Quoc An, one of the oldest ancestral pagodas in Hue, is well known not only for its ancient architecture or long history, but also for its collection of statues, antiques, and precious documents, which are preserved almost intact.

Hue is a land that bears the imprint of the southward migration and territorial expansion undertaken more than 700 years ago by the people of ancient Thuan Hoa. Very few documents reveal the timing of these migration waves or the organization and formation of Vietnamese villages in the region. Yet during fieldwork, I gained access to several ancient Han-Nom documents recording the migration, land reclamation, and establishment of villages and communes. Most notably is a cadastral record dating to the 9th year of the Dai Hoa reign (1451) under King Le Nhan Tong, compiled exactly 575 years ago.

On the afternoon of April 22, at Tang Tho Pavilion heritage site (No. 344 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Phu Xuan Ward), Hue Monuments Conservation Center officially opened the exhibition titled “The Nguyen Dynasty’s Nine Urns: Documentary Heritage Through Images and Archival Materials - A Digital Experiential Approach to Heritage Education”.

Such is the title of a book recently released by Thuan Hoa Publishing House in late March 2026. The more than 20 articles included in the book are the result of a dedicated process of research, documentation, and fieldwork by its two authors, Nguyen Duc Loc and Le Thi Mai An (currently working at the Hue City Museum of History).

Historical documents and artifacts featured in the thematic exhibition “Hue - Historical Imprints and the Journey to Rise in a New Era” have contributed to promoting heritage education programs, while enriching students’ knowledge of history and culture.

On February 22, Hue City Police reported that they had promptly returned a lost handbag containing important documents and valuable property to a foreign tourist at Phu Bai International Airport.

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh Museum collected and received 35 artifacts, contributing to enriching the source of documents and artifacts serving exhibition activities, scientific research, and long-term preservation. In addition, the unit digitized more than 1.000 documents and artifacts.

A large number of photographic and documentary materials highlighting the special relationship between President Ho Chi Minh and General Nguyen Chi Thanh were exhibited and introduced to the public on the morning of December 12th at Ho Chi Minh Museum of Hue City (No. 7 Le Loi Street, Thuan Hoa Ward).

Although hundreds of thousands of pages of Han - Nom documents have been saved, many others in the community are still deteriorating, damaged, or lost for various reasons. Faced with this challenge, Hue City Library is racing against time each day in the hope of collecting and restoring them for digitization, preservation, and value promotion. A piece of good news is that the long-term plan for this work, extending through 2030, has just been approved by Hue City People’s Committee.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has issued a document requesting Hue City People’s Committee to prioritize funding and assign Hue Monuments Conservation Center to continue reviewing the areas along the walls of Hue Imperial Citadel that are at high risk of blowing off.