Doctor of Science Do Van Khang – “A Man of the Times”

Early "fate" with science

As a 12-year-old boy, Mr. Do Van Khang evacuated with his family to Tuyen Quang during the resistance war against the French. During the war, he worked at To Hieu printing factory, Viet Bac.

When peace returned, the young man from the Capital devoted himself to his studies and examinations. As one of the fourteen people honored to study in Russia, he chose to study Aesthetics. Making a "revolution" in scientific research has always been the guiding principle on his open and thorny research path. With a bold and unique personality in research, along with a scientific and philosophical way of thinking and a desire to explore and learn, he achieved a PhD in Aesthetics at the prestigious Russian State University with two new scientific theories recognized by the Scientific Council of MGY University: Aesthetic Field Theory and Total Vitality and Excess Vitality Theory.

Building Interdisciplinary Science and Establishing New Departments

Associate Professor, Doctor of Science Do Van Khang has devoted much effort to building a trio of interdisciplinary sciences: Philosophy - Aesthetics - Art Studies. According to him: “To be good at knowledge, you must have interdisciplinary knowledge..It is the synthesis of methods to reach the final goal of research”.

From a broad interdisciplinary research perspective, Professor Do Van Khang has successfully established the Department of Aesthetics and Ethics at the Faculty of Philosophy, Hanoi National University. He has established Aesthetics as a fundamental science of the life reality of beauty (Aesthetic Life), through a set of tools that are a system of very specific aesthetic categories (such as: beauty, ugliness, tragedy, comedy and excellence). He has also pioneered the establishment of the Department of Art Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy since 1994. Professor Khang has contributed to the establishment of the following departments: Marxist-Leninist Aesthetics; History of Aesthetics; Theoretical foundations of literature (basic aesthetics) and Art Studies.

In the 80s of the 20th century, Mr. Do Van Khang and other contemporary Vietnamese aestheticians developed the aesthetic theory of Marxism-Leninism in the movement of national art and culture into clear aesthetic directions, with a combative nature and a scientific appearance. In his system, he established aesthetics from the spearheads of philosophical science as follows:

Materialism and ontology: After more than 40 years of building a philosophical aesthetic system with its own structure in Vietnam, the Master's persistent statement about the determinism of beauty is still its ontology. Materiality helps beauty to exist around us and we can perceive it in all forms through our senses.

Literary practicality

Mr. Khang always closely follows the aesthetic creative achievements of national and world literary and artistic practices to contribute aesthetic theory to practical aesthetic criticism.

Timeliness

He always modernized aesthetic theory, opposing speculative and unrealistic thinking. In particular, he favored critical and predictive aesthetic thinking.

Creativity never stops

Human nature is to mold matter according to the law of beauty - this is the general principle of the constantly creative nature of all mankind according to the concept of historical materialism, Mr. Do Van Khang never neglected this nature in his personality. Professor, Academician Nguyen Khanh Toan commented on Mr. Khang's creative spirit through his PhD thesis in literature: "New and has many contributions".

The figurative nature of the construction of the ideal person of an era

He is one of the few contemporary Vietnamese philosophical aestheticians who have built a philosophical aesthetic system with standard categories that are not dry, because he knows how to grasp the flow of the history of creating vivid, sensory, and concrete artistic images of the world and national arts. This has given his aesthetic system "A shape of human life".

Critical

From an interdisciplinary approach, in the field of aesthetic criticism, Mr. Khang also diligently created a modern style of literary criticism, with great enthusiasm and always emphasized the leading role and methodological role of philosophical aesthetics.

With many years of dedication to the education and training career in the field of aesthetic theory, he has been tirelessly working towards the goal of building an ideal aesthetic orientation within the overall structure of human actions and personality; in educating and nurturing the ability to perceive and appreciate art through specific models of people of the era. From there, he has guided and nurtured many generations of young students with an extremely important skill (perceptive skill - EQ) that not many sciences have, especially it has a positive impact on the group of philosophy students, who have studied too much with subjects that train purely rational and dry thinking.

