Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Hue Imperial City Relics Conservation Center, shared his insights on data exploitation at the launch ceremony of the Global Data Experts Network.

"Data is life."

In the archives system of the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center, every set of drawings and every image is meticulously digitized. More than 40 historical sites, over 11,000 artifacts/antiques, 1.3 million m² of water surface and greenery, along with thousands of scientific documents, images, and construction records – all are gradually being consolidated into the Hue heritage database system.

“In the past, data storage was quite fragmented. Each staff member kept a small amount on their computer, and when someone retired or transferred to another position, much of the data was lost. There were restoration projects where the original blueprints were no longer available, and we had to search everywhere. That’s why we always told each other, ‘Data is lifeblood; losing data is losing a legacy,’” shared Mr. Hoang Viet Trung, Director of the Center.

Driven by this concern, the Center developed the Digital Transformation Project for the period 2022-2025, which was approved by the Provincial People's Committee (now the City People's Committee) under Decision 1310/QD-UBND, with the goal of digitizing all heritage data, aiming towards the development of a digital economy for culture and smart tourism.

To date, the Center has established a data management system encompassing tangible and intangible heritage, trees and landscapes, artifacts, antiques, royal court music, restoration projects, scientific research records, etc. All are interconnected, stored, and regularly updated, making the management and exploitation of heritage more convenient, accurate, and transparent.

In particular, more than 1,000 artifacts have been digitized, with the first 100 being digitally identified and added to the national database – a significant step in transforming heritage values ​​into digital assets, serving the cultural industry and creative tourism services.

A vivid example is the Tiger Arena, the only elephant-tiger fighting arena in Asia. Located hidden within a residential area, it's little-known. Now, the Center is planning to apply live-action and virtual reality technology to recreate the ancient battles, allowing visitors to both admire the historical site and "lively experience" history. "That's how we transform heritage into a resource for development," Mr. Trung said.

Collecting and photographing documentary materials about Nguyen Dynasty historical sites at the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum. Photo: TTDT

The journey to find data for heritage

The story of restoring Kien Trung Palace is a vivid testament to the value of data. When they began the restoration, photographic documentation was scarce, with some images blurry and unrecognizable. "We had to go to France, to nearly ten archives, the French School of Far Eastern Studies, and museums, to find each photograph, each page of documentation," Director Hoang Viet Trung recounted.

There were times when we sat for hours flipping through old photo albums without finding anything. Fortunately, we discovered a precious album belonging to the Governor-General of Indochina, which contained a few photographs of the interior and exterior of Kien Trung Palace. "At that moment, we were incredibly happy. Just a few photos, but they were the lifeblood that revived the palace," Mr. Trung said emotionally.

These images were digitized, analyzed, refined, and reconstructed on a 3D data platform. Along with many other documents, Kien Trung Palace has been restored almost to its original state, demonstrating the power of data in heritage preservation.

In 2024, the Hue Center for Conservation of Historical and Cultural Heritage sent staff to the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum and the National Archives Center II to search for, collect, and digitize documents related to the Nguyen Dynasty. Mr. Vo Quang Huy, Deputy Chief of the Center's Office, stated: “At these two institutions, we have collected and digitized thousands of documentary photographs and dozens of ancient drawings, including many valuable images of the Thoai Thanh Mausoleum, drawings of the Thai Hoa Palace, and several other mausoleums and palaces in Hue Nam. In particular, we also found images of the Thai Mieu Gate and the Cuu Tu Dai records – valuable documents that will be useful for the restoration of historical relics in the future…”

To date, for each project, the Center has fully archived everything from original drawings and paper drawings to digitized drawings, creating a detailed documentation system comprising thousands of pages. This is a valuable data source that will be useful for future repairs, renovations, or research when needed.

"We consider data to be our most valuable resource, not only for preservation but also for exploitation and creating new value. Data helps heritage live in the digital space, connecting the past with the present," Mr. Trung emphasized.

Currently, the Center has signed cooperation agreements with many domestic and international organizations to expand the collection and sharing of documents. Following the launch of the Global Data Experts Network in Hue, the Center hopes to connect heritage data into the national data ecosystem, so that Hue's heritage becomes part of the knowledge economy.

"We must consider building databases as vital. All the knowledge of the country and of humanity needs to be preserved and exploited. When data is connected, heritage will not only reside in museums or records, but will live in life, in the economy, and in the consciousness of the people."

From the initial steps taken in Hue, it is clear that the digital transformation of heritage is not simply about preservation, but opens a path for parallel cultural and economic development. And as Mr. Trung affirmed: "Preserving data is preserving the lifeblood of heritage. And when the data flows, heritage will live on forever."

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Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/khai-thac-du-lieu-dac-thu-di-san-159922.html