Nguyễn Dynasty wood-blocks receive world documentary heritage status tomorrow

VGP - UNESCO on Wednesday, December 16, will award the Certificate of World Documentary Heritage for the wood-blocks which date back the Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945), according to the State Records Management and Archives Department of Việt Nam (SRMAD).

December 15, 2009 4:20 PM GMT+7

A wood-block used under the reign of King Minh Mạng (1830-1840) - Photo: SRMAD

Nguyễn Dynasty wood-blocks, currently preserved and stored in Đà Lạt City, Lâm Đồng Province, consist of 34,618 plates, bearing epigraphic contents of various books on history, geography, socio-politics, military, legislation, education and literature.

Apart from their historical value, the wood-blocks also are artistically and technically precious as they mark the development of wood-block carving and printing in Việt Nam.

On July 30, 2000, UNESCO officially added the heritage to the Memory of the World Program.

By Xuân Hồng