LÂM ĐỒNG — More than 200 precious royal documents are being showcased at an exhibition that has opened in the National Archives Centre IV in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng.

Entitled World royal documents, wood-block heritage - Historical value from memory, the event aims to introduce to the world the documentary heritage of the Nguyễn Dynasty’s royal administrative documents and woodblocks.

It also highlights the role of the Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945) in compiling national history documents and promoting the art of making woodblocks, which was considered the pinnacle of sculptural art.

The exhibition, which marks the 10th anniversary of the National Archives Centre IV, also gave space to introduce the historical value of Lâm Đồng’s capital city Đà Lạt, drawing on its famous architectural works through various periods.

Nguyễn Dynasty’s administrative documents were made during the state administration of Việt Nam’s last feudal period between 1802 and 1945, and includes those issued by Kings and State administrative bodies submitted to the Kings and a number of diplomatic documents. They were recognised as documentary heritage by UNESCO’s Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific in 2014.

Currently, 34,619 woodblocks, which were recognised as world documentary heritage items in 2009, are being preserved in the National Archives Centre IV in Đà Lạt City. Many of them contain valuable content affirming Việt Nam ’s sovereignty over the Hoàng Sa (Paracel) and Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelagos. —VNS