Flag, banner, standard

chào cờ

to salute the flag

dưới lá cờ của Đảng

under the Party banner

đơn vị lá cờ đầu trong phong trào

the standard-bearing unit in a movement

thanh niên cờ đỏ

red-banded youth (a sort of vigilance committee member)

Vexillum (in a pea flower)

Tassel (male inflorescence of maize)

Chess%%*Cờ người thường diễn ra vào dịp hội tháng ba. Nam nữ thanh niên mặc quần áo mang tên quân cờ. Người điều khiển ngồi trên cao điều khiển quân cờ đi. Có khi những nam nữ ấy còn mang theo khí giới và trước khi ăn một quân cờ, họ sẽ múa một thế võ. %%*Cờ người (Man-chess match) : A yearly festival held in the third lunar month, in which boys and girls get dressed as chessmen under the control of two chessplayers sitting in higher places. The "chessmen" sometimes bring weapons with them and in some cases, one "chessman " demonstrates a boxing hold before gaining the other. *"Cờ người" in Vietnam Cờ Người ( a variety of chess in which humans are used as chess pieces, and the ground or floor is used as a chessboard) is played only on some particular occasions, especially during Tết festival or other festivities . It is based on "Cờ tướng" ( originating from China , where it is called elephant chess). In ordinary Cờ tướng, the chess pieces are made of wood, plastic or ivory, or even round pieces of cardboard. But in "Cờ người", the pieces consist of 16 handsome men and 16 pretty women. They are manipulated by two players who are constantly disturbed by the noise of two little drums beaten by two children . The referee or umpire is usually a beautiful woman , wearing a red robe and a yellow headband. Before the game begins, the woman umpire guides the two players to perform the formal ritual to pay tribute to the Genie of Chess. The two players kneel before the altar and kowtow to the Genie, performing the traditional gestures required on the occasion which have been handed down from generation to generation . They are like the gestures of fighters in shadow boxing. Immediately after the ritual is over, the woman umpire waves her flag and the game begins. The thirty-two young men and women change their places as the players make their moves on the large chessboard, usually the yard of a communal house or a pagoda. In most cases, there is a commentator wearing a long blue robe with broad sleeves. The commentator must be well versed in chess and, more importantly, must have a good sense of humour. In Hai Bà district, in Hà Nội, there is a pagoda (Chùa Vua) named after the King of Chess, Đế Thích . This place is regarded as the cradle of Vietnamese chess. The chess festival at the Chùa Vua attracts the most promising chess players who are usually champions from different provinces in the country. It is a great disappointment for players who do not qualify for the second round. Therefore, it is a great honour to participate in the chess championship at Chùa Vua. The champion and runner up are widely known and acclaimed among chess players. At Thịnh Yên village in the suburbs of Hà Nội, everybody, even children, can play chess. If they do not take part in chess competitions, they act as commentators or fanatic supporters. In a recent chess tournament, over 70 candidates throughout the country took part. Three best players were awarded prizes. Many Vietnamese chess champions have travelled to China, Thailand, Singapore and Japan to attend chess championships. However, in no other place in the world do such beautiful and graceful chess pieces leave so deep an impression in the hearts of the crowd as in Vietnam where Cờ người is played but is threatened with the prospect of becoming a thing of the past. (VNS)