One of five ancient Cham books donated to the My Son Sanctuary management board in Quang Nam province. These books are linked to old ritual or worship ceremonies of the Cham people in central Vietnam over past decades. (Photo courtesy of My Son Sanctuary) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The My SonSanctuary management board has received five collections of ancient Cham script books – related to old rituals orworship ceremonies of the Cham peoplein central Vietnam – from a local collector,contributing to precious data for the UNESCO-recognised world heritage site.
Deputy head of the management board, Nguyen CongKhiet, said the books were donated by local antiquitiescollector Lam Zu Xenhfrom Quang Ngai province.
He said they are the first old Chamscript books that have been sent to the My SonSanctuary.
Lam Zu Xenh,61, a Vietnamese-Chinese herbalist, whose father is an emigrant Chinese andmother is Vietnamese, told the English language daily VietNam News that the five-book collection, made from Do (poonahpaper) and ink by the Cham people, had beenpreserved by a Cham teacher in central Vietnambefore he collected them from a trans-Vietnamtrip six years ago.
Xenh said only severalCham people could read and understand the old scripts,and he hoped cultural researchers would translate the content of the books intoVietnamese for public display.
The Quang Ngai-borncollector said he had collected about 20 to 30 books written in Cham,and many books were donated to museums nationwide including the Chamsculpture museum of Da Nang – a popularexhibition centre of precious objects and statues from excavations at the Chamtowers in central Vietnam from past centuries.
He said each book in the collection has 20 pages, which are believed to have been used by Champeople for ceremonies.
The Cham Sculpture museum of Da Nang and the My SonSanctuary preserve sandstone stele that carved with written scripts.
Dinh Ba Hoa, acultural researcher, said the central region of Vietnamwitnessed cultural exchanges among Cham people (who ruledthe central region between the 3rd and 13th century) and Dai Vietcraftsmen (Great Viet, now Vietnam).
The My SonSanctuary – a UNESCO-recognised world heritage site in QuangNam province’s Duy Xuyen district– had 70 temples and towers built in the 4th century, but many towers hadcollapsed or were ruined due to bombardments from wars and weather./.
