When you hear the Statue of Liberty, many people probably think of the one in New York. It is famous as a gift from France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American independence, but in fact, due to the same French connection, there was a time when there was a Statue of Liberty in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. This time, I will write about the Statue of Liberty that once existed in Hanoi.
The Vietnam version of the Statue of Liberty
From 1887 to 1945, there was also a Statue of Liberty in Hanoi. The location changed several times along the way, but the one that was installed on top of the "Turtle Tower" that still stands in the center of the lake seemed to stand out the most. Among the Vietnamese, it was called "Tông Ba Daem Xoe" (a statue of a Western lady in a flared dress). It was about 3 meters tall, so it seems more like a small replica compared to the American one. However, it was a symbol of the French colonial era. The name "Statue of Liberty" carries a strong irony.
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The reason for installation
It was created by a French sculptor for exhibition at the Exposition Universelle held in Hanoi in 1887, and was donated to the city of Hanoi after the Exposition ended. The first year it was placed in a square that is now the Ly Thai To Park, but later another French statue was installed and moved to the top of the turtle tower on Hoan Kiem Lake. However, this installation caused great opposition from Vietnamese intellectuals and the public, and after a five-year installation period, it was moved to the Cuanaum Garden. It would remain there until Vietnam gained independence in 1945.
The removal of the statue and what happened afterwards
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With the independence of Vietnam, many items deemed relics from the French colonial era were removed, and the Statue of Liberty was no exception. After being removed, it was reportedly stored in a warehouse for a while, but in 1952 it was melted down to create the material for casting a massive bronze statue of Amida Buddha weighing approximately 12 tons. The statue of Amida Buddha made from that material can still be seen in Hanoi and quietly stands in the Guoser Temple (Nguy Xa) along the Chu Cuoc Lake (Truc Bac).
It seems that the existence of this Statue of Liberty is not well known to the generations who did not live during that time. For Vietnam, it is a symbol of the colonial era, so they may not have actively tried to pass it on to future generations. It is a touching fact that the statue was repurposed and reborn as an Amida Buddha statue, and is still being venerated by worshippers today.
author (usu. of a particular book, etc.)
Takuma Inada
Social Security Actuary of Japan
Representative of SESSA VIETNAM CO.
Profile
Having been involved in human resources and personnel affairs in Vietnam for more than 10 years, he currently runs SESSA VIETNAM, which he started on his own. The company provides personnel consulting services mainly in the fields of human resource recruitment, personnel affairs consultation, and labor permit application handling. He spends his days observing Vietnamese people on a daily basis, and it has become his daily routine to think about the “why and what” of Vietnam. While raising his Vietnamese wife and two children, he is constantly striving to provide bilingual education in Vietnamese and English.
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