Have you ever heard of Xã Phú Ngãi Trị? It’s a rural commune in the Châu Thành district of the Long An province. Its name literally translates as “Wealthy People’s Commune”. It’s a place where centuries ago, families escaped the turmoil of northern Vietnam. They were poor peasants who had been ruined by war between feudal clans, soldiers and officers ordered to garrison in the south, and even runaway convicts. They all crossed the sea in small boats seeking a new life. They landed in the area of today’s Saigon, which is now Ho Chi Minh City. It started as a small community but grew rapidly as people cleared the forests and built homes and hamlets. They did not come here to be wealthy people, but they found peace and prosperity working the land. The area around Xã Phú Ngãi Trị was incredibly productive with plenty of fresh water and good weather conditions. People started building communities along with rice fields, gardens, and bustling river ports. Xã Phú Ngãi Trị is a quiet commune today, but it represents the beginning of a place that would eventually become one of the most important cities in Southeast Asia. That place, of course, is Ho Chi Minh City!
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to