As part of the ongoing thematic exhibition “Popular Education - Lighting the Future,” the Volunteer Club of the Vietnam National Museum of History (VNMH) held a seminar on 23 November 2025 titled “Vietnamese Quốc Ngữ Script: Its Name and Its Rise in Society during the Late 19th - Early 20th Century”.
Overview of the seminar
The seminar was attended by Ms. Phạm Thị Mai Thủy, Head of the Education and Communication Department; Ms. Bùi Thị Hằng, Deputy Head of the department; members of the Museum’s Volunteer Club; students and visitors interested in history and culture. Notably, the event was honored to welcome Mrs. Nguyễn Phương Mỹ, granddaughter of scholar Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh, one of the pioneering intellectuals who helped popularize the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script in the late 19th–early 20th century.
Prof. Dr. Vũ Đức Nghiệu, former Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU) sharing opinions at the seminar
The speaker of the seminar was Prof. Dr. Vũ Đức Nghiệu, former Vice President of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU - Hanoi). In an engaging talk, he traced the origins, evolution, and naming of the Quốc ngữ script, highlighting its rise and growing influence in Vietnamese society in late 19th - early 20th century. His insights offered the audience a clearer appreciation of the script’s role in Vietnam’s cultural transformation.
In his presentation, the Professor emphasized the close relationship between language and writing. While the Quốc ngữ script can be studied from cultural, historical, or philological perspectives, he focused on its role as a system for transcribing Vietnamese. From this angle, he clarified the origins, meaning, and historical emergence of the term “Quốc ngữ.”
According to the speaker, Quốc ngữ developed and evolved in three major stages.
- Emerging Stage (1615–1630): Western missionaries began using Latin letters to transcribe Vietnamese, primiraly for missionary purposes.
- Completion Stage (1630–1651): The transcription system was gradually refined, with clearer sound segmentation, the addition of tone marks, and a more stable writing structure.
- Spread Stage (19th–20th Century): Quốc ngữ was standardized and introduced into education, administration, and daily life, marking a significant cultural transformation.
The Professor also clarified several related terms that need to be distinguished: writing vs. language; Quốc ngữ vs. chữ Quốc ngữ; Quốc ngữ vs. Quốc âm. He further noted that the term “chữ Quốc ngữ” officially appeared in Gia Định Báo on April 15, 1867, though some research indicates it may have been used earlier, in late 1866 or early 1867, in educational publications by Trương Vĩnh Ký.
Visitor sharing his views at the seminar
The speaker’s presentation attracted strong interest from the audience. In his discussion with participants, Prof. Dr. Vũ Đức Nghiệu emphasized the crucial role of individual contributors in promoting the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script during the late 19th – 20th century. Pioneering intellectuals such as Trương Vĩnh Ký, Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh, Phạm Quỳnh, and Nguyễn Văn Tố were regarded as “pathfinders” who helped bring Quốc ngữ into everyday social life.
Movements like Duy Tân, Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục, and the acitivities of the Quốc ngữ Propagation Association also played a vital role by opening classes, publishing materials, and promoting the wider use of the script. However, for Quốc ngữ truly gain its place in social life, the policies of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - especially the Popular Education movement - were decisive. The movement not only spread Quốc ngữ across the country but also brought it into everyday life, helping eradicate illiteracy and raise public education levels.
Ms. Nguyễn Phương Mỹ, granddaughter of scholar Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh, sharing her views at the seminar.
At the seminar, Mrs. Nguyễn Phương Mỹ shared that she came with her family after learning about the event on Facebook, as her grandfather had devoted his life to the Quốc ngữ script. She recalled the words engraved on his tomb: “The future of our nation, for better or worse, rests on the Quốc ngữ script.”
According to Mrs. Nguyễn Phương Mỹ, through his journalism and his teaching at the Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục, Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh demonstrated that Quốc ngữ enable people to learn to read,write and express themselves quickly, unlike classical Chinese charactersers, which was accessible only to a small elite. She emotionally shared that Vietnamese is a unique and musical language that deserves to be cherished and preserved.
Ms. Bui Thi Hang sharing her views at the seminar
Speaking at the seminar, Ms. Bùi Thị Hằng expressed her sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. Vũ Đức Nghiệu for his insightful presentation on the origins, development, and social role of the Quốc ngữ script. She noted that his valuable insights helped the public, especially students, gain a deeper understanding of the historical, cultural, and educational significance of the Popular Education movement. On behalf of the Volunteer Club, she looked forward to welcoming visitors back to the Museum in future events.
The speaker and attendees taking a group photo at the seminar.
Guests visiting the exhibition, experienced writing on dried banana leaves and taking commemorative photos at the special exhibition “Popular Education – Lighting the Future.”
The seminar offered students and the public a deeper perspective on the formation, development and spread of the Quốc ngữ script. The event connected historical knowledge with real-life experience through a guided tour and hands-on activities in the special exhibition “Popular Education - Lighting the Future.” Through the exhibition, visitors explored artifacts, documents, and images related to the literacy movement, and took part in writing on dried banana leaves – an activity that recalls how earlier generations first learn to read and write. These experiences helped audiences better understand the pivotal role of the Popular Education movement in eliminating illiteracy, raising public knowledge, thereby contributing to the widespread adoption of Quốc ngữ in mid-20th-century Vietnam as well as its historical significance in Vietnamese society.
Thu Hien