Historian Duong Trung Quoc Engages with Students in the Seminar “Van Lang: Village and Nation”

Continuing the series of meaningful events celebrating the 30th anniversary of Van Lang University (1995 - 2025), on December 18, 2024, the university hosted an academic exchange program with esteemed historian Duong Trung Quoc under the theme: “Van Lang: Village and Nation.” This event offered the VLU community an opportunity to reflect on and cultivate pride in “Van Lang”—the first recorded national name of the Vietnamese people, symbolizing both an origin and the enduring vitality of the nation.

Delivering the opening remarks, Poet Nguyen Duy - Deputy Director of the Institute of Culture, Art and Media at Van Lang University - expressed his heartfelt thoughts: “With such a meaningful and humanistic theme, I can feel the sacredness of the words 'Van Lang' more deeply. It brings us back to history and serves as a reminder for younger generations to understand their responsibilities. The village preserves cultural roots, while the nation asserts will and strength. Historical evidence helps the youth understand their origins, navigate the future, and take pride in preserving the heritage left by our ancestors.”

In his seminar “Van Lang: Village and Nation,” historian Duong Trung Quoc offered fresh perspectives on the meaning of “Van Lang.” He explained: “‘Van’ represents people, communities, or groups, while ‘Lang’ refers to rivers, symbolizing river basin regions. Interpreted this way, Van Lang was the cradle of Vietnamese civilization. However, it lacked early historical records in an indigenous script.” From this observation, the historian underscored the essential role of language and culture in preserving and developing national values.

Through a historical lens, Duong Trung Quoc drew thoughtful connections to the indispensable role of traditional villages—the cultural bedrock of the Vietnamese people—in modern society. When asked by a student, “As young people move from rural areas to cities, leaving the elderly behind, can villages still exist? And if we cannot preserve villages, can we still preserve the nation?”—the historian reflected on societal transformation and the challenges of safeguarding village values amid urbanization and globalization. Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, he highlighted how rural communities served as strongholds of support, compassion, and mutual assistance during hardship.

The insights and reflections shared by historian Duong Trung Quoc left a profound impression on attendees. The seminar not only shed light on significant historical issues but also inspired a renewed sense of national pride and a commitment to protecting traditional cultural values in the contemporary context, reaffirming the pride in Vietnam's nation-building journey.

News: Nguyen Vy
Photos: Hieu Hoa, Nhu Hieu