It is not only an effort to preserve objects, but also a process of restoring historical memories, preserving local cultural identity, and gradually spreading the value of Thanh heritage beyond the local area, reaching out to the national and international academic community.
Quiet in the heart of the library
With nearly 490,000 books, newspapers and documents of all kinds being preserved, Thanh Hoa Provincial Library is not only a local knowledge center but also a place to preserve a valuable part of the history and culture of the nation. In particular, the rare ancient document repository with more than 1,000 Han Nom copies and especially 106 royal decrees and many documents dating back hundreds of years, are vivid evidence of the historical process, social institutions, beliefs, clans and unique indigenous values.
Many of them are royal decrees recognizing the contributions of historical figures, village tutelary gods, and ancestors who have contributed to the people and the country; Han Nom documents are poetry, Buddhist scriptures, medicine, genealogy, and legends, genres that reflect the cultural depth, consciousness, and spiritual life of the ancient Vietnamese people, especially the Thanh Hoa region in the flow of national history.
However, due to limited storage conditions over many years and the impact of time, many documents are in a state of serious degradation, with rotten paper, faded ink, torn surfaces, and termite and mold attacks. Some ancient royal decrees are left with only broken pieces of paper, which peel off at the touch of a hand. These precious values are at risk of being lost forever if not restored promptly and properly.
“We have felt heartbroken many times when we came across rotten royal decrees with blurred and unreadable letters. Behind each of these documents is history, culture, and the spirit of our ancestors, which cannot be lost just because of delay,” said Mr. Le Thien Duong, Director of Thanh Hoa Provincial Library.
According to Mr. Duong, implementing the plan is not only a responsibility but also a mission to preserve cultural heritage in the new era. Realizing the urgency of the issue, in 2023, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province officially issued a Plan to preserve, restore, translate and edit royal decrees and ancient Han Nom documents for the period 2023-2025, with a total budget of more than 7.5 billion VND from the cultural and information career budget.
This is a long-term, synchronous plan, mobilizing the participation of a team of experienced experts, cultural and library staff. According to the plan, in three years of implementation, Thanh Hoa aims to restore all 106 royal decrees and over 1,000 rare Han Nom documents. Each year is a stage with specific content and targets, to ensure progress and professional quality.
In 2023, the first year of the plan, the Provincial Library cleaned and disinfected 300 Han Nom documents, restored five severely damaged documents, and translated the first 30 royal decrees. The preservation was carried out according to a professional process: cleaning, mold treatment, disinfection, and physical stabilization. In 2024, the plan continued with 345 Han Nom documents cleaned and disinfected; 5 fully restored books, and 35 ancient royal decrees meticulously preserved and translated.
Notably, the royal decrees selected for restoration in this phase are mainly from the 18th-19th centuries, bearing the mark of the Nguyen Dynasty, a dynasty with a rich royal decree system and high historical value. In 2025, the final phase will continue to clean the remaining 385 Han Nom documents, restore five severely damaged documents and translate 35 royal decrees, completing the entire workload as planned.
In parallel, the Provincial Library is equipped with specialized preservation equipment such as high-capacity dehumidifiers, specialized cabinets for royal decrees, acid-free paper, electronic thermometers, etc. to create optimal conditions for the document preservation environment. At the same time, leading experts are also invited to participate in the appraisal and supervision of each stage to ensure the techniques and principles of heritage preservation.
Ms. Vu Minh Hoa, a librarian directly involved in the process of cleaning and classifying Han Nom documents, confided: “The work is very meticulous, there are sessions where we have to sit for hours just to remove each strand of mold and clean each page. But when we see the restored, intact royal decrees, we are truly moved.”
New vitality in contemporary life
Unlike reactive preservation plans, the work at Thanh Hoa Provincial Library is carried out not only to preserve objects, but also towards a larger goal, which is to promote the value of ancient documents in modern life.
After the restoration is completed, the documents will be translated into Vietnamese and put into the library's digital system to serve the public. Readers can access this resource not only on-site but also via digital platforms, opening up the possibility of exploitation for students, researchers, and people at home and abroad.
The provincial library also cooperates with specialized units to conduct inventory, classify and establish scientific records for documents of special value, aiming to propose recognition as a national documentary heritage, towards UNESCO. This is not only an official recognition of the value of the archive but also an opportunity for Thanh Hoa to affirm its position on the map of Vietnam's cultural heritage.
According to the assessment of the members of the Expert Council, the results of the first two years of the plan have confirmed the correct and effective direction. The successful restoration of hundreds of Han Nom documents and royal decrees not only helped to save valuable documents that were in a "near-death" situation, but also brought the opportunity to "revive" cultural values that were once thought to be forgotten.
In each page that has faded with time, there still echoes the teachings, songs, stories, moral lessons... of our ancestors. Each royal decree, each Han Nom piece is a part of the national memory, the cultural voice of the ancients left to posterity. Preserving these documents is not only a professional task, but also an act of moral significance: Respecting the past, nurturing identity, building the future. It is also the commitment of Thanh Hoa cultural workers that in the vibrant flow of the times, traditional values will still be preserved, cherished and spread.
Thanh Hoa, with its rich heritage, is gradually turning its treasure trove of ancient documents into a living cultural resource, serving the cause ofeducation , research, promotion and integration. Not noisy, not ostentatious, but persistent and certain, the journey of preserving heritage is being carried out silently by people with their hearts, minds and pride in their homeland and national origins.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/danh-thuc-di-san-tien-nhan-trong-thu-vien-149115.html
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