The exhibition will open until April 22. After that it will be moved to high schools and universities based in Quang Ngai Province. Photos (printed on timber) will be presented to the Museum of Hoang Sa Flotila on Ly Son Island.

Ly Son island district includes three communes – An Hai, An Vinh and An Binh, totaling 10sq.km. There are dozens of relics related to Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago.

The monument in front of the Museum of Hoang Sa Flotilla. The line on the monument is cited from an ancient document sourced from Minh Mang Dynasty (1836), which confirms Vietnam’s sovereignty oveer Hoang Sa Archipelago.

The troop banquet ceremony of the Hoang Sa Flotila, which has been preserved for centuries on Ly Son Island. The ceremony is held annually in the second or third lunar month to commemorate the Hoang Sa Flotilla, which was in charge of defending Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos in the past.

A man blew on Oc U (a specialized sea snail species on Ly Son Island) at the troop banquet ceremony to convey orders to soldiers of the Hoang Sa Flotilla to defend the country’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.

Releasing boats to the sea at the troop banquet ceremony. The boats have food and effigies of soldiers. This rite has been performed for over a century. It was believed that going to sea was very dangerous so before leaving home, effigies of soldiers of the Hoang Sa Flotilla were burnt as substitutes.

Pham Thoai Tuyen, the fifth descendant of Pham Huu Nhat, the captain of Hoang Sa Flotilla, burned incense at the captain’s fake tomb. According to historical books, King Minh Mang assigned captain Nhat to plant Vietnam’s landmarks and sovereignty steles on Hoang Sa Archipelago. Many soldiers of the Hoang Sa Flotilla didn’t return home and their families built fake tombs for them.

Artisan Vo Hien Dat made mock-ups of boats of Hong Sa Flotilla.

Ly Son Island