Stop renewing the royal decree, cancel new royal decrees at Van Cat Palace

VHO - The Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) said that according to the scientific records of relic classification, the inventory of artifacts of Van Cat Palace relic does not have the royal decrees. The implementation of renewing the royal decrees to serve, protect and promote the value of the relic without complying with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage may violate the prohibited acts according to the provisions of the Law.

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The Department of Cultural Heritage requested the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province to stop coordinating with the Institute of Han Nom Studies in renewing the royal decrees; at the same time, direct the competent authorities to instruct local authorities not to organize the reception of these renewed artifacts into the relics, or to use them for the purpose of protecting and promoting the value of the relics.

Failure to comply with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage

On September 16, the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) sent Official Dispatch No. 1003/DSVH-DT to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province, giving opinions on receiving the restored copy of the royal decree at Van Cat Palace (Kim Thai Commune, Vu Ban District, Nam Dinh Province).

The Department of Cultural Heritage said that the Department received Official Dispatch No. 1566/SVHTTDL-QLDSVH dated September 12, 2024 from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province requesting opinions on receiving the restored copies of the royal decrees at Van Cat Palace carried out by the Institute of Han Nom Studies.

Attached documents include: Official dispatch No. 1040/UBND-VHTT dated September 10, 2024 of Vu Ban District People's Committee; Official dispatch No. 33/UBND-VHTT dated September 9 of Kim Thai Commune People's Committee and Application dated September 6, 2024 of Mr. Tran Van Cuong - head of Phu Van Cat incense.

The Department of Cultural Heritage said that it welcomed the responsibility and awareness of the people, the head of Phu Van Cat temple, the local government of Kim Thai commune, Vu Ban district and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province in their efforts to search for artifacts and documents to consolidate the scientific value related to the relic, contributing to the management, protection and promotion of the value of Phu Day relic. However, the implementation must ensure compliance with the provisions of the law on cultural heritage.

Van Cat Palace belongs to the architectural and artistic relic of Phu Day, Kim Thai commune, Vu Ban district, Nam Dinh province, ranked as a national relic by the Minister of Culture (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in Decision No. 09-VH/QD dated February 21, 1975, and its name was amended in Decision No. 488/QD-BVHTTDL dated January 28, 2021.

According to the scientific records of the relic ranking, the inventory of artifacts of Van Cat Palace relic does not include any royal decrees.

Also according to the Department of Cultural Heritage, the Law on Cultural Heritage stipulates that making copies of relics, antiques, and national treasures must be based on the original, must have the original for comparison, and must have a license from the competent authority of culture, sports , and tourism.

At the same time, the Law on Cultural Heritage only regulates the restoration of historical and cultural relics, not the restoration of national relics, antiques, and treasures.

Meanwhile, in Official Dispatch No. 98/HN dated September 6, 2024, the Institute of Han Nom Studies stated: “The Director of the Institute of Han Nom Studies has decided to establish an Advisory Council for the restoration of royal decrees at the request of the units and individuals who submitted official dispatches. Currently, the work is in progress and is expected to be handed over to the locality between September 16-20, 2024.”

In Official Dispatch No. 1566/SVHTTDL-QLDSVH dated September 12, 2024, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province requested: "The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province respectfully requests the Department of Cultural Heritage to give opinions on receiving the restored copy of the royal decree at Van Cat Palace carried out by the Institute of Han Nom Studies".

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Official dispatch No. 1040/UBND-VHTT dated September 10, 2024 of Vu Ban District People's Committee stated: On September 6, 2024, Kim Thai Commune People's Committee received a request from Mr. Tran Van Cuong, Head of Van Cat district, Kim Thai commune, stating: After receiving Official dispatch No. 98/HN dated September 6, 2024 of the Institute of Han Nom Studies announcing the time of handing over the royal decree to the locality of Kim Thai commune and Van Cat district, the Head of Van Cat district organized a Military - People - Government conference to discuss and agree on the organization of the Anniversary of the Birth of the Holy Mother (August 15th of the lunar calendar) and receiving the royal decree, the translated version of the steles of Van Cat district.

At the Conference, 100% of the delegates agreed to propose organizing a ceremony to celebrate the birth of the Holy Mother and receive the decree to enshrine the original and translated versions of the steles of Phu Van Cat on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (ie September 17, 2024).

Vu Ban District People's Committee requested the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to consider, create conditions and guide the locality to receive the royal decree to enshrine and translate the steles of Phu Van Cat on September 17, 2024 (ie August 15 of the lunar calendar) on the occasion of the anniversary of the birth of the Holy Mother.

Regarding the above contents, the Department of Cultural Heritage affirms that, with the legal basis clearly stipulated in the Law on Cultural Heritage, the restoration and renewal of the royal decrees related to Phu Van Cat is not in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage.

Stop renewing the decree, cancel new decrees

“Copies can only be made when there are originals and permits from competent state agencies in charge of culture, sports and tourism. Reproducing royal decrees to serve, protect and promote the value of relics without complying with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage may violate prohibited acts under the provisions of the Law,” the Department of Cultural Heritage emphasized.

Specifically, prohibited acts according to the provisions of the Law include: Appropriating and distorting cultural heritage; Taking advantage of the protection and promotion of cultural heritage values ​​for personal gain, engaging in superstitious activities and committing other illegal acts." (Clause 1, Clause 5, Article 13 of the 2001 Law on Cultural Heritage; amended and supplemented in 2009).

It is strictly forbidden to act to change the original elements of a relic such as adding, moving, changing artifacts in the relic or renovating or restoring in a way that is not true to the original elements of the relic and other acts without permission from the competent state agency of culture, sports and tourism, propagating and introducing false information about the content and value of the relic (Point a, Clause 1, Article 4, Decree No. 98/2010/ND-CP dated September 21, 2010).

Therefore, in Official Dispatch 1003/DSVH-DT, the Department of Cultural Heritage requested the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province to stop coordinating with the Institute of Han Nom Studies in renewing the above-mentioned royal decrees.

At the same time, the Department requested the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province to direct competent agencies to guide local authorities not to organize the reception of these newly renovated artifacts into relics, or to use them for the purpose of protecting and promoting the value of relics.

In case the new decrees have been completed, the Department is requested to direct specialized agencies to conduct inspection and cancellation to avoid distorting cultural heritage.

The Department of Cultural Heritage also noted that, in order to supplement documents to consolidate the history and value of the relic according to the wishes and proposals of the head of the temple, the local government and people, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nam Dinh province can request and coordinate with the research agency (Institute of Han Nom Studies) to provide copies of documents with the stamp of true copy for storage and reference.

However, the use of these documents in the work of protecting and promoting the value of relics must be verified for authenticity in writing by relevant research agencies and scientists and must have the opinion of competent authorities in accordance with the provisions of law on cultural heritage.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/dung-viec-lam-moi-sac-phong-huy-bo-cac-sac-phong-moi-tai-phu-van-cat-105115.html