Architecture and sculpture go hand in hand in Vietnam; once the Vietnamese buildings were in place, the sculptor went to work decorating columns, pillars, beams, and panels.
There is nothing too unusual about Vietnamese architecture today. It appears to be a melting pot made up of buildings constructed with available materials, such as wood, bamboo, and thatch. Concrete is now being used for big buildings in the large cities and towns.
The art of lacquerware was introduced into Vietnam in the first century CE from China. Lacquerware is the art of decoration. The lacquer itself is actually the resin of a tree which is mixed with coloured pigments and solvents and applied layer after layer to the object's surface, producing a shiny and durable finish.
Metalwork is one of Vietnam’s most ancient crafts. The most remarkable evidence is Dong Son drums and it has become something of a Vietnamese cultural icon. The design inscribed upon the upper surface of the drum varies, but generally comprises an image of the sun with radiating beams surrounded by concentriccircles decorated with geometric patterns and stylised images of birds, animals and human figures playing musical instruments, beating drums or pounding rice.
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