hopeful that the ICCS, far from being ineffective as THE SEA SWALLOWS ' NEST 23
often charged, could with earnest effort play a posi
tive role in the attainment of real peace in Vietnam . Cover : In the summer resort of Dalat in Central Vietnam
is located Gougah Falls amidst scenery that reminds the
JUAN CARDOSO visitor of the bounty of nature in its grand design for a
beautiful Vietnam .
Mandaluyong, Rizal
Philippines

1
 BUSINESS IN VIETNAM FROM OUR PRESIDENT
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3
What's In It For Asians

Year of the Tiger

For most of Asians , 1974, the suggesting caution are being hoist
Year of the Tiger , is likely to mean ed by fortune tellers.
12 months of spirited activity . For Japan the Year of the Tiger,
For the tiger is generally held or Tora in Japanese, will be a cru
in esteem by Asians as the king cial period . The Japanese will be
of beasts even though he comes making every effort to keep the
third in the 12-animal Oriental tiger under control to deal with
虎年生成
zodiac , said to have its origin when the economic confusion that hit
the animals hurried to the bedside Japan in the latter part of 1973
of the dying Buddha centuries ago. which saw the oil crisis, skyrocket
ing prices, shortages of commodity
Order of Arrival goods and environmental
hazards.
The first to arrive was the rat.
But the rat used a bit of a ruse by Headstrong People
hitching a ride on the back of the
ox and jumping off as the ox was The tiger will replace the ox
about to enter Buddha's house . (known as the buffalo in Vietnam) .
The ox was second . Then came the Soothsayers say the ox is tradion
tiger, with the others arriving in ally noted for being patient, stur
this order: cat, dragon, snake, dy, and faithful, although with an
horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, eccentric and bigoted streak . The
and pig. prognosticators describe people
With a few exceptions , all coun born in the tiger year as short
tempered, sensitive, and liable to
tries in Asia observe the new year
according to the lunar calendar. come in conflict with other people,
who, although courageous, can be
This year the lunar new year oc
curred on January 23. In Vietnam headstrong, selfish and mean,
it is known as Tet. with narrow minds and suspicious
of others. Despite this, the Asians
insist that the tiger is generally
Although the Japanese adopted regarded as a zodiac symbol of
the Gregorian calendar in 1873, good omen. More recent tiger years
This they still cling to customs and
traditions of the past represented
have been 1890, 1902, 1914, 1926 ,
1938, 1950 and 1962.
Publication in the 12-animal zodiac imported Some well- known Westerners
is Available in from China in 861 . born in the Year of the Tiger in
Thus for the Japanese , the year clude Queen Elizabeth II of Bri
MICROFORM of the tiger starts Jan. 1. What tain , Academy Award -winning
from ... each animal in the Oriental zodiac actor Sir Alec Guinness, actresses
es symbolizes is similar throughout
Asia . Animal signs , according to
Dorothy Lamour, Patricia Neal,
Marie Schell, Natalie Wood, and
Asian soothsayers and fortune tel Jane Wyman, and former heavy
lers , influence the year and the weight boxing champion Joe Louis.
character of individuals. Some others are U.S. Senator
Xerox University Microfilms
300 North Zeeb Road
Edmund Muskie, authors John
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 Hersey and Katherine Anne Por
Xerox University Microfilms
Warning Signals ter, contralto Marian Anderson ,
35 Mobile Drive
Toronto , Ontario , People born in tiger years are Henry Cabot Lodge, Charles A.
Canada M4A 1H6
University Microfilms Limited reputedly endowed with strong Lindbergh , Playboy magazine
St. John's Road,
Tyler's Green, Penn,
character, courage, and will . There publisher Hugh Hefner, and Ame
Buckinghamshire, England are signs that 1974 will be a year rican Generals Creighton W.
PLEASE WRITE FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION of austerity and is liable to bring Abrams, Jr. , and William C. West
upheavals. Thus, warning signals moreland .

4
 THE 12 ANIMALS OF THE ORIENTAL ZODIAC
VN Horoscopes
Ti ' NGO
Rat Horse

The Stars, SUU

Ox
MÙI
Goat

Elements DẦ
Tiger
THÂN
Monkey

Animals MAO
Cat
NAU
Rooster

an
Hold Key THÌN
Dragon
TUẤT
Dog

TY HƠI
Snake Pig
By LE TRANG

In Vietnam , not only the poor outselling other books with the which in turn are divided into
and unfortunate believe in fortune exception of textbooks by famous many categories according to their
telling, but rich , powerful, and teachers. specific powers. Some categories
even well -educated people put Horoscope reading as practiced affect only intellectuals, or the
great faith in the predictions of in Vietnam is said to have been military, while others concern
fortune tellers and allow them imported from China centuries only women .
selves to be guided by the latter's ago. It is completely different from The five natural elements
advice in almost every activity , the Western one which is based on water, wood, fire, earth, and metal
business, marriage, travel, gambl the 12 signs of the zodiac. The -also figure in horoscope reading ;
ing, sports, and even military Vietnamese horoscope is said to just one determines an individual's
operations or political campaigns. require more complicated calcula personality. In two people these
Many even go to the extent of hir tions.
ing personal “ counsellors ” for con elements may be incompatible as
shown below :
sultations at any time and pay
them handsomely . Exact Time of Birth Metal kills Wood .
Casting horoscopes has boomed Four indispensable requisites are Wood kills Earth .
into a prosperous industry which needed to cast a horoscope in the Earth kills Water .
needs no capital investment. Well Vietnamese way : the exact hour, Water kills Fire .
advertised fortune tellers make day , month, and year of birth.
earnings on a par with those of Each of these is influenced by its Fire kills Metal.
doctors. An on - the-spot consulta own stars. Over 100 stars exert
Compatibility is reckoned as
tion costs from VN $500 to VN $ 1,500 their influence on a person's desti follows :
(VN $575 to one US dollar ). A ny , but a fortune teller able to
carefully studied and written calculate the positions of some 80 Water gives birth to Wood .
horoscope costs from VN $ 3,000 to stars at the time of one's birth is Wood gives birth to Fire.
VN $ 5,000. believed capable to fair predic
tions. Fire gives birth to Earth.
Authors of annual horoscope
books are known to have earned Stars fall under two main cate Earth gives birth to Metal.
millions per edition, such books gories, the lucky and the unlucky, Metal gives birth to Water.
5
 This " personality analysis ” is
particularly important to people
with intentions of marriage. The
elements behind the prospective
bride and bridegroom must be
compatible, otherwise their union
cannot be lasting.
The required time of birth need
ed for a successful prediction of
the future is calculated according
to the lunar calendar which is
based on the 10 " Stems of Heaven "
(thap can ) and the 12 “ Stems of
Earth ” (thai nhi chi).
Earth's Stems
The earth's stems are represent
ed by 12 animals : rat ( ti) , buffalo

A
N
( suu ), tiger (dan ), cat (meo ), dra
gon (thin ), snake ( ty ), horse (ngo ),
goat (mui), monkey ( than ), chick
en (dau ), dog ( tuat), and hog (hoi).
Rural folk are wont to name their
children after the animal of their
birth
The two time-reckoning systems
The services of fortune tellers are very much in demand in Vietnam .
also play a major role in the cast large factory from his parents. Sometimes a person's birthplace
ing of horoscopes, especially in affects his destiny as shown by the
After studying the young man's
determining the position of lucky time of birth and the influence of following story :
or unlucky stars in regard to one's the stars, the seer seemed disturb
personality. ed . His reading showed that the Once upon a time, a noted seer
In brief, fortune tellers are be youth would die a violent death who was formerly an emperor cast
lieved able to look at one's a horoscope for a destitute village
and not even have a decent burial.
horoscope and reveal his whole The fortune teller omitted telling teacher. The fortune teller was
greatly suprised when the teacher
life: birth to death , health , profes this sad forecast and counselled
sion , financial and social position, the young man to exercise extreme revealed the precise hour, day ,
month , and year of his birth . If
love affairs, friendships, favorite caution in everything he did .
pastimes, etc. The accuracy of their the figures were accurate, the poor
Some months later , the young man was destined to become a
predictions, of course , depends on millionaire mysteriously vanished
their skill and experience. king or at least a powerful gover
during a trip to the Highlands. No nor because they were exactly the
One famous fortune teller is re body could say what exactly hap same as those of the ex -emperor .
ported to have read the horoscope pened to him, but rumors have it
of a young millionaire from Sai Carefully analyzing his calcula
that he was killed by terrorists tions, the old seer discovered the
gon who had just inherited a and his body thrown into a river.
difference between their two des
tinies. The one - time emperor had
been born at the royal summer
palace built entirely of wood ,
ADVERTISING RATES while the village teacher first saw
the light of day aboard a junk .
in Vietnam Magazine, monthly review published in two languages: Both men had been born under
English (25.000 copies) and French (10.000 ) . the Fire sign and it was clear that
the river's water had exerted a
Outside cover ( color) US$500 deadly influence on the teacher's
Outside cover (black and white) 400 life, while the wooden palace has
Inside cover 350 constituted a beneficial environ
Inside : full page 275
ment for the former emperor.
1/2 page 150 Women show particular interest
1/3 page 100 in their horoscope because some
80
stars have a very bad influence on
1/4 page their destiny. It is commonly
Yearly contract ( 12 issues) = rebate of 25 % . known that a girl born in the
Year of the Tiger is prone to

