A collection of Nguyen
dynasty administrative documents was listed as a UNESCO world documentary
heritage on May 14. The papers are not only a repertory of treasured documents
about Nguyen dynasty but also convincing evidence of Vietnam’s sovereignty over
its sea and islands, said the Nhan Dan (People) online newspaper.
The acknowledgement was announced at the sixth working session of the Asia Pacific Regional Committee for the Memory of the World Programme held in Guangzhou, China.
According to Deputy
Secretary-General of Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Nguyen Manh Thang,
the heritage won the UNESCO vote thanks to its accuracy and uniqueness, as well
as its role in Vietnam’s relations with foreign countries.
The documents, which were
formulated as part of the State management under the Nguyen dynasty (1802
-1945) - the country’s last monarchy, comprised more than 700 original
collections of papers circulated in 11 out of 13 reigns of the dynasty.
They were categorised into
documents submitted by central and local agencies for the King’s approval,
those promulgated by the King, and diplomatic documents.
The papers contain rich and
trustworthy information which fully reflects all aspects in Vietnam’s social
life from early 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, from politics,
economy, diplomacy, public security and defence, to culture, education and
health.
Notably, the heritage is
among rare documents stored all over the world that had autographs of the
Kings, providing viewers with a closer approach to the literary styles,
thoughts and opinions of the Kings about specific issues.
The collection is also a
treasured source of reference for further research on the domestic and foreign
policies of the Nguyen dynasty.
Furthermore, the documents
gathered much information on diplomacy, agreements and trade agreements signed
between the Nguyen dynasty and foreign countries, such as China, Laos,
Thailand, France and Spain. They were also made of reports presented to the
Kings by envoys after their visits abroad.
A strong evidence of
Vietnam’s sovereignty over its sea and islands
The dossier of the
collection was submitted to the UNESCO on October 31, 2013, by the National
Archives Centre. However, the documents had drawn much attention from
historical researchers decades ago.
The researchers have found
a source of information written in the documents reflecting the Nguyen
dynasty’s exercise of sovereignty over its sea and islands, particularly over
the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.
These documents were a link
to a historical fact that since 1816, King Gia Long – the founder of the Nguyen
dynasty, assigned naval forces to carry out surveys in the Hoang Sa
archipelago.
The surveys in the
archipelago became a general rule in the following reigns, as a number of the
documents revealed the measurement, mapping, tree planting, temple
construction, and coral exploitation conducted by the soldiers.
Most of the papers
referring to the Hoang Sa archipelago were seen under King Minh Mang’s reign
(1820 -1841), including the paper dated June 27, 1830, on the rescue of a
French merchant ship sunk in the archipelago, one dated on April 2, 1838, on
weather forecasting in preparation for an upcoming survey, and another dated
July 19, 1838, to ask for tax exemption for ships on missions to Hoang Sa.
Under King Bao Dai’s reign
(1925 -1945) – the last King of the Nguyen dynasty – the issue was also
mentioned in some of the documents, such as the paper dated December 15, 1939,
on bestowing a medal to Liuis Pontan, a French officer who died while
performing his duty in Hoang Sa, and the paper dated February 10, 1939 on the
King’s approval to honour a troop for their contributions to establishing a
military post in Hoang Sa.
Therefore, the King Nguyen
approved papers not only took effect in the country’s administration but are
also legal instruments asserting the undeniable sovereignty of Vietnam over its
sea and islands.
UNESCO’s recognition for
the heritage is a significant step representing the world’s appreciation for
the fact that Vietnam has exercised its sovereignty over its sea and island
throughout the country’s history.
Source: Nhandan/VNN
