Find a land

Before officially coming to Vietnam to study and research at the Center for Vietnamese Research Cooperation, Hanoi National University (now the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Prof. Dr. Kikuchi Seiichi, at that time a lecturer and a young archaeologist, was passionate about learning and researching Vietnamese history, culture and archaeology. By self-studying Vietnamese and using a dictionary to look up, he diligently translated the bookArchaeological facility, (University and Vocational High School Publishing House, H., 1975), by Professors Tran Quoc Vuong - Ha Van Tan - Diep Dinh Hoa into Japanese. During a friendly exchange with some Vietnamese colleagues, the author of this work once said that it was the heroic resistance of the Vietnamese people that urged him and many people of his generation to return to the Southern land. The historical depth and the richness and diversity of cultural traditions of the Vietnamese ethnic community, of the Central strip of land, made the young scientist Kikuchi Seiichi love a land even more...

Professor Kikuchi Seiichi spoke at the Medal Awarding Ceremony "For the Development of Vietnam National University, Hanoi" on February 26, 2014. (Photo: Thanh Long)

In 1992, when he came to Vietnam, the Japanese archaeologist studied Vietnamese and immersed himself in the traditions, historical environment and culture of Dai Viet. Fortunately, he was directly taught by many famous experts in ancient history and archaeology such as Professors Phan Huy Le, Ha Van Tan, Tran Quoc Vuong, Luong Ninh, Phan Dai Doan, Diep Dinh Hoa... That basic knowledge helped him understand more about the development, context and historical depth of a country that has long played the role of a bridge between the two geo-cultural spaces of Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia.

During his time studying in Vietnam, the author experienced and reflected on many field trips, participating in survey and excavation teams, seminars, scientific conferences... in all three regions of the North - Central - South, and finally stopped and chose the sunny and windy Central region but always full of affection as the central research area of ​​his life.

As an expert in historical archaeology, right from the first research articles on Central region archaeology, the author choseInterdisciplinary approachin research. With a systematic and rigorous scientific mindset, Dr. Kikuchi has simultaneously used methods, mobilized the intellectual resources of many experts in archaeology, history, geography, geology, social anthropology... to participate in the research project and together perceive and analyze scientific issues from different angles and approaches to further consolidate his hypotheses and scientific viewpoints. Thanks to his understanding of Vietnamese, Chinese and knowledge of English..., the author has carefully researched many ancient sources, including many valuable historical documents that only a few people know about in archives and libraries in Vietnam, China, and Japan. During his business trips to Japan, we were able to consult many valuable books in the Professor's office at Showa Women's University as well as in his home library. For the purpose of research, the author has worked hard to collect many rare and valuable works such asAdventures of An Namby Nagakubo Sekisui orThe Adventures of the Southby Shihoken, recorded the "eye-witnesses and ears-hearing" of the Japanese who had wandered to Dang Trong - Hoi An in the 18th century. It is worth noting that these books were written in the context of the Edo government (1600-1868) implementing the policy of national isolation (sakoku,1639-1853).

Like many other Japanese researchers, Dr. Kikuchi Seiichi always carefully considered, compared, and thoroughly researched the content of translations and excerpts with the original documents, and was always ready to go to archaeological sites hundreds of kilometers away to personally verify the artifacts mentioned in the excavation reports. It can be said that in the research work, written historical sources have helped and clarified many discoveries, seemingly very isolated, during archaeological explorations and excavations. On the other hand, archaeological discoveries have also contributed to clarifying many historical issues and gaps in information and perception that no matter how detailed or massive the geographical records and historical chronicles are, they cannot fully record the colorful aspects of social life. Therefore, in the eyes of archaeologists, a ceramic artifact found underground, a type of weapon, a bronze mold, a pottery sack or even a trace of coal ash in a cultural layer... all can speak of time and connections to social space, history, and domestic and international connections.

Getting acquainted and penetrating the land of Quang - Hoi An has been nearly two decades, it can be said that there is no alley in the ancient town of Hoi An that the author has not set foot in, no surrounding area of ​​the ancient town from Cam Pho, Cam Ha, Thanh Chiem... and further to Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh that the researcher has not visited to observe, explore, and investigate. Placing the port city of Hoi An in regional and inter-regional relationships, in the author's thinking, way of posing and explaining the problem in each chapter and part of the book's content, the basic developments of social and cultural life are always evident. Therefore, a Hoi An in the 16th-18th centuries was always associated with the port of Cu Lao Cham, with the rise and fall of Chiem Cang, with Tra Kieu, My Son and a whole chain of commercial ports in the Central region from Ai Tu, Thanh Ha to Thi Nai, Nuoc Man... Before Hoi An and before Chiem Cang, in the Thu Bon river basin, there was also a Sa Huynh cultural era with types of jar tombs, jewelry... deeply expressing the common and unique features of a cultural sub-region. The Sa Huynh people committed themselves to the sea, mingled with the ocean waves and at the same time established a line of connection between the sea and the mainland. Such was the research requirement and the author, with his serious scientific work, also worked very hard to do so.

In recent years, as a Professor of a prestigious university, Vice Head of the Department of History, President of the Southeast Asian Archaeological Association and a member of the Executive Committee of the Japanese Archaeological Association... each year the author cannot spend more than 30 days in Hoi An - Vietnam. However, thanks to his methodical working style, with very specific plans for each year, even for each field season... the author has gradually completed many research projects. Overcoming many difficulties and challenges in terms of time, working conditions and even weather and climate... the Japanese researcher always receives support from many historians, archaeologists, colleagues, students, graduate students, researchers and Vietnamese management agencies.

