Hue's Imperial College - The first national university under the Nguyen dynasty

Hue's Imperial College, where the golden list of scholars is kept, marking the last prosperous period of Confucianism. It's also the sole institution for training personnel for the Nguyen dynasty's bureaucracy.

Hue's Imperial College - The first national university under the Nguyen dynasty

In 1802, Nguyen Phuc Anh overthrew the Tay Son dynasty, becoming Emperor under the reign of Gia Long. Hue was once again chosen as the capital of Vietnam. Confucian education continued to play a vital role, guiding the educational system.

The Imperial College of Thang Long maintained its educational role but was limited to the 17 districts of North Vietnam. Eventually, educational institutions were centralized in the capital city of Hue for better administration.

In August 1803, a national-level school named Doc Hoc Duong (National School) was established in An Binh hamlet, Hương Trà district.

In 1808, King Gia Long ordered the construction of a grand Confucian temple next to the National School to worship Confucius, the master of literature revered as the 'Teacher of a myriad generations'.

In 1820, the school was officially named the Imperial Academy. The institution underwent continuous upgrades and expansions with the addition of classroom systems and residential buildings. Hue's Imperial College reached its pinnacle during the reign of Tu Duc in 1848.

The entrance of the Imperial Academy is called the Great Success Gate, symbolizing great achievement upon entering for study. Looking from the Great Success Gate today, only two rows of stone tablets remain, with other structures now mere traces of the past.

As the sole school for grooming government officials, the Imperial Academy attracted talent from across the country. Students here were called 'scholars', consisting of four categories: descendants of the royal family, descendants of civil and military officials, selected students from across the country, and bachelor's degree holders waiting to take the doctoral exam. They were all provided with scholarships, rewards, oil lamps, and books by the court to support their studies.

In 1822, the first doctoral examination was organized, and those who passed had their names inscribed on tablets at Hue's Imperial College. Having their names engraved on these tablets symbolized the aspirations of all scholars.

Today, there are still two rows of stone tablets at the temple inscribed with the king's teachings on the participation of officials in the administrative system. On the right, King Minh Mang's teaching emphasizes that eunuchs should not be listed among officials. On the left, there is a tablet inscribed with King Thieu Tri's teaching about the prohibition of the king's external relatives from participating in the government.

In 1904, a historic storm swept through the capital, causing severe damage to many architectural structures of Hue's Imperial College. In 1907, King Duy Tan ordered the reconstruction of the temple inside the capital.

All the architecture of Bao Dinh Palace was utilized to build the Di Luân hall for teaching purposes. Alongside teaching facilities, a new library was dedicated to the scholars of the Imperial College. Its architecture was also rebuilt into the Long An Palace of Bao Dinh Palace.

At the end of the 19th century, French colonialists implemented authoritarian rule, gradually eliminating the influence of the Nguyen dynasty. To establish hegemony, the French directly intervened in the administrative, economic, and cultural apparatus of the Nguyen dynasty. The education system also began to undergo changes.

In 1986, Hue National School was established with French as the primary language of instruction and introduced a new department called the Foreign Language Department. The use of the national language also began to be incorporated into the curriculum, leading to the gradual decline of Confucian education.

After more than 120 years of ups and downs, Hue's Imperial College, now the Thua Thien Hue Historical Museum, where the footsteps of over 500 Nguyen dynasty scholars are preserved, remains solemn. Despite the dust of time covering its golden history, the educational philosophy and talent cultivation here persist.

According to Mytour

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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour