Discovery of woodblocks recording the time of appearance of the name Nghe An

On the S-shaped strip of land, Nghe An is a land of outstanding people, with many contributions to the development of the nation. It is a land that recalls the heroic past from the dawn of the nation's founding to the struggle to defend the country.There is a question that many people ask: when did the name Nghe An appear? This issue is recorded quite a lot in historical sources, however each book records it differently and lacks consistency, leading to many different opinions and views on the time of appearance of the name Nghe An..

During the survey and research of the Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks - World Documentary Heritage, we were fortunate to discover a woodblock engraved with the time when the name Nghe An appeared. This is an extremely valuable original document that helps researchers and scientists learn about the history of the formation of Nghe An province. We would like to respectfully introduce it to our readers.

Woodblock of the book “Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi”, in this book there is a record about the name Nghe An. Source: National Archives Center IV

The woodblock of the book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, volume 14, engraved on page 2, records as follows: “Nghe An: Formerly the land of Viet Thuong Thi. During the Qin Dynasty, it belonged to Tuong Quan. During the Han Dynasty, it belonged to Cuu Chan. During the Ngo Dynasty, Cuu Chan district was divided and named Cuu Duc district… During the Dinh Dynasty, it was called Dao, during the Le Dynasty, it was changed to Lo. Ly Thai To, in the first year of Thuan Thien, changed it to Trai. Ly Thai Tong, in the third year of Thien Thanh, changed Hoan Chau to Nghe An (the name Nghe An started from here)…”.

Thus, according to the Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi woodblock, the third year of Thien Thanh was the time when the name Nghe An appeared as an administrative unit directly under the Central Government. This is considered an important milestone, marking the continuous development of Nghe An over the past millennium. Determining the time when the name Nghe An appeared has special significance for local history, especially remembering the origin, being proud of the long tradition of Nghe An land. Through this historical source, it can once again be affirmed that the name Nghe An was born in the year Canh Ngo (1030), under the reign of King Ly Thai Tong.

The woodblock of Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, volume 14, with two engraved pages recording the name Nghe An, appeared in the year Canh Ngo (1030). Source: National Archives Center IV

It can be said that 990 years have passed, the two words "Nghe An" are still present on the map of the Fatherland of Vietnam. That resilient land has recorded many miracles in building and protecting the Fatherland. And in its development journey, the source of documents from the past that marked the appearance of the name Nghe An is always a valuable asset, not to be missed when wanting to learn about this beloved land./.