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In Vietnam, there are 54 ethnic groups who create a unification of our country. Each of them has their own culture, custom and history. In which, Cham people are not only an ethnic minority in Vietnam but they also used to be the owners of an large kingdom in Central Vietnam.
Therefore, there are many cultural and historic constructions belonging to Cham people still stand in Vietnam. Most of them range from Hue to Binh Thuan of Vietnam as North to South. In which, My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam is the most important and largest that was recognized as a UNESCO Heritage.
This is one of my favorite places to visit while I am touring because it has so many stories to know and I always feel I can learn more each time I am back here.

My Son Sanctuary in bird eyes
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Where is it?

My Son Sanctuary located in Duy Phu commune, Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province, Vietnam. People often go there from Hoi An, another UNESCO Heritage. I am often on private tour so I take people from hotels in Hoi An. It takes about 45 minutes to get My Son from Hoi An. If you want to be on a group tour, the rate is much cheaper. The entrance fee may be included or excluded depending on types of tour. I see some people just book a transfer car or even cycle 50 kilometers to get there.
My Son is inside a valley with nine mountain around. In which Hon Den or Mahapavata mountain is the highest as well as the holy peak of My Son.

Cat Tooth mountain and My Son towers
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From My Son, we can see the mountain which looks like a cat tooth so it has a name as Cat Tooth mountain. When I look at it, I often think of a head of a Garuda with a beak, a holy bird of Vishnu. Maybe my imagination is too far but do you agree with me? I was very impressed by the location that Cham people built this, far enough from the residential area and it represent the symbol of prosperity in Cham culture - mountain as Linga, valley as Yoni.

What was My Son Sanctuary?

My Son was built from 4th to 13th century by Cham kings. They reigned a kingdom named Champa in Central Vietnam from 2nd to 15th century. Each Cham king built one tower or one building when they became a new king. Therefore, about 70 constructions in this sanctuary reflected more than 70 kings in 9 centuries. However, there are only about 20 constructions because of wars.
Cham is name of people while Champa refers the name of kingdom. Although it is a kingdom, but there are 5 different emirates in this kingdom which were called: Indrapura, Amaravati, Vijaya, Kauthara and Panduranga. My Son was in Amaravati and Panduranga was the last standing in Cham history.

Closer to towers

Cham people followed Brahmanism later as Hinduism. In which, they worshiped Shiva - god of destruction and considered him as their protector. As a result, Cham people were not only good traders but also great warriors in their history. Some historian even said that they used to be pirates with people from Java while they were from same culture. Besides Hinduism, Cham people followed Buddhism, Islam, Bani-ism and local belief, so do the modern Cham in Vietnam nowadays.

What can I see in My Son Sanctuary?

Special bricks
Main material of tower in My Son is bricks which are very special. I can see old bricks which last for 14 centuries. The temperature in kilns could get only 700-800 Celsius comparing to 1200 degree for modern bricks. However, the special techniques make old bricks lighter than new bricks so they get drier faster. It means less damage from water and moisture. I wonder why they can make it a thousand years ago with little equipment. I respect their skills and knowledge to built a great complex like this.

Brick relief on wall

Old brick walk path

Magnificent towers
Cham people also used sandstone for their columns. They even built a sandstone tower in 13th century like Angkor. I can see the connection between Cham and Khmer in this building.
All towers were built facing to East or West and in one group: main tower Kalan, gate Gopura and mediation tower Mandapa are on the same axis.
The shape of towers are like a lotus as the kings wanted to offer lotus to Gods on heaven. Most of towers were used to worship Shiva, but also some others were used to worship Vishnu and ancestor of royal family.

Straight axis of a tower group

Delicate sculpture
I were very impressed by the sculpture on the brick wall. They are Apsara dancers, elephants, Kala masks, flora and so on. I must believe how strong the bricks were to be carved on them. I also believe that after building the tower and carving, ancient Cham burned the whole tower to strengthen the structure. I was very surprised to know that the technique can not be repeat by us nowadays. So what? is it a mystery from old days. The question was in my mind all the time when I am thinking about this beautiful place.

Head of an elephant

The sculpture which was worship in Kalan was Linga - Yoni. They symbol for male and female which are both in forms of Shiva. Cham people used rain water or clean water from holy spring here to pour on Linga - Yoni to turn it into holy water which brought prosperity to the country. It came from nature! We often have fun looking at the big Linga - Yoni but I think nature never wrong! We need all those factor to develop!

Me with Linga - Yoni sculpture

Linga - Yoni in a modeled tower (in the museum at My Son)

Philosophy
On some on walls, I saw some half-done sculptures. I wonder why they did not finish them? Did they have a war when they were building it, or the workers died, or they forgot to finish? I got the answer when I talked to a Cham expert there, he told me that Cham people were afraid of perfection. If something is perfect, it is at the starting point of going down. That is the reason why Cham worship Shiva, god of destruction but he will rebuild a better world. I think that we are in the circle of life, we want to be perfect in some aspects, or perfect in someone's eyes. However, no one is perfect. Meeting each other is a good condition, so meeting our beloved is another great condition, respect it. Because we may not know when is the starting point of going down or losing someone!

Linga - Yoni in tower A1

Endless charm

I never get bored of this hidden charm of My Son Sanctuary as well as the value of Cham culture. From a forgotten complex after 15th century until the day French found it in a hunting in 1885, the history of My Son was faded as the collapse of Champa kingdom. However, each brick can tell its stories in this beautiful and historic destination. Local authority and local Cham people are trying to preserve Cham culture via dance, music and archaeology.
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Traditional dance and music are performed in My Son everyday for visitors and I believe they are a part of effort to make Cham culture live in modern days. Never better to enjoy and endless charm in an historic atmosphere, in beauty of nature and a stream of history.