Penjing and coral reef

Dr. Peter Todd is a volunteer of VSA New Zealand, currently advising the fisheries industry in Binh Dinh province. He has the following article calling us to join hands to protect coral reefs.

Flowers and ornamental plants are a very important part of Vietnamese life. Perhaps one of the most obvious manifestations of this element in Vietnamese culture is the creation of lively miniature landscapes - immature.

Inspiration for the young man from the real world and from cultural beliefs. In order to build a rock like today, people always rely on traditional beliefs about the power of stone as well as the beauty of mountains and trees. Throughout the history of Vietnam, kings, generals and other important figures have created immorality such as monuments and decorations to express personal aspirations and cultural idols. .

Picture 1 of Penjing and coral reef
Penjing. (Artwork: kientruc102.com)

In the rock, stones are always arranged like a mountain or a mountain range with characteristics that make them unlike other lively art forms. The peninsula is designed to be visible from all sides, so the landscape looks very beautiful not only from the four sides, but also from the top of the mountain.

The use of rock in the rockets associated with coral reefs. Previously, the stone used to build the rock was a normal stone. However, in recent times, most of the rock to build the rock is dead coral. Dead corals have exceptional physical quality, making them ideal materials to create rockets. It is also an ideal base for growing miniature plants. However, dead corals are not just a quarry to exploit. All corals die from previous coral reefs, which are a vital part of the marine environment.

Many people now recognize the need to protect destroyed coral reefs. Coral reefs are disappearing around the world and Vietnam is no exception. Coral reefs are an important part of marine ecosystems, providing shelter and food for many different marine species. All the fishing villages in Quy Nhon are now aware of the need to protect coral reefs in nearby seas to protect their livelihoods.

Picture 2 of Penjing and coral reef
Coral. (Photo: cpv.org.vn)

There are many reasons for the destruction of coral reefs, including the practice of fishing with explosives or other toxic substances. Climate change is also a factor affecting the survival of coral reefs. Another reason contributing to the destruction, the exploitation of coral reefs for construction materials, including the use of dead corals to build the rock.

It is illegal to use explosives and poisons to fish, intentionally exploiting live coral from coral reefs is also a must. Illegal exploitation of corals must be confiscated. So should we stop using corals to build new ones?

The interest in young people is increasing as more and more people are able to procure these goods and the risk of living corals continues to increase. But it is not reasonable to prohibit the use of corals to build a rock. One can go back to using 'normal stones' or create some alternative materials to build the rock.

It is important to recognize the link between coral reefs and rockery and raise awareness among people who are conscious of protecting coral reefs. Therefore, the education campaign and awareness raising for coral reef protection for fishing communities has been implemented by the Department of Aquatic Resources Exploitation and Protection in Binh Dinh province.

Another measure is that regulations and inspections are more effective than exploiting coral for any purpose, including building a rock, to minimize the destruction of more coral reefs. Another possible measure is to encourage the effective use of all dead corals, including dead corals from existing rock formations. Dead corals can be reused to minimize the need to exploit more live corals.

On April 1, 2010, on the traditional day of Vietnamese fisheries, the Department of Aquatic Resources Exploitation and Protection in Binh Dinh province released the confiscated coral to the sea in Nhon Hai commune. This activity contributes to increasing the habitat of fish species in the region, thereby propagating to local fishing communities to be aware of the need to protect coral reefs and the habitat of marine species.

When admiring the beauty of a young man, remember the corals that live in the sea that contribute to the beauty of the work. The preservation and promotion of rockery art is very important and the protection of coral reefs for the marine environment in the future is equally important.