Find your way back to a land

Before officially coming to Vietnam to study and conduct research at the Center for Vietnam Research Cooperation, Hanoi University (now the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Professor Kikuchi Seiichi, then a lecturer and a young archaeologist, had already developed a passion for studying Vietnamese history, culture, and archaeology. By self-studying Vietnamese and using dictionaries, he diligently translated the book...Archaeological site(University and Vocational High School Publishing House, Hanoi, 1975), translated into Japanese by Professors Tran Quoc Vuong, Ha Van Tan, and Diep Dinh Hoa. During a friendly exchange with some Vietnamese colleagues, the author of this work once stated that the heroic resistance of the Vietnamese people had inspired him and many others of his generation to return to the South. The depth of history and the richness and diversity of cultural traditions of the Vietnamese ethnic communities, of the Central region, made the young scientist Kikuchi Seiichi even more fond of this land...

Professor Kikuchi Seiichi speaking at the award ceremony for the "For the Development of Hanoi National University" commemorative medal on February 26, 2014. (Photo: Thanh Long)

In 1992, upon arriving in Vietnam, the Japanese archaeologist simultaneously studied Vietnamese and immersed himself in the traditions, historical environment, and culture of the Đại Việt nation. Fortunately, he had the opportunity to directly learn from many renowned experts in ancient history and archaeology, such as Professors Phan Huy Lê, Hà Văn Tấn, Trần Quốc Vượng, Lương Ninh, Phan Đại Doãn, and Diệp Đình Hoa. This foundation of basic knowledge helped him better understand the development, context, and depth of history of a country that has for centuries served as a bridge between the geo-cultural spaces of Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia.

Throughout his studies in Vietnam, the author experienced and reflected on numerous field trips, participating in surveys, excavations, seminars, and scientific conferences across all three regions of North, Central, and South Vietnam. Ultimately, he chose the sun-drenched, windy, yet deeply hospitable central region as the central area of ​​his research.

As an expert in historical archaeology, from the very first research papers on the archaeology of Central Vietnam, the author has chosen...Interdisciplinary approachIn his research, with a systematic and rigorous scientific mindset, Dr. Kikuchi simultaneously employed various methods and mobilized the intellectual resources of numerous experts in archaeology, history, geography, geology, social anthropology, and other fields to participate in the research project. They viewed and analyzed scientific issues from different perspectives and approaches, thereby strengthening his hypotheses and scientific viewpoints. Thanks to his understanding of Vietnamese and Chinese, and his knowledge of English, the author carefully researched many ancient sources, including numerous valuable historical documents known only to a select few in archives and libraries in Vietnam, China, and Japan. During our work trips to Japan, we had the opportunity to consult many valuable books in the Professor's office at Showa Women's University as well as in his home library. For the sake of his research goals, the author has diligently collected many rare and valuable works such as...An Nam Kingdom Adventure Chronicleby Nagakubo SekisuiThe Adventures of a Southern ManShihoken's works record the firsthand accounts of Japanese people who migrated to Dang Trong - Hoi An in the 18th century. It is noteworthy that these books were written in the context of the Edo government's (1600-1868) isolationist policy.sakoku,(1639-1853).

Like many other Japanese researchers, Dr. Kikuchi Seiichi always carefully examines, compares, and thoroughly investigates the content of translations and excerpts with original documents, and is always ready to travel to archaeological sites hundreds of kilometers away to personally verify the artifacts mentioned in excavation reports. It can be said that in his research, written historical sources have helped clarify many seemingly isolated discoveries made during archaeological explorations and excavations. Furthermore, archaeological findings have contributed to clarifying many historical issues and filling gaps in information and understanding that even the most detailed and extensive geographical and historical chronicles could not fully capture the multifaceted aspects of social life. Therefore, from the perspective of archaeologists, a ceramic artifact unearthed from the ground, a type of weapon, a bronze casting mold, a pottery kiln, or even a trace of ash in a cultural layer... all can speak volumes about time and its connections to social and historical space, as well as domestic and international connections.

