Vietnam Congress Hit by Bad Omen: Death of `Grandfather' Turtle
- Turtle said to be deity protecting country from enemy invaders
- Creature's death seen as bad luck in superstitious country
A giant soft-shell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) which is considered a sacred symbol of Vietnamese independence.
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Nguyen Van Minh remembers the first time he saw the rare, giant turtle of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem lake forty years ago. He was 16 and excited to see the creature linked to the tale of a magical sword used to vanquish a Chinese army in the 15th century.
"He was as large as a big bamboo basket," said Minh as he sat on a bench at the lake. "Great grandfather turtle is long known as being sacred. Whenever he surfaces there’s an important event.”