After the restoration is complete, the Nguyen Dynasty Imperial Academy will be transformed into a Museum of Education and the Imperial Examination System.

Rare heritage

The Imperial Academy (Quốc Tử Giám) was first built in 1803, during the reign of Gia Long, under the name Doc Hoc Duong (in An Ninh Thuong commune, Huong Tra district), about 5km from the Imperial City of Hue . In 1820, Emperor Minh Mang renamed it Quoc Tu Giam, officially becoming the first "university" of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Initially, the school consisted of only one main building and two auxiliary buildings. During the reigns of Minh Mạng and Tự Đức, its scale was expanded, with the addition of a surrounding wall and dormitories for students. After a major storm in the year Giáp Thìn (1904), many structures were damaged, and the court ordered temporary repairs. In 1908, due to its remote location, King Duy Tân decided to relocate the Imperial Academy to the east of the Imperial Citadel, within the Huế Citadel – its current location. Since the 1990s, when it was handed over to the Thừa Thiên Huế Museum of History and Revolution (now the Huế City Museum of History), some structures have been restored and preserved; among them, the basic architectural elements from the Duy Tân era have been retained.

The Hue Imperial Academy (Quốc Tử Giám) occupies a special position within the overall Imperial City: in front is the Long An Palace, to the right is the Imperial Citadel, and to the left is the Privy Council – reflecting its importance in the administrative planning of the Nguyen Dynasty. Most prominent is the Di Luân Đường – a two-story wooden structure in the "double-tiered roof" style, with a yellow glazed tile roof, inlaid with exquisite bone and ceramics… The two Study Houses and Student Residences also possess high aesthetic value, reflecting the harmonious blend of scholarship and art of that era. Beyond its architectural significance, the Imperial Academy also preserves 208 compartments of Chinese characters forming 103 imperial poems by Emperor Thieu Tri, along with two stone steles from the Thieu Tri and Tu Duc dynasties within and in front of the school grounds, and many valuable documents about education and the examination system of the Nguyen Dynasty.

Currently, the grounds of the Imperial Academy cover approximately 1.5 hectares, surrounded by the streets of Dinh Tien Hoang, Doan Thi Diem, and Le Truc. The remaining original structures include: the Three-Gate entrance, the Thi Hoc stele, the Huynh Tu Thu Thanh stele, the Women's Wall, the Di Luan Hall, two Study Houses, two Student Houses, and two Kieu Giam Giap buildings connecting the various blocks.

Conservation for revival

After more than a century of existence, many structures have seriously deteriorated, especially the Scholar's House which burned down in 2022. Therefore, the project for the preservation and adaptive restoration of the Imperial Academy - Hue Citadel is considered necessary.

Mr. Phung Van Hoang, Deputy Director in charge of the Hue Imperial Citadel Relics Project Management Board - Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center, said: After the research, collection of documents, and completion of the design dossier, the project is currently being appraised at the Department of Cultural Heritage. It is expected that construction will begin in mid or late December 2025, with a completion time of 4 years. However, the center is determined to complete it ahead of schedule.

According to Mr. Hoang, from September 1, 2025, the appraisal of national and special-national historical relics – including the Temple of Literature – will be directly carried out by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This is a new point in the amended Heritage Law and Decree 208/2025, requiring adjustments to the investment process. While this may prolong the appraisal time, in the long run it will help improve professionalism and uniformity in the conservation of historical relics.

The project was approved by the Provincial People's Council (now Hue City People's Council) in Resolution 100/NQ-HĐND dated October 14, 2021, and amended in Resolution 116/NQ-HĐND dated December 10, 2024. The City People's Committee issued Decision 2816/QĐ-UBND dated September 5, 2025, assigning the Hue Center for Conservation of Cultural Heritage as the investor, with a total budget of 108.6 billion VND. The project includes many large-scale restoration items, most notably the Di Luan Hall, two Schoolhouses, two Student Houses, the Three-Gate Entrance - Female Wall, and the Huynh Tu Thu Thanh stele… All are restored in the architectural style of the Khai Dinh era, preserving the original elements, removing foreign details, and reinforcing with traditional materials such as Group II wood, yellow glazed tiles, and three-component mortar…

The central hall of the entire complex, Di Luan Hall, will be dismantled and comprehensively restored, including protection against moisture and termites, reinforcement of the foundation, restoration of the yellow glazed tile roof, and restoration of the ceramic decorative system. The two Schoolhouses and the Student House will also be dismantled and restored simultaneously, with the addition of electrical, lighting, and fire prevention and fighting systems to ensure functionality for exhibitions and events. Upon completion, the site will become the Museum of Education and the Imperial Examination System, a place to preserve, display, and introduce documents on Confucian education; and at the same time, a space for organizing activities to promote learning, award prizes, and honor talented individuals.

Director of the Hue Center for Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Hoang Viet Trung, shared: "When fully restored, the Imperial Citadel and Long An Palace will form a unified complex, contributing to the overall completion of the Hue Imperial Citadel, both preserving heritage and meeting the cultural and educational needs of the community. This will be an ideal location for award ceremonies, scientific conferences, book festivals, or activities such as poetry, literature, and painting – bringing the heritage back to life in contemporary times; at the same time, increasing the attractiveness of the tour route from the Imperial Citadel - Hue Royal Fine Arts Museum - Imperial Citadel, enhancing the appeal of cultural tourism, and evoking pride in the nation's tradition of studiousness."

Text and photos: LIEN MINH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/ton-tao-quoc-tu-giam-159724.html