Two publications from the Hue Book Collection have just been launched.

To date, the Hue Book Collection has introduced 12 publications to readers, contributing to a systematic introduction to the land, people, culture, and history of Hue.

Statistical work on the system of historical sites

Serving as the capital of Dang Trong (Southern Vietnam) and then the capital of two dynasties, the Tay Son and Nguyen dynasties, Hue has developed a rich and widespread heritage system with many different types of sites.

Today, Hue is the only former imperial capital in Vietnam that still preserves relatively intact the overall architecture of its citadel, palaces, tombs, temples, mansions, gardens, etc., along with a treasure trove of exceptionally rare documents and artifacts, truly reflecting the appearance of an ancient capital. Hue is also home to a system of memorial sites related to President Ho Chi Minh, along with other invaluable historical relics and eight UNESCO World Heritage sites.

By early 2025, the entire city had 3 special national-level historical sites (systems), 89 national-level historical sites, and 106 city-level historical sites; 278 structures and locations were included in the approved and published inventory of historical sites. This system of historical sites and scenic spots has been specifically assigned to various levels of government for management, aiming to enhance the responsibility and role of agencies, units, and the community in preserving and promoting their values.

Based on that understanding, the Hue Book Project proceeded to compile and publish the book "Hue - Historical Sites and Scenic Spots" to provide readers with an overview of the classified historical sites and scenic spots. These include sites associated with the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh in Hue; sites associated with the Tay Son dynasty; sites associated with the Nguyen dynasty; sites associated with the period of revolutionary struggle and national liberation; architectural and artistic sites; archaeological sites, etc.

This book is the result of research, collection, use, and synthesis from sources such as documents and images from the Hue Imperial City Relics Conservation Center, the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hue, the Hue City History Museum, and some articles by researchers.

This book is a study of village regulations in Hue.

Meanwhile, the "Village Regulations of Hue City" is considered a continuation of previous works on the preservation of Han Nom documentary heritage in Hue.

This heritage is an important written message connecting the past with the present, a crucial document that allows present and future generations to gain a deeper understanding of the nation's historical and cultural origins. However, due to the vicissitudes of time and harsh weather conditions, the Han Nom heritage in Hue, especially the paper documents, has suffered significant loss, damage, and deterioration. Therefore, promoting the effective preservation and promotion of these valuable heritage values ​​is absolutely essential.

Introducing publications from the Hue book collection.

Over the past 10 years, the Hue City Library has collaborated with various units to implement a plan for collecting, digitizing, preserving, restoring, and promoting the value of Sino-Vietnamese documents in the area. They have conducted field surveys and digitized approximately 420,000 pages of Sino-Vietnamese documents. These include imperial decrees, edicts, certificates, family genealogies, official documents and petitions, land registers, village regulations, and ceremonial texts. The results of this collection and digitization of Sino-Vietnamese heritage have led to the creation of numerous research, compilation, and translation projects. These include "Bibliography of Imperial Decrees of the Nguyen Dynasty in Thua Thien Hue" (2018), "Imperial Decrees, Edicts, and Royal Edicts of the Nguyen Dynasty in Thua Thien Hue Province" (2020), "Official Certificates of the Nguyen Dynasty in Thua Thien Hue Province" (2021), and "Book of Sino-Vietnamese Documents and Petitions of Villages in Thua Thien Hue Province" (2022).

These books have been highly praised by scientists and readers alike for their academic merit and content quality. Building on this success, the Hue Library project has devoted considerable effort and dedication to compiling and translating its fifth publication, entitled "Village Regulations in Hue City".

This book presents 67 representative and highly valuable village regulations for reference and research on village life. The book's structure is organized into two main parts: images, translations, and tables of reference.

The main content of the book can be summarized as follows: regulations on the responsibilities of citizens towards the government and the village; regulations on land use, agricultural promotion, and production development, especially agricultural production; regulations on maintaining order and security in the village; encouraging and motivating village children to strive for academic success and become officials; regulations on the responsibilities of citizens in protecting public property, especially traditional cultural heritage; regulations on the implementation and preservation of customs and traditions, such as rituals related to official positions, marriage, funerals, and sacrifices, and maintaining relationships with family members, relatives, and the village community.

Mr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, believes that the content of the book "Village Regulations in Hue City" will become an essential and useful reference source for inheriting and promoting the quintessential cultural values ​​of ancient village regulations. This will create a solid foundation for building cultural villages in the context of integration and development, contributing to the development of Hue City on the basis of preserving and promoting the heritage values ​​of the ancient capital and the cultural identity of Hue.

The book "Village Regulations in Hue City" in particular, and the five-volume set of Han Nom texts on village and commune documents in Hue City that have been published in general, as well as publications that will be compiled and published in the future, will create a "Hue Han Nom Cultural Library" that will provide original source materials to help readers expand and gain a deeper understanding of the traditional history, culture, economy, and society.

N. MINH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/thong-tin-van-hoa/them-sach-hay-cho-tu-sach-hue-153201.html