Launch of the book series "Dai Nam thuc luc" and the exhibition on the National Institute of History of the Nguyen Dynasty

Exhibition of documentary images of the National Institute of History of the Nguyen Dynasty. Photo: Hue Monuments Conservation Center

During the years 1962 - 1978, the Vietnam Institute of History began to gradually publish translations of "Dai Nam thuc luc" from the Dai nam thuc luc tien bien (on the Nguyen Lords) to Dai Nam thuc luc chinh bien (on the Nguyen Dynasty) (38 volumes). Realizing the importance of this book series, from 2002 to 2007, the Institute of History in association with Education Publishing House released 10 volumes of the book "Dai Nam thuc luc" (first edition). However, the number of prints was limited, while this is a valuable and necessary book for those who love Vietnamese history and culture. Therefore, Vinabook JSC cooperated to publish and launch a 10-volume set of books "Dai Nam thuc luc" (2nd edition) on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the first Vietnamese publication of "Dai Nam thuc luc" (1962-2022).

"Dai Nam thuc luc" is an important historical series of the Nguyen Dynasty and Vietnam's history, compiled by the National Institute of History of the Nguyen Dynasty. Therefore, the re-publishing of this book will make an important contribution to the study of the history of the Nguyen Dynasty, and at the same time, enhance and promote the interest in Vietnamese history and culture.

On this occasion, Hue Monuments Conservation Center coordinated to organize an exhibition of images of the National Institute of History of the Nguyen Dynasty to better clarify the value of compiling, recording and printing of the "Dai Nam thuc luc" series under the Nguyen emperors’ reign.

The National Institute of History of the Nguyen Dynasty was established during the reign of Emperor Gia Long with the establishment of the History Department (1811); the official construction and opening was in the first year of Minh Mang (1820); and the official operation, in the second year of Minh Mang (1821) during the reign of Emperor Minh Mang. The Nguyen emperors paid great attention to and focused on building and developing the National Institute of History.

The National Institute of History together with the Cabinet completed the editing and engraving of many major historical and cultural records of Vietnam, such as: Dai Nam Thuc Luc, Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, Kham Dinh Viet Su Thong Giam Cuong Muc, Quoc trieu chinh bien toat yeu, Dong Khanh dia du chi…; in which, the most prominent is the series "Dai Nam Thuc Luc" (including Dai Nam Liet Truyen, Tien Bien and Chinh Bien) - a particularly valuable historical collection of the Nguyen Dynasty, making a significant contribution to the dissemination and distribution of the history and culture of our country to the present day.

By Minh Hien