For some people the day comes
when they have to declare the great Yes
or the great No. It’s clear at once who has the Yes
ready within him; and saying it,

he goes forward in honor and self-assurance.
He who refuses does not repent. Asked again,
he would still say no. Yet that no—the right no—
undermines him all his life.

On the practical side, the “layering of old and new structures” that you cite, as well as religion being layered, are subjects that I am very interested in. Since I am an urban planner as well as an architect, I recognize that the best plans are layered up from the existing fabric of the city or countryside, with the new introduced over time to reflect the innovations and necessities of the new times. The “inventiveness of the vernacular” that you cite is the key element of the Vietnamese streetscape — architects and planners provide a framework for the people to apply their personalities and commercial necessities, such as signs.

What I don’t understand is the predilection of northern Vietnamese for classical architecture while southerners prefer modernist architecture. If anyone has any opinions on this, I would love to hear them.

– Mel