Having become familiar with and deeply immersed in Quang Nam - Hoi An for nearly two decades, it can be said that there is not a single street in the ancient city of Hoi An that the author has not set foot in, nor a single surrounding area of ​​the ancient city, from Cam Pho, Cam Ha, Thanh Chiem... and even further afield to Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh, that the researcher has not visited, observed, explored, and investigated. Placing the port city of Hoi An within the context of regional and inter-regional connections, the author's thinking, approach, and interpretation of issues in each chapter and section of the book consistently reflect the fundamental developments of social and cultural life. Therefore, a Hoi An of the 16th-18th centuries is always closely associated with the pre-port of Cu Lao Cham, with the rise and fall of Chiem Cang, with Tra Kieu, My Son, and a whole chain of trading ports in Central Vietnam from Ai Tu, Thanh Ha to Thi Nai, Nuoc Man... Before Hoi An and even before Chiem Cang, in the Thu Bon River basin there was also a Sa Huynh culture with types of burial jars, jewelry... deeply reflecting the common and unique characteristics of a sub-cultural region. The Sa Huynh people engaged with the sea, immersing themselves in the ocean waves, and at the same time established a connection between the islands and the mainland. This was the research requirement, and the author, through serious scientific work, has meticulously accomplished this.

In recent years, as a professor at a prestigious university, Vice Dean of the History Department, President of the Southeast Asian Archaeological Society, and a member of the Executive Board of the Japanese Archaeological Society, the author has been unable to dedicate more than 30 days a year to Hoi An, Vietnam. However, thanks to a systematic and well-planned approach to work, with specific plans for each year and even for each field trip, the author has gradually completed many research projects. Overcoming numerous difficulties and challenges related to time, working conditions, and even weather and climate, the Japanese researcher has always received support from many experts in history and archaeology, colleagues, students, graduate students, doctoral candidates, and Vietnamese management agencies.

With regard to Hoi An, the basic content of the 13 chapters presented in two parts of the book paints a rich and multifaceted picture. Hoi An was not only a port city but also the largest and most important economic center of Dang Trong (Southern Vietnam), not only an international trade hub but also a production center with famous craft villages, not only a densely populated area but also a strategic stronghold and military base... Integrating domestic and international potential and resources, Hoi An became a symbol and a test of the strength of the Dang Trong government for three 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 trading ports of the stature of Hoi An. Hoi An has always held a unique position, from its historical development to its domestic and international connections, along with countless other political and social factors. From a holistic approach and comprehensive analysis, the author delves into the structure of the ancient city of Hoi An, its formation, development, and transformation. In Faifo - Hai Pho - Hoi An, at the beginning of the 17th century, there once existed a Japanese quarter.Nihon MachiThe Nguyen lords, such as Nguyen Hoang (reign: 1558-1612), Nguyen Phuc Nguyen (reign: 1613-1634)... once staked the survival of their political system on maritime economic activities, and the Japanese, during the first three decades of the 17th century, also staked their foreign economic activities on their regime.Red Seal ShipFamous, it originated in port cities in the South, including Hoi An.

As an archaeologist specializing in Central Vietnamese stoneware, the author has collaborated with Japanese and Vietnamese colleagues to survey and excavate numerous ancient pottery production centers. As a result, the author and research team have fundamentally identified similarities and differences in manufacturing techniques, artistic styles, functional uses, and even chemical composition of Vietnamese stoneware in general, and Central Vietnamese stoneware in particular, through comparative studies with stoneware artifacts of "Annam" origin discovered earliest in Oita (dating from 1580-1590) and later in Sakai, Osaka, Nagasaki, Edo, etc., in the 16th-18th centuries. Furthermore, to thoroughly understand the historical relationship between Japan and Vietnam, as well as the "spread" of Hizen ceramics to the world, the author has also focused on researching, contributing to the identification, and personally discovering many unearthed sites of Japanese ceramics in various regions of Vietnam. Among them, the professor's research and perspective on Hizen artifacts at the Dong Thech ancient burial site in Kim Boi, Hoa Binh, has changed the "traditional" views of some Japanese researchers regarding the historical development of this particular type of handicraft.

