Celebrity Chu Van An’s Statue at Van Mieu- Quoc Tu Giám
The Hanoi People’s Committee agreed to organize activities of commemorating the 650th anniversary of Celebrity Chu Van An’s death at the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam relic in November 2020. It includes celebrations and display activities which show about his life and career of Celebrity Chu Van An in the national education career.
Before that, at the 40th session held in Paris in November 2019, the General Assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially approved a Resolution about UNESCO’s celebration of the anniversary of Celebrity Chu Van An’s death.
However, because of the complicated situation of the COVID-19 pandemic all over the world, including the French Republic where UNESCO intends to hold exhibitions about Celebrity Chu Van An and the 650th Anniversary of Celebrity Chu Van An’s death, these activities could not take place.
Chu Van An was born in 1292 at Quang Liet commune, Thanh Dam district (now Thanh Liet village, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi). During his lifetime, he opened Huynh Cung school in his hometown for teaching. In the examination in 1314, two of his students passed Thai Hoc Sinh award equivalent to a doctorate, making a great reputation among contemporary scholars. Teacher Chu Van An and Huynh Cung school were well-known in nationwide at that time.
After that, he was appointed by King Tran Minh Tong as a Tu Nghiep (Rector) of Quoc Tu Giam school to take care of the educational aspect of the whole country. He expanded the school, wrote the Sì shū, summarized the four major books including Lùn Yǔ, Mèng Zǐ, Dà Xué and Zhōng Yóng into the teaching materials. From the period of Chu Van An onwards, Quoc Tu Giam was strengthened and expanded day by day.
When King Tran Du Tong ascended the throne, corrupt officials appeared and enemies arose and looted. Seeing the problems, teacher Chu Van An wrote That Tram So for killing 7 flatterers, all of whom are powerful and respected by the king; however, he failed. then, Chu Van An returned to Chi Linh (Hai Duong) to open a school. Since his return, the learning movement in this area was strengthened, and there were many well-known good learners.
At the end of his life, Celebrity Chu Van An lived in poverty but peace and happiness with teaching and literature. The court invited him many times but he refused. After his death, the court took him to worship at Van Mieu and considered him as a saint.
Reporter