VI
EN
The title "Zen Dance" is not merely a poetic metaphor. It reflects the core spirit of the exhibition: conveying Zen not only through symbols or texts, but through movement, through dance, by allowing stone statues to "speak" and ancient artifacts to "perform." Buddhist dances, once performed in ancient rituals, are now present before the viewer through recreated images and dynamic projections – a place where "stillness is movement, the tangible is the intangible."
The event, organized by the Museum in collaboration with the Institute for Asian Civilization Studies and CMYK Vietnam Co., Ltd., commemorates the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birth, International Museum Day, and Vietnam Science & Technology Day. It offers the public an opportunity to enter a world of high-level Buddhist art from Dai Viet in the 11th-13th centuries – the golden age of the Ly Dynasty – through the lens of modern technology.
The Zen Dance Exhibition at the Vietnam National Museum
This is also how the organizing team wants to bring Zen Buddhism – a branch of Buddhism that is difficult to grasp in words – closer to the modern public. Not through dry scriptures, but through a visual experience – where light, sound, and form combine to touch the deepest emotions of the viewers.
Buddhist art during the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) is considered the pinnacle of Vietnamese art. Not only did it embody the profound spirit of Zen Buddhism – the Buddhist tradition revered by the Ly emperors – but the art of this period also represented a harmonious blend of religion and folk culture, of court and local life. From temple architecture and pagodas, to Buddhist sculptures, ritual objects, musical instruments, and decorative pottery, everything reflects a period deeply spiritual yet deeply worldly, a world that is both "still and dynamic," in keeping with the spirit of Zen.
Creativity, a blend of digital technology and heritage.
"With representative artifacts, selected from the Buddhist heritage of the Ly Dynasty currently preserved at the National Museum of History, containing the most distinctive values of Buddhist art of the Ly Dynasty, and with interpretations and presentations using 3D mapping, hologram, digital revival techniques..."
"Through the use of digital technology, the exhibition aims to contribute to the restoration, recreation, and revival of invaluable cultural heritage, hoping to bring visitors new, deeper, and more engaging experiences," shared Dr. Nguyen Van Doan.
The Ly Dynasty laid the foundation for a Vietnamese-style Buddhism. This was not merely an adaptation of ideas from China or India, but also a "Vietnamization" in artistic expression, evident in the serene smiles of Buddha statues, the graceful movements of dancers on temple roofs, or the delicate lines of dragons, unicorns, and phoenixes in ceramic decorations.
Buddhist art during the Ly Dynasty - A convergence of Zen and indigenous culture.
With a limited number of only 14 carefully selected representative artifacts from the Buddhist heritage of the Ly Dynasty currently preserved at the National Museum of History, this thematic exhibition is not simply a presentation of ancient objects, but also a comprehensive artistic space where viewers are guided into the spirit and aesthetics of the Ly Dynasty. Through four main fields – architecture, sculpture, ceramics, and music and dance – the exhibition opens up a multi-dimensional picture of Buddhist art during this flourishing period.
The art of pagoda architecture is vividly presented through images of stone columns carved with winding dragons, pedestals carved with delicate lotus flowers, and gracefully curved roof structures – typical and characteristic elements of Buddhist architecture during the Ly Dynasty. These seemingly simple details are imbued with profound philosophy and aesthetic sensibility, revealing a harmonious blend of religious spirit and the unique aesthetic thinking of the ancients.
The artifacts have been "revived".
Art on Ly Dynasty pottery is an indispensable field, with the presence of ivory white glaze, brown glaze, brown floral glaze, and jade glaze pottery being characteristic techniques of this period. Decorative forms such as incised carving, embossed decoration, and molded printing, along with lotus, chrysanthemum, phoenix, dragon, and dancer motifs, not only enrich the visual value but also convey cultural imprints and Buddhist thought into each piece of everyday object.
The art of music and dance, with its contemporary emphasis, is showcased through multimedia presentations, leading viewers into a space of "Zen dance." Here, ancient dances are revived and reinterpreted in a creative way, as a dialogue between past and present, between traditional art and contemporary technology, evoking a meditative, aesthetic, and deeply interactive experience.
What's remarkable is that these artifacts don't just sit idly in display cases. Thanks to modern digital technologies such as 3D mapping, holograms, digital revival, and gauze projection, the artifacts have been "revived," telling their ancient stories in a new, vivid, visual, and emotional way.
Meditation in motion - Stillness that moves
The greatest innovation of this exhibition lies in its application of digital technology as a means of conveying heritage, rather than replacing or "modernizing" it. Instead of letting artifacts lie silently behind protective glass, each statue, each piece of pottery, each ancient dance can now speak, telling its story through moving images, sounds, and interactive lighting.
Technology here doesn't diminish the cultural depth; on the contrary, it opens up a new approach for modern generations – those who may have little understanding of Ly Dynasty Buddhism, but will be captivated by the light illuminating the Buddha statues, the sounds blending with the dance, or the ethereal movement of 3D images on silk fabric. A deeply moving visual experience, allowing viewers to not just "see," but also "feel."
"The Zen Dance" is a reminder that cultural heritage, no matter how ancient, can be revived, retold, and renewed if we know how to connect tradition and modernity, materialism and technology, history and emotion. The combination of Ly Dynasty Buddhism—a masterpiece of art and spirituality—with contemporary digital technology has opened a new chapter in how Vietnamese people preserve and spread their cultural identity.
The exhibition is being held at the National History Museum until the end of July.
