The vast archive of administrative documents of the Nguyen Dynasty, manyof them bearing the seal and handwritings by the Nguyen kings, will bevery useful for the conservation and restoration of World Heritage royalrelics in the ancient imperial city of Hue, an expert told the VietnamNews Agency.
The collection of royal documents,recognised as documentary heritage of the Memory of the World Programmein Asia-Pacific by UNESCO in May this year, is an invaluable source forstudying the history and culture of the feudal court's activities aswell as Vietnam society in the 19th and 20th centuries, said Dr. PhanThanh Hai, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre.
According to the scholar, in the documents, there must be details onroyal rituals such as Nam Giao and Xa Tac, architecture and decorationsin palaces as well as music and dances performed at the royal court.These records would help researchers and conservationists in restoringdamaged architecture and reviving lost traditions and performances, hesaid.
Hai said it would be more meaningful anduseful if the documents, which are being stored at National ArchivesCentre I in Hanoi, can be kept in Hue, the place where they were signed,so that they can be studied and put on display in their context. Thiswould also help draw more visitors to the ancient capital.
He said the documents gave a comprehensive picture of the Vietnamesesociety under the Nguyen Dynasty which lasted 143 years from 1802 to1945, from political, diplomatic and military affairs to socio-economicand cultural issues. A large part of the archive was damaged duringwartime, he said, adding that the surviving documents are now preservedand classified using modern methods, better serving scientific research.
Besides the royal documents, UNESCO has alsorecognised three items of Vietnam as documentary heritage. They are thewooden printing blocks also dating from the Nguyen Dynasty, the Buddhismwooden printing blocks at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City and 82steles honouring doctors at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.-VNA
The collection of royal documents,recognised as documentary heritage of the Memory of the World Programmein Asia-Pacific by UNESCO in May this year, is an invaluable source forstudying the history and culture of the feudal court's activities aswell as Vietnam society in the 19th and 20th centuries, said Dr. PhanThanh Hai, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre.
According to the scholar, in the documents, there must be details onroyal rituals such as Nam Giao and Xa Tac, architecture and decorationsin palaces as well as music and dances performed at the royal court.These records would help researchers and conservationists in restoringdamaged architecture and reviving lost traditions and performances, hesaid.
Hai said it would be more meaningful anduseful if the documents, which are being stored at National ArchivesCentre I in Hanoi, can be kept in Hue, the place where they were signed,so that they can be studied and put on display in their context. Thiswould also help draw more visitors to the ancient capital.
He said the documents gave a comprehensive picture of the Vietnamesesociety under the Nguyen Dynasty which lasted 143 years from 1802 to1945, from political, diplomatic and military affairs to socio-economicand cultural issues. A large part of the archive was damaged duringwartime, he said, adding that the surviving documents are now preservedand classified using modern methods, better serving scientific research.
Besides the royal documents, UNESCO has alsorecognised three items of Vietnam as documentary heritage. They are thewooden printing blocks also dating from the Nguyen Dynasty, the Buddhismwooden printing blocks at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City and 82steles honouring doctors at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi.-VNA
