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Vietnam is only the latest and youngest name of the land of the southern Viets. The nation has been called many things, but we only focus on what Viets and the Chinese called the state across the ages.

We also look into the history, the significance and the renewal of Vietnamese tattoos.

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This is no anime, this is Việt history. A royal son, begotten from a palace maid, passed over by his father for the throne (along with his cross dressing older brother, confusingly named Lê Tuân), Lê Tuấn wrested what he believed was rightfully his, after his younger brother died, 6 months into his rule. Then began a reign of terror of years, with revenge killings, surveillance and imprisonment of relatives, leading to the Ming Ambassadors naming him the Demon King. Yet, one reaps what one sows, and despite him and his followers savagely fighting to hold on against his one princely brother who escaped his clutches, his star fell, his crown taken and his brother took his place. Lê Tuấn's story does have an explosive ending.

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A dying Vietnamese tradition, one marked with ochre, misogyny and a tragic love story. We talk about how the Vietnamese came use betel leaf and how it may have been a key to the Vietnamese's 3 victories over the Mongols.