The field of Sino-Vietnamese studies has always been a deep concern for me.

USSH– Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Thinh – former Head of the Department of Sino-Vietnamese Studies – was a teacher who, throughout his studies, his work, and even after retirement, was always passionate and enthusiastic to an "excessive degree." His dedication to the field was recognized by all colleagues inside and outside the field, and remembered with gratitude by all generations of students. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department (1972-2012), we would like to share his feelings and memories about the field, about the areas he "loved" and devoted himself to.I put pen to paper to write "Recollections and Emotions about the Han Nom Studies Field," but my recollections flowed in many directions, just as my work since retirement has never ceased. Perhaps it's because I've been involved with Han and Nom characters since a very young age. Although I didn't follow the path of the imperial examinations, my family has studied for many generations to acquire sufficient literary knowledge to cultivate virtue and self-discipline, to know the Hien-Ky texts, to grasp the essence of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to read and understand the Compendium of Materia Medica, the Treatise on Typhoid Fever, or the Miraculous Effects of Southern Medicine, and the medical treatises of Hai Thuong Lan Ong, all aimed at treating illnesses and saving lives. Throughout five generations of practicing medicine (starting from my grandfather, Physician Nguyen Van Mai, whose ancestral temple bears the inscription "Confucian Medicine Succession, Spring Breeze," a gift from his disciples), I acquired a small knowledge of Han characters early on from my maternal great-grandfather, Deputy Nguyen Duy Quang (of course, a Deputy village headman), and my great-uncle, Physician Nguyen Van Lan; My paternal grandfather, Nguyen Van Mai, a traditional medicine practitioner, established his career in Kinh Mon district, Hai Duong province. My father studied Chinese characters, but in his time, Confucianism was in decline, and the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script was attracting the younger generation. He only encouraged me; he didn't directly help me because he understood the vastness of knowledge and knew that the teachings of the Sages were too profound to be a teacher. Later, I studied Chinese in high school and then at university. At that time, the Chinese language curriculum included Sino-Vietnamese pronunciation. This helped me maintain my habit and passion for learning Chinese characters and reading them according to Sino-Vietnamese pronunciation. During my years studying literature at the Faculty of Social Sciences (Lang Dormitory), we still had additional Chinese language lessons taught by Mr. Tran Le Huu - the father of Associate Professor Tran Le Sang. I only attended a few classes with Mr. Do Van Hi; I remember many of his lessons, but I can't recall which agency of the Ministry of Culture organized the class, I think it was the Department of Conservation and Museums. The formal training courses were the postgraduate Sino-Vietnamese studies courses opened by the Vietnam Social Sciences Committee. I was really looking forward to this course, because I graduated in the middle of the war against America, during those fierce years, but at that time I had a lot of free time in the evacuation area. Once I vaguely heard that the course was about to start, I packed my bags and went to Hiep Hoa district, Bac Giang province, where the Institute (or Department?) of Sino-Vietnamese Studies was evacuated. But this course didn't officially start until 1973 at Tran Xuan Soan, Hanoi. This class had teachers who were esteemed Confucian scholars such as Mr. Do Ngoc Toai, Mr. Tran Duy Von, Mr. Dao Phuong Binh, and especially Mr. Le Thuoc, a high-ranking scholar of the Nguyen dynasty. There were also famous professors from various institutes and universities such as Professor Dao Duy Anh, Professor Cao Xuan Huy, Professor Truong Dinh Nguyen… Many professors from Hanoi University at that time also participated in teaching history and literature, such as Professor Phan Huy Le, Professor Dinh Xuan Lam, Professor Tran Dinh Huou… After completing my postgraduate studies in Sino-Vietnamese studies (1973-1975) and returning to teaching at the Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department (1980), and now six years into my retirement, I have remained dedicated to teaching and research at the University for several decades, a long and arduous period with students, the University, the Faculty, and life… There is still much work to be done; even in retirement, I cannot truly rest. But fortunately, the field of Sino-Vietnamese studies is one that allows for artistic exploration; no matter how arduous or tiring it may be, one can always find the beauty, the inspiration, and the spirituality in language and literature to keep one enthusiastic. For the past