6
trouble in marriage. Thus, 1974, every man comes under the in on the wall near his bed in his
the Year of Giap Dan, is not con Auence of all the bad stars which desire to see how it would “ die "
sidered a good year for the birth gather in accordance with myste at the predicted time.
of girls. rious celestial rules. If a person
does not have enough good stars It so happened that the fortune
It is also believed that when a teller was notoriously henpecked .
girl is born under the influence of to protect him , he could easily. die
of some common disease or in some Everything he did did not escape
both "Thai" and "Dao Hoa" (apri sort of absurd incident. the eagle -eyed and nagging woman
cot flower ) stars, she is inevitably that was his wife . His constant
bound to have pre -marital rela gazes at the paper fan on the wall
tions with her boy friend. Fate of a Fan
caused the woman to believe a
The downfall of the Ngo Dinh One famous horoscope book secret love affair was behind it all.
Diem family was an occasion for claims that not only human beings, As the man continued to con
fortune tellers to beat their but inanimate things as well, have template the fan, the woman's
breasts. Some claimed to have pre destinies. Years ago, a famed seer reached boiling point and she
dicted the death of Diem three or conducted an unprecedented ex shouted at him :
four years earlier. Others boasted periment , the story goes. He pur
they had foretold Diem's fall since chased a paper fan immediately " Don't tell me I'm wrong this
the end of 1955. All agreed , after it was made in his presence. time , for I know everything now .
however, on one point : Diem was Quickly he cast its horoscope, tak This fan is a token of affection
born in the Year of the Rat (Canh ing the time of completion as the from some pretty woman , isn't
Ti , 1901 ) and 1963 (Year of the time of birth . His calculations led
it ? I can't stand the sight of it.”
Cat) was the year of the deadly him to predict that the fan would
So there. She seized the fan and
influence on Diem's life, particu not survive two days, a prediction
larly near the end of the year. he made with reluctance because tore it into a thousand pieces. To
Hence, they all chorused in unison , he knew that the fan was of good her amazement, the fortune teller
when the right time came , the cat quality and should last at least a had no word of protest. The man
killed the rat. year or two. calmly opened his bookcase and
The seer wrote down the fan's read anew the prediction he had
According to accepted horoscope made the previous day.
teachings, there are three unlucky horoscope on a piece of paper and
ages in a man's life - 37, 49, and filed the same in his bookcase at The fan had died exactly 48
58 – because during those ages home. The fan he carefully hung hours after its “ birth . "

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7
 " Buddha's Lake"

VĨNH BÌNH
By NGUYEN CONG PHU

The Kompeng Daong Pagoda in Hieu Tieu village ( left) and its ornate gate attract many visitors.

Vinh Binh is located 80 miles southwest of Saigon intrusion problem. As a result, the seasons exert
in the heart of the Mekong Delta. It is bordered on direct influence on the economy of the province.
the southwest by the Bassac River, northeast by the
Co Chien River, northwest by Vinh Long Province Communication Route
and southeast by the South China Sea.
The province has a total land area of 213,161 A road network links Phu Vinh, the province
hectares, of which 137,827 hectares are in cultivation. capital, with the various districts and villages. The
The balance is comprised of forests, roads, canals, and roads are secure enough for travel, but physically they
swampland. Its elevation is between one and seven are in very poor condition. Route 7A is the only land
ineters . route out of Vinh Binh province which serves inter
provincial commerce. This road has just been rebuilt
Vinh Binh has very few natural resources other
than soil, water, fish , and a small amount of timber. by military engineers. This particular project in
The soil is acidic and of low fertility, particularly cludes the construction of five major reinforced con
in nitrogen and phosphorus. Along with the abundant crete bridges and asphalt surfacing of the entire
water supply it is adaptable to the production of rice, length of the route within Vinh Binh province. Other
which is the principalsource of income for the people inner province roads are receiving some attention but
of the province. are generally in bad shape.
The waterways within and around the province
Climate are numerous. The Co Chien and Bassac rivers border
The temperature varies between 70° F and the entire length of the province on both sides. There
95° F and the major seasonal changes are the wet are approximately 500 kilometers of canals and a 40
kilometer stretch of seacoast.
and dry seasons. The wet season starts in May and
ends in November. There is no complete system of There is one all-weather airfield located at the
irrigation canals to serve the entire province, al capital of Phu Vinh. It is asphalt-surfaced (3,750 feet)
though some irrigation water comes from the Bassac and capable of handling most cargo - size and smaller
and Co Chien Rivers. The main source of water for aircraft. The only major shortcoming is the fact that
rice growing comes from the rainfall during the rainy it is not equipped with lights and is thus closed to
season ; rainfall also helps to control the salt water normal traffic after dark .

8
 Government

The province is governed by Lieut. Col. Cao Tan

Hap , Province Chief, who is advised by a province
council consisting of 10 elected district representa
Its history
tives. The Province Chief is assisted by a Deputy
Province Chief for Administration . The cabinet has
five offices : Administrative Service, Finance Service,
Economic Service, Internal Security Service, and the
Cabinet office. There are 25 service offices represent
steeped in
ing every national government function in the
province.
The district government is still appointed and
is similar to the provincial government. Each district
Khmer lore
is headed by an appointed District Chief. In Vinh
nh, all seven District Chiefs are from the military,
usually with the rank of major or higher. The District
Chief is assisted by a Deputy for Administration and
an assistant in charge of military affairs. Several of
the services also have representatives on the district
level, the most important of which are the Informa
tion Service, Public Health Service, the Police, and
the Youth Service,

Public Participation
Because of the efforts of the national govern
ment, the village government now is in control of
its own finance, its own defense , and its own econo
mic development. Public participation has also in
creased and the people themselves now support and
control the economic development of the village
through the Village Self Development Program and
the defense of the village through the People Self
Defense Forces. Much of the improvement in security
and economic development in Vinh Binh is a direct
result of the improvement and expansion of the
village /hamlet government. With the collection of
land taxes, most of the villages in Vinh Binh were A view from the air of Phu Vinh , province capital.
expected to attain fiscal self-sufficiency at the close
of 1973

The province is made up of 7 districts and 52 Provincial Capital

villages which have village councils whose members Phu Vinh , the capital, is located about 80 miles
are all elected.
southeast of Saigon in the western part of the prov
ince near the CoChien river. Although renamed Phu
Vinh many people still refer to it as Tra Vinh. Under
French rule the city of Tra Vinh became the center
of the province's economic activity. The French in
stalled many public works and utilities and made
attempts to beautify the city. One of these attempts
was the importation of trees from Cambodia around
1885. Very tall hard -wood trees can still be seen
around the city. The Provincial Administrative Center
is almost at the geographic center of the city . The
Tactical Operations Center and the Sector Command
Center are adjacent to the Administrative Center.
The offices of the Provincial Service Chiefs are spread
throughout the city.

