♦ Dr. Le Thi Thu Huong

 (continued and concluded)

Distinctive Character Traits of Hanoians

thuongA strong commitment to learning and a high regard for talent and intellect

thuongThis trait is considered especially prominent among Hanoians. Favorable educational conditions have enabled them to attain a high level of schooling and to cultivate the nation’s long - standing spirit of learning. Vietnam’s first university - Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam - is located in Hanoi, and it is also regarded as among the earliest universities in the world. Quoc Tu Giam is associated with the names of 2,898 successful candidates in Vietnam’s imperial examination system, many of whom made major contributions to the development of Thang Long - Hanoi’s cultural and scholarly tradition.

 

thuongThe inscription on the 1442 doctoral stele - “Talented people are the vital energy of the nation. When this vital energy thrives, the nation is strong and prosperous; when it declines, the nation becomes weak and diminished” - affirms that valuing talent became a consistent principle across dynasties and political institutions on the land of Thang Long - Hanoi. Because of such policies, throughout the thousand-year span of history, nearly all of the country’s most outstanding talents tended to converge on Thang Long - Hanoi - from gifted political and military leaders to eminent cultural and scientific figures.

 

thuongDuring the French colonial period, when Hanoi was chosen as the capital of French Indochina, many higher-education institutions in Indochina were first established in Hanoi, such as the Indochina Medical and Pharmaceutical School (1913), the College of Education, the Indochina College of Law and Administration (1917), the College of Agriculture and Forestry (1918), and the College of Commerce and the College of Public Works (1920). In the early 20th century, Hanoi was also the first place to have private schools teaching Quoc ngu (the romanized Vietnamese script) while promoting patriotism and national self - strengthening - most notably Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc. Hanoians took the lead in the movement to popularize Quoc ngu with the establishment of the Association for the Dissemination of Quoc ngu headed by Nguyen Van To. The literacy program designed by Hoang Xuan Han - enabling learners to read and write Quoc ngu in 80 hours - also originated in Hanoi. After the August Revolution, the Binh dan hoc vu (Mass Literacy) Service was established in Hanoi, spreading educational content aligned with a national and democratic spirit. In every historical period, Hanoi has remained the country’s largest educational center, home to the greatest number of educational and training institutions. Living in such an environment, Hanoians’ eagerness to learn is further strengthened. Hanoi was also among the country’s leading localities in completing adult illiteracy eradication and achieving universal primary and lower-secondary education by the end of the 20th century.

 

 

Leaders of Hanoi and related ministries, agencies, and mass organizations together with 100 outstanding valedictorians of the Capital in 2024

 

thuongAt present, Hanoi’s scientific research system has developed strongly - beyond comparison with any other locality. Hanoi is the nation’s major hub for science and technology. Research institutes and universities attract talent to Hanoi and provide a favorable environment for scientists to foster creativity and contribute to the development of the Capital and the country in the era of international integration.

 

thuongRefinement and artistry

 

thuongLiving in an urban environment, Hanoians seek a rich and diverse material as well as spiritual life. Competition in such a setting requires them to be skillful and to produce sophisticated goods - not only for domestic exchange and trade, but also for foreign buyers. They are traditionally known for being “skilled of hand, masterful of craft” in the famed marketplace culture of Ke Cho. What they produce must also satisfy needs for aesthetics and enjoyment. Hanoians cultivate many elegant pastimes that enrich spiritual life. They are discerning in food, dress, and leisure; observant, aesthetically sensitive, drawn to beauty, and able to appreciate it. Through this, they also wish to demonstrate their breadth and depth of understanding to others.

 

thuongElegance, cultivated poise, and the ethos of the scholar-gentleman

 

thuongThis is a manner marked by openness and generosity, sophistication and worldly experience - seen not only among intellectuals but also among ordinary people. It includes a certain proud independence and self - respect: not ingratiating, not submissive, valuing honor, intellect, and moral principle rather than wealth.

 

thuongCompassion, a sense of community, and a preference for peace

 

thuongThese are traits of the Vietnamese character in general, but they are expressed with particular strength in the imperial capital - among those who live on the land of Thang Long - Hanoi.