He has worked at many agencies, universities, and faculties related to aesthetics, literature, and art studies such as Nguyen Du Writing School, University of Theatre and Cinema, Faculty of Journalism and Communication, Yet Kieu Fine Arts School, Hanoi Conservatory of Music, University of Culture,... In particular, he is associated with the Faculty of Literature and the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of General Sciences, now the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU.

Dr. Do Van Khang

Golden words for "Man of the time"

As a Vietnamese who graduated as valedictorian in the Aesthetics major at the Russian State University, he wrote a glorious page in history for the country and the Vietnamese people. This is also shown through the evaluations of other professors about him: Professor Hoang Trinh - former Director of the Institute of Literature - gave Professor Do Van Khang three words: "An Luong Khang"; Professor Hoang Xuan Nhi - former Head of the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi University - commented on the first Marxist-Leninist aesthetics book by Professor Do Van Khang (editor-in-chief): "This is the first Aesthetics book written by Vietnamese professors according to their own structure"; Professor. Academician Phan Cu De commented: "Do Van Khang showed his talent for literary criticism early on...he has an interdisciplinary approach to renew literature"; Professor Ha Minh Duc - former Director of the Institute of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Prize - included Professor Do Van Khang in his ranking of famous Vietnamese people of the 20th century, honoring him as "A Man of an Era".

Scientific achievements

1. In 1984, the book was published.History of Aesthetics(Primitive and Ancient Greece). In 2010, published the bookcurriculum History of Aesthetics(full set).
2. 1985, publishedMarxist-Leninist Aesthetics textbook (editor-in-chief)
3. 1993, ConstructionDepartment of Aesthetics and Ethicsat the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The major code of Aesthetics (Marxist-Leninist Aesthetics, code: 5.01.05) at the doctoral and master's levels was opened in the years 1996 - 2004.
4. 1994, ConstructionArt Studiesfirst in Vietnam, at the Faculty of Philosophy, Hanoi University of Science. In 1990,Art of learningwas included in the general education curriculum at Hanoi National University (University Preparatory Department).
5. 2000, publishedArt Studies Textbook. 2011, publishedArt Studies Curriculum(new set).
6. In 2010, he created a phenomenon of modern literary criticism with the bookModern commentary.

Works on Aesthetics, Literary Theory and Literary Criticism

1. CoilHistory of Aesthetics(Primitive and Ancient Greece) (1984), Culture Publishing House.
2. Marxist-Leninist aesthetics(editor) (1985), University and Vocational High School Publishing House.
3. General Aesthetics(editor) (1996), Education Publishing House. Reprinted with additions: National University Publishing House in 2002 and 2008.
4. CourseMarxist-Leninist aesthetics(editor) (2010), Education Publishing House.
5. CourseAdvanced Marxist-Leninist Aesthetics(editor) (2004), University of Education Publishing House I.
6. History of Aesthetics(full set) (editor) (2010), Vietnam Education Publishing House.
7. CourseArt of learning(editor) (2000), National University Publishing House. Reprinted 2004 and 2008.
8. CourseBasic Aesthetics(editor) (2011), Vietnam Education Publishing House.
9. CoilModern commentary(2010), Labor Publishing House.
10.  Art of learning(new series) (editor-in-chief) (2011), Information & Communication Publishing House.
11.  Literary theory(Aesthetics of Literature) (2013), Information & Communication Publishing House.

The book "Literary Theory Foundations" (2013) won the Third Prize of the Central Council of Literature and Art Criticism and the Central Propaganda Department, and at the same time renewed the interdisciplinary application with the hierarchical approach of "Basis of basis", "method of method".

Associate Professor, Doctor of Science, Meritorious Student Do Van Khang - "A Man of the Time" has made pioneering contributions to the establishment of the interdisciplinary scientific group of Philosophy - Aesthetics - Ethics - Art Studies. The achievements that he has achieved to this day are a testament to his dedication and strong scientific will to pursue. The research works and books that he has entrusted to him will forever be an invaluable source of knowledge for generations of students.