Ethnic and Religious Groups

The population of the province is 436,308 broken
down as follows:
Ao Ba Om is popular picnic site during the holidays. Vietnamese 291,142 or 66.7 %

9
 Vietnamese of Cambodian
origin 141,654 or 32.3 %
Vietnamese of Chinese
descent 3,456 or 0.8 %
Others 56 or 0.2 %
Total 436,308 100.0 %

Vinh Binh has the largest Cambodian population

in Vietnam. The bulk of the people are Buddhists.
The ethnic Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists
while the Vietnamese follow a more generalized
form of Buddhism. The Chinese are predominantly
Confucian. The Vietnamese Catholics are centered
around the capital and in several villages of Tieu
Can, Cang Long and Cau Ngang.
The religious affiliations are as follows:
Buddhists 227,512 or 52.1 %
Catholics 34,555 or 8.0 %
Caodaists 24,381 or 5.6 %
Ancestor Worshippers 145,838 or 33.3 %
Others 4,022 or 1.0 %
Total 436,308 100.0 %
The Vietnamese and the Cambodians tend to be
farmers and fishermen , while the Chinese are most
shopkeepers and merchants. The Cambodians and
Vietnamese have always lived apart, and the Cam
bodians strive to keep alive their cultural identity.
For this reason , the Pagoda is of great importance
to the Cambodian community, for it is both the
symbol and protector of the Cambodian identity.
There are over 140 pagodas in Vinh Binh, and most
Cambodian male children spend some time as monks.
Cremations are held in this temple of Cham Bok Mes pagoda.
General Social Structure
The social organization of the province mainly Buddhist Association and the (Cambodian ) Thera
follows ethnic group lines. Within each ethnic group, vada Buddhist Association .
the social structure is organized around the family,
which is the single most important element or unit
of the society . Agriculture
The province has eight associations, including In 1972. 133,892 of the 137,827 tillable hectares
student groups and religious groups. The two were planted with rice . This was a 186 -hectare
most important are the Vietnamese Cambodian increase over 1972. Of this figure 22,832 hectares
(2,081 -hectare increase over 1971 ) were planted to
TN 1/5/8/20/22 rice. The highest yield officially
recorded was 9.7 metric tons per hectare or 44 gia
(40 liters) per cong in a TN rice contest. It was
officially reported that 62,902 metric tons of rice was
exported from the province by 19 rice merchants in
Phu Vinh in 1972. This amount represented a 2,726
metric ton increase over the previous year. Total rice
production in the province also increased from 7,000
to more than 300,000 metric tons. The steadily in
creasing rice production and export figures are due
to improving agricultural techniques and the steadily
increasing use of TN high-yield varieties of rice.
Swine : Vinh Binh Province is estimated to have
144,608 heads of swine , cross breeds and native. It is
noted that the province had only 135,520 heads of
swine in 1971. Most swine are kept by individual
Cambodian residents worship these rocks called “ Ong Ta." families in small numbers. The number of heads

10
1
Pagodas abound in province
shipped to Saigon by road in 1972 was 68,326. Swine
are fed mainly rice, rice bran, broken rice, fish meal
and vegetables.
Cattle : There are approximately 30,559 heads of
cattle in the province and 306 heads shipped to Chanh
Hung slaughterhouse (Saigon) in 1972. These are
used for meat production and power. There is much
need for improved management practices. Parasite
control would be a big step in increased profit to the
farmers from beef production.
Water Buffalo : There were some 27,000 heads of
water buffalo recorded in the province in 1972. The
increasing use of tractors (300 tractors in 1972) has
caused the number of water buffalo to stabilize and
slightly decrease in recent years.
Ducks and Chickens : There were nearly 2 million
ducks in the province according to a 1972 survey. Of
these 150,280 were shipped to Saigon . The same
survey reported 1,001,633 chickens with 111,890 ship
ped to Saigon.
Twenty poultry farms in the province are able
ni
to produce roughly over 1 million ducks and 200,000
chickens a year .
Catholic cathedral in Long Thoi built a century ago.
There are very few commercial poultry programs
in Vinh Binh. Improved poultry continues to filter
in from Can Tho, Chau Doc and Saigon . The avail ability of complete rations for poultry has increased
interest in the industry.
Fish : 803 metric tons of fish were caught in 1972
(610 MT in 1971 ) . Fish marketing facilities in My
重
Long vilage, Cau Ngang district, have been improved.
Good supplies of sea and paddy fish , crab, shrimp
and eel are available on the local markets in season .
The number of commercial fishing junks reached 584
in 1972. Of these 375 are motorized . (474 were register
ed in 1971 and 330 of these were motorized ). There
are approximately 1,000 commercial fishermen in
Vinh Binh .
Fruits and vegetables: Bananas, coconuts, water
melons and pineapple are plentiful on the markets.
Bananas and coconuts are not seasonal, but all other
to
fruits are. Vegetables of local varieties are viewed
as a secondary crop to rice and in abundance from
BIGARRÁBIG PHÁT TRIN BONGO January through April.
To help farmers, there are an Agricultural De
as
in
ANA velopment Bank in the two rural banks in Phu
* Vinh village and Long Thoi village and the VSD/
CE
Rural Credit Program handled concurrently by the
W
Ministry of Rural Development and the ADB, with
the latter playing the role of manager on the prov
incial level.
de

Agricultural Development Bank

As of September 30, 1973, the Agricultural Deve
is
lopment Bank of Vinh Binh had lent VN $ 764,191,100
ol to 11,459 families ( including VN $52,255,000 lent
1 through the VSD /Rural Credit Program to 1,573
ds The Agricultural Development Bank located in Phu Vinh. families). Out of 11,459 loans made up to September
11
30, 9,599 loans (3.76 % ) were under VN$50,000 and years of age to 11 years of age and their literary
11,176 loans (97.5 % ) were without collateral. The percentage is as follows:
purposes of the loans are broken down as follows : Children going to school 62,224 or 59 %
Agriculture 10,189 loans VN$543,869,000 Illiterate children 43,416 or 41 %
Fisheries 158 loans VN $ 17,960,000 There are 1,546 class -rooms in Vinh Binh and 170
Animal Husbandry 958 loans VNS 83,827,000 more class -rooms are needed . There are three causes
Fertilizer, Machines 147 loans VN $ 116,135,100 of illiteracy :
Forestry 7 loans VN$ 2,400,000 1. Families being too poor to send their children
Total 11,459 loans VN$746,191,100 to school,
2. Families being located too far from school,
According to ADB Deputy Director Tran Quan 3. Families being located in insecure areas .
Duc, the ADB was expected to lend about 150 million
piasters to farmers from October until the end of History
1973, thus boosting the total amount of the loans to
about VN$900,000,000 while the goal set for Vinh The history of Vinh Binh province is still cloud
Binh in 1973 was VN$600,000,000. ed in mystery and any conclusions made about the
early inhabitants are problematical. It is certain ,
Industry however, that when the Vietnamese began to pour
into the Delta during the 17th century, the area was
Industry in Vinh Binh is highly diversified and inhabited by Cambodians and controlled by the
is primarily designed to meet local needs. It must be Khmer Empire. The Khmer Empire was in a state
considered as small-scale and family-owned. Indus of decline by this time, and the vigorous Vietnamese
tries still suffer from technological obsolescence, but subdued the entire region by the middle of the 18th
they are little by little modernizing by importing and century. During this period of subjugation, Vinh Binh
installing modern machinery. was cut off from Cambodia by the Vietnamese and
Skilled labor is in very short supply since most the Cambodian inhabitants were unable to escape .
training takes place within the family -owned indus Vinh Binh still has by far the largest concentration
try with the object of supplying their own immediate of ethnic Cambodians in Vietnam .
needs. The former name of the province, Tra Vinh , is
Primary Education said to have come from Cambodian word Preatra
peang which means Buddha's Lake. Prea means Bud
In Vinh Binh, there are 105,640 children from 6 dha and trapeang means lake or pond.

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12
 This tremendous wall was to be
Famed Strategist come the best defensive weapon of
the south . It helped repulse the
invading forces more than orce .
Popularly referred to as Luy Thay