With Hoi An, the basic content of the 13 chapters presented in two parts of the book has outlined a rich, multifaceted picture. Hoi An is not only a port but also the largest and most important economic center of Dang Trong, not only an international trade hub but also a production center with famous craft villages, not only a densely populated area but also a strong military base... Integrating domestic and international potential and resources, Hoi An has become a symbol, a touchstone for the strength of the Dang Trong government for 3 centuries. It can be said that there could not have been a golden age in the trade relations of Dai Viet in general and Dang Trong in particular without large-scale trading ports like Hoi An. Hoi An always has its own special position from its development history to its domestic and international connections and many other political and social factors. From a holistic approach and general analysis, the author has deeply examined the structure of the ancient town of Hoi An, the process of formation, development as well as the transformation of that structure. In Faifo - Hai Pho - Hoi An in the early 17th century, there existed a Japanese Quarter (Nihon Machi). The Nguyen lords such as Nguyen Hoang (1558-1612), Nguyen Phuc Nguyen (1613-1634)... bet the survival of their political regime on maritime economic activities and the Japanese, during the first three decades of the 17th century, also bet on foreign economic activities, with the regimeRed Seal Shipfamous, in the southern ports including Hoi An.

As an archaeologist, focusing on Central region ceramics, the author has collaborated with Japanese and Vietnamese colleagues to survey and excavate many ancient ceramic production centers. As a result, the author and the research team have basically isolated similarities and differences in manufacturing techniques, artistic styles, usage features and even chemical composition... of Vietnamese ceramic products in general and Central region in particular in comparative research with ceramic artifacts of "An Nam" origin discovered earliest in Oita city (dating from 1580-1590) and then in Sakai, Osaka, Nagasaki, Edo, etc. in the 16th-18th centuries. On the other hand, to thoroughly understand the historical Japan-Vietnam relationship as well as the "spread" of Hizen ceramics to the world, the author has also focused on research, contributed to appraisal and personally discovered many sites of Japanese ceramics in many regions of Vietnam. Among them, the Professor's research and views on Hizen artifacts in the Dong Thech ancient tomb complex, Kim Boi, Hoa Binh have changed the "traditional" concept of some Japanese researchers on the development history of this special type of handicraft product.

Hoi An is famous for its Japanese Town, Japanese Bridge and Japanese tombs... However, the traces of a 17th century Japanese Town have faded over time and the overlapping and interweaving of Vietnamese, Chinese, Southeast Asian and Western cultures as well as the destruction of wars and power struggles between political forces. However, the vivid motifs in the Chaya painting with Japanese Town, Japanese trading post and images ofRed Seal Shipbeing pulled into the Thu Bon estuary by local boats... all the more urging many archeological, historical and cultural experts to try to determine the true location of the old quarter. In the context of limited written sources, it seems that the most practical solution is to rely on archaeological searches and discoveries. Finding points in the area, studying cases in the system, relying on the laws of geomorphology, and applying the method of toponymy combined with locating ancient pagodas, traces of "Cham wells"... archaeologist Kikuchi and his Vietnamese and Japanese colleagues have established a system of exploration and testing pits, and the positive results of those research efforts have helped the author to express his views onThe location of the early 17th century Japanese Quarter is in the area north of Tran Phu - Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, the center of which may be the north of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street.. That is one of the important contributions of the author and the research community in clarifying the history of formation, development, structure of an ancient city as well as the multifaceted relationships of Hoi An in history. With those research achievements, Prof. Kikuchi Seiichi has become a prestigious expert in international academic forums on traditional Japan - Vietnam relations, Central region archaeology and Hoi An historical and cultural archaeology. Not only focusing on research and archaeological excavation, the Professor also actively plays the role of "bridge" in connecting Vietnamese - Japanese experts, organizing many scientific seminars, talks, presentations and directly introducing Hoi An to many research delegations and politicians, including the visit of Japanese Crown Prince Hironomiya Shinnou on February 2, 2009.

Along with My Son, Hoi An today has become one of twoWorld Cultural Heritagefamous in Quang Nam. Since the international conference on Hoi An Ancient Town in 1990, the place name Faifo - Hai Pho - Hoi An has become increasingly familiar in domestic and international research circles. Over the past two decades, many works, theses, and studies on Hoi An in terms of history, culture, society, economy, architecture, etc. have continued to be published. Hoi An has its own strong, hidden appeal. In that vibrant academic atmosphere, the book by Professor Kikuchi Seiichi (published with the help of The Gioi Publishing House) will certainly contribute a voice, a perspective, and a heart of international scholars on Hoi An Ancient Town.

Hoi An is changing along with the general development of the country. The museum system, architectural works, and rich historical and cultural relics of the ancient town have been and are speaking for themselves about their true values. Four centuries have passed, but people still talk about the depth of an ancient town with countless cultural heritages contained in the ground, about the life of the residents of the Thu Bon estuary, the legend of Cu Lao Cham, about the Kim Bong boat-building village, Thanh Ha pottery village, about Non Nuoc pagoda, Thanh Chiem citadel and the affectionate, profound people of Hoi An... All are vivid evidence of a port city, an urban area. There, there was once a destination, a place to return to for many explorers, missionaries, merchants and Asian and European merchant ships.

Obviously, as with other research, at some point in the book's contentResearch on the ancient town of Hoi An – From the perspective of historical archaeologyWe can still contribute more ideas to the author, still see the need to supplement, update some new information, scientific discoveries and can discuss in a spirit of cooperation and colleagues.

As someone who has worked and collaborated with the author for many years, I would like to share a few thoughts and feelings on the occasion of reading the book and respectfully introduce to researchers and readers near and far the valuable and profound academic research work of Japanese historical archaeologist Kikuchi Seiichi.