An exhibition displaying over 80 artifacts that explain the meaning of the dragon in Vietnam’s culture and belief systems officially kicked off in France this week, the Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi said Wednesday.

The “Flying Dragon – Vietnam’s Royal Art” exhibition, featuring 89 aesthetic artifacts whose designs use the image of dragons, opened on Tuesday at The Guimet Museum of Asian Art in Paris.

The expo, which will last until September 15, aims at introducing to international friends the important symbolic meaning of dragons in the history of Vietnamese culture and beliefs, especially in terms of the royal arts.

The dragon has long been considered an important creature in Vietnam as it is believed to bring the Southeast Asian country’s people happiness, affluence and prosperity. It also symbolizes the concept of “yin” and “yang,” which means the balance in our life, the Vietnamese museum says on its website.

The collection, believed to date back to the Dong Son Civilization up to the early 20^th century, comprises precious objects made of gold, silver, bronze and stone such as the Nguyen Dynasties’ golden seal and royal hats.

The event is jointly organized by the Vietnam National Museum of History and the Guimet Museum of Asian Art and is part of the activities to celebrate 40 years of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties.

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