Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks will be printed and translated into books.
Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks, recently recognized by UNESCO as a world documentary heritage, will be translated and printed into books.
On January 3, in Da Lat city, Lam Dong province, the National Archives Center IV held a ceremony to receive the world documentary heritage certificate for the Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks. Woodblocks are one of the rare and precious types of Vietnamese documents recognized by UNESCO as a world documentary heritage.
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This heritage certificate was transferred by the representative of the State Records and Archives Department (Ministry of Home Affairs) and UNESCO to the National Archives Center IV (2 Yet Kieu, Da Lat, Lam Dong), after UNESCO presented it to the State Records and Archives Department on December 16, 2009 in Hanoi.
Ms. Pham Thi Hue - Director of National Archives Center IV said that Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks are Han-Nom documents engraved in reverse on wood nearly 200 years ago, to print books in Vietnam in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with high value serving the research of Vietnamese history and culture in modern times.
Most of Vietnam's Nguyen Dynasty woodblock documents are concentrated in the National Archives Center IV, under the State Records and Archives Department. This center is assigned to manage, preserve and organize the exploitation of a large volume of Nguyen Dynasty woodblock documents, including 34,618 plates with 55,318 engraved faces.
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In addition to its value to Vietnamese history and culture, Nguyen Dynasty woodblock documents are also valuable when studying the history and culture of other countries in the world such as: Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, China, France, England, America, Portugal...
Since 1960, the Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks were transferred from Hue to Da Lat for preservation at the Da Lat Archives branch. Under the Republic of Vietnam regime, for many reasons, the woodblocks were not properly cared for, and were sometimes submerged in 45cm of water, causing these woodblocks to deteriorate severely. Since 1975, the woodblocks were transferred to the Presidential Archives Department, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam for management.
Since 1976, the woodblocks were transferred to the State Archives Department (now the State Records and Archives Department). Before 1988, the woodblocks were preserved at the Redemptorist Order building. After 1988, the woodblocks were transferred to the old Tran Le Xuan villa (now the National Archives Center IV).
According to the documents left behind, the wood used to engrave the woodblocks of the Nguyen Dynasty was star apple, pear, apple or Nha Dong with white grain, shining like ivory. The engravings on the woodblocks were very skillful and sophisticated, with each stroke resembling a flying dragon or dancing phoenix. Each woodblock was not only a precious document with historical value but also a unique work of art.
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Ms. Pham Thi Hue said that in order to preserve and further promote the value of this rare document, in the coming time, National Archives Center IV will strengthen research and apply appropriate measures to prolong the life of the woodblocks, as well as translate and publish the books in this document.
At the same time, the center also built a separate exhibition room to introduce Nguyen Dynasty woodblock documents to researchers and domestic and international tourists; and to train and improve the qualifications of staff to meet the needs of preserving and promoting the value of this valuable document block.
According to VietNamnet