few decades, or at least since the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department (15 years ago), the department has been without professors like Tran Thuyet, Le Khanh Xoa, Dinh Trong Thanh (former Head of Department), Nguyen Duy Chinh, and in the Faculty of Literature, Associate Professor Bui Duy Tan; and professors from the university and institute such as Associate Professor Dang Duc Sieu, Dr. Hoang Van Lau… Regarding these respected professors, it is time we organized a record of their contributions. The Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department must first and foremost prioritize the spirit and content of the principles of "Dao Tong," "Am Tu Nguyen," and "Khai Co Lap Hoc." I also lived within the Department during the periods of separation, merger, supplementation, and the affirmation of its existence or non-existence, how it existed, and in what way… There were many joyful and sad stories, many challenges, not quite like stormy seas, but enough to clarify my character, resilience, and love for the profession. I have written some stories related to my field, but due to the limited scope of this article, I will try to share a few sketches with readers on the occasion of the Department's anniversary. Regarding calligraphy: The folk proverb "Good writing and beautiful handwriting" is a high requirement for those studying, a way to assess the ability of a scholar – an intellectual of the past who was not only skilled in writing but also wrote correctly and beautifully. Only then could they hope to pass the imperial examinations and join the ranks of civil officials governing the country. Calligraphy – the art of writing – originated and developed based on the characteristics of the Chinese script itself – a square-block script, fundamentally pictographic (in fact, symbols are also a form of pictography), based on the diversity and flexibility of strokes, styles, and the aforementioned requirements. There's a folk saying: "First calligraphy, second painting, third ceramics, fourth wood carving." Among these four art forms, calligraphy ranks first, perhaps not only because of the rhyme of the words, but surely for another reason: calligraphy is a highly unique art form of writing, expressed through very distinctive strokes, and the depth of the characters lies in their meaning. Furthermore, with a soft brush, rich black ink, and rough white paper, the writer must employ a comprehensive system of hand movements, breath control, and the manipulation of energy, spirit, and mental fortitude. It can be said that the inscriptions on the steles from the Ly Dynasty, while not numerous, mostly demonstrate a high level of Vietnamese calligraphy, created, written, and carved in Chinese characters, representing the early period of independent Vietnamese cultural history. This achievement can be placed within the broader context of the history and achievements of Vietnamese calligraphy. From the Ly Dynasty to the Tran, Ho, Le, Trinh, Mac, Tay Son, and Nguyen dynasties, besides steles, one can also find them in religious, historical, and cultural relics, in horizontal plaques and couplets, and in the collection of Han Nom texts... with a greater number of handwritten texts than printed ones, and a richer variety of calligraphers. During my time teaching at the Han Nom Department, we also discussed calligraphy and the creation of classical literary genres such as couplets in Chinese and Nom characters, but due to time constraints and the scarcity of calligraphy instructors, the number of such texts was limited. Within the broader context of the Han Nom Studies program, the concept of calligraphy and classical literary creation was rather obscure. This, naturally, led to a lack of due respect, so we sought to gradually integrate calligraphy into the program. We began by inviting Mr. Le Xuan Hoa, a veteran calligrapher, to teach calligraphy during our lectures on Le Dynasty classical Chinese literature. This work was conducted at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Nguyen Du School of Creative Writing – where we were invited to lecture. We dedicated some time to learning calligraphy, usually at the beginning or end of each class. Fortunately, Mr. Le Xuan Hoa was still healthy and agile at that time, and he was very enthusiastic in his lectures, while the students were very lively. I can never forget Mr. Hoa's robust physique and white hair among these young Han Nom students. The lectures were usually poems or passages that I would give to him beforehand so he could write them down on paper, then photocopy them and distribute them to the students. In class, he would write on thin paper and photocopied paper while explaining how to write the strokes and different styles of calligraphy. I was truly surprised at how appealing calligraphy was to students of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies major and future writers. Mr. Hoa only taught this for a few courses at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and even