TTLA: The Imperial Examinations during the Nguyen Dynasty (Through the Imperial Examination centers of Hanoi, Nam Dinh, and Ha Nam)

1. Full name of the doctoral student:Do Thi Huong Thao

2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: November 15, 1975

4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Decision No. 4152/QD-SDH dated July 15, 2008, of the Director of Hanoi National University, recognizing the doctoral student.

6. Changes in the training process: None

7. Thesis title:The Imperial Examinations during the Nguyen Dynasty(Through the Hương examination centers in Hanoi, Nam Dinh, and Ha Nam)

8. Major: Ancient and Medieval Vietnamese History 9. Code: 62 22 54 01

10. Scientific supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc

11. SummaryNew findings of the thesis:

The dissertation has made new contributions to the understanding of education and examinations during the Nguyen dynasty in general, and the provincial examination during the Nguyen dynasty in particular, as follows:

- In the first half of the 19th century, the Nguyen emperors made many efforts to perfect the examination system, including the provincial examination, by "reinforcing" the model that existed during the Le dynasty and building new elements unique to the Nguyen dynasty.

- The Hương examination system of Hanoi and Nam Dinh (later merged into Ha Nam) outlines the Hương examination system of the Northern Delta region in particular and the Nguyen dynasty in general. In areas where the Nguyen dynasty maintained control, the Hương examination system continued even amidst the turmoil caused by Western pressure for opening up. The selection of officials within the administrative apparatus to participate in the examinations at these schools demonstrates the relationship between examinations and politics. Research shows that the average age of candidates who passed the Cử Nhân (Bachelor's degree) examination in the North was around 30 years old. After passing the examination, the Cử Nhân graduates of the Nguyen dynasty were appointed to positions at the prefecture and district levels. It is noteworthy that, essentially, none of the mountainous provinces in the North (except Hung Hoa) had anyone who passed the Cử Nhân examination.

The Nguyen Dynasty, based on the demands of 19th-century Vietnamese society, implemented educational policies, including the provincial examinations (Thi Huong), and to some extent, these policies were quite effective. Beyond selecting personnel, the Nguyen Dynasty altered the cultural balance between regions through education and examinations: the number of graduates from Central Vietnam increased significantly, and Confucianism gradually gained a foothold and made its mark in the newly settled South. The increase in the number of successful candidates from Central and Southern Vietnam led to a considerable disparity in the proportion of officials from the North, Central, and South within the government apparatus.

From the latter half of the 19th century, the traditional Vietnamese examination system underwent significant changes under the impact of French colonial expansion. Aiming to minimize the influence of Chinese culture in Vietnam and facilitate colonial exploitation, the French gradually abolished classical Chinese education, introducing French and the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script as supplementary subjects in the traditional Hương examination.

- Fundamentally, the Vietnamese examination system shared many similarities with the Chinese examination system. However, from the perspective of cultural contact and exchange, the Nguyen dynasty made adjustments, changes, or in other words, created unique characteristics for the Vietnamese examination system based on these similarities with the Chinese system. The Vietnamese provincial examination differed from the Chinese examination in scale, number of examinations, the awarding of titles to successful candidates, and the appointment of those who passed.

12. Practical applicability: Based on an understanding of the educational and examination policies of the Nguyen Dynasty, lessons can be learned and adjustments can be made when implementing contemporary educational policies.

13. Further research directions: Vietnamese education and examinations in the modern and contemporary periods.

14. Published works related to the dissertation:

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2006), “On the supplementary examination in the traditional Huong examination”,Magazine Historical Research(9), pp. 30-35.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2008), “The last provincial examination in Northern Vietnam - Nam Dinh provincial examination”, Journal of Historical Studies(4), pp.11-19.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2008), “The last provincial examination in Northern Vietnam - Nam Dinh provincial examination”, Journal of Historical Studies(5), pp.48-59.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2010), “The Value of Archival Documents: Through a Case Study of the Nam Dinh Imperial Examination”, Proceedings of the Scientific Conference"Exploiting and promoting the value of archival documents in social science and humanities research", National University of Hanoi Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 202-212.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2011), “The appearance of the last imperial examination hall in Northern Vietnam - Nam Dinh Imperial Examination Hall”", One leg Historical Research Road (2006 – 2011)World Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 551-570.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2012), “Education policy during the Nguyen Dynasty: An approach from the title of Pho Bang (Associate Scholar)”,Journal of Historical Studies(7), pp.17-29.

+ Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Do Thi Huong Thao (2012), “Cao Xuan Duc and his contributions through two books on the Dang Khoa Luc”,Scientific conference "Cultural figure and scholar Cao Xuan Duc of the Eastern Pavilion"Vinh City, Nghe An Province.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2012), “Changes in the Thang Long - Hanoi Imperial Examination under the impact of the French invasion of Vietnam”,Journal of Science (Vietnam National University, Hanoi)(4), volume 28, pp. 244-253.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2013), “The Nguyen Dynasty’s policy of encouraging education in Southern Vietnam”,Journal of Historical Studies(3), pp.20-26.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name:Do Thi Huong Thao 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: November 15, 1975 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Admission decision number: 4152/QD-SDH Dated: July, 15^th, 2008 by President of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process: No

7. Official thesis title:Local Examination (Thi Hương) of the Nguyen dynastybased on Hanoi, Nam Dinh and Ha Nam Examination Compounds)

8. Major: Vietnamese Ancient times and Medieval History 9. Code: 62 22 54 01

10. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc

11. Summary ofthe new findings of the thesis:

The Thesis gets some new findings in the way to understand about local examination in particular and education and examintion in the Nguyen dynasty general:

- In the first 19^thcentury, the Nguyen Kings had paid many efforts to push up the local examination based on the way of "consolidation" model of the Le dynasty and designed many regulations which were different from that of the Le dynasty.

- Local examination activities of the Hanoi and Nam Dinh described compounds picture of local examination of the North delta in particular and of Vietnam under the Nguyen dynasty in general. In places where the Nguyen dynasty maintained their power, the system of examination was maintained. The appointment madarins in the apparatus taking part in examination compound reflects the relationship between politics with education. Research results informs that the average age of candidates of the North candidates was 30 years old. After passing examinations, recommenced men were appointed to many positions in the court apparatus in districts, provinces. Most of candidates in the mountainous provinces in the North did not pass the local examination.

- Based on requirements of social situation of Vietnam in the 19th^thcentury, the Nguyen dynasty had given many policies with local examintion and had become effective in reality. Based on local examination, the Nguyen dynasty had created a rich source of madarins supply. After 70 years of implementing educational policies such as putting quota, allowing candidates from the South to take exam in the North compounds…, the Nguyen dynasty had changed the correlation quantity of passing candidates among regions. On one hand, the number of passing candidates and persons who became madarins in the apparatus coming from the Central and the South of Vietnam had risen. Recommend men in the North were force to decrease both in the number of passing candidates as well as becoming madarins. On the other hand, the Nguyen dynasty succeeded in bringing Confucian into the South of Vietnam.

From the second half of 19^thcentury, the French authorities abolished eventually the Confucian education in Vietnam and added French and Quoc ngu into the content of local examination. Although the content of local examination had changed, the number of candidates in the North did not reduce. This phenomenon reflects the tradition of “studying to become madarin” in Vietnamese society was still a strong trend in Vietnam up to the early 20^thDANCE.

- In general, Vietnamese traditional education had shared many similarities with the Chinese one. However, in terms of acculturation, the Nguyen dynasty had attempted to change those borrowing elements so that they could adjust to the new context. In local examination aspect, the examination compounds of Vietnam were smaller in scale and simpler in structure than Chinese compounds. The content of local examinations in Vietnam were different from Chinese ones in the number of examinations. While Chinese educational policy makers maintain 3 tests, the Nguyen Kings adjusted the number of examination 3 or 4 tests in order to meet the requirement of recruiting talents.

12. Practical applicability: based on knowledge about education the Nguyen dynasty, we can apply our knowledge when we give policies for the development of education today.

13. Further research direction: Vietnamese education in pre-modern and modern time

14. Thesis – related publications:

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2006), “On the Additional Exam in the Traditional Huong Exam (Prefectural Exam)”,Journal of Historical Studies(9), pp.30-35.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2008), “Latest Local Civil Confucian Examination in Tonkin – The Nam Dinh Case (first part)”,Journal of Historical Studies(4), pp.11-19.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2008), “Latest Local Civil Confucian Examination in Tonkin – The Nam Dinh Case (second part)”,Journal of Historical Studies(5), pp.48-59.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao, Vu Thi Minh Thang (2010), “Values ​​of archive documents: seen from a case study of “Nam Dinh Local Examination Compound”, Scientific Sypomsium Proceedings“Using and Promoting Values ​​of Archive Documents in Social Sciences and Humanities Research”, Vietnam National University Publishing House, Hanoi, pp.202-212.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2011), “Aspects of the Latest Local Civil Confucian Examination in Tonkin - Nam Dinh Local Examination Compound,print:A period of historical research (2006 – 2011),Thegioi Publishing House, Hanoi, pp.551-570.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2012), “The Educational Policies of the Nguyen Dynasty: A Seen from a Confucian Title of Junior Doctors”,Journal of Historical Studies(7), pp.17-29.

+ Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Do Thi Huong Thao (2012), “Cao Xuan Duc and his distribution seen from 2 books of Dang Khoa Luc”, Scientific Sympomsium Proceedings“A Cultural Famous Man - Cao Xuan Duc”Organized in Vinh, Nghe An.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2012), “The Changes of the Thang Long – Hanoi: Examination Compound under the Impacts of French Invasions into Vietnam”,Journal of Science(4), Vol. 28, pp.244-253.

+ Do Thi Huong Thao (2013), “Policies of Confucianism Educational Encouragement of the Nguyen Dynasty to the South in Vietnam”,Journal of Historical Studies(3), pp.20-26.