Hoi An is famous for its Japanese Quarter, Japanese Bridge, and even Japanese tombs... However, traces of a 17th-century Japanese Quarter have faded over time, due to the overlapping and intertwining of Vietnamese, Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Western cultures, as well as the devastation of wars and power struggles between political forces. Nevertheless, the vivid details in the Chaya painting, with its Japanese Quarter, Japanese shops, and images of...Red Seal ShipThe sight of boats being towed into the Thu Bon estuary by local residents further spurred many archaeologists, historians, and cultural experts to diligently determine the true location of the ancient town. Given the limited availability of written documents, the most practical solution seemed to be based on archaeological searches and discoveries. By identifying specific points within a given area, studying cases within a system, relying on the laws of geomorphological evolution, and applying toponymic methods combined with the location of ancient temples and traces of "Cham wells," archaeologist Kikuchi and his Vietnamese and Japanese colleagues established a system of exploratory and verification pits. The promising results of these research efforts allowed the author to present his perspective on the site.The location of the Japanese Quarter in the early 17th century was in the area north of Tran Phu - Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets, with the center possibly being the north side of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street.This is one of the author's and researchers' important contributions to clarifying the history of formation, development, and structure of an ancient city, as well as the multifaceted connections of Hoi An throughout history. With these research achievements, Professor Kikuchi Seiichi has become a reputable expert in international academic forums on traditional Japan-Vietnam relations, Central Vietnam archaeology, and the historical and cultural archaeology of Hoi An. Not only dedicated to research and archaeological excavation, the Professor also actively plays a "bridge" role in connecting Vietnamese and Japanese experts, organizing numerous scientific conferences, seminars, 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 the twoWorld Cultural HeritageHoi An is a famous town in Quang Nam province. Since the 1990 International Conference on the Ancient City of Hoi An, the place names Faifo - Hai Pho - Hoi An have become increasingly familiar to researchers both domestically and internationally. Over the past two decades, numerous works, theses, and studies on Hoi An in terms of history, culture, society, economics, architecture, etc., have continued to be published. Hoi An possesses a powerful, hidden charm. In this vibrant academic landscape, Professor Kikuchi Seiichi's book (published with the support of The Gioi Publishing House) will undoubtedly contribute a voice, a perspective, and a heartfelt sentiment from international scholars regarding the ancient city of Hoi An.

Hoi An is transforming along with the overall development of the country. The museum system, architectural works, and rich historical and cultural relics of the ancient city speak volumes about their true value. Four centuries have passed, yet people still speak of the depth of this ancient town with its countless cultural heritages buried beneath the earth, of the rhythm of life of the inhabitants of the Thu Bon River estuary, the legend of Cham Island, the Kim Bong boat-building village, the Thanh Ha pottery village, the Non Nuoc Pagoda, the Thanh Chiem administrative center, and the warm-hearted and profound people of Hoi An... All are vivid proofs of a port city, a bustling metropolis. There, at one time, it was a destination and a place of return for countless explorers, missionaries, merchants, and trading ships from Asia and Europe.

Obviously, as with other research works, there are some points in the content of this book.Studying the ancient city of Hoi An – From a historical archaeological perspectiveWe can still contribute our opinions to the author, still feel the need to supplement and update some information, new scientific discoveries, and can discuss in a spirit of cooperation and collegiality.

Having worked and collaborated with the author for many years, I would like to share a few thoughts and feelings upon reading this book and respectfully introduce to researchers and readers near and far this valuable and insightful academic work by Japanese historical archaeologist Kikuchi Seiichi.