The workshop was attended by scientists involved in the Nam Dinh Gazetteer Project from VNU-USSH and other universities and research institutes; representatives from the Department of Industry and Trade of Nam Dinh province, the Department of Science and Technology of Nam Dinh province, leaders of several functional departments, and interested lecturers and scientists.
In his opening remarks at the workshop, Professor Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, the project leader, stated that the Nam Dinh Gazetteer project is the first of its kind in Northern Vietnam. With dedication, responsibility, scientific rigor, and integrity, the scientists have been working diligently on the project's tasks to meet the requirement of completing the gazette within 24 months (from May 2023 to April 2025). The workshop on developing regulations for compiling the Nam Dinh Gazetteer serves as a forum for scientists to supplement, discuss, and agree upon regulations, criteria, and requirements for compiling the gazette according to the new national standards, aiming to meet the demands of connecting and exploiting information in the current digital transformation revolution, including updating local source materials.
With a task requiring a high level of scientific expertise, Professor Nguyen Quang Ngoc hopes that researchers will join hands in undertaking the task of compiling the Nam Dinh Gazetteer in a scientific, rational, and effective manner.
At the workshop, researchers presented the content framework of the local history according to various fields, discussing specific criteria and regulations for compiling local history entries, such as requirements for content, basic information structure, writing style, and editorial techniques. Accordingly, the content of the local history must meet the requirements of objectivity, distinctiveness, and comprehensiveness, both presenting the overall picture and highlighting the unique characteristics of Nam Dinh province.
The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has extensive experience in compiling local histories. However, developing a local history according to new criteria presents many new and challenging aspects. Therefore, scientists from VNU-USSH spent over a year researching the local history of Nam Dinh province, organizing scientific workshops, and forming research groups before signing this scientific research contract.
In November 2023, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi, signed a Science and Technology project contract for "Compiling the Gazetteer of Nam Dinh" with the project management agency, the Department of Science and Technology of Nam Dinh province.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Van Bao - Head of Volume 1 report on criteria for building the content of the geographical history of Nam Dinh.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Quan - Head of Volume 2 on History and Politics
Prof. Dr. Truong Quang Hai - Head of Volume 3 on Socio-Economics
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Hong Son - Deputy Head of the research project, chair of Volume 4 on Culture and Education.
Dr. Dinh Thi Thuy Hien presented her views and plans for building a documentation system during the compilation of the Nam Dinh Gazetteer. The task of compiling the Nam Dinh Gazetteer is to follow the standards of the Vietnamese National Gazetteer, based on recording, describing, and providing information in a complete, objective, and truthful manner.
Based on the standards of the National Geographical Gazetteer of Vietnam, the Nam Dinh Geographical Gazetteer aims to provide basic knowledge about the natural geography, environment, people, history, politics, economy, society, and culture of the present-day Nam Dinh region in both overall and specific relationships. This is intended to contribute to the development of science and education, raise the intellectual level of the people, serve policy planning, promote socio-economic development, ensure national defense and security, and contribute to the completion of the national-level science and technology task of building the National Geographical Gazetteer of Vietnam, as per the Prime Minister's Decision in December 2017.
The team of scientists participating in the Nam Dinh Gazetteer Project includes leading researchers in the fields of history, geography, culture, economics, and society from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, research institutes, prestigious universities, and local experts.
Mr. Dang Ngoc Rung - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Nam Dinh province at the seminar (seated in the middle)
Dr. Nguyen Thi An - Deputy Head of the National Gazetteer Task Force of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, advised on some techniques for compiling entries in the construction of the Nam Dinh Gazetteer.
Poet Nguyen Viet Chien, author of the poem "The Homeland Seen from the Sea," participated in the workshop.
Dr. Vu Dai An - Chief of Office of the Department of Science and Technology of Nam Dinh Province, Scientific Secretary of the Nam Dinh Gazetteer Project
The workshop attracted the interest and participation of many reputable scientists in various fields.
The Nam Dinh Gazetteer is structured into one volume, five books, and 35 chapters:
Book One: Geography (comprising 6 chapters, including the Introduction) with 160 entriesChapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Administrative Geography
- Chapter 3: Physical Geography and Natural Resources
- Chapter 4: Population and Labor Geography
Chapter 5: Urban and Rural Geography
- Chapter 6: Place Names
Volume Two: History - Politics (consisting of 7 chapters) with 220 entries- Chapter 7: History from its origins to the end of the 14th century
- Chapter 8: History from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century
Chapter 9: History of the 19th Century
- Chapter 10: History from 1900 to 1945
- Chapter 11: History from 1945 to 1975
- Chapter 12: History from 1975 to 2022
Chapter 13: Political System, Defense and Security
Volume Three: Socio-Economics (comprising 8 chapters) with 212 entries.Chapter 14: Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries
Chapter 15: Industry, Handicrafts, and Construction
Chapter 16: Transportation and Postal Services
Chapter 17: Tourism and Trade
Chapter 18: Investment, Finance, Banking
Chapter 19: Science and Technology
Chapter 20: Health, environmental hygiene, and sports
Chapter 21: Social Organization
Volume Four: Culture and Education (comprising 8 chapters) with 217 entries.Chapter 22: Eating, Clothing, and Shelter
Chapter 23: Customs and Traditions
Chapter 24: The Festival
Chapter 25: Religion and Beliefs
Chapter 26: Literature and Art
Chapter 27: Relics and Artifacts
Chapter 28: Journalism and Media
Chapter 29: Education and Training
Volume Five: Biographical Accounts (comprising 6 chapters, including the Conclusion chapter) with 190 entries.- Chapter 30: Characters from the beginning to the end of the 14th century
- Chapter 31: Figures from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century
Chapter 32: Figures of the 19th Century
- Chapter 33: People from 1900 to 1945
- Chapter 34: Characters from 1945 to the present
Chapter 35: Conclusion
Related articles:
VNU-USSH compiles the Nam Dinh Gazetteer: A special science and technology task with contributions from leading scholars.
Nam Dinh Provincial Party Committee's official website: The Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee gave its opinion on finalizing the outline for the Nam Dinh Gazetteer.
Department of Science and Technology of Nam Dinh Province:Selection and evaluation of the provincial-level scientific research project "Compilation of the Nam Dinh Gazetteer"
Nhan Dan Newspaper:
Scientific workshop "Approaches and methods for compiling the geographical gazette of Nam Dinh province"
University of Social Sciences and Humanities:He chaired four component tasks in the development of the National Geographic Atlas of Vietnam.
University of Social Sciences and Humanities:Approaches and methods for compiling the National Geographical Atlas of Vietnam: Administrative field