ĐÀO D
DUY TỪ -the Master's Wall - to mark the
esteem and respect of the people
for Dao Duy Tu , it was indeed a
masterfully conceived defensive
When the Vietnamese suffered Duc Hoa, a great mandarin and a line between the two rival zones.
The wall stood firm for hundreds
their first territorial partition at close friend of the landower.
the beginning of the 17th century, of years. In 1842 it was reinforced
It did not take Tu long to be by Emperor Thieu Tri and renam
a young man named Dao Duy Tu come an outstanding figure at the
left his native village in Thanh Court of Hue . Appointed com ed the Dinh Bac Truong Thanh
(The Wall for Pacification of the
Hoa Province and went south to mander - in -chief of the armed for
become one of the most famous ces, he was assigned the task of im North ) .
“ pillars ” of the Nguyen dynasty of proving the defense installations Dao Duy Tu also ordered thou
which Bao Dai is the last in a long at the demarcation line. sands of iron spikes planted in the
line of emperors. Nhut Le and Minh Linh estuaries .
To prevent an invasion from the
north , Tu decided to build a long He also decreed special examina
The story of this war hero — a tions to recruit good soldiers.
buffalo boy who became the king wall extending from Mount
Truong Duc to Lake Hac Hai in When all the best defensive mi
dom's greatest soldier-is still well
known among the Vietnamese Quang Nam province. This first litary preparations were complet
many centuries later. A first -class strategic wall was about ten kilo ed , Tu proposed to attack the
strategist , Tu built two long walls meters long, three meters high and North. In 1633, a southern army
near the North -South demarcation nearly six meters thick. It con routed the northerners near the
line to defend the Nguyen control demned to failure any attempt by Nhut Le estuary and pushed into
led zone. He also wrote many northern troops to sail up the Nhut enemy territory. But the governor
books on tactics and strategy Le River and enter the territory. of this area turned out to be Le
which proved of great value . Dao Duy Tu also created an Thoi Hien , the man who gave Tu
armada of junks composed of two silver bars many years before.
2 Bars of Silver several squadrons to protect the Silver River
coastline.
Dao Duy Tu was born in 1572 The rulers of the north were sor Tu sent his old friend a letter
in the province of Thanh Hoa. His asking for a ceasefire . Tu with
father was poor and to make a liv ry for keeping Tu out of the cycle
of exams. But they were not so drew his troops and the Gianh
ing Tu had to work as a singer in easily discouraged. They tried River was made the demarcation
the Royal Theatrical Troupe. At line between north and south .
that time , artists were treated like many times to win Tu's sympathy.
outcasts. So, in spite of his intel
Agents were sent to contact Tu During his eight years as com
ligence, Tu was not allowed to take secretly and ask him to return to mander - in - chief, Tu consolidated
Hanoi . the defenses of the south , opening
any official examination. The boy,
nevertheless, went on with his stu But Tu refused to receive the an era of peace and prosperity for
dies . Then , one day, thanks to two northern envoys and, as an indirect the people during the Nguyen
bars of silver given by a friend, answer to the Hanoi authorities, dynasty . Tu also wrote many
Dao Duy Tu crossed the Gianh he wrote a song which soon was books on military tactics and stra
River, determined to serve the known all over the country : tegy which proved of great value
Nguyen dynasty in working for the “ You say you love me. Then why to many generations. However ,
eventual reunification of the didn't you ask fo my hand when military leadership was his main
country. I was young ? concern and his name will long be
remembered for three treatises :
A newcomer with no influential “Now I'm married , a married
friends, Dao Duy Tu was reduced woman is like a bird in a cage The Thien Tap which deals with
to tending buffaloes for a rich or a fish on the hook . the techniques of attack by spread
landowner in Binh Dinh province. “How can a fish get off the hook ? ing fire, land and sea combat, sta
tionary defense ;
One day he was allowed to join a How can a bird slip out of its
dinner party given by his master. cage ? " The Dia Tap which teaches how
The young scholar took the op Foreseeing an imminent attack to plan a battle and spoil enemy
portunity to show his literary from the North , Tu began the con schemes; and
talent. struction of another wall stretch The Nhan Tap which is devoted
The other guests, most of them ing 12 kilometers from Mount Dau to military leadership and the pro
intellectuals and teachers, were Mau to the Nhut Le estuary. In blem of training.
amazed at Tu's great learning. this second instance, stone was Dao Duy Tu died on the 17th day
Soon afterwards, he was present used extensively so that horses and of the 10th lunar month of the Giap
ed to the reigning Lord by Tran elephants could easily ride atop . Tuat year (1634) at the age of 63 .
13
 World Vision Vietnam

FOR THE NEEDY :

By QUAN G MINH

The severely undernourished

child of two years weighed only 12
lbs. when admitted to the Baby
LOVE , CARE
Home in Gia Dinh. In ert, un
responsible and displaying no in
terest in food , toys or people, she
could not even sit up or crawl.
Three months later, she weighed
21 lbs., walks, talks and is a happy
child headed for healthy , normal
development .
The street urchin of eight
years, orphaned by the war, lived
on what he could beg or steal or
earn shining shoes and watching
over motorbikes, sleeping and slept
in the overpass to Saigon's market.
He had been hauled off to the po
lice station for more times than he 6
could recall for petty offenses. An
older boy took him to a former
French gambling casino near
Khanh Hoi now named Street Boys
where he now eats and sleeps re
gularly and is fast learning his
ABC's .
• A war widow , with a brood of World Vision's Baby Home Director Joan Potter and Administrative
very young children, desperately Director Tran Tho Tho carry Siamese twins separated by surgery .
cast about for any means to feed
her family until she was directed
to a center where , without much The areas of action are as varied increased to 100 beds; eight homes
ado except to determine that she as they are extensive - education , for over 350 street boys ; monthly
was genuinely destitute in need of emergency aid, refugee rehabilita financial and subsistance aid to 700
help , she was placed on the relief tion , child welfare, family as widows with 1,500 children ; 12 or
rolls. sistance , medical aid , street boy phanages with 700 children and
• When An Loc was under the work and, more recently, a home adoptions abroad .
longest siege of the Communist for malnourished babies, mostly Educational development serv
offensive last year, hundreds of orphaned by war or abandoned . ices take a good slice of the amount
thousands of noodle kits were air Before detailing a close look at for support of 82 elementary
dropped to its residents at a time the organization's more interesting schools throughout Vietnam with
when food was getting low . programs in South Vietnam a more than 32,000 students who are
Multiply the above scenes a glimpse of its budget for 1973 alone needy children including medical
thousandfold with as many varia should give an idea of the extent aid, nutrition program , curriculum
tions and it gives an approximate of its operations. The annual bud development, uniforms and other
idea of what World Vision, Viet get comes up to US$1,580,000 or supplies; provide salaries for 850
nam , a Christian social welfare VN$740 million and relief commo teachers and school staff including
agency , in cooperation with the dities donated annually are valued expenses for special teacher train
Tin Lanh Church, has been doing at US$1million or VN $500 million. ing courses ; finance school con
in the country for a decade and in This goes into child welfare sery struction to the tune of more than
most of 25 other countries for more ices like 74 beds for malnourished VN$100 million yearly and the con
than twice that long. and premature babies, soon to be struction of a three -story educa
14
 WV areas of action
varied and extensive

VISO N-S

Malnourished , premature, orphaned , abandoned

or with congenital defects, all these babies
find love and care at WV's Baby Home ( below ).
OK

V
15
 war. In recognition of this pioneer
ing work , the South Korean gov
ernment issued a special comme
morative stamp last May, 1973
honoring World Vision , Korea, for
its 20th year of social work there.
Scott , a Canadian , mentions that
the director for World Vision in
Korea is a native Korean, and 200
former WV orphans are now pro
fessionals.

Private Funds

World Vision's funds come from

private sponsors , service organiza
tions, Christian churches and foun
dations in the United States, Cana
da , Australia, New Zealand and
South Africa .
From Korea, the organization
extended its activities to Japan ,
Hong Kong and Taiwan, and sub
sequently to a total of 26 countries
including Vietnam , Afghanistan,
Argentina , Bangladesh , Brazil,
Burma . Cambodia, Chile , Colom
bia , Haiti , India, Indonesia, Italy,
Nursed to a required weight baby above will undergo surgery soon. Jamaica, Laos, Macau , Mexico , Ni
geria , the Philippines, the Republic
tion development center to be com- fledgling organization concentrat of South America, and Thailand .
pleted next June, 1974. ed on caring for the thousands of
orphans of the war. To this day Its international headquarters is
Aside from the two above areas , in Monrovia , California, but major
relief and rehabi litati on servic es it remains the major specialty of
the organization although it has offices are in Australia , Hongkong,
compose a third major concern India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea,
since branched out to program
including for
provided a daily
32,000feeding program
children in the of self -development, rehabilitation Laos, New Zealand, Philippines,
types and education . South Africa , Vietnam , and Thai
82 World
utiliz ing Vision -supported
food commo ditiesschools,
from Today, WV maintains 182 or
land .
USAID and the local economy ; re- phanages throughout Korea with Concepts
fugee assistance through housing , 18,000 children . A few orphanages ,
feeding, vocational and agricultu- however , were closed down as the Scott, a former navy man and
ral training services; emergency number of orphans dwindled with for six years a Protestant mission
aid in the form of food and finan- the recovery of the country from ary of the Christian Missionary Al
cial aid to victims of war, floods
and other disasters; provision of
thousands of wheelchairs and
crutches to military casualties and ,
for ethnic minorities , vocational,
agricultural training and reloca
tion -resettlement projects.

History
World Vision grew out of a need
arising from war, in this case , the
Korean War. At that time, Dr. Bob
SI
Pierce , an American missionary
was sent by a Christian service or
ganization to Korea in 1952 to see
what assistance could be extended
war victims, mainly civilian
widows and orphans .
J. Don Scott, director of World
Vision Vietnam , recalls that the Baby Home in Gia Dinh has a kitchen with most modern facilities.

