With the approval of the Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on 3/12/2014, the Vietnam National Museum of History in collaboration with the EFEO Hanoi opened an exhibition titled "Objectif Vietnam - Vietnam in the early 20th century from the archives of the Ecole Francaise d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO)". The exhibition is the first event to be implemented by the EFEO in Vietnam on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and France. It was attended by Mr. Vuong Duy Bien – Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam; Prof. Dr. Sc Luu Tran Tieu – Chairman of National Heritage Council; Prof. People's Teacher. Phan Huy Lê – President of President of Vietnamese Association of Historical Sciences; Mr. Tran Chien Thang – Former Deputy Minister of Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Nguyen Huu Thuc - Central Committee for Propaganda and Education; Mr. Le Anh Tho and Mr. Hoang Huu Gioi – representatives of MOCST; Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong – Director of VNMH Museum. French side's representatives included Ms. Eva Nguyen Binh – Counsellor for Cultural Affairs, French Embassy to Vietnam; Prof. Léon Vandermeersch – Former Director of EFEO; Assc. Prof. Olivier Tessier, Chief Representative of EFEO Hanoi; Assc. Prof. Pascal Bourdeaux, Chief Representative of EFEO HCM City; TS. Arlo Griffiths, Chief Representative of EFEO to Indonesia and many Vietnamese and French scholars.
Some photos of the opening ceremony:
Delegates and guests at the opening ceremony
Dr. Nguyen Van Cuong – Director of the VNMH Museum addressed a speech at the opening ceremony
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien and delegates cut the ribbon to open the exhibition
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vuong Duy Bien watched the exhibits
The French School of the Far East (École Française d' Extrême – Orient – EFEO) is a French institute dedicated to the study of Asian societies. It was founded by decree on 15/12/1898 but received its definitive title in 1900. At first, it was based in Saigon (HCM City) but soon moved to Ha Noi by December 1901. Its functions are historic studies, language, ethnography, archaeology, preservation, restoration of historical relics in Indochina and study of Asian cultures and civilizations.
Founded and based in Vietnam for more than a half of century, the study of Vietnam was one of the EFEO's main tasks. Many archaeological cultures of Vietnam including Hoa Binh culture, Bac Son culture, Dong Son culture, Sa Huynh culture, Dong Nai culture, Oc Eo culture were discovered, studied, named and published by EFEO.
Many important relics of Vietnam including My Son relic, Dong Duong Buddhism Relic, Sa Pa stone... were also discovered and studied by EFEO.
The exhibition is showcasing 60 photographs from the archives of EFEO. These come from EFEO's scholars and photographers who used the large and medium format cameras and the old photography techniques. The photographs have been digitalised and image restored.
The exhibition contains 4 groups of photographs:
Group 1: Showcasing archaeologist's photographs took when they studied Vietnam. For example, the brick toms in the 1st – 3rd centuries, Ho Citadel in the Northern Vietnam, Champa and Oc Eo cultures. Many photographs are evidences for the relics that have disappeared by now, for example, the Dong Duong Buddhism relic in Quang Nam province.
Kim Cuong statue (Vajradhara) – Dong Duong Buddhism relic, Quang Nam province
Group 2: Displaying photographs about museums construction works in Vietnam. EFEO has built 8 museums in the Indochina region; and 5 in Vietnam in particular. In Vietnam, the Louis Finot was built in 1926 and opened in 1932. The Louis Finot museum was a part of the present Vietnam National Museum of History.
The Louis Finot Museum, Hanoi
Group 3: Featuring the life in Vietnam in the early 20th century, the folk culture and agricultural ceremonies, festivals, worships, funerals, and daily life activities such as Moon Festival, the life in the ancient streets of Hanoi. This group of photographs is the most important part in the exhibition.
Moon lamps for children in Hang Ma street, Hanoi
Group 4: The Nam Giao Offering Ritual was implemented in Bao Dai reign of Nguyen Dynasty (1939). This was the most important ceremony in the feudal time which aimed to honour the sky and earth and confirm the power of the King and his reign. At the beginning, it was done annually in the spring season (February), but later, within 3 years time.
The Nam Giao Offering Ritual performed in 1939
The exhibition also introduces around 70 objects preserved in the VNMH including the devices used by EFEO scholars during their working time in Vietnam and the objects found in the archaeological sites of Hoa Binh, Bac Son, Dong Son, Sa Huynh, Oc Eo, Champa cultures.
The gallery box displaying objects of three cultures: Champa, Oc Eo and Dong Son
The exhibition "Objectif Vietnam - Vietnam in the early 20th century from the archives of the Ecole Francaise d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO)" used the photography resource that was showed in the "Objective Vietnam" exhibition took place in Cernuschi Museum in Paris, France (14/3/2014 – 9/6/2014).
The exhibition has been opened at the Vietnam National Museum of History (25 Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) and will be closed by March, 2015.
The Editors