Master plan on preserving Nguyen Dynasty wood blocks approved
The Prime Minister has approved a project on preserving and improving value of Nguyen Dynasty wood blocks (moc ban), a UNESCO-recognised documentary heritage item.
Hanoi (VNA)🌺 – The Prime Minister has approved a project on preserving and improving value of Nguyen Dynasty wood blocks (moc ban), a UNESCO-recognised documentary heritage item.
The project aims to improve the public’s knowledge about the blocks’ contents and value. In addition, the project will also raise awareness about the role and value of archives.
The Nguyen Dynasty’s wood blocks are part of a collection of nearly 35,000 wood blocks dating from 1697 to 1945. They were used to print literary and historical documents. If the entire collection were printed, they would fill 152 books about history, geography, literature, legislation and education, according to the document submitted to UNESCO.
In its first phase (2016-2020), the project will focus on producing publications to introduce the Nguyen Dynasty’s wood blocks, building a website on the document and training those working on the project.
Restoration of broken wood blocks, upgrades of management software, documentary filming, conferences and wood block lessons at school will be included in the second phase from 2021-2025.
Apart from their historical value, the wood blocks are important in terms of the artistic skill used to create them. They mark the development of the wood block carving and printing profession in Vietnam.
The blocks were made out of a plate of either thi tree wood, which is yellow and soft, or nha dong, which is smooth and has an ivory colour. These wood varieties were especially good at preserving the shape of the carvings. The carvings were done in reverse so they would appear correctly when printed.
The blocks represent an important part of the country’s feudal history. Under the Nguyen Dynasty, they were used to print information about social standards, articles on the lives and careers of the aristocracy, and historical events. They are original records from the time, making them very valuable.-VNA
Valuable woodblocks used for rudimentary printing in the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) will be introduced to the public for the first time during the Da Lat Culture Tourism Week 2013 from December 27-31.
Over the past two decades, eight sites and eight cultural practices in Vietnam have been inscribed in UNESCO’s lists of world tangible and intangible heritage, while four national documentary heritage were added to the Memory of the World list.
The Hue royal architectures engraved with poetry will be proposed as a valuable archive in UNESCO’s Memory of the World list, as heard at a recent workshop held in Hue city in the central province of Thua Thien- Hue.
Over 100 representatives from central and local archive agencies received training on skills in selecting and compiling dossier for potential candidates for the world documentary heritage title.
The moc ban (wood blocks) and chau ban (official administrative papers) Kings of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) used to record history are on display for the first time at an exhibition in Hanoi.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and Secretary of the Central Military Commission To Lam attended the event in Hanoi, while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man were present the event in Hue and in Ho Chi Minh City, respectively.
The World Police Band Concert - Vietnam 2025 is an important opportunity to enhance cultural and artistic exchanges and mutual understanding between Vietnam’s public security force and law enforcement agencies worldwide.
Young people are no longer seeing heritage as something distant. They are actively engaging with it, for example, photographing it, performing it, and making it part of their everyday creative expression.
Demonstrating their superior form, the Thai women’s team cruised to a straight-sets victory, winning 25–16, 25–16, and 25–21. With this result, Thailand remains unbeaten across both legs of the tournament so far.
According to the latest FIFA women’s rankings, Vietnam ranked sixth in Asia, behind Japan (8th globally), the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (10th), Australia (15th), China (16th) and the Republic of Korea (21st).
Accessible via //a80.hanoi.gov.vn and a mobile app, the platform serves as the official information hub for parades, cultural events, exhibitions, and public services. It offers real-time updates on schedules, traffic, security, healthcare, and live broadcasts, as well as behind-the-scenes stories and community-shared moments from across the country.
Vietnamese language is now officially taught at four high schools and is one of eight optional second foreign languages in the national university entrance exam of the RoK.
Coach Masahiko Okiyama asked his Vietnamese side to step up a gear after the break, and it took only three minutes to double their lead thanks to an individual effort from Y Za Luong, who finished crisply into the bottom corner.
More than 150 images on display highlight the National Assembly’s 80-year development and the performance of the HCM City delegation of NA deputies during the 2021–2026 term.
The festival aims to foster artistic and cultural exchange, while deepening international appreciation for national identity, societal values and the missions of law enforcement agencies, especially those of the Vietnamese People's Police and their counterparts around the globe.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to display up to 150 posters at Ho Chi Minh Square in Vinh for the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution on August 19 and National Day on September 2.
The competition offers a meaningful cultural and educational platform, serving not only as a creative space for Vietnamese and international children living in Hanoi but also as a forum to inspire patriotism, a love for peace, environmental awareness, and the aspiration to build a humane and sustainable world.
Taking a journey to the Cham Museum — the modest building in Phan Rang –Thap Cham, Indian writer Ankita Mahabir said that the museum might not boast size but it brims with pride for the local community, featuring carefully preserved sandstone sculptures, portraits, and rare artifacts.
For years, the Vietnamese community in many countries rarely had the chance to experience Vietnam’s traditional arts and culture actitivies organized by the Vietnam government, except the annual event “Vietnam Day Abroad” that has been organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2010. But the year 2024 marked a turning point.
In the context of international integration and globalisation, culture and art education plays a vital role in promoting the all-round development of Vietnam's young generation.
Vietnam shared the top podium with the Philippines in the medal tally with four gold, two silver and two bronze medals at the last SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The “Vietnam – Colours from the Tropics” Cultural Festival in Moscow, Russia, has wrapped up after drawing 968,000 local residents and visitors, surpassing expectations and surprising organisers with the vibrant interest it sparked in the Russian capital.
Nguyen Dynasty's wood blocks (Photo: VNA)
