Nghe An cultural figure received a royal poem from King Khai Dinh.
Cao Xuan Duc was a famous scholar in the reign of King Duy Tan, with the courtesy name Tu Phat and the pen name Long Cuong, from Tinh Khang commune, Dong Thanh district, Dien Chau prefecture, Nghe An province. In 1877, he passed the bachelor's exam and became Minister of Education, General of the Historical Institute, with the title An Xuan Tu. He was an outstanding and influential historian and local researcher in the country. He left behind many valuable books of his own and also contributed to editing many important official histories of the Nguyen Dynasty.
(Baonghean) -Cao Xuan Duc was a famous scholar in the reign of King Duy Tan, with the courtesy name Tu Phat and the pen name Long Cuong, from Tinh Khang commune, Dong Thanh district, Dien Chau prefecture, Nghe An province. In 1877, he passed the bachelor's exam and became Minister of Education, General of the Historical Institute, with the title An Xuan Tu. He was an outstanding and influential historian and local researcher in the country. He left behind many valuable books of his own and also contributed to editing many important official histories of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Currently, many woodblocks edited by him and books written by him are preserved at the National Archives in Da Lat, including: Dai Nam Thuc Luc, De Nguoi Ky; Dai Nam Thuc Luc, De Luc Ky; Quoc Trieu Chinh Bien Toat Yeu; Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi; Kham Dinh Dai Nam Hoi Dien Su Le Tuc Bien; Nhan The Tu Tri. In addition, he directly compiled books: Quoc Trieu Huong Khoa Luc, Quoc Trieu Dang Khoa Luc; Dai Nam Chinh Bien Liet Truyen. The woodblock books with Cao Xuan Duc's mark in the Han Nom archives have contributed to the Nguyen Dynasty's woodblocks with original document value.
Dong Cac Grand Scholar Cao Xuan Duc (Photo taken in 1907) and the book Quoc Trieu Huong Khoa Luc compiled by him.
Among them are books recording Vietnam's sovereignty over the sea and islands such as Dai Nam Thuc Luc, Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi... providing a lot of authentic information for scientific research. In addition, he also established an ancient book warehouse in Nghe An called Long Cuong, where he stored ancient books he collected during his time as an official, and hired people to copy them into many copies to preserve for posterity. Besides, he also left behind collections of poems and prose in Han - Nom script such as Long Cuong Thi Thao; Long Cuong Lien Tap; Long Cuong Lai Ha Tap... His contribution to the country's history was enormous and according to the assessment of Professor. Chuong Thau: "Cao Xuan Duc can be considered a great cultural figure in our country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As the head of the Ministry of Education and the Historical Institute, he directed and participated in compiling with a number of scholars in these two agencies many books on history and geography".
As someone who contributed to the compilation of tens of thousands of pages of history, geography, philosophy, etc. books of the Nguyen Dynasty and personally compiled the National Dynasty Huong Khoa Luc and the National Dynasty Dang Khoa Luc, Cao Xuan Duc's position in the National History Institute was very important. Although he was only a bachelor, not having a high degree like the scholars of the time, he was fortunate to be the Chief Examiner of the Ha Nam Huong Examination (1894), then the General Director of the National History Institute, and finally the Minister of Education.
After his death, he was commented by the “Dai Nam Thuc Luc Chinh Bien” (7th edition) of King Khai Dinh’s reign that: “Xuan Duc was famous for his literature, serving as an official from the positions of Governor General to Minister of Education, Vice Minister and General Secretary of the National History Institute, with many works such as the books National Dynasty Huong Khoa Luc, National Dynasty Khoa Bang Luc, Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, Nhan The Tu Tri. When he was old, he was promoted to Dong Cac Dai Hoc Si, and then died. When the King heard the news, he said: “Cao Khanh participated in the affairs of the court for many years, retired in old age and lived a long life, in the five blessings of life he had three, which is truly rare in the world. Now at home he unfortunately passed away, I am very sorry. I therefore approved the posthumous title of Thieu Pho Cap Tuat Ban Te as usual”.
King Khai Dinh himself gave a royal poem to Cao Xuan Duc: In the basin, fame and fortune have been spread out and roamed/ For several years, the birds have been tired of the east and west/ At an advanced age, he has become famous as an old man/ His hair is white, the flag flies like an old man/ Silk and snow leisurely with a cup of wine/ The wind and moon recite with the pine clouds/ A few words of the imperial edict, you should remember/ The path to longevity is far away, I still hope.
Currently, the Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks are national assets and international documents, partly due to the efforts of the talented Nghe An culturalist and historian Cao Xuan Duc in compiling the country's national history.
Nguyen Huy Khuyen (Faculty of Oriental Studies, Dalat University)