less at the Nguyen Du School of Creative Writing. Later, I encouraged senior students to guide junior students, with experienced writers guiding beginners. As a result, groups, sometimes even called classes, gradually formed, attracting students from outside the major. For many years during the summer, students of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies major taught Sino-Vietnamese to high school students in the outskirts of Hanoi, organized by local high schools or the Children's Palace. We, along with representatives from the university, always attended the opening and closing ceremonies of the classes. There was a time of vibrant calligraphy activities with writing groups from classes 40, 41, 42… notably Master Nguyen Quang Thang (currently working at the Institute of Han Nom Studies), Nguyen Van Nguyen, Master Pham Van Anh (Institute of Literature), Nguyen Duc Dung and Nguyen Dat Thuc (Department of Heritage), Dr. Tran Trong Duong, Dr. Nguyen To Lan, Master Pham Van Tuan, Engineer Nguyen Van Thanh… (Institute of Han Nom Studies). Students who remained at the University to teach Han Nom were also often those with excellent calligraphy skills, such as Master Dinh Thanh Hieu and Dr. Nguyen Tuan Cuong. It can be said that these were people with "good writing and calligraphy." Together, they wrote calligraphy and organized several calligraphy exhibitions, focusing on themes such as "Respecting Teachers and Honoring Education" on Vietnamese Teachers' Day (November 20th), Tet (Lunar New Year), and welcoming the new school year… The calligraphy works in Han Nom on traditional paper were often mounted on scrolls or written on colored paper or cardboard and framed in glass. Following this trend, numerous exhibitions were held at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, further enhancing the appeal of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department. Later, calligraphy activities deepened to serve the study and dissemination of the beautiful aspects of Sino-Vietnamese heritage, and this activity also extended beyond the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, spreading to provinces with Sino-Vietnamese cultural traditions such as Hai Duong, Hung Yen, and Hue. Since the Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department collaborated with the UNESCO Vietnam Calligraphy Club, the calligraphy activities of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department have received support from both the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and UNESCO. The Department has welcomed two calligraphy delegations from mainland China, each with over 50 members, each with several works to display at the University. Faculty and students of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies Department and many other departments in the University have had the opportunity to enjoy the calligraphy of many contemporary Chinese calligraphers; In particular, the calligraphy group led by calligrapher Yang Zhongzi, Vice President of the Beijing Calligraphy Association, belonging to the school of Xu Beihong, included over 70 calligraphers from Beijing, cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, and provinces such as Guangdong, Guangxi, and Inner Mongolia. The group included veteran calligrapher Zheng Jingtai, a descendant of the poet Zheng Banqiao. The group donated many calligraphic works to the National University (the National University's Information and Library Center currently preserves these valuable works). Calligraphy activities were further enhanced by the investment and support from the Hanoi National University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in the Han Nom Studies Development Project for the Department of Han Nom Studies. During these two years, the Director of Hanoi National University, the late Professor and Academician Nguyen Van Dao, directly supervised the project's implementation in Hue City, which we identified as a typical region of Sino-Vietnamese culture (except for a few months when Hue was severely affected by floods, interrupting activities and forcing us to relocate to Hai Duong - also one of the regions with the most scholars and authors of Sino-Vietnamese literature). To secure this project, the Department of Sino-Vietnamese Studies was first equipped with rooms, facilities, machinery, and materials. Sino-Vietnamese research materials were prioritized, including the nearly 100-volume "Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Culture," which is valuable for reference on many issues related to national regulations, culture, education, and customs. Later, the Department of Sino-Vietnamese Studies developed a national-level research project on the Preservation and Exploitation of Hue's Sino-Vietnamese Culture. The project continued to implement calligraphy activities such as printing New Year greeting cards, composing couplets on various themes through calligraphy, and creating literary works to disseminate knowledge of Sino-Vietnamese script and