16
 Pioneering role seeks
to spur social action

Once a bootblack , this boy ( left) is now one of many wards of

Street Boys Home. Social worker interviews prospective ward.
liance in Laos, and later Thailand World Vision Vietnam's organi
before joining the organization, zation reflects this concept as out of
expounds on the concepts of this the 162 staff throughout the coun
huge service organization. He was try , there is only one Canadian ,
interviewed in the offices of World three Americans, two Australians
Vision Vietnam on Mac Dinh Chi and 156 Vietnamese. So do the
street in Saigon. Baby Home and the Street Boys
The idea, he says, is to give help Home run by WV in Saigon .
in the name of Christian love. “We
are a Christian service organiza Baby Home
tion, not a mission, non -denomina
tional and non -sectarian ," he says. Recently inaugurated was a

“For a person to qualify for WV well- appointed home for babies, an

help, he only has to be poor, needy, intensive nursing home where pre
a refugee or orphan and the re mature , undernourished and aban
ligious aspect does not enter the doned babies are brought back to
picture at all. ” The evangelical health. The three- story home in
mission is there but is not a quali Hang Xanh, Gia Dinh, is home for
74 such children of ages ranging
fying factor to secure WV help. from one day to three years.
Scott adds that the organization
performs best in a pioneering role, The orphanage, started in 1970,
to start social action or help along was originally housed in Cholon
until the people concerned or the with accommodations for 50 babies.
government entities involved are It moved to a new location in No
able to keep such a program alive. vember, 1973 with appropriate
“ As a matter of fact,” Scott says , ceremonies attended by Dr. Tran
“we look , for instance, at what Nguon Phieu , minister of Social
welfare and World Vision Inter
orphanages can close down and not
national's president, Dr. Stanley
what we can open in addition to
what we already have going . ” For Mooneyham .
then, he adds, it means the need Miss Joan Potter, director of the
for WV to run them has passed in Baby Home, is an Australian nurse
to the hands of indigenous author who was former director of nurs
ities or organizations. WVV Director J. Don Scott. ing in a hospital in Waggawagga,
17
 Vacant space is planted to grass
where the babies are taken when
the weather allows it.

Street Boys Home

“Khu dan sinh” is that quarter
of Saigon where one finds all sorts
of second -hand goods for sale,
where one is wary of pickpockets
and in general, delinquent boys.
Here also sits a relic of the good
old French life - a gambling casino
—but which now serves a different
purpose .
The former casino , late in 1969,
was turned over by the mayor of
Saigon to WV for one of its most
satisfying social action programs
rescuing young boys, aged eight to
17 , from a derelict life and giving
them a chance to become useful
citizens.
The job is awesome in propor
tions. Thousands of boys flock to
In Street Boys Home, аa former gambling casino, wards prepare for a snack . the cities, hoping for a better life.
They make a living shining shoes,
watching parked Hondas, even
New South Wales . Administrative
stealing . In this situation , they be
There are many harelip cases come prime targets for drugs, vice
director is Miss Tran Tho Tho, who these are nursed to a required and organized crime.
graduated from the San Jose State weight of at least 14 lbs. before
University in California with a surgery is performed . Most of the 2,800 “ Graduates"
bachelor's degree in social science. newly -arrived babies are So
They are assisted by a staff of 45, shriveled and underweight that it Since Street Boys Home was
including seven nurses, 26 nursing seems they could never make it opened four years ago, some 2,800
aides and the usual complement of but they actually do with infre have left it, all better equipped to
help. quent exceptions. There were face an adult life. Today, there are
One floor accommodates babies Siamese twins, separated at the 350 such boys in eight locations
under one year old , divided into Hung Vuong Maternity Hospital, throughout the country.
two sections - one for serious cases but who were placed in the home A retired U.S. Air Force pilot,
of malnourishment and the other by their destitute Chinese parents. Gene Ainsworth, took over the old
for those well on the road to re Now looking very healthy, Lori casino with 15 boys. They slept on
covery. The second floor is occupi and Shawn are awaiting comple the floor of the gymnasium -like
ed by babies from one to three tion of their adoption papers to go building and as the home became
years old and is similarly divided to the United States. known, more boys showed up, con
into two sections. In the three years of existence of cerned people responded to the
the baby home, there have been a needs with funds and supplies.
Air-conditioned total of 47 adoptions which is Bunks and lockers were built; of
about ten per cent of the normal fices and classrooms were partition
The rooms are airconditioned, population of the home at any one ed .
very clean and neat and visitors time. The babies are usually sent With the cooperation of the Mi
have to put on white, sanitary back to the hospitals or orphanages nistry of Social Welfare, Ainsworth
overshoes. The home has four in where they originated after re and his assistant, Paul Jones, also
cubators, all of which were occupi covery which on the average takes a retired U.S. serviceman and now
ed during Vietnam Magazine's from three to four months. director of the Home, systematized
visit . Four more incubators are A special kitchen prepares daily the reception and rehabilitation of
needed , according to Miss Potter. some 200 bottles of formula and 150 the young delinquents. Today ,
As may be expected, on both meals of rice, cereal, vegetables, Jones' staff totals 38, assisted by a
floors, the section with the serious meat , chicken and fish . Some 1,500 group of RVN social welfare work
cases is quiet in contrast to the diapers, baby clothes and 150 crib ers, four Vietnamese and two Ame
other section housing recovering shets are laundered daily. rican regular volunteers and , oc
babies. In the latter section , the Within the compound of the baby casionally , volunteers who teach
babies sit or crawl on the floor home too is a one-story structure the boys as in the case of Trang
among scattered plastic toys. housing members of the staff. Khuong, a well known Vietnamese
18
guitar player, and Quyet Tien, a
television producer.
Boys arrive at the Home on the
average of two a day, brought
there by former companions on the
streets, concerned foreigners and
often , by the police. Many are or
phans (50 in the current batch ) ;
most were separated from their
families by the war and quite a
number just left home because of
problems like poverty or unsettled
family life, or to escape parental
discipline.
Thus, a rather thorough case his
tory is prepared by the social work
ers of the Home through investiga
tions and interviews. Run -aways
are returned to their families but
for those who adamantly refuse to
return home for one reason or an
other , visits by their parents are
arranged .
Education Boys Home Director Paul Jones joins the boys in a game of volleyball.

For those who are left after the

screening, the Home provides voca
tional and / or academic education .
Almost all the boys go to school,
either to three classes held in the
Home premises for those who
never had any formal education,
or to the Gia Dinh vocational
school and the Hung Dao high
school, and also the Vietnamese
American Association school. Each
boy going to school is sponsored by
donors abroad .
Although food , shelter, clothing,
education and medical care are
provided, the greatest need, as
Jones explained, is discipline and
love. Old beyond their years and
hardened by street life although
still young boys, they need love A classroom for Boys Home wards at Saigon's " Khu dan sinh" section.
and forgiveness if they are to be
useful adults, according to Jones. posted in the Home. Often, parents widows of soldiers. Orphanages
Operating on an open -door poli come in and inquire about a mis have been opened in Quang Nam ,
cy, the Home allows the boys to sing son. Often there is a tearful Bien Hoa, Saigon, Phuoc Long,
come and go as they please. But if reunion, and if the family is desti Lam Dong, Kontum , Hue , Quang
they stay, they must live by the tute , the boy stays to learn and Ngai , Danang , Quang Tri and Binh
visits are arranged. Jones and his Dinh .
rules, like keeping bedtime, work
and study hours. Some who have staff are most pleased when a boy, The family assistance program
been in the streets too long back who had been a ward, drops in just operates in Saigon , Thu Duc , Rung
slide to the old life. Many return to say hello ; he had “ made it" be Cam, Vung Tau, Bien Hoa , Bao
to their families. cause there was someone who car Loc, Danang and Quang Ngai .
There are two other Home sites ed enough to help him at a crucial Under this program , each orphan
in Cholon , one in Gia Dinh, two point in his young life. is given VN $ 3,500 a month and an
more within the Saigon area, a World Vision Vietnam's opera other VN$5,000 three times a year
farm in Nha Be district and ano tions range all the way from care for clothing and other needs.
ther in Nha Trang, the only Home of babies and young boys to widows Aside from the 12 orphanages
outside the metropolitan area. and orphans.
run by WV itself, there are 97 or
Jones points to a gallery of mug A recently inaugurated program phanages and schools also being
shots of all his wards prominently is giving family assistance to supported by the organization .
19
 and the people in large cities use 1
this system .

Marriage
Birth , Death Marriage is another festive
event, held in church, a Buddhist
1

temple, a large hall, or at home.

