The Vietnam Studies Center at Fulbright University Vietnam recently hosted a compelling event, “Tongues Lost & Found: Preserving Vietnamese Heritage for Future Generations,” which drew significant interest from those passionate about and invested in Vietnam’s cultural heritage.
The event began with a presentation by Professor John Phan of Columbia University on his groundbreaking research, “Lost Tongues of the Red River: Annamese Middle Chinese and the Origins of the Vietnamese Language.” Professor Phan shared thought-provoking discoveries that challenge modern national narratives while shedding light on the rich and multi-layered linguistic heritage of Vietnamese through his study of Middle Chinese in Annam.
A key moment of the event was the official launch of the website (https://www.digitizingvietnam.com/en) for the Digitizing Vietnam project. This digital humanities initiative is a collaboration between the Vietnam Studies Center and the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, made possible by funding from the Henry Luce Foundation.
The project offers a comprehensive digital archive of pre-modern Sino-Nom (Hán–Nôm) texts alongside carefully curated collections on modern Vietnam. Furthermore, it is developing cutting-edge research tools in digital humanities, starting with a tool for annotating and translating Sino-Nom. Additionally, the project’s pedagogical resource library will bridge the gap between academic research and education, providing educators and the general public with selected materials for learning and teaching about Vietnam.
Beyond the Sino-Nom collection, the Digitizing Vietnam platform currently features notable collections such as:
- Language. Script. Philology
A selection of research works by Professor Dr. Sc. Nguyễn Quang Hồng on Vietnamese linguistics, script studies, and philology.
- Ethnic Groups in Vietnam: Language and Culture
Exploring the linguistic and cultural diversity of Vietnamese ethnic communities and preservation efforts in the age of globalization.
- The Quintessence of Vietnamese Literature and Language
A compilation of representative studies on Vietnamese literature, language, and writing systems, reflecting the depth of national culture across various periods.
- Nữ Giới Chung (Women’s Bell)
A digitalized version of Nữ Giới Chung – the first women’s newspaper in Vietnamese press history.
- The Tale of Kiều
A comprehensive resource on the masterpiece The Tale of Kiều, with searchable text and high-quality images of editions dating back to 1866.
- The Tale of Lục Vân Tiên
A digitalized version of The Tale of Lục Vân Tiên, including a special edition from Mrs. Châu Anh Phụng’s collection.
- Oral History of Trịnh Công Sơn
Recording memories and narratives from friends and relatives about musician Trịnh Công Sơn – a modern Vietnamese cultural icon.
- Moments of Vietnam
A collection of artistic photographs of various regions of Vietnam by photographers collaborating with Heritage Magazine.
Among the collections featuring classics like The Tale of Kiều and The Tale of Lục Vân Tiên, noteworthy contributions from the Vietnam Studies Center include a special edition of the 1924 film Kim Vân Kiều and a manuscript of Lục Vân Tiên collected by Mrs. Châu Anh Phụng in Bến Tre (1866–1873). These resources are invaluable for comparative and adaptation studies.
In addition to the document collections, the Digitizing Vietnam platform is developing and providing research tools, including:
- Kiều Tool:
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- Annotations of Nom characters in each edition of The Tale of Kiều.
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- Sentence-by-sentence comparison across Kiều editions (coming soon).
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- A list of unique sentences in each Kiều edition (coming soon).
- Classical Sino-Nom Dictionary System:
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- Professor Dr. Sc. Nguyễn Quang Hồng’s annotated Sino-Nom Dictionary.
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- Father Anthony Trần Văn Kiệm’s Nom & Sino-Vietnamese Reading Aid.
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- The Taberd Dictionary, Dictionarium Anamitico-Latinum (Nhật dụng thường đàm), Tày Nom Dictionary, and Nguyễn Trãi’s Quốc Âm Từ Điển (these dictionaries will be integrated soon from the Nom Foundation platform).
- Image Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Platform: A tool that enables the extraction of text from images, particularly useful for researchers working with historical documents and other image-based materials.
A key member of the Digitizing Vietnam’s core team is Fulbright Computer Science alumnus Lê Hoàng Phúc (Class of 2023). Currently working at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University, Phúc leverages his computer science skills to contribute to the preservation of Vietnamese heritage, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in tackling critical community issues.
A key member of the Digitizing Vietnam’s core team is Fulbright Computer Science alumnus Lê Hoàng Phúc (Class of 2023).
The event also welcomed Associate Professor Dr. Đinh Điền, who directly guided the audience in using the Sino-Nom translation tool developed by the University of Science, VNU-HCM. In early 2025, Digitizing Vietnam contributed 4.7 TB of Sino-Nom data from Columbia University’s library to enhance the recognition and translation capabilities of Kim Hán Nôm. This tool is currently showcased by Digitizing Vietnam in the Digital Humanities Tools Library. The project encourages scholars to utilize this tool and contribute more accurate annotation data to optimize Kim Hán Nôm, which promises to be a valuable asset for researchers and those interested in Vietnam’s Sino-Nom heritage.
The event also welcomed Associate Professor Dr. Đinh Điền, who directly guided the audience in using the Sino-Nom translation tool developed by the University of Science, VNU-HCM.
The event ” Tongues Lost & Found: Preserving Vietnamese Heritage for Future Generations” powerfully demonstrates Fulbright University Vietnam’s commitment to research and the development of resources that preserve, conserve, and promote traditional cultural values, employing innovative approaches to reach future generations.
Digitizing Việt Nam’s Website (https://www.digitizingvietnam.com/)
The core members
