Exhibition shows ao dai going along with Vietnamese women in wartime
Ao dai (traditional long dress) symbolizes tenderness and peace in daily life, but in wartime, it conveys a different spirit of Vietnamese women: brave, courageous, and full of the will to fight for the country's independence, freedom and happiness.
THE HANOI TIMES — On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the country's reunification (April 30, 1975-2025), the Hanoi Museum is hosting the exhibition "Vietnamese Women's Ao Dai through the Fire and Smoke of War."
The exhibition displays a large number of collections on the anti-Saigon regime activities of students and people in the South associated with the image of ao dai. The outfit is gentle and feminine, but in wartime, it stood for a strong and unusually courageous will to fight for the country and restore peace.
The exhibition helps people better understand the great contributions of Vietnamese women throughout history. Photo: Courtesy of Hanoi Museum
From 1954 to 1975, the South witnessed strong student patriotic movements against the Saigon regime. Among them was the November 1964 demonstration to protest the death of student Le Van Ngoc, whose funeral was later attended by thousands. Many students wore ao dai at the rally.
The exhibition tells the story of Ngo Ba Thanh, a lawyer and activist in the "Women Demand the Right to Life" movement in 1970. This movement called on women to speak out to demand improvements in prison conditions and the right to live for their families and themselves.
During most of her working life, lawyer Ngo Ba Thanh often wore ao dai. As a gifted speaker, she often wore ao dai to rally workers, peasants, small merchants, and intellectuals in protest against the US invasion of Vietnam.
Ao dai in national history. File Photo
The exhibition also features images of Madame Nguyen Thi Binh, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government, in ao dai during her visit to the German Democratic Republic (1967) and at the negotiating table on the day of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords (January 27, 1973).
"Let us cherish, preserve, and promote the value of Vietnam's ao dai cultural heritage. Ao dai has been, is and will always be one of the beautiful symbols of traditional cultural values, demonstrating the strong vitality, bravery and spirit of the Vietnamese people throughout historical periods," Deputy Director of Hanoi Museum Dang Van Bieu said.
The exhibition, which runs through May 4 at the Hanoi Museum, promises to be a meaningful experience that will help people better understand the great contributions of Vietnamese women in the history of the struggle to protect the Fatherland while honoring the cultural value of ao dai.
