Woodblocks from Phuc Giang school in Ha Tinh showcased in Hanoi

Woodblocks from Phuc Giang School (front) were used to print text books for students at the school (Photo: daibieunhandan.vn)

The week-long exhibition displays nearly 100 documents, books, photos and transcripts of woodblocks from Phuc Giang School, which was established by scholar Nguyen Huy Oanh in the mid 18th century, in Truong Luu village, Can Loc district.

The woodblocks, which were used to print text books for students at the school, comprise of 379 well-preserved blocks containing the major content of popular Confucianism books. Each woodblock, which is 20cm wide, 2cm thick and 30cm long, is made from the precious thi tree wood.

The contents of the woodblocks were composed by five cultural scholars of the Nguyen Huy family, including Nguyen Huy Tuu, Nguyen Huy Oanh, Nguyen Huy Cu, Nguyen Huy Quynh and Nguyen Huy Tu. All of whom were teachers at the Quoc Tu Giam University, the country’s first university.

Woodblocks from Phuc Giang School are the only ancient woodblocks created by a family for educational purposes which are still so well preserved in Vietnam. They were an important document in popularising Confucianism education, contributing to nurturing talented and righteous men in the country from mid 18th century to early 20th century.

The woodblocks were recognised as a documentary heritage by UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP) at the seventh meeting of the MOWCAP held in Thua Thien-Hue province in May last year.