Vietnamese wood blocks named world memory

A set of Nguyen dynasty wood blocks has become the first piece of Vietnamese heritage to win recognition as a UNESCO Memory of the World, according to UNESCO Vietnam.
The wood blocks, submitted for recognition last January, are part of a collection of nearly 35,000 pieces dating from 1697 to 1945 used to print literary and historical works. If the entire collection were printed, they would make 152 books, according to the document submitted to UNESCO.
The collection is now being preserved at the State Records and Archives Department in National Archives Centre 4.
Apart from historical value, the wood blocks are also important in terms of their art and skill marking the development of the wood block carving and printing profession in Vietnam.
The blocks are made up of a plate of wood with letters carved in Chinese or ancient Vietnamese. The letters are carved in reverse so when the image is printed, it will appear the right way round.
The blocks represent an important part of the country’s feudal history. Under the Nguyen dynasty, they were made to print information publicising social standards, articles on the lives and careers of the aristocracy and historical events. These were original records of the time and it is for this reason that they are considered so valuable to the nation.
The collection boasts many valuable and rare wood blocks, including Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi (History of the Unification of Great Vietnam) and Dai Nam Thuc Luc (Royal Annals of Great Vietnam).
Most of the wood blocks are made of thi tree wood which is yellow and soft, and the nha dong tree, which is smooth and of an ivory colour. These kinds of wood are especially good in preserving the shape of the carvings.
Along with Vietnam ’s contributions, 34 other nominations from across the world became UNSECO Memory of the World. These included the diary of Anne Frank, the famous Dutch teenager who was killed by the Nazis, a document on slaves in the Caribbean when it was a British colony between 1817 and 1834, artworks of Norman McLaren (Canada) and royal Thai documents.
UNESCO launched the Memory of the World Programme in 1994 to guard against collective amnesia and to call upon the preservation of valuable archive holdings and library collections all over the world ensuring their wider dissemination.
Until now, 193 pieces of heritage have been recognised worldwide.