A rare village in modern Vietnam with 210 PhDs

My hometown Hanh Thien village (in Xuan Hong commune, Xuan Truong district, Nam Dinh province) is a village of scholars with 210 doctors, many outstanding names in various fields.

Editor and author of 90 books

First of all, we must mention the editor-in-chief - author of 90 books on culture and social sciences - the late Professor Vu Khieu (1916-2021). His real name is Dang Vu Khieu, former Deputy Head of the Vietnam Social Sciences Committee, former Deputy General Director of Vietnam News Agency. He was a Labor Hero in the Renovation period (awarded in 2000) and received the Ho Chi Minh Prize for Social Sciences for the first time in 1996.

Born into a family of scholars with a tradition of Confucianism, Professor Vu Khieu is the one who directed and directly conducted many famous research projects on culture and social sciences, with thousands of pages of writing collected in 90 works of high scientific value. It is rare and strange that until the age of one hundred and odd, he still writes books very energetically with a passion, forgetting his old age. That great writer has clearly shown himself to be a great master of the country's social sciences.

Professor Vu Khieu with the family of his eldest son - Professor Canh Khanh and his great-grandson Minh Anh. Photo: GĐCC

Outstanding epidemiologist with 95 monumental research works

The late Professor, Doctor of Science Dang Duc Trach (1930-2004) was a leading vaccine researcher in Vietnam. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Renovation period in 2006. He was a People's Physician, received the State Prize for Science and Technology (2000) for his great contributions and left 95 scientific works to Vietnamese medicine.

Prof. Dr. Dang Duc Trach (right cover) at the reception of General Secretary Do Muoi visiting the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology

He was formerly Deputy Director of the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, former President of the Vietnam Medical Association, a delegate of the 11th National Assembly and former President of the Southeast Asian Medical Association.

When mentioning him, the medical community in our country cannot help but mention his great contributions in the field of bacterial vaccines: the creation and innovation in BCG vaccine technology to prevent tuberculosis.

He became an excellent student and close colleague of the late Minister, AHÐ Phạm Ngọc Thạch in this work. The vaccines for typhoid, cholera, tetanus, whooping cough, diphtheria... that millions of children are enjoying immunity from today, were all initiated, invented and created by him.

The world was surprised to learn that a country that is still underdeveloped in many aspects like ours has a thriving vaccine industry, bringing about such practical results. The Diarrhea Prevention Program, the Expanded Immunization Program that he chaired for many years, has contributed greatly to reducing the morbidity and mortality rates by dozens of times. Many diseases are no longer seen or are rarely seen today...

Professor Dang Duc Trach is truly an outstanding scientist and one of the leading immunologists and bacteriologists in Vietnam.

He is the one who successfully completed the construction of a system of bacteriology and immunology laboratories at the Central Institutes of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur Institutes, Central, provincial and city hospitals, and provincial and city preventive medicine centers nationwide, which has existed for many decades until now. The laboratories built by the Professor have made important contributions to the rapid and accurate diagnosis of pathogens, responding promptly to epidemic prevention work.

Regarding Hanh Thien village, the late Professor Vu Khieu once wrote on the stele at his village's communal house as follows: "Learning nurtures intelligence, / The path to the imperial examinations is bestowed by heaven with talent and intelligence. There have been many doctors and bachelors, / And many professors and academicians. Now the whole world is competing, / When humanity meets the age of wisdom, If we study, the people's intelligence will rise, / If we don't study, the people's lives will be miserable. Let's learn how to govern the country and bring peace to the people, / Let's study to govern the country and save the world, so that Vietnam will forever maintain its humaneness, / So that Hanh Thien will shine with humaneness and intelligence.

Now register to admire the talented/Erect a stone stele to honor the academic degrees" Spring of the Year of the Cat (2011)

It is interesting and also very proud of the ancient Hanh Thien village which is over 600 years old. The village has been moved and renamed many times, from Ho Xa village to Hanh Cung Trang and now Hanh Thien. In the near future, during the Keo Hanh Thien pagoda festival on the 15th day of the 9th lunar month, my hometown will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the village being directly named Hanh Thien by King Minh Mang (1823-2023). It is a cultural village with a rich tradition of patriotism and studiousness.

My village is probably also a "rare" one in having individuals who have been awarded and posthumously awarded noble titles by the State to the village and individuals such as the title: Collective: Party Committee and people of Xuan Hong commune - Heroic unit of the People's Armed Forces during the anti-French period. Individuals: Gold Star Medal: late General Secretary Truong Chinh and former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Dang Quan Thuy; Ho Chi Minh Medal: former Head of the Central Science and Education Committee Dang Quoc Bao, Lieutenant General Dang Kinh (former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army), Secretary of the Party Delegation of the Ministry of Culture Dang Xuan Thieu. National Assembly delegates: 11; Heroic People's Armed Forces: 5; Heroic Laborers in the Renovation period: 2; Heroic Vietnamese Mothers: 14 mothers. Ho Chi Minh Prize: 4; State Prize: 5; People's Physician: 5; People's Teacher: 9; People's Artist: 1 position.