In the quiet village of Truong Luu, nestled in Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province, lies a treasure trove of historical documents that could significantly reshape our understanding of Vietnam’s maritime and island sovereignty in the 18th century. A team of researchers from the Department of History at Vinh University’s School of Education, led by Dang Nhu Thuong, has been delving into the archival materials of the Nguyen Huy family, a distinguished lineage that has left an indelible mark on Vietnamese history.
The Nguyen Huy family, spanning from the mid-17th century to the early 20th century, produced sixteen scholars who compiled numerous Sino-Nom works. These works, according to the researchers, offer a multi-dimensional reflection of Vietnamese history and culture. But what’s particularly intriguing is that some of these documents contain crucial information related to Vietnam’s maritime and island sovereignty.
The research team, which includes Le Thi Ngoc, Nguyen Xuan Duc, and Lao Van Chau, has been analyzing several key documents: Quảng Thuận đạo sử tập, Bắc dư tập lãm, Tính lý toản yếu, and Quốc sử toản yếu. These documents, they argue, hold significant historical, academic, and legal value. “The content of these works offers multi-dimensional reflections on Vietnamese history and culture in general, while vividly illustrating the scholarly and cultural activities of the Nguyen Huy family authors in particular,” the researchers noted.
So, what does this mean for the maritime sector? Well, understanding the historical context of Vietnam’s maritime and island sovereignty can have profound implications. For instance, it can provide a stronger legal and historical foundation for Vietnam’s claims in international forums. This, in turn, can open up new opportunities for maritime businesses, from fishing and shipping to tourism and offshore energy exploration.
Moreover, the research can also shed light on historical trade routes and practices, offering valuable insights for modern maritime commerce. As the researchers put it, “Through this analysis, the paper presents observations and assessments of the historical, academic, and legal significance of these documents to the process of establishing and safeguarding Vietnam’s maritime and island sovereignty in the contemporary context.”
The findings of this research were published in the journal ‘Tạp chí Khoa học’, which translates to ‘Scientific Journal’. While the journey to uncover and analyze these documents has just begun, the potential impacts on Vietnam’s maritime sector are already becoming clear. As the research continues, we can expect even more insights to emerge, further enriching our understanding of Vietnam’s maritime history and its implications for the present and future.