Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam

President Ho Chi Minh was always interested in culture, education, and respect for talents. Although he was very busy as a President, he visited Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam three times (1945, 1960 and 1962).

Following the August Revolution: President Ho Chi Minh first visited the Temple of Literautre on October 21, 1945 to participate in the Autumn Ceremony.

Photo: Uncle Ho was reading doctor’s stalae at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam

President Ho Chi Minh was always interested in culture, education, and respect for talents. Although he was very busy as a President, he visited Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam three times (1945, 1960 and 1962).

Following the August Revolution: President Ho Chi Minh first visited the Temple of Literautre on October 21, 1945 to participate in the Autumn Ceremony.

Lunar New Year, January 26, 1960: During this visit,  President Ho Chi Minh read the doctor’s stelae. The inscription for the examination held in 1442 says: “Virtuous and talented men are the primordial vitality of a State. If this vitality is strong, the State will be powerful and prosperous. If it is not, the State will weaken and have a low standing. Therefore, clear – sighted monarchs always attach importance to educating talented men and selecting Confucian scholars for the mandarinate, and regard the fostering of the State’s primordial vitality as an urgent task”. From the tradition of honoring talented people in the nation's history, President Ho Chi Minh inherited and developed new conditions for the country. During his lifetime, he often said, "we have to find talented people", because "the construction of the nation needs  talented men". President Ho Chi Minh inspired many talented people to participate in the liberation and reconstruction of the country.

Lunar New Year, February 5, 1962: There is also documentation about another visit by Uncle Ho to the Temple of Literature where he talked with people and improvised  poems which he read to elderly people:

“Old age but the will is not old

Contributing to build a prosperous country”

Before leaving the Relic, he went to see the precious relics in Ceremony house: horizontal board “Cổ kim nhật nguyệt”, Bích Ung bell of Scholar Nguyen Nghiem (father of Nguyen Du  poet).

Today, on the anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's 130th birthday , we remember the times he visited Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam, the symbol of Vietnamese education and the fine traditions of the nation such as studious, pious, respectful talented people . Realizing his wishes, future  generations of Vietnmaese will follow the nation’s desire  for peace, happiness, and prosperity alongside developed countries all over the world.

                                    Translator: Thu Hương