Doctoral steles recognized as world documentary heritage

VGP – The files on stone steles bearing names of doctoral laureates, dated back the Lê and Mạc Dynasties (15th-17th centuries), in the Hà Nội Temple of Literature were recognized as the World Documentary Heritage.

March 10, 2010 7:52 AM GMT+7

Stone steles in Hà Nội’s stone steles are considered a stone history book

The decision was made in the annual plenary of the UNESCO's Memory of the World in Macau, China, on March 9.

So far, the doctoral laureate steles were Việt Nam’s second items honored as the world documentary heritage, after the wood-blocks of the Nguyễn Dynasty.

The Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu-Quốc Tử Giám), located in the heart of Hà Nội City, has been for long considered a symbol of the civilization and intelligence of Việt Nam.

Founded in the 11^th century as a temple dedicated to Confucius and then the country’s first university, Văn Miếu-Quốc Tử Giám was the biggest educational center where thousands of eminent scholars were trained.

Its campus houses a garden of 82 stone steles honoring all doctoral laureates of the royal examinations held between the 15^th and 18^th centuries.

The stone steles in the Temple of Literature are accurate historical documentation of royal examinations between 1442 and 1779. Their inscriptions provide many valuable historical details of Việt Nam’s traditional education for 300 years.

Second, each inscription highlights feudal dynasties’ viewpoints and philosophy of national construction and protection, cultural preservation, education development, nurturing and using talented people.

Third, the steles provide many details of the biographies of thousands of Vietnamese celebrities.

Fourth, the Chinese characters, carved on the steles, are evidences for the development of the Chinese script in Việt Nam.

Fifth, each stele is a work of art bearing different styles.

By Hồng Hạnh