Distinctive Champa inscriptions

The province still preserves many ancient stone steles, especially those of the Champa culture. These are invaluable artifacts that help future generations decipher the ups and downs of history and gain a better understanding of the cultural development and people of this land of agarwood.

Preserving historical and cultural values.

Visiting the Provincial Museum (facility 1, No. 16, Tran Phu Street, Nha Trang Ward), we had the opportunity to admire ancient stone steles such as: Cam Thinh Dong Stele 1; Cam Thinh Dong Stele 2... These are original steles dating from the 14th to the 15th centuries, discovered at the Hoa Diem National Archaeological Site in Hoa Diem village (Nam Cam Ranh commune) in 1997. Both steles are relatively well-preserved. Cam Thinh Dong Stele 1 measures 1m x 0.9m, with Sanskrit inscriptions; Cam Thinh Dong Stele 2 is 1.68m long and has two lines of Sanskrit text. The content on the two steles provides information about King Vīrabhadravarmadeva, who ruled the Champa kingdom from 1441 to approximately 1444 or 1446. However, the detailed content still requires further research.

Provincial museum staff are printing inscriptions from Champa stelae currently preserved at the museum.

In addition, the second facility of the Provincial Museum (No. 62, 16th April Street, Phan Rang Ward) also preserves two original stone steles: the Hoa Lai stele and the Phuoc Thien stele. The Hoa Lai stele was recognized as a national treasure by the Prime Minister on December 31, 2020. This stele dates from the 8th to 9th centuries and was discovered in 2006 at the Hoa Lai Tower National Special Monument (Thuan Bac Commune). Made of sandstone, the stele is rectangular, 1.08m high and 0.6m wide. The front of the stele is inscribed with 20 lines, and the back with 15 lines of Sanskrit text, detailing the history, land, and customs of the Cham people. The Hoa Lai stele is a unique work of sculptural art, a literary work – an ancient text reflecting the socio- economic life, humanistic values, and typical aesthetics of Cham culture.

The Phuoc Thien stele was recognized as a national treasure by the Prime Minister on January 18, 2024. Dating back to the 8th century, it was discovered in 1992 in Phuoc Hau commune. The stele is shaped like a Bodhi leaf, made of sandstone, measuring 0.93m in height and 0.44m in width. Each side of the stele is inscribed with 12 lines of Sanskrit text, detailing the religious life of the Cham people in their worship of Hindu deities such as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

Valuable documents need to be utilized.

Besides the stone steles currently preserved by the Provincial Museum, the province also has many ancient steles of the Cham people. In Hoa Thang ward, the Le Cam 1 stele - the stone with inscriptions, near the Suoi Hoa Lan tourist area, dates back to approximately the 7th century. The stele records the rituals of a Cham king and was discovered in 1996; the Le Cam 2 stele - Hoa Lan cave, dates back to approximately the 10th century and contains two lines of Sanskrit text about cave renovation. Other ancient steles include the Da Ne stele in Chung My village (Ninh Phuoc commune), dating back to the 12th century, inscribed with 17 lines of Sanskrit mentioning the names of Champa kings, discovered in the 19th century; and the Ca Du stele (Ninh Hai commune), dating back to the 13th century and discovered in the 19th century, recording the coronation of a Cham king. In addition, the stele at Linh Son Pagoda (Do Vinh Ward), dating back to the 11th century, praises the merits of a Cham king and was discovered in 2003; the Hon Do stele, also dating back to the 11th century, was discovered before 1975 near a Cham temple in My Hiep village (Vinh Hai commune), praising the merits of a king and describing the rituals and life of that time. Furthermore, at the Po Klong Garai Tower National Special Monument, the Po Rome Tower National Monument, and several other locations, there are also stone steles or slabs inscribed with Sanskrit.

The stone inscribed with Sanskrit characters is located within the grounds of the Po Klong Garai Tower National Special Monument.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, Director of the Provincial Museum, the ancient steles of the Cham people currently preserved at the museum are well-maintained and displayed for visitors, while also serving the research purposes of scientists. For example, from April 1st to 4th, the Provincial Museum supported a research team from the University of Science, Hue University, and a team from the French Institute of Far Eastern Studies (EFEO) to study Champa inscriptions. The research results of the team will contribute to providing the Provincial Museum with additional reference materials and supplementary documentation.

The system of ancient Champa inscriptions in the province is an invaluable "treasure trove of memory," containing much important information about history, religion, politics, and language. To preserve and promote these cultural and historical values, relevant agencies need to continue researching and deciphering the inscriptions to help us better understand the life, society, customs, traditions, and philosophical thought of the ancient Champa people. Along with research, attention should be paid to investing in digitization projects and building databases of inscriptions to facilitate easier access for scholars both domestically and internationally. The provincial Department of Culture and the Department of Education should coordinate to organize extracurricular activities for students to study and learn about inscriptions, thereby fostering a love for exploring history and culture among young people. The ancient Cham inscription system is also one of the elements that enrich tourism products, offering interesting experiences for tourists to learn about and explore the land, culture, and people of Khanh Hoa.

GIANG DINH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/202604/dac-sac-bia-ky-champa-0a74b03/