HANOI The Vietnamese nation was born among the lagoons and marshes of the Red River Delta around 5000 years ago, and for most of its independent existence, it has been ruled from the area of present-day Hanoi. A village existed here at least as early as the 3 rd century AD, and a defensive citadel was established in the 8 th century. The official origins of this great capital city go back to the year 1010. According to legend, while the new king, Ly Thai To, was in his royal barge on the river, he saw a golden dragon soar up towards the heavens. This was a good omen, so he moved his court from Hoa Lu to here, renaming his new capital city, Thang Long - “City of the Rising Dragon”. The heart of Thang Long Citadel was the king’s sanctuary in the ‘Forbidden City’, but a growing collection of villages of commoners grew up around the walls. More name changes over the centuries, and in 1802, the Nguyen dynasty moved their capital from here to the central c...