Unique, priceless treasures
In 2015, the relief kept at Binh Dinh Museum was recognized by the Prime Minister as a national treasure - a priceless heritage of the once glorious land of Vijaya.
The image of Mahisha Sura Mardini was once known in Chien Dan, My Son (Quang Nam), but it was not until Binh Dinh that researchers had the opportunity to approach a perfect peak in terms of lines and ideas of Champa sculpture.
The 200kg stone relief, dating from the early 12th century, depicts the goddess, wife of the god of destruction Shiva, standing on the back of the sea monster Makara, with full breasts, a full belly, gracefully in the form of 10 arms. The two upper hands form a mudra, the remaining hands hold sacred objects such as a bell, a chakra ring, a 3-sided short sword, a water bottle... symbolizing the strength, power and operation of the universe: Creation, preservation, destruction, incarnation, liberation.
In 2016, it was the turn of the Brahma relief, made of fine-grained siliceous stone in the Champa style of the late 12th century, found in 1985 in the North tower of the Duong Long tower cluster (Tay Binh commune, Tay Son district), to be recognized.
Different from the same motif, Brahma is often created through the image of 3 heads, 4 arms, the Brahma relief in Duong Long has 8 arms, 2 main hands forming a seal in front of the chest; wearing jewelry around the neck, with stylized lotus petal motifs.
The unique work reflects the strong intersection and influence between Cham and Khmer cultures as well as the embryonic traces of a separate line of Champa Binh Dinh sculpture and architecture: Thap Mam style.
According to Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Binh Dinh province, Ta Xuan Chanh, from 2015 to 2024, Binh Dinh province has 13 national treasures recognized by the Prime Minister.
At the Provincial Museum, in addition to Mahisha Sura Mardini and Brahma, 6 other treasures are being preserved: A pair of reliefs of the Garuda bird killing a snake, dating from the 12th - 14th centuries; a relief of the goddess Sarasvati, dating from the early 12th century; a relief of the guardian deity Ma Chua, dating from the 12th century; two stone lion statues of Do Ban citadel, dating from the late 11th - early 12th century. 5 treasures are preserved in localities, including: A pair of stone elephants of Do Ban citadel, dating from the second half of the 12th century; 2 guardian statues of Nhan Son pagoda, dating from the 12th - 13th centuries (An Nhon town), and a statue of the god Shiva of Linh Son pagoda (Quy Nhon city), dating from the 15th century.
"The 13 national treasures are all original, unique, rare, and uniquely shaped," Mr. Chanh assessed.
Waste of cultural resources
Binh Dinh Museum (26 Nguyen Hue, Quy Nhon City) was originally a cultural facility built in 1969. The building is old and dilapidated, with outdated interiors after many patchwork repairs. For many years, 15,000 artifacts have been crammed and crowded in storage and cramped display spaces. National treasures are in the same situation; they have to be shared, clustered, and hidden among countless other artifacts. Museum Director Bui Tinh confided: "We have enough ideas and human resources for the display and promotion of the value of treasures, ensuring better service for the public who love heritage, but when it comes to space, we are helpless!"
Researcher Nguyen Thanh Quang, who has been involved in heritage conservation in Binh Dinh for many years, recalled the old story: The policy of building and upgrading the museum was born when Nghia Binh province had not yet been divided. For more than 30 years, this topic has often come back; every leadership term has mentioned the urgency and significance of a cultural project. However, up to now, the above idea has not yet come true. Mr. Quang called the ongoing delay "a huge waste of cultural and tourism resources".
