UNESCO's Memory of The World: Temple of Literature, Hanoi

Temple of Literature is a former education centre in Hanoi. This temple was built on 1070 during king Ly Nhan Tong era and located in the south side from Thang Long Citadel. This Confucius temple and "Imperial Academy" is the first national university in Vietnam.This temple also printed on the back side of 100,000 Vietnamese Dong bank note.

On 25th February 2013, this Temple of Literature was officially awarded as UNESCO's "Memory of the World". According to report from Vietnamplus, this award is to recognize the 83 steles stone at Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, the Temple of Literature - Royal College)

Pham Thi Thuy Hang, Vice Director of Science and Cultural Activity Centre of Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam said, this event was attended by Vietnam's UNESCO representative, state and city authorities. 

The ceremony also demonstrated the Vietnam's traditional ritual where someone coming back to say thank you to the ancestral after receiving a credit in their examination. There also a show of documentary film about the history of the Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam and traditional music show. 

The 82 steles is to remember the royal examination between year 1442 to 1780 during Ly and Mac Dynasties. It was written in Chinese with inscription of the examination graduate's name.

The steles is one of the tourist attraction for visiting this temple and it was contructed as a big tortoise tablet. Traditionally, tortoise act as a symbol of longevity in Vietnamese culture. 

The Van Mieu Temple was contructed on 1070 during the era of King Ly Nhan Tong (1066 - 1127) and it was dedicated to Confucius, students and scholars. Six year later on 1076, Quoc Tu Giam was built next to the temple and its turn to be place for royal kids to learn and get trained. Later, it turned to be Vietnam's first university and Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam has attracted thousand of visitors daily.