A collection of 82 doctoral laureate steles at Ha Noi’s Van Mieu - Temple of Literature, which was the country’s first university, has been recognised as national treasure.
A ceremony to announce the recognition was held by the Ha Noi Department of Culture and Sports on November 23.
The 82 stone steles are carved with the names of those who passed royal doctoral examinations between 1484 and 1780 under the Early Le, Mac and Late Le dynasties.
The stone slabs are placed on the backs of stone tortoises, which symbolise longevity and permanence.
They can be considered as a unique sculptural work reflecting a great value of sculpture throughout the history of Viet Nam.
Each composition engraved on the steles is highly regarded for its remarkable literature valuable in terms of art and ideology.
The steles were recognised by UNESCO as a world documentary heritage in the Asia-Pacific region in March 2010 and on a global scale in July 2011.
Head of the department To Van Dong said that the recognition is an honour to Ha Noi. It also requires local authorities to do more to preserve and promote the heritage’s cultural value.
On the occasion, the department held an exhibition featuring 100 documents and artifacts on the doctoral steles in Ha Noi, the ancient imperial city of Hue, and the northern provinces of Hung Yen and Bac Ninh.