While fleeing with a boat from Vietnam we stranded on a wild coast of Malaysia. My small luggage swam in the sea for several hours. 99% of the photos were damaged and could not be recovered, as well as a part of the painted pictures. Later, when I lived in Germany, a part of the photos on this page were sent from my brother who lives in America.

- in spring 2016 - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1962, After the graduation party I went to the photo shop with some schoolfriends. Everyone made a souvenir photo to remember that day. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1963, Together with my parents and younger siblings in front of the Confucius-temple in Saigon. I am the one on the right side. My both elder brothers were not with us, they were away with some friends. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1963, I (right) in the age of 14 took part not only in a special class for chinese, old literature and history but also attended a chinese inkpainting training. Master of chinese painting Chen Shu (center) and older fellow student (left). - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1965, Me (in the center of front row) with fellow students and friends, amongst others: right side in the back Chen Bin Yang, Master of chinese painting, specialist for bamboo and 2nd from left Zi Thun, chin. calligraphy master. Excursion to chinese monasteries and temples in the surrounding area of Saigon. During that time I created a series of buddhistic paintings, which I donated later piece by piece for the funding of chinese hospitals and schools. The visitors were very amazed due to my age (16), the pictures were all well received and sold. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1967, Study of nature in the botanical garden of Saigon, sometimes my siblings accompany me, here during a photo break. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1967, With my older brother, who at that time was known in the chinese literature scene of Saigon as poet and author of short stories with the name Guxian (ancient zither). At the embarking and transport point for tree trunks on the riverside. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1967, An excursion to Thủ Đức, where a famous vietnamese delicacy is produced best: "Nem". Here on the flag platform of the city. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1969, On an art exhibition of chinese paintings from professor Lin Qing Ni from Hongkong. I helped him with the organisation and was able to look over his shoulder during painting. It broadened my art horizon. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1969, After the annual chinese new years meeting of the artists of my generation we make a souvenir photo in Saigon, in the background the famous TAX-shoppingcenter. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1970, Small break during nature studies in a forest outside of Saigon, before nature was destroyed by war. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1970, Vủng Tàu, a small city by the sea, the wide look to the horizon, the connection between heaven and sea, attracted me so much, that I come here regularly. Often accompanied by my mother or my siblings, to visit my older brother. His military service is here in Vủng Tàu in the armyschool for radio operators. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1970, Visiting the former Confucius-temple in Saigon. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1970, At the entrance to the National Museum of Vietnamese History, in the background the former Confucius-temple in Saigon. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1970, On the compound of the university of Saigon next to a christmas tree, which was decorated with wad-snow for christmas. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1970, With chinese friends in the public swimming baths of Thủ Đức, here on the photo with a cantonese-chinese friend, we call him "fat Shan". Compared to us he was relatively corpulent. Shan and another chinese friend (Hon) of me registered for military service in the navy and were educated on the island of Guam (USA).
During my activity as a lecturer in the art academy I was later called to military service, because war became worse. I also registered for the navy. It was planned that after a special english-education I should also be sent to America for the naval training as a radio operator. When the english education was finished, the plan was changed, so that I didn't go to America, but was educated in Vietnam as a secretary for the navy. The army claimed, that there were Vietnamese with chinese ancestry, who distanced themselves in the States after their education. The truth was, that those were also Vietnamese people, who didn't want to return back to their home country, because it was a warzone.
Despite of the war Shan and Hon later returned to their families to Vietnam. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1971, On a hill in Vủng Tàu. Wanderlust to the far blue mountains at the horizon which often appear in chinese paintings. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1971, As soon as I had time I travelled to the sea. Still today the colour of the sea awakens a feeling of hope in me, which I already felt when I was in my youth, when I first saw the sea. The connection between the sea, the heaven on the horizon and the fresh air opens my mind. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1971, In the coastal town of Vủng Tàu I at the same time visited my older brother, who spent his military service in an army school for radio operators. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1971, Searching for the difference between buddhism and buddhistic philosopy. Together with my younger brother I am on the way to the temple of the Guanyin-Buddha. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1971, To study the landscape with the blue foggy mountains on the horizon I climb up a mountain path together with my younger brother. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1971, Visiting a chinese monastery in the suburbs of Saigon. Together with some art companions we visit a large chinese painting collection. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1973, Close to the end of my time at the navy headquarters (editorial department of the magazine Lướt Sóng / Wavetravelling) in Saigon I am having a vacation from military service in Đà Lạt, where during colonial times the french recovered. As always I am fascinated by the foggy landscape at a lake. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1973, Study trip to mountains in middle-Vietnam. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1974, There's no place like home. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1974, During a military action our ship lands on a cluster of islands called Nam Du (Poulo Dama). On an excursion I study the landscape from above, on the right side behind the trees one can see the ship in the cove. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1974, At the end of 1974 our coast and river transportship was near the coast of Rạch Giá, on the horizon the island Hòn Tre. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1974, I am so yearning for home, so yearning to engage in art. War became more and more worse. Until that day I was so lucky that during my military service I was not envolved in any combat operation. There was already heavy fighting in the north of South Vietnam: The army- and the navy-river-units against the communists of the north and the Viet-Cong. South Vietnam suffered heavy losses. Sorrows spread everywhere. When will war be over?! - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, In the beginning of 1975 when our ship anchored in Đà Nẵng, I am on vacation and was back at my familiy in Saigon. Just then my older brother was on vacation from military service and at home with his family. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, With some friends I visit the "chùa Vỉnh Nghiêm / buddhistic Vinh Nghiem temple" in Saigon. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, A souvenir photo at the "chùa Vỉnh Nghiêm / buddhistic Vinh Nghiem temple". - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, Meeting with Diểm (left) in the province of Gia Định which surrounds Saigon, to plan a shared exhibition with the subject "contract east-west.
