The people of Thanh Hóa hunting tigers, a group of ethnic minority warriors captured more than 100 years ago by French photographer Pierre Dieulefils.
A group of ethnic minority warriors (a general term for indigenous ethnic groups living in Central Vietnam). The photo was taken through the lens of Pierre Dieulefils (1862-1937), a French photographer who visited Indochina in 1885. His years in the French military allowed him to travel widely, later shifting to a career as a photographer and professional postcard publisher. He captured many valuable moments in both Northern and Southern Vietnam, which were published in various photo collections later on.
The image is published in “Vietnam Cultural History Framework” – a renowned book by scholar Đào Duy Anh (1904-1988), which was reissued in July with a hardcover. The book was first published in 1938 and is regarded as the first comprehensive and systematic history of Vietnamese culture from its origins to 1938. This work laid the foundation for the formation of modern Vietnamese cultural studies.
“Thai ethnic people in Thanh Hóa hunting tigers” is the photo Pierre Dieulefils introduced in his book “Beautiful and Majestic Indochina” – a work that earned him a gold medal at the International Exposition in Brussels, Belgium in 1910.
Thai people drinking rice wine after catching a tiger. In addition to the substantial profits gained from publishing postcards, Pierre Dieulefils is also recognized as a famous visual historian of the Indochina region.
A group of Mán people in Cam Đường, Lào Cai captured by the photographer at the end of the 19th century.
A Hmong mother at the northern border with her two children.
A family in Northern Vietnam at the end of the 19th century. During this period, the five-body áo dài (traditional dress) was popular. The outfit consisted of two pieces of fabric sewn together at the front in a modest style. The four outer panels represented the four parents: the wearer’s parents and their partner’s parents, while the fifth panel represented the wearer. The áo dài always had five buttons, symbolizing the virtues: Humanity, Justice, Ceremony, Wisdom, and Faith.
Ministers of the Nguyễn dynasty in Huế wearing ceremonial robes. The áo dài of the ministers were often embroidered with designs of phoenixes, bats, suns, gourds, and the eight treasures, in vibrant colors, with a silk lining inside. In autumn and winter, the fabric was made of brocade, while in spring and summer, it was made of lighter silk. Due to the dye’s tendency to fade, the áo dài was not washed but was sun-dried several times a year and scented with agarwood, kept in wooden boxes. Inside, the wearer paired it with a white áo dài lining for easier washing.
A Southern theatrical troupe in the early 20th century. During this period, Saigon and the southern provinces had many traveling theater troupes. The characteristic performances of this era were half traditional opera and half drama, featuring costumes reminiscent of ancient styles but presented in a modern and accessible manner.
