TTLA: Research on Vietnamese Tao Le Stele

Author name: Vu Thi Lan Anh

Thesis title:Research on Vietnamese Stele Inscriptions

Dissertation field:

Major: Han Nom Code: 62.22.01.04

Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

1. Purpose and research objects of the thesis

-Research purpose: Through the existing Tao le stele documents, research on the appearance and development of Tao le stele. For the first time, the general concept of Tao le and Tao le stele in Vietnam is introduced, with reference to the use of this term in China. The key issues are the history of the birth and development stages of Tao le stele, characteristics of the Tao le stele genre. Research on Tao le policy of the Vietnamese state in the medieval period through Tao le stele such as: policy objectives, policy issuance and implementation issues, decentralization of implementation management, results of policy implementation. Research on the impacts of Tao le policy on some aspects of Vietnamese society in the medieval period such as: on economic life, which are issues affecting people's livelihood and agriculture; on socio-cultural issues, including issues of relic honoring, community cohesion through the responsibility of taking care of relics, information about the history of relics, the conduct of meritorious people, the role of women in the issue of granting Tao le, etc. Finally, the thesis proposes some opinions on the preservation and restoration of relics that have been granted Tao le in contemporary life.

-Research object: The Han Nom stele inscriptions with content recording about Tao Le (Tao Le stele) from the early 17th century - mid-19th century are currently archived in VNCHN. According to our survey, there are 90 stele units with 187 faces of the inscriptions.

2. Research methods used

- Han Nom textual method

- Quantitative statistical methods

- Hermeneutic method

- Interdisciplinary research methods

- Field survey method

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

- Overview of domestic and foreign research on the issue of Creation Rules and Creation Rules Stele inscriptions.

- The thesis systematically studies the development history and characteristics of Vietnamese Tao Le steles.

- Research on the policy of creating rules of the medieval state through the content of the stele creating rules

- The role of the policy of creating rules on social aspects through the stele of creating rules.

3.2. Conclusion

- The thesis has summarized the research situation of Vietnamese Han Nom stele in general, and the research on the issue of Tao le and Tao le stele in particular. The thesis has introduced the concept of Tao le and Tao le stele, oriented the research of the thesis topic in a systematic, comprehensive and profound way on the entire reserve of Vietnamese Tao le stele inscriptions currently stored at the Institute of Han Nom Studies (abbreviated: VNCHN).

- The Tao Le stele was formed and born on the basis of the birth of a worship custom in the monarchy in medieval Vietnam, through the edicts, orders, etc. issued by the royal court to local relics. The relics are mostly associated with the former emperors, the gods, the meritorious people, the relatives of the royal court, etc. Based on the stele inscriptions collected by the French School of the Far East in Hanoi (abbreviated: EFEO) and VNCHN, which are still preserved in VNCHN, the thesis has listed 90 units of Tao Le stele symbols with 187 inscriptions, appearing in the 17th-19th centuries, distributed mainly in 13 provinces and cities from Nghe An to the North, with the density mainly concentrated in the provinces of the Northern Delta. Tao Le stele was built mainly in the relics of pagodas, temples, shrines, palaces, communal houses, mausoleums, ancestral halls, etc. Chinese characters are mainly used on the stele inscriptions. Nom script is engraved interspersed with Chinese characters. There are 6 types of taboo characters appearing on the Tao Le stele.

- The Tao Le stele clearly reflects the state management method for relics, including forms, documents, processes, subjects granted Tao Le, and the role of the bureaucracy in granting this. Next is the unity in the management and exploitation of relics, notably the responsibility of local authorities, and the regulations on worship for Tao Le people. From here, we can draw the results of policy implementation, including both positive highlights and some limitations that have arisen and existed in the process of implementing this rule throughout the dynasties.

- The Tao Le stele reflects the role of the Tao Le policy on all aspects of Vietnamese society in the 17th and 19th centuries, in which the economic benefits with rights for people such as tax exemption, items related to people's lives, privileges related to agriculture such as land ownership regime through Tao Le, issues of irrigation dykes, etc. Besides, the reflection of social and cultural life is also very clear on issues: cultural activities showing respect for relics, the connection of individuals and groups in each community, information about the history of relics, the deeds of meritorious people, the role of women in the issue of granting Tao Le, etc. are very meaningful documents in contributing to the study of social and cultural life of the classes in Vietnamese wards and communes in the Middle Ages.

SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS

The author's name: Vu Thi Lan Anh

Thesis title: On researching Zaoli inscriptions in Vietnam

Scientific branch of the thesis:Sino-Nom

Major:Sino-NomCode:62 22 01 04

The name of postgraduate training institution: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University - Hanoi

OnresearchingZaoliinscriptionsin Vietnam

1. Thesis purpose and objectives

-Thesis purpose: Through the remaining documentation of Zaoli inscriptions, to research on the appearance and development of Zaoli inscriptions. Firstly to provide the general concept of Zaoli and Zaoli inscriptions in Vietnam with reference to the way of using this term in China. The aspects of research are the appearance history, development stages of Zaoli inscriptions and characteristics of Zaoli inscription category. To research Zaoli policies of the medieval State of Vietnam through Zaoli inscriptions such as policy objectives, issues of policy issue and implementation, implementation management decentralization, results of policy implementation. To research the role of Zaoli policies to certain social aspects of Vietnam between early 17^thcentury and mid-19^thcentury through Zaoli inscription documentation, for example, regarding to economic life, issues affecting the people's livelihood and the agriculture; regarding to social culture, issues of honoring relics, communication cohesion through responsibilities for caring relics, information on relics history, biographies of people with merit, roles of women to Zaoli subsidies, etc. Finally, to give some suggestions for preservation and restoration of Zaoli relics in the contemporary life.

-Thesis objectives: Sino – Nom inscriptions of Zaoli (Zaoli inscriptions) between early 17^thcentury and mid-19^thcentury are currently archived in the Institute of Sino-Nom Studies. According to our investigations and surveys, there are 90 units of inscription with 187 sides.

2. Used research methods

- Textology for Sino-Nom studies method

- Quantitative statistical method

- Hermeneutical method

- Interdisciplinary research method

- Field survey method

3. Major results and conclusions

3.1. Major results

- Overview of the internal and external research on Zaoli and Zaoli inscriptions in Vietnam.

- Researching scientifically the development history and characteristics of Zaoli inscriptions in Vietnam.

- Researching Zaoli policies of the medieval State through the content of Zaoli inscriptions.

- Roles of Zaoli policies to social aspects through Zaoli inscriptions.

3.2. Conclusions

- The thesis gives an overview of researching Sino – Nom inscriptions in Vietnam generally and researches on Zaoli and Zaoli inscriptions particularly. The thesis gives the concept of Zaoli and Zaoli inscriptions, systemetic, comprehensive and deep research orientation for the thesis topic on the entire volume of Zaoli inscriptions in Vietnam currently archived in the Institute of Sino-Nom Studies.

- Zaoli inscriptions were formed and appeared on the basis of apperance of a worship rule in the medieval monarchy of Vietnam, through royal ordinances and orders, etc. issued by the court to local relics. Relics are mainly associated with the late emperors, gods, people with merit, and relatives of the court, etc. Based on the inscriptions collected by the École française d'Extrême-Orient (referred to EFEO) and the Institute of Sino-Nom Studies currently archived in the Institute of Sino-Nom Studies, the thesis provides statistics of 90 symbol units of Zaoli inscription with 187 sides, appeared between 17^thcentury and 19^thcentury, allocating mainly in 13 provinces from Nghe An to the North, mainly concentrating in the provinces of the Northern Delta. Zaoli inscriptions were mainly created and built up in the relics of pagodas, temples, shrines, sanctuaries, communal houses, tombs, and ancestral temples, etc. Chinese characters were mainly used on inscriptions. Nom characters were engraved with Chinese characters. There is no Zaoli inscription written with Nom script.

- Zaoli inscriptions clearly reflect the state management method to relics including the aspects such as form, writing, procedure, objects with Zaoli granted, role of the state machinery to such grant. Following is the unity in relic management and exploitation, especially responsibilities of the local authority, charters of worship to Zaoli people. Then, to draw results of policy implementation including positive highlights and certain limits arising during the charter implementation over the dynasties.

- Zaoli inscriptions reflect the role of Zaoli policies to social aspects of Vietnam between 17^thcentury and mid-19^thcentury in which remarkable economic benefits with interests for Zaoli people, such as tax exemption for items relating to the people's livelihood, agricultural privileges (land and field ownership through Zaoli, and irrigation dike problems, etc.). Besides, to reflect the sociocultural life in the aspects such as cultural activities to express the honor for relics, the cohesion of individuals and groups in community, information on relic history, biographies of people with merit, roles of women to Zaoli subsidies, etc. It is possible to affirm that Zaoli inscriptions are meaningful documentations to contribute to researches on the sociocultural life of the social segments in wards amd communes of medieval Vietnam.