Currently in large cities the party
arrives by automobile, dressed in

and Marriage Western style. The bride is

white. Influential Vietnamese will
have the marriage in the villa of
the bride's father .
in

By JOSEPH R. DONAHUE Dress will be traditional cos

tumes and the bridegroom will ar
rive with attendants bearing gifts
The Vietnamese will purchase a When the child is one month old , for the bride's father. This hom
piece of land and immediately there is an introduction to society ,
with festivities and gift giving. As age is further evidenced by the
build a very imposing front gate, bridegroom's prostrating himself
not bothering to fence it in for impractical as many Vietnamese
are considered , the gifts are before the altar of the bride's an
protection. This strange way of cestors. If the bride is the only
doing things is the Vietnamese usually practical for the baby :
money, powdered milk, cookies, child or if all other children are
way . female, this is important . The
etc. The large party comes when bride's father has now acquired a
Basically it is not very practical. the child is one year old, with
The fancy gate shows wealth and son.
ownership and makes for " face. ” more gift giving.
To lose "face" is the worst that Since the baby is considered Death
can happen to one and if the loss one year old at birth , it becomes
is important enough, as in a love two years old on “Tet”, the Lunar Death is the next important
affair, suicide is often the “out.” New Year. No further birthday event in one's life. Due to the long
To embarrass one's self casts re parties are required the remainder period of Chinese control, the
flection on the family , thus they of the child's life, but French in spirit of Confucianism is ingrain
lose " face . " fluence ushered in the Western ed. The family, the ancestors, the
idea of annual birthday parties, aged are respected and a principal
The word "family” in Vietnam
includes more people than a man,
his wife, and their children.
Uncles, aunts, grandparents, and
cousins to a far degree are includ
ed. Family loyalty is very strong
and important decisions are given
through a family council. Family
before nation can be the case as
evidenced by the division of
political power by the late Diem
family.
Events in the life of the indivi
dual require family participation.
Birth
Birth is a happy occasion . The
child is immediately named and
congratulations are in order
The author is a retired Lieutenant Colo .
nel who served with the U.S. 9th Corps
during the Korean war. Now residing in
Saigon, he is an avid observer of the Viet .
namese contemporary scene. A former assis
tant professor at Tri- State College, Angola ,
Indiana, he came to Vienam in 1968 and
was chief of training and assistant chief of
labor relations of Pacific Engineers and
Architects (PA &E) . He is currently assistant
manager for logistics of Planned Systems,
Inc. and is a service officer with the Vete
tans of Foreign Wars (VFW ) . Traditional rites are a must for proper Vietnamese burial and mourning.

20
duty is a proper burial and period
of mourning.
In a non-violent death, the Dedicated to the Economic
family gathers around the dying Development of Vietnam
person . His oldest son or daughter
listens for a last word or counsel.
Everyone is quiet. A new name for
the dying is suggested by the
eldest. It isn't good to use the same
name in death as was used in this
life. Men take name for loyalty
or faithfulness, while women take
M
MEKONG
EKON
one for devotion or harmony.
After death , a chopstick is put
between the teeth or mouth of the
deceased and the body is laid on THE MEKONG
a mat on the floor. This is a sym
bolic act of bringing the body
back to life. The eldest then waves GROUP OF COMPANIES
the shirt of the deceased in the air Executive offices : 9 Lam Son Square , Saigon
to get soul to return to the body. Mail : P. O. Box 746 , Saigon
The body is then cleaned , hair fix Telex : MEKONG SGN 279
ed and nails clipped. Cable : MEKONGCORP SAIGON
Telephones : 97.350 : 99.291 ; 96.931 ; 21.595
Symbols
Rice, money, and gold are placed MEKONG INSURANCE COMPANY
in the mouth , symbols that the MEKONGFORD
deceased has left the world with
Exclusive dealer for all Ford products
out want or hunger. A coffin is
brought in and the body wrapped MEKONG TRADING CORPORATION
in white is placed in it. Exporter of sea products
Exclusive distributor for 3- M products
The hour of burial is decided by MEKONG PETROLEUM PRODUCTS COMPANY
a soothsayer. A " wake " is held
awaiting the hour. The “ wake " is MEKONG CAN COMPANY
costly , requiring food and drink
for the mourners which can be the
DOVATY
Donnai Transportation Company
entire population of a village.
MEKONG EXPRESS
In modern times the period of General Sales Agent for Trans World Airlines
mourning has been shortened and
the affairs of every day life pro MEKONG ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING COMPANY
ceed . White is the color for burial.
During all the mourning period EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
prior to burial, bandanas are
wrapped around the heads of the OF THE MEKONG GROUP
mourners. Thereafter a black arm MEKONG UNIVERSITY
band or black patch is worn .
NGUYỄN NGỌC LINH ENGLISH SCHOOL
A picture of the deceased is over
the coffin with appropriate candles REPRESENTATIONAL OFFICES
burning. The funeral procession
includes walking mourners and CHINA CONSULTANTS INTL. LTD. (U.S.A.)
vehicles at the rear. The hearse
leads the procession and often a MEKONG ENTERPRISES INTL. LTD. (HONG KONG)
few native musical instruments
are played. These funeral proces COMPANIES ASSOCIATED
sions were seen every day during WITH THE MEKONG GROUP
the war .
The custom described is usually VINAGLASS
only for parents and elder persons, Only manufacturer of sheet and opalescent glass in Vietnam
and is very costly. Modifications INTERNATIONAL HOTEL (VUNG TAU)
are made with respect to age, sex ,
MONDOCRAFT (U.S.A.)
and economic position of the
deceased and the family .

21
VN Drug Industry
Making Progress
Drug production in Vietnam has sic-antipyretics, steroids, tranquil to meet the level of international
only been developed as an indus izers , vitamins, anti -histamines, standards .
try for 14 years, but it has achiev antitussives, digestants, antacids, Vietnamese drug manufacturers
ed consistent progress in spite of gastro-intestinal remedies , etc. are beginning to look for markets
the difficult circumstances of a
abroad such as Hong Kong, Cam
country at war for more than a 5th Industry bodia, and Laos. They feel they
quarter of a century. have two factors in their favor:
Drug production ranks first low prices and good presentation.
According to statistics compiled among 11 branches of chemical in
by the Industrial Development dustries and is the fifth among all However, they admit that finding
Bank, .there were 115 legally such markets abroad is not easy
industries in Vietnam . because of the protective policies
authorized pharmaceutical plants,
but only 70 remain active . They The total production in 1972 was of other Southeast Asian countries.
are not rated equally because the VN$15 billion , equivalent to 33
minimum requirements for their million U.S. dollars at the then 6,000 Workers
establishment are not very rigid at prevailing rate of VN $450 to one
present. U.S. dollar . The pharmaceutical industry in
Local demand for pharmaceuti Vietnam now employs about 6,000
Classification cal products is estimated at US$78 workers of which about 300 are
million of which 54 million is from registered pharmacists. According
These pharmaceutical plants the private sector and 24 million to government statistics there
may be classified as follows : from the public sector (public were 2,650 pharmacists in 1972 for
health and military medical serv a population of close to 19 million.
- 18 plants having US $ 200,000
worth of equipment and with over ices ). Local production supplies Commenting on the heavy re
100 employes . about 40 per cent of the total liance of the drug industry on im
demand . ported raw materials, one leading
- 14 plants having US$100,000
Drugs consumed by the private drug manufacturer suggested that
to US$200,000 worth of equipment personnel training and research
and with 50 to 100 employes. sector are distributed through re
tail drug stores (2,186 in 1973 ) and must be intensified for the exploi
– 38 plants having less than 636 "depositaries" which do not re tation of the country's vast re
US$100,000 worth of equipment quire the services of pharmacists. sources of raw materials. This, he
and with less than 50 employes. Eighty per cent of the local phar said , would result in less depen
macists are engaged in the retail dence on imported raw materials
The production of drugs in Viet and the conservation of foreign
nam is heavily dependent on for business of drugs , of which women
comprise 60 per cent. currencies which could be chan
eign raw materials. Each year
about 700 different items of raw neled to the country's other vital
needs.
materials are imported and in Less Expensive
volve an estimated total of from 12 He stressed that industries re
to 16 million U.S. dollars. According to drug manufactur lated to the pharmaceutical indus
ers, locally produced drugs are try such as the chemical, glass, and
Packaging materials are produc much less expensive than the im printing industries should be deve
ed locally with the exception of ported ones due to cheap labor and loped further to keep production
aluminum foil and vials for anti low -profit margin. costs down for the benefit of the
biotics . people.
Regarding the quality of local
So far about 3,350 kinds of drugs drugs , one pharmacist said that as He said in the matter of foreign
have been registered , but only a whole they are on the same level investment in the local drug in
2,500 are available in the market. as those produced in other South dustry there is reason to encour
Locally produced drugs range from east Asian countries . However , he age such investment, but this
antibiotics, sulphonamides, analge believes they should be improved needs careful planning.

