EXPLORE THE DOCTORAL STELE ERECTION WORK IN THE EXHIBITION " PROLEGOMENON TO THE TRADITION OF EDUCATION IN VIETNAM "
Exhibition " Prolegomenon To The Tradition Of Education In Vietnam " at Thái Học courtyard utilizes over 300 documentary artifacts to recreate the lives and contributions of three kings: Lý Thánh Tông, Lý Nhân Tông, Lê Thánh Tông, and teacher Chu Văn An, to education and talent nurturing.
The section introducing King Lê Thánh Tông displays a painting depicting the scene of erecting the Doctoral Stele at Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám Thăng Long.
Lê Thánh Tông was a wise, talented emperor skilled in both martial and literary arts. Under his reign, education and civil service examinations were instrumental in selecting talent for the country's prosperity. To elevate the civil service system and encourage people to pursue this path, Lê Thánh Tông stipulated more prestigious titles and began the regulations for erecting the Doctoral Stele.
In the spring of the year Giáp Thìn, reign of Hồng Đức 15 (1484), coinciding with the Hoi examination, Lê Thánh Tông wished to engrave the names of those who passed the Doctoral examination onto a stone stele erected at the Thái Học House Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám to immortalize and honor the talents of the nation. The king tasked the Minister of Rites, Quách Đìinh Bảo, to review the list, ranks of the successful candidates from the doctoral examination of Nhâm Tuất year, reign of Đại Bảo 3 (1442) - the first doctoral examination of the Lê dynasty - to the examination of Giáp Thìn year, reign of Hồng Đức (1484), to inscribe on the stone stele. Then, he assigned the prominent officials of the Academy and other academic institutions to draft inscriptions to be carved onto the stele. Government officials obeyed the orders, selecting skilled craftsmen, choosing quality stones... The entire preparation work took several months until the official erection ceremony on the 15th of August that year (9-1484). This was the first phase of erecting the stele, consisting of 10 tablets, each inscribed with a separate examination, erected in the garden in front of the Great Gate with solemn rituals marking the beginning of the Doctoral Stele system at Văn Miếu - Quốc Tử Giám
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