The book, written in English, outlines the history of the arts by the Kinh, the largest ethnic group in Vietnam, for the first time.

With over 300 illustrations, the book introduces the beauty of Kinh group culture to both Vietnamese and foreign readers.

It is laid out in 13 chapters, each of which corresponds a historical period. The final three chapters talk about arts from the Nguyen dynasty.

Kerry Nguyen Long started researching Vietnamese arts when she was living in the Philippines. She spent 20 years working there and discovered that many ceramic products dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries were imported from Vietnam.

Over time, the images of mythical animals on Vietnamese bronze drums and pagodas, such as dragons from the Ly and Tran dynasties, left an impression on her, inspiring her to research and compile the book.

The project was supported by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam as part of celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.