22
 4
A tealth of cliet - Nam

these birds are also found in the lows is in marine rocks hollowed
Philippines and the Sunda Islands. with grottoes. It seems that nar
Exceptionally , their presence in row crevices hardly suit them .
certain grottoes in Yunnan has Wide caves where the light steals
been reported. With regard to in with difficulty or those with
Vietnam , the northern limit is holes where light barely filters in ;
marked by the Vinh Son Islands off gorges where the surf of a boist
Quang Binh province. The south erous sea smashes up, or precipices
ern limit ends at the islands edging where wild winds sweep down,

The Sea Swallows' fest

There is a bird which has been the coast of Ha Tien. In the mari are places which because of their
talked about through generations time zone between these two bold construction appeal to sea
in many different countries not boundaries, there are three groups swallows. Moreover, they seek only
because of the delicacy of its flesh of islands which are inhabited by the precipitous portions of smooth
nor the beauty of its plumage or sea swallows. walls, where they persevere in
its songs, but strangely on account their toil, buffeted by powerful
First we have the large island
of its saliva. It is the sea swallow. of Cu Lao Cham. On the same gusts and deafened by the roar of
This bird is classified by scientists latitude as Da Nang, it is 8 kilo pounding waves. It should be not
as belonging to the Cypselieoe ed that sea swallows never build
meters long and 3 kilometers wide. their nests in the caves facing
family, under various kinds with
Collocalia as its genus. Four It is girdled with cavernous cliffs
and surrounded by numerous is south, those lighted by the rays of
species are known to produce lets. There are four grottoes where the setting sun.
edible nests : swallows
the nests of sea are
Collocalia linchi Horsfi. found. One is in the large island Nests In Cave
and the three others in the islets.
Collocalia francica Merguien The grottoes in the southern is
sis Hart. The second mountain area where lands of Hon Noi and Hon Ngoai
these nests are found is in Qui are undoubtedly the most im
Collocalia innominata Hume .
Nhon. It does not consists of is portant, owing to the abundance
Collocalia francica Germaini lands, but is the oriental cliff of of nests. The island is hollowed
Oustalet . the headland of Phuong Mai. This out lengthwise by a zigzagging
cliff faces the south and ends at grotto with a sort of chimmey
The latter species is most com the mountain of Nui Mui Yen
monly found in the coastal areas where a wan light breaks through .
(Cape of Sea Swallows). This area That grotto can be reached by the
of Indochina. The Vietnamese call has eight nest-yielding spots.
it chim en or chim en bien, while northern opening when there are
The third group is located off the too many waves at the southern
the Chinese give it appellations At end and vice versa.
dieu (a bird with a zigzag flight ), coast of Nha Trang, among the
Huyen dieu (jet-black bird ) or Du numerous islands which line up The grottoes are accessible by a
ba (bird which hovers over the from Cape Varella as far as Cam long slender skiff. Due to the nar
waves ). Ranh Bay . This group is noted for row passages and the presence of
Although small, the sea swallow its production and the quality of rocks, oarsmen often have to push
its nests . the boat while swimming. In the
has powerful flight. It should not
be mistaken for the migratory Among 20 islands or so , only heart of the grotto, one lands on a
swallows which build their straw seven are inhabited by sea swal gravelly beach roughened by bul
nests on top of areca palms. lows. On the map , one can spot ky rocks. The surf gently laps the
north to south Hon Cha La little strand and before receding ,
(Date Palms island) Hon Do, Hon licks the base of the slippery rocks
Natural Habitat which are covered with a coat of
Dong (the Pyramid ), Hon Suong ,
The isles which stud the Indo Hon Mun , Hon Noi ( inner island ) sea swallows dung.
chinese coast are the favorite ha and Hom Ngoại (outer island ) . The walls of the cave where
bitat of the sea swallows although The usual habitat of sea swal humidity is constanly renewed by
23
 A scray's nest

Finding scray's nests

hanging from the
ceiling of a grotto
( Photo Nguyen Thiên Câu )

A grotlo of sca - swallows

in Cam Ranh bag ( Cen
tral Vietnam )
( Photo Phan Binh )
Nanopos
24
a delicacy from the grottoes
duration of the second gathering
is the end of the seventh month
( late August ).

