Exhibition commemorates celebrity Chu Van An

An exhibition named ‘Chu Van An – Thuong Tuong Son Dau’ opened at the Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature) in Hanoi, on November 16, on the occasion of the 650th anniversary of the death of renowned teacher and cultural celebrity Chu Van An (1370-2020) and to celebrate Vietnam Teachers' Day (November 20).

Delegates cut the ribbon to open the exhibition “Chu Van An - Thuong Tuong Son Dau".
Delegates cut the ribbon to open the exhibition “Chu Van An - Thuong Tuong Son Dau".

With the name "Chu Van An - Upper Wall Son Dau", the show wants to pay homage to teacher Chu Van An through comparison to Thai Son Mountain and the Greater Bear constellation of Quoc Tu Giam School.

Organised by the Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities of Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature), the exhibition showcases typical documents, objects, pictures, and drawings, with two main contents: introducing the person, personality, and educational career of the cultural celebrity Chu Van An; and introducing Quoc Tu Giam, activities to honour the teacher Chu Van An and the study and promotion of teacher Chu Van An’s spirit.

Coming to the show, visitors have an opportunity to more understand about Thanh Tri land - home of teacher Chu Van An; Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Quoc Tu Giam (the Temple of Literature) - where he worked as a Tu nghiep (Rector); Chi Linh - a hidden residence; as well as the life and career of the cultural celebrity of Chu Van An.

The exhibition will run from now until the end of 2020.

Chu Van An (1292 - 1370) is considered a brilliant teacher of Vietnam, who devoted his life to the humanistic education philosophy of regardless of his students’ wealth, teaching that learning goes hand in hand with practice and lifelong learning contributes to society.

His thoughts not only affected many generations of Vietnamese but also contributed to the development of humanistic values in the region. His educational perspective has progressive values, close to the modern values that UNESCO summarised as “learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be humans”.