the beauty of Sino-Vietnamese culture within the Department and the School. During the implementation of the project "Hue's Sino-Vietnamese Culture," along with the National Conference on Preservation and Promotion of Sino-Vietnamese Heritage in Hue, we organized an exhibition of rare Sino-Vietnamese documents and calligraphy in Hue, and partially funded several projects such as: the "Vo Cu" (Military Examination) by Dr. Nguyen Thuy Nga, the translation of Emperor Minh Mang's poetry collection by Sino-Vietnamese researcher Phan Thuan An, and the calligraphy collection by Hue calligrapher Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung. The project also facilitated three groups of students to Hue for their graduation internships, resulting in 20 graduation theses and six Master's theses in the field of Sino-Vietnamese studies researching Hue's relics and Nguyen Dynasty texts. We have created favorable conditions for calligraphy – a unique and captivating art form – to attract society and pave the way for many of our Sino-Vietnamese activities. In the calligraphy activities of the Sino-Vietnamese Department, we cannot forget the cooperation between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – UNESCO VIETNAMESE CALLIGRAPHY CLUB and the Taipei Traditional Calligraphy Association, chaired by Professor Phan Khanh Trung. The initiator of this cooperation was the veteran calligrapher Le Xuan Hoa, and the collaboration has been implemented and maintained by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Over the years, these collaborative programs have achieved many accomplishments related to cultivating knowledge and appreciation of calligraphy. Taiwan has sent delegations to visit and exchange calligraphy in Vietnam four times. Vietnam also sent a calligraphy delegation, led by the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, to visit and study calligraphy in Taipei. During their four visits to Vietnam, the Traditional Calligraphy Delegation collaborated with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, to organize an exchange between calligrapher Le Xuan Hoa and Professor Phan Khanh Trung at the Temple of Literature - National University, and conducted three calligraphy training programs at the Temple of Literature - National University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. The University's Board of Directors and the Taipei Calligraphy Association jointly awarded certificates to the trainees. The Traditional Calligraphy Association and the UNESCO Club jointly awarded certificates to members of the Traditional Calligraphy Association whose works participated in exhibitions in Vietnam. In this section, I would like to emphasize a few points: - Closely associated with the Han Nom script is Han Nom calligraphy - a unique art form of writing. It has not only cultural significance but also scientific significance because studying and translating classical texts requires deciphering the script, which includes difficult-to-read scripts such as: cursive, clerical, seal script, and especially grass script; therefore, it is difficult to separate calligraphy from the process of identifying the script. -The calligraphy movement not only awakens love and inspiration for the art of writing at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, but also extends that spirit to the entire field of Sino-Vietnamese studies. -That movement has produced a number of good calligraphers, who, with further training, could become master calligraphers. I am very pleased that the Department of Sino-Vietnamese Studies has included calligraphy in the official curriculum, which affirms the position of this subject in the system of subjects of the Sino-Vietnamese Studies field. Regarding creative writing in classical literary genres: In the Sino-Vietnamese heritage, literary heritage accounts for a large proportion, and in literary training, Sino-Vietnamese studies are also given priority. Given that these literary forms are products of figurative thinking and are closely associated with medieval literature, we always pay attention to the parallel structure within these genres in our research, translation, and teaching. We focus on familiarizing students with couplets because they are the smallest unit for creating parallel forms such as poetry, prose, and funeral orations. Of course, creating these types of works is difficult to undertake in contemporary Sino-Vietnamese studies, as the primary goal is heritage research and translation. Only when Sino-Vietnamese scholars have to address cultural issues such as composing couplets and large inscriptions for newly erected monuments or inscriptions for newly cast bells will such work become urgent. Who can replace Sino-Vietnamese scholars in this? On the other hand, when translating parallel literary forms, to convey the content and artistic quality, translators cannot ignore the importance of translating according to the genre. To achieve this in both student learning and faculty research, time must be