Professor Dinh Xuan Lam: The Man and His Career

Professor Dinh Xuan Lam (1925-2017) was born in Son Tan commune (now Tan My Ha commune), Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province, into a family of mandarins of the Nguyen dynasty. He began teaching (at the secondary level) after the August Revolution of 1945. After graduating from the Faculty of Literature at the Hanoi University of Education in 1956, Professor Dinh Xuan Lam was retained to teach at the History Department of Hanoi University. He is considered one of the pioneering historians who contributed to laying the foundation and developing revolutionary Vietnamese historiography after peace was restored in the North in 1954. During his nearly six-decade research period, from the late 1950s until his death, he left behind a legacy of hundreds of research works in various genres.

Professor Dinh Xuan Lam made significant contributions to the development of the Department of Modern and Contemporary Vietnamese History at the Faculty of History, Hanoi University (now the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) as Head of the Department for 30 years; he was also the Vice President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association, 4th term, and Chairman of the Scientific Council of the UNESCO Center for Historical and Cultural Information and Documentation of Vietnam.

Professor Hoang Anh Tuan (Rector of the University) delivered the opening speech at the conference.

With his virtue and pedagogical talent, Professor was admired and honored by his colleagues and generations of students as one of the four legendary "Pillars" of the History Department (along with Professor Phan Huy Le, Professor Ha Van Tan, and Professor Tran Quoc Vuong). In his 45 years on the giảng platform, he directly taught, guided, and contributed to the training of thousands of undergraduates, hundreds of master's students, and doctoral candidates from both Vietnam and abroad. Many of these students have become prestigious scientists, leading managers in various ministries, departments, and localities; some of his overseas students have become world-renowned diplomats and Vietnam studies scholars.

The Dinh Xuan Lam Scholarship was awarded to undergraduate students, graduate students, and doctoral candidates with outstanding academic achievements in the past academic year.

Professor Dinh Xuan Lam was not only a dedicated and talented educator, but also an outstanding scientist with an exceptional passion for science. Just one year after graduating, in 1957, under the guidance and support of historian Tran Van Giau, he completed his first major work.History of Vietnam during the period 1897-1914(Construction Publishing House, Hanoi). From then until 2015, researcher Dinh Xuan Lam diligently researched and published over 570 different works in the form of monographs, reference books, treatises, scientific articles, document introductions, and book reviews… Professor Dinh Xuan Lam's research works mainly focus on issues of modern and contemporary Vietnamese history such as: the armed resistance movement against the French in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnamese revolution, and reform trends in Vietnamese history...

Professor Nguyen Van Khanh

According to Professor Nguyen Van Khanh (former Party Secretary and former Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities), reading his list of publications, even just considering the quantity, one cannot help but be surprised by the writing prowess and rare creative ability of an outstanding educator and scientist, especially after retirement. While his 33 years of university work resulted in 185 publications, averaging 5.6 articles per year, after retiring (in 1990), at the age of 70 or 80, he published even more than during his teaching career. From 1991 to 2016, in the 26 years since his retirement, he published 377 works and articles, averaging nearly 15 works and articles per year. This is an exceptionally outstanding achievement, a pinnacle that very few in the scientific community can attain.

“Not only does Professor Dinh Xuan Lam possess a massive body of work and diverse genres, but his published works also have a refined presentation style and great appeal to readers. Thanks to his ability to keep up-to-date with materials and his masterful use of research methods, Professor Dinh Xuan Lam has made many outstanding contributions to the study of national history, especially the modern and contemporary periods of Vietnamese history. As a historian with a spirit of innovation and dedication, Professor Dinh Xuan Lam does not hesitate to adjust his understanding, even change his viewpoints. From his professional perspective, he has always supported and promoted innovative thinking in historical research. Professor Dinh Xuan Lam is also one of the pioneers in practicing innovation in historical research, from innovating approaches and searching for new sources of materials to regularly updating theories and methods of historical research,” - Professor Nguyen Van Khanh, People's Teacher.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Cuong - President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association

Associate Professor Tran Duc Cuong, President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association, acknowledged that Professor Dinh Xuan Lam has been one of the core members of the Vietnam Historical Science Association since its establishment. From the 3rd term (1994-1999) to the 6th term (2010-2015), Professor Dinh Xuan Lam was a member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Historical Science Association. In the 5th (2005-2010) and 6th (2010-2015) terms, Professor Dinh Xuan Lam served as Vice President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association. Throughout his time on the Executive Committee, and especially in his capacity as Vice President, Professor Dinh Xuan Lam closely collaborated with Professor Phan Huy Le, President of the Association, and other members of the Executive Committee to focus on academic activities, promote professional work, and disseminate the latest research findings in Vietnamese historiography, particularly since the country embarked on the Doi Moi (Renovation) process. Professor Dinh Xuan Lam actively contributed articles, helping to shape the scientific image of the Journal.Past and Present, the official publication of the Vietnam Historical Science Association. Many of the Professor's articles have attracted readers both domestically and internationally, demonstrating his dedication to various historical issues.

Professor, People's Teacher Vu Duong Ninh

Professor Vu Duong Ninh, a former student of the first cohort of the History Department, Hanoi University, and former head of the International Studies Department, shared: "The greatest stroke of luck was being able to accompany Professor Dinh Xuan Lam for a year in Madagascar. During his time there, he only taught a few classes, but the public there was very enthusiastic. People discussed the Vietnamese professor extensively; they were surprised by his vast and profound knowledge of their country. In his lectures, he connected Vietnamese history with the history of Madagascar, the connection between Nguyen Ai Quoc and the patriot Ralaimongo becoming a symbol between the two countries; he provided them with research methods for studying the uprisings of Madagascar... His influence was profound. Students expressed their admiration for his knowledge, methods, and style. It is clear that Professor Dinh Xuan Lam was not only a pioneering elder in the field of Vietnamese history, but also a leading figure in the field." Dinh Xuan Lam is also a very knowledgeable teacher with erudite methods, yet he is down-to-earth and approachable to his students.

Prof. Dr. Phung Huu Phu

Professor Phung Huu Phu (former Party Secretary, former Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and Permanent Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council) recounted his memories of Professor Dinh Xuan Lam with deep respect: "He was the first person to guide me in my scientific pursuits. His contributions are immense. I call him a down-to-earth scholar. He was born into a well-off family, but lived very simply, cycling to school. He always visited the young staff members in the dormitory, living close and affectionately like a father or grandfather. Generations of us students are like small rivers that our teachers have illuminated with their virtuous hearts."

Historian Duong Trung Quoc

Historian Duong Trung Quoc emphasized the need to share and multiply the values ​​left by leading scientists like Professor Dinh Xuan Lam for future generations: "We are all talking about a teacher of teachers, with a vast legacy not only in knowledge but, more importantly, in character. He was very upright, always straightforward in expressing his views but without extremism. He contributed greatly to the dissemination of knowledge in the field of history. His generation was a golden generation, a generation that received a basic education domestically, along with an education from French civilization, combined with the aspirations of intellectuals who lived through a period of national subjugation. Besides learning from his knowledge, we should aim for the values ​​he left behind and pass them on to future generations."