“Thawing” Han–Nom manuscripts, spreading national traditions

On the occasion of the publication of the book A Brief Survey of Vietnamese Imperial Examinations from the Beginning to the Examination in the Year of the Earth Horse (1918), Dr. Nguyen Phuc An, lecturer at the Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, who annotated the book by author Tran Van Giap, shared his insights with Dong Nai Weekend.

Dr. Nguyen Phuc An (front, second from the right) received the 7th National Book Award in 2024. Photo: Courtesy of the author

Dr. Nguyen Phuc An remarked, “Due to historical upheavals and the times, the Quoc Ngu (Romanized Vietnamese script) replaced Han (Chinese script) - Nom (Vietnamese ideographic scripts). The following generations have gradually lost proficiency in Han characters, making them rare and unfamiliar, distant from the writing used by our ancestors for thousands of years. Ancient Han and Nom documents are now comprehensible to very few. Gradually, Vietnam’s culture and literary heritage have faced a serious risk of historical discontinuity, leaving them susceptible to oblivion.”

As a researcher of Han Nom, what do you wish to achieve through your publications?

Exploring Vietnamese literature, history, society, and culture of the medieval period is not only my professional duty as a researcher but also my passion. The deeper I delve into it, the more I realise it is a fertile field with numerous fascinating and distinctive issues worth exploring. Yet today, very few people can read the Han-Nom manuscripts. These documents are being “frozen”. Scholars like myself seek to ‘thaw’ such documents so that they may reach a broader audience.

Who are the intended readers of your research?

My publications primarily serve as reference materials for scholars of Han-Nom manuscripts as well as for readers interested in Vietnamese culture, history, and society. Since most readers are not trained in this field, it is difficult for them to access or fully understand these manuscripts. That is why scholars will research and annotate the documents. For any content that readers may find unclear, the notes will provide further clarification.

What are your research plans for the future?

I am currently editing two to three works, including a volume that continues the theme of imperial examinations, which will be published in the near future. I hope they will receive the support of readers.

Thank you very much for sharing.

By Thuy Trang – Translated by Thuc Oanh, Thu Ha