devoted to studying and practicing literary genres, starting with couplets. Perhaps one of the pioneering teachers at the Department of Han Nom Studies was Professor Nguyen Dinh Thang. He placed great emphasis on teaching and collecting couplets; in his Han Nom bookshelf, I saw collections of couplets, including those from Catholic churches. I also often received couplets for New Year's greetings, gifts for friends, and even those about life and conduct. I remember that at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Han Nom Studies Department 15 years ago, he wrote an essay about books and reading, an essay with many rhyming couplets. He also created a pair of couplets in Chinese characters to display alongside many other couplets. Many of the couplets that my teacher gave me have imprinted the milestones of my journey from my 8th grade Literature class to the years we spent working together on the project "Han Nom Culture in Hue," imbued with both emotion and academic significance. For the field of Han Nom studies, the creation of couplets and large inscriptions for the four altars dedicated to the Emperors Ly Thanh Tong, Ly Nhan Tong, Le Thanh Tong, and Chu Van An, the Director of the National Academy, in the rear hall of the Thai Hoc building at the Temple of Literature in Hanoi was a difficult and memorable undertaking. The University of Social Sciences and Humanities was assigned this task by the Department of Culture and the People's Committee of Hanoi to carry out this work in less than a year to be ready for the Grand Celebration of the 990th Anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi. The university established an executive board consisting of representatives from administration, organization, the Faculty of History, the Faculty of Literature, and representatives from the Han Nom Studies Department. A plan was drafted to collect materials about the four prominent figures from historical sites and documents; Invitations to participate in the writing competition were sent to numerous agencies and individuals nationwide; workshops were organized after receiving submitted works; a permanent office was set up for the secretariat to exchange and receive feedback... under the direct guidance of the Rector. A significant step was the establishment of a Scientific Council to evaluate and select couplets and large inscriptions for each altar. The Council invited members who were professors and associate professors from the fields of Sino-Vietnamese Studies and Classical Literature of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi Pedagogical University, Hanoi University of Foreign Languages, the Institute of Sino-Vietnamese Studies, and the Institute of Literature. The selection process was conducted at two levels: the University level and the City level, with the selection method based on council discussion, analysis, and voting. As a result, out of 100 couplets and nearly 100 large characters submitted from various sources, only 4 pairs of couplets and 4 large characters were selected. Of these, 3 couplets and 3 large characters were composed and established by the Department of Han Nom Studies. Before being engraved, these couplets and large characters were exhibited for a period to gather feedback from interested scholars. Later, the Department of Han Nom Studies also participated in composing couplets and large characters for historical sites in Hanoi and other provinces. Completing these tasks represents only the efforts of individuals and groups. This needs to be realized within the Department's training program to build a workforce, thereby ensuring long-term connection, maintenance, and the establishment of a cultural tradition. Generally, in the process of national cultural revival and development, many historical, cultural, and religious relics have been restored, and even newly constructed, all requiring a system of Han Nom script, including the national language, for writing large characters, couplets, stelae, bell inscriptions, etc.; however, generations proficient in Han Nom script to handle this work have gradually disappeared. Therefore, the Han Nom Studies Department, with a deep understanding of the necessity of Han Nom culture in modern life, needs to train people capable of undertaking this difficult task. In reality, spontaneous products of calligraphy and literary creation have appeared at relics throughout the country. These new texts often contain many errors in Han Nom language and calligraphy, thus diminishing the cultural value of the relics. This situation seems to have not been addressed by cultural managers, and there is no regulation for the creation of works to be included in historical and cultural relics. I hope that the Department of Sino-Vietnamese Studies and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will pay more attention to training the next generation of leaders and building a workforce, so as to complete the task of preserving and promoting Sino-Vietnamese culture, for today and for the future.