Emperor Quang Trung particularly valued age-old cultural traditions of the northern region. He more than once issued edicts to seek men of great talent to serve the newly–built Tay Son Dynasty. The emperor highly took interest in developing the Nom script (southern script)–the kind of vernacular Vietnamese adapted the Chinese script to write their own language. He wanted to create a unique culture of Vietnam’s own identity.
In August of the fall 1789, as soon as taking the title of Emperor under the reign name Quang Trung, defeating the Chinese Qing invaders from the north, the emperor organized an Interprovincial examination for candidates from Nghe region (present-day provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh). The emperor entrusted Nguyen Khai Xuyen whose official name was Nguyen Thiep aka The Master of La Son - hence the title- with the task of setting examination questions as in the senior title of “Đề điệu” and assessing the quality of the candidates as the chief examiner. At the same time, the emperor issued an edict to set up Sung Chinh Vien (Institute for Political Studies).
The edict said: “I hereby royally instruct the Master of La Son: You, our favourite subject, was aged-old and highly righteous. The feudal intellectuals of the nation have been expecting to have such a leader of the circles…The nation is now enjoying peace. I intended to make the nation’s orthodox educational system prevail. The fact that you have distinguished the heretical school of thoughts from the orthodox one pleases me.
I intentionally think of locating the institute at Nam Hoa Mount, Vinh city, Nghe An province. I bestow title of the institute’s director upon you. As the head, you should be responsible of encouraging the education. It is necessary to imitate the golden educational and cultural boom in China from 770 to 222 B.C., in which the talents were flourishing, customs were becoming good again.
From now on, private educational institutes or study promotion societies, whoever they are, will recommend their elites with full list of the elites’ names and native places to the Institute for Political Studies every year. You should take the charge of evaluating their virtue and talent, reporting to the court for consideration of recruitment to the bureaucracy as mandarins. You should try to lecture on morals and ethics, training the talents so that you deserve to my high praise of your experience and distinguished personality as an aged-old mandarin.”
The edict was royally approved by His Highness Emperor Quang Trung on August 20, the fourth year under Quang Trung reign.
After issuing the edict on the institute establishment, the emperor also issued royal proclamation of founding local-level study houses.
The proclamation said: “I hereby announce to the officials and the people that the top priority in founding the nation should be education while the country’s prosperity should be on basis of the talent treasures. Before, the education was neglected, a number of the examinations decreased, the talented persons became lesser and lesser because of the war. Now the trouble times has gone over. Instead, the peace comes. That’s the matter of course. While the country is enjoying the peace, the court should ameliorate the education system, developing orthodox school of thought, regenerating the large scale examinations with aim to shift from the war to the peace.
No sooner had I pacified the country than I wanted to treat Confucian scholars with consideration, paying much attention to promote status of the elites, preferring to recruit real talents to the state’s bureaucracy.
Hence, I issue this edict, instructing the people all over the country to establish commune-level study promotion houses and invite educated, dignified Confucian scholars to teach their commune learners. The Interprovincial examinations will be expectedly organized in this year. Those who pass the interprovincial examinations with highest records will be allowed to continue their studying at the national school. Those who rank the second positions will keep on studying at district-level schools.
Those who passed Interprovincial examinations under the past reigns but haven’t been appointed to any position yet will be assigned to district education officers or district chiefs. The young scholars and high-school graduates should wait to re-enroll for the examination. If they pass with excellence, they will be recruited. If not, they should return the commune schools. Those who corruptly bought official posts must be fired, returning to civilian life, paying taxes and fees like common people.”
These are such good policies with clear and scientific approach to build up the nation. However, the Quang Trung reign unfortunately lasted in such a short time. The emperor just organized one round of Interprovincial examinations and no Court examinations yet. Such a golden dream!
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