 

thuongThe compassion of Hanoians is reflected in their relationship with nature and in their relationships with one another. Hanoians love nature; Hanoi is among the “green capitals” of Southeast Asia. Trees line the streets; plants are kept in homes. The hobby of cultivating ornamental plants is also pursued with discernment and subtlety - well suited to limited living space, yet keeping life fresh and verdant. Hanoians love flowers; even outside holidays and festivals, many families maintain the habit of arranging fresh flowers at home and in offices, and they enjoy growing flowers and ornamental plants. Hanoi also has famous flower and ornamental-plant areas such as Nhat Tan peach blossoms, Tu Lien kumquat trees, …

 

thuongCompassion is also expressed in relationships among people. As the Capital - a place where people from all regions converge - Hanoians have a tradition of living harmoniously and amicably, with a strong sense of community cohesion. They value the family and the clan, maintaining close bonds and mutual support within the wider community. In traditional craft-and-trade quarters of Thang Long - Ha Noi, the apprenticeship tradition and the specialization in producing particular goods were often passed down within extended families, or within groups of acquaintances who had long been connected in their places of origin. People did not separate themselves from the community; rather, they lived by the principle that “in trade you have companions; in selling you have a guild.” Community consciousness is also reflected in the way Thang Long - Ha Noi residents continue to remember their native villages and roots: by returning to visit relatives, by worshipping the tutelary village deity (thanh hoang lang) or the founding ancestor of their craft, or by incorporating the first sound/syllable of their home village into the names of shops they established in the city (for example, weaving businesses originating from Cu Da village often included “Cu” in their names; photo studios from Lai Xa village often included “Lai,” and so on).

 

thuongA Preference for Peace

 

thuongThis is a hallmark trait of Thang Long - Ha Noi people. They are courageous in combat against aggressors, yet when the opposing side is defeated, they show tolerance and magnanimity - allowing a great power to “save face” and even providing provisions for the enemy’s return home. Thang Long has witnessed multiple instances in which invading forces were defeated but were treated with generosity by the people of Thang Long - Ha Noi. After the Ly dynasty’s victory over the Song, under the leadership of Ly Thuong Kiet, relations between the two countries were skillfully maintained in the postwar period. The Dong Quan Oath Ceremony took place in the Thang Long capital after Vietnam’s victory over the Ming; presided over by Nguyen Trai, it expressed the Vietnamese people’s spirit of tolerance toward the defeated. Likewise, after the Ngoc Hoi - Dong Da victory under King Quang Trung, the subsequent flexible diplomacy with the Qing benefited relations between the two countries.

 

thuongThang Long - Ha Noi people, like the Vietnamese nation as a whole, do not desire war and long for a peaceful life. This aspiration appears in legends as well: Thanh Giong, after defeating the An invaders, ascends to heaven; An Duong Vuong accepts Trong Thuy as a live - in son - in - law in hopes of ensuring his daughter’s peaceful life and fostering trust and harmony between the two realms. Another well - known story tells that after defeating the Ming, King Le Loi returned the sword to the Golden Turtle at Luc Thuy Lake, later known as Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Lake of the Returned Sword”). Hanoi shot down B - 52 aircraft, yet Hanoians extended their arms to rescue pilots who fell into lakes or were in distress. Hanoi also witnessed the final French and American soldiers withdrawing from the city in peace. The compassion, tolerance, and peace - loving spirit of Hanoi’s people have been demonstrated through their actions and attitudes, and have received international recognition. On 16 July 1999, in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, UNESCO held a formal ceremony to present the UNESCO Cities for Peace Prize to five cities representing five continents worldwide. Hanoi was the only city from the Asia - Pacific region honored to receive this prestigious award.

 

thuongElegance and Civility as a Defining Trait of Thang Long - Ha Noi People

 

thuongHanoi’s reputation for elegance and civility has been recognized nationwide. It embodies both a long-standing tradition and distinctive characteristics of Hanoians./.