Nearly 35,000 wood blocks used for rudimentary printing during theNguyen dynasty era (1802-1945) are preserved at the National ArchivesCentre IV in the tourist city of Da Lat.
The blocks are made of pieces of wood with Chinese or ancient Vietnamese letters carved in reverse.
The Nguyen dynasty's epigraphs created using them include history,socio-political, military, legislative, educational and artistic works,said Pham Thi Hue, director of the centre.
Apart fromtheir historical value, the blocks are also artistically and technicallyprecious since they mark the beginning and development of wood-blockcarving and printing in Vietnam , she added.
In 2009UNESCO recognised the Nguyen dynasty's wooden blocks as a memory of theworld, a programme launched to preserve and disseminate valuablearchival holdings and library collections world-wide.
In1960 more than 50,000 of the Nguyen dynasty blocks had been stored inthe royal city of Hue before they were moved to Da Lat.
After 1975, many of them were lost.
Hue 's centre has worked to find and collect the blocks, many ofwhich were in the possession of individuals around the country.
Tran Van Phong, a Da Lat resident, recently presented one to the centre after discovering its significance.
It belongs to the 66th volume of the series titled Dai Nam Thuc LucChinh Bien De Tam Ky (Royal Annals of Great Vietnam), which isrecognised as precious ancient national book.
Phong said the block had been in his family's possession for years and handed down as an heirloom./.