Diểm studied western art, oilpainting and comes from a north-vietnamese family. In the year 1954, when Vietnam was just divided into north and south his family decided to emigrate from the communist north to the democratic republic of the south. Those people were a thorn in the side of the communists.
The exhibition didn't come off, because shortly after it on April 30th 1975 South Vietnam was taken by the communists. I never heared something from him or his family later. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, Back to the ship in Đà Nẵng. In the beginning the mood of my comrades and me was easygoing. As a secretary of the captain of this coast and rivertransportship I did not need to steer the ship, but it was boring to sit and lie in the coach after service. I preferred to go to the control cabin, to talk with comrades and operate the ship to enhance my technical knowledge.
That was very useful for my later escape from Vietnam 1979, where I was the steersman of our boat. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, Just some days later we received the news that some areas of northern South Vietnam were abandoned by president Nguyễn Văn Thiệu. It was ordered to pullout army and civilians to the south to Huế and Đà Nẵng. A sorrowful athmosphere spread all across the country, especially in the middle of South Vietnam. Nobody knew how long one could endure against the communists.
With permission of the captain I went to see my injured younger brother, who was stationed close to Đà Nẵng. My mother had visited him there before, when he was injured in the hospital. When I arrived at his unit, a unit for returnees from the front, the athmosphere was very turbulent and chaotic. I searched for him everywhere, asked for him, but I wasn't able to find him. In my despair I returned back to the ship.
On the photo our ship is just in Đà Nẵng in the bay of Cam Ranh. Behind me one can see the home-made cementboats, an invention of the south vietnamese navy. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, Normally I hoped, that war would be over fast, to then go back to my family and further continue to engage in art. But I worry a lot about the current situation. In our family are traders, students, artists and army staff of South Vietnam. What would happen to my family, if the communist North-Vietnam wins the war? - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, Despite the sorrowful uncertain situation, for the memory of the Cham-people I took my camera and travelled to visit the "Viện Bảo Chàm / Cham culture museum" in Đà Nẵng city. I travelled there for the second time, first time was in my youth with a tour group. Cham kingdom originally went from Đà Nẵng until behind Phan Rang and was invaded by Vietnam and violently annexed. The same happened with the present-day southern part of Vietnam, which belonged to cambodia originally. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, Our superior authority ordered us to go to Huế by ship and there wait for further instructions. Together with two comrades, who haven't been to Huế before, we are having a day off to visit all the places of interest, because we felt that this might be impossible later.
I have been to Huế before 1968. A traditional royal city, formed by moral, virtue, ethics. A poetic city. In my opinion a city like a flowerblossom in the harmonic sunlight. It was so sad for me to see, that after the invasion and massacre of the communists of the north 1968 Huế wasn't able to recover from that. The war brought poverty and distress to Huế. After the invasion of the north the royal palace was a ruin, renovation during the war was very slow. When we were there, only the gate of noon and the ancestors temple were almost finished.
A souvenir photo in front of the gate of noon. Maybe we really would never be able to return here. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, Huế was a poetic city and and now spreads a sad athmosphere, comparable to my inside. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, In the background the flag platform of the royal palace of Huế.
When we arrived at the ship late in the evening, it was ready to leave in the early morning. There was an order to allocate civilians and army from Huế to the south.
When we were ordered to another allocation operation between Huế and Đà Nẵng, our ship was hit by a heatsearching missile. There were dead and heavily wounded, I was slightly injured. The ship was close to Đà Nẵng. Due to the heavy damage of the engine, the captain recommended that the injured should, as far as they were able to, go with their own strength to the hospital of an army unit close to Đà Nẵng. There were dead and wounded everywhere. The hospital was overcrowded. After some other dramatic circumstances we finally reached a navy-oceantransportship in Đà Nẵng harbour and we went to Saigon. There we reported to the navy headquarter. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)

1975, The navy headquarter granted me to leave and wait for a small surgery on my left leg. At that time my three other brothers, who served the army, returned back to the family, because their units have been dissolved. The youngest of them had lost a leg.
Before April 30th 1975 I visited some masters of chinese painting, my art professor and some artists of my generation and everyone saw, that future wouldn't be the way it was before. Everyone was unsure and sorrowful, especially those who lived in North-Vietnam before 1954. I also felt, that life would be restricted und used the opportunity to travel everywhere with friends and colleagues.
Like a little miracle: The surgery on my leg wasn't yet performed, but the leg healed by itself.
On the photo one can see how we visit the "chùa Một Cột / One pillar temple" in Thủ Đức, where a friend lived, he was a vietnamese artist.
It didn't take long, then the day came: April 30th 1975. The day, when the north-vietnamese communist army took the capital Saigon and with it South Vietnam, the day which became a day of „Quốc Hận/ national anger“ for the people of South Vietnam at that time. This day, April 30th also became a day of annual commemoration for the Vietnamese all around the world, with the ambition to release the present-day Vietnam.
For most Vietnamese with chinese ancestry the south vietnamese past slowly blurres in the mist of oblivion. - Chau Tran (Qing Lian)