Constantly Active
The sea swallow is constantly
active. It spends the nights build
ing its nest, like silkworms with
its salivary secretions which dry
rapidly . Its days are devoted to
hunting for food and trituration of
such food during the nesting
period. In fact, there is no respite,
so that the grotto is as noisy at
night as in the daytime.
After the hatching, the male and
the female take turns in securing
food for the young. Each will come
back with two small balls of hast
ily chewed insects which visibly
bulge their cheeks. Then they will
alight between the two fledglings
and feed them . When they are
strong enough , the young birds
cling to the edge of the nest and
for approximately 10 days practice
flying.
The mother depends entirely on
the nest to spot her offspring. In
other words, if the young birds are
somewhere else, she will auto
matically stop feeding them .
The sea swallows leave their
The northern approach to the grotto of Hon Ngoai oft coast of Nha Trang.
grotto in groups early in the morn
ing and return at dusk . They are
able to glide through sinuous,
the whirling wind are usually very nests are completed and the first dark and narrow grottoes by emit
smooth and of a greenish gray eggs are laid , people make their ting sounds, thus using some kind
color. One can then proceed to first gathering, normally on the of radar as bats do.
other caves not visible from the 20th day of the third month . This The nests are built during the
outside. On the ceiling, 10 or 15 means that the first season lasts mating season . The sea swallows
meters above, one can see white four months. stay close to the nests during eight
nests. The sea swallows keep near Within the following five days, months of the year. The rest of
the nests with constant and frantic the time they stay on the rocks, at
flapping of their wings. the bird starts building a second the very spot where they will
nest at the same place. Nesting is build their nests .
The sea swallow starts building carried out at a normal speed
its nest after the winter solstice, throughout the fourth month , and These nests are semi-oval, less
that is from the 20th day of the the nest is completed at the end than the size of a tennis ball, and
12th lunar month ( late January ). of May. Then the bird lays two are fitted by the plan of their
Because of the cold northern eggs, not on the same day, but hemisection against the rocky wall.
winds, nesting is slow until the within several days. The female They are white or of a very pale
20th day of the second month (late sits on these for 25 days. The male color and " seem made up of a
March ). From then on , thanks to is responsible for looking for food series of entangled fibers of a
the warming monsoon from the which he brings to the female . hardened gelatinous substance a
south ( gio nom ), the sea swallow Seventy -five days are required lump of agar - agar but of finer text
speeds up its work until the feast after hatching before the young ure, would give an idea of that
day of Thanh Minh (beginning of bird can fly, which represents a structure, ” according to Dr. Sallat.
the third month ). As soon as the total of 100 days. Therefore, the That portion sticking to the rock
25
is thicker than the edges of the mention fish . According to the salivary glands, particularly the
nest. The average weight of a 5-7 Japanese, they eat moss or sea sublingual ones, become swollen .
centimeter nest is from 8 to 10 worms and the indigestible par Chemical analysis shows that
grams . ticles of such food are ejected and the nest is composed of 90 per cent
The sea swallow perches on its used by the birds to build their nitrogenous animal matter and of
nest like an acrobat, with only nests. Others assert that they feed 10 per cent saline compounds.
half of the body in it and legs on the sinews of bivalva shells . Other scientists , like Peyen, cite
clinging to the edge , the male on Bontius, a Dutch physician and the presence of a crystalizable and
one side and the female on the naturalist of the 17th century , re fermentable sugar, maybe glucose,
other. Two young birds will also ported that swallows pick up a dissolved in a neutral aluminoid
cling to the edge when they are mucilaginous substance from the substance .
strong enough . However, when sea foam , probably spermaceti or
such a time comes , the male and spawn . Alexander Rhodes assumed
2 Crops A Year
the female parents will stay away that in addition to the above
to give them room . mentioned food , the birds also Usually two crops are gathered
suck the sap of the “ Calambac,** per year. The first is during April ,
In order that the nest be able to within the 10 days following the
an odoriferous tree found exclusi
support the increasing heavy load, vely in the high mountains of feast day of Thanh Minh ( begin
the sea swallows strengthen the Khanh Hoa. The proximity of
portion adhering to the rock with ning of the third lunar month ) .
these mountains thus explains the When there is little wind from
two stems sealed with saliva.
very particular flavor of nests the north , the crop is collected as
It is impossible to substitute from Nha Trang which are more scheduled, but when there is too
eggs in the nest, although these all tasty than those from Da Nang much wind, it is delayed from 10
look identical . The bird refuses to and Qui Nhon. to 15 days. The first crop is gather
sit on eggs which are not its own ed prior to the egg-laying season
and will throw them out of the to compel the sea 'swallows to
nest. So close together are these Composition
immediately build new nests.
nests that sometimes sea swallows According to Rumphius , a Ger Otherwise there won't be a second
may stretch their wings and man physician and botanist of the crop .
smother to death birds in nearby 17th century , the nests are built The second crop takes place in
nests .
with a soft and cartilaginous small August (seventh lunar month) . This
The color of the nests varies plant and white and red nests are time, it is absolutely necessary to
with the nature and the color of due to that plant . wait until the bird lays its eggs,
the rocky walls. The white ones The Rev. Father Lesson said hatches them , and the young birds
are those adhering to higher walls that sea swallows, like other have learned to fly, before the
which are usually dry . The grayish species , feed on insects. However, nests are gathered. This is what
ones adhere to the lower walls operators of the nest gathering
when the egg-laying season comes ,
which are damp or from which the male and the female , normally trade call " keeping up the species."
moisture seeps down . Some are of sedentary , are urged by instinctive Tenants with a lease of several
a greenish hue. foresight and will successively fly years follow this process in the
to places where they can find ma hope of collecting twice as many
Legend of Red Nests nests the following year.
terials required for construction
of their nests. While skimming The first such lease was institut
According to a widespread ed during the fourth year (1805)
legend, red nests are caused by over the waves , they pick up ani
mal substance floating on the of the reign of Emperor Gia Long,
sea swallows vomiting blood in the water through a peculiar visceral who established a market on a
nests before dying. It is said that process which undoubtedly de private and hereditary basis.
the redder the nest , the more Tenants with one-year leases
nourishing it is. Red nests, how pends on the structure of their
gizzard. They refine it, rid it of hasten to gather the nests as early
ever , are those which stick to walls
heterogenous matter , knead it with as the sixth month without regard
of a ferrous nature . The iron oxide for the egg-laying season . If this
a mucuous similar to the pancrea
dissolved by rain gives the nests harmful practice spreads , the
a more or less carmine color . Con tic juice in man , make up a gluti species face decimation or extinc
sequently the more rains there nous body, slimy like fish glue, tion. Premature collection of the
are , the more red nests are to be and spin it into filaments which
stick together. nests also spares tenants of a
found . In any case , it is undeniable month of labor and maintenance
that red nests are more nourishing One observer swears to having costs .
than white ones because of the seen sea swallows feeding their
A typical gathering crew is
presence of iron which generates young with red ants one centi composed of 17 " keepers“ assigned
red cells , thus happily confirming meter long in groups of 2-3 for each island ,
the legend with scientific reality. From what has been said above , three sampan men , four " seekers , "
Since anoient times , people have it would seem that sea swallows five helpers, and one youngster
wondered on what sea swallows are omnivorous , feeding on both whose job is to reach grottoes
feed . There are many different animal and vegetable substances. too narrow to allow the entry of
opinions. Old Chinese books During the mating season , their adults. The helpers and the young
26
boy are hired on a one-month basis The first kind is distinguished by poured and the oil that floats on
for each crop The rest are paid its whiteness and its size , and its the surface drags along all foreign
salaries for nine months of the weight can reach 10-12 grams, the matter. Several decantations are
year, with the four seekers receiv . second is smaller and rather pale performed and the impurities are
ing a commission on the sales. A or vellowish , and the third is gray picked out with tiny tweezers.
supply of rice, fresh water , vege ish or greenish . The material thus prepared will
tables and rice wine is provided In a special category is the red be cooked in a porcelain double
the workers. or orange variety which is the boiler . Then, depending upon
The rice wine is considered in most prized - quality , with only one
dispensable. The workers deem it tastes, either tapioca, vermicelli ,
or two kilos being collected per noodles, chicken or beef broth ,
an energy food which also helps crop . candy syrup or lotus seeds will be
them forget their loneliness and added. The most aristocratic and
the cold weather in the islands. The nests of each category are
packed separately . Specially train most expensive dish is young
Each keeper goes around the is ed workers put them together to pigeon with sea swallow nest
land on a narrow boat keeping a which is listed as a delicacy in the
form imbricate crowns, each
lookout for marauders. The nests menus of big restaurants in Sai
are carefully counted by the weighing either one can (620
operator with the help of close grams) or half a can (310 grams ) . gon's predominantly Chinese
Some nests are hard and have to suburb of Cholon .
aides and in the presence of re
sponsible keepers. Each nest lost be slightly moistened with salt Sea swallow nests are also used
will involve a reduction of salary water so that they may properly in oriental therapy. Vietnamese
at the end of the month, except in overlap each other and be shap medical books state that they
such cases as nests being swept ed in the prescribed manner. are anti- spasmodic or anti- glairy.
away by wind or downpour. Moreover they fortify the body
Hon Ngoại island is the only and are reputed to have aphrodi
yielding the famous red nests, in siac qualities.
variably built of the same spot,
thus bolstering the theory that it Virility Food
is the nature of the rock and not
the bird which gives such color to It is said that Emperor Minh
the nests. The red nests yield is Mang (1820-1840 ) owed his extra
very small : only a hundred or so ordinary virility to these nests.
per crop . The annals record with precision
The second crop is usually not and humor that in a single night,
as good as the first, the bird the Emperor succeeded in im
obviously rendered tired by the pregnating three out of five women
previous nesting and unable to find from his large harem , which seems
in summer as much food as dur plausible since the monarch left
ing spring behind numerous progeny , report
The seekers use bamboo ladders edly 5 princes , 83 princesses and
and rope like mountain climbers. two posthumous children .
Nests packed like oblate melon .
In the grotto of Hang Son on Hon Sea swallow nests are also an in
Mun island, they have to use 120 gredient of various medical pre
meters of rope to descend and Second crop nests are somewhat scriptions as a digestant or merely
chimb up again . They often have less expensive and it is pertinent as a restorative tonic. Traditional
to reach considerable heights be to mention that there is another Vietnamese medicine also makes
category, Yen Bai, which consists
fore they can go down into very of incomplete nests. One should be use of the flesh and dung of sea
dark passages where the nests are swallows.
gathered by means of a long pole on guard against the spurious
variety. There are excellent imita It will be noted that sea swal
equipped with a scooping device lows which die in the caves do not
tions of the nests made of the car
and a candle to provide light. rot away. In most instances, they
tilaginous seaweed Sphoerocarpus,
commonly called in Vietnam are found withered and almost as
Commercialization thach hoa (rock flower ) . well preserved as in formalin .
Operators assisted by some of An elaborate process is involved The life span of the sea swallow
their employes clean the nests in the preparation of bird nests as is a matter of speculation. How
with small brushes to remove dung a soup or dessert. The nests are ever, it can be said that the bird
and other impurities. Then the first put into hot water, where suffers from a high mortality rate.
nests are sorted into three catego they dilate and unravel within one They are often done away with by
ries : or two hours. The less soluble they storms which match them on the
1. Yen Quan (super quality for are, the better their quality. A wing after they have covered in
mandarins). small quantity of peanut oil is ad credible distances to accomplish a
ded and the mixture is stirred in dangerous and thankless mission
2. Yen Thien (celestial quality) . order to separate the remaining in the therapeutic and gastronomic
3. Yen Dia (earthly quality) . impurities. More hot water is then fields.

27
 You have heard about Saigon !
Now come visit us.
You'll be pleasantly surprised !

For information write to:

The Director Tourism Department,
Asian American Transportation,
Post Office Box 2431,
Saigon, Vietnam.

SUBSCRIPTION FORM - VIETNAM MAGAZINE

The Vietnam Council on Foreign Relations
(Hiệp-Hội Việt-Nam Phát-Triển Bang-Giao Quốc-Tế)
P. O. Box 932
Saigon, Republic of Vietnam
Enclosed herewith is payment of US $ 8.00 for a one-year subscription to
Vietnam Magazine .

Name (please print) Signature

Complete address Date

28
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Any trans - Pacific or trans - Atlantic ticket or
boarding pass is accepted and all benefits are being
offered by participating merchants .

TWA is what travel should be.

Contact your travel agent or Trans World Airlines Inc. , MEKONG EXPRESS 16 Duong Tu Do , Tel : 24452 Saigon S. Vietnam .