Hanoi (VNA) - A photo exhibition opened on November 6 at the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam), Hanoi, featuring a valuable collection by French photographer Firmin-André Salles that captured vivid images of Vietnam’s Confucian education and examination traditions in the late 1800s.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Le Xuan Kieu, Director of the Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities of the Temple of Literature, said the event coincides with the 950th anniversary of the first imperial examination held under King Ly Nhan Tong to select talented scholars for the nation. The exhibition also marks the upcoming Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20), aiming to honour the country’s long-standing tradition of learning and respect for teachers.
The display area has been extended beyond the relic’s fence, allowing easier access for locals and tourists. This is the first time the Temple of Literature has organised an exhibition in this format, to bring art and history closer to the public. Kieu expressed hope that the event will inspire lifelong learning in line with UNESCO’s four pillars of education: learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and learning to live together.
According to Eric Soulier, Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Activities at the French Embassy in Vietnam and Director of the French Institute in Vietnam, the exhibition serves as a powerful symbol of the intersection between heritage space and photographic art. Salles’s works faithfully recreate the solemn yet bustling atmosphere of the 1897 regional examinations in Nam Dinh, at a time when Confucian education was in decline and the Quoc Ngu (Romanised Vietnamese script) was gradually replacing Chinese characters.
Firmin-André Salles (1860–1929), a French photographer and explorer, worked in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1896 to 1898. Using dry-plate photography, he produced exceptionally sharp and detailed images that hold great documentary and artistic value, depicting the landscapes, people, and daily life of Vietnam at the close of the 19th century.
UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Jonathan Wallace Baker emphasised that the exhibition not only helps the public better understand a unique period in history but also encourages reflection on the value of learning in contemporary life. Through the language of photography, the past is reimagined with modern sensibility, making heritage more accessible, vivid, and relevant to today’s society.
The highlight of the Photo Hanoi’25 exhibition was that it celebrates photography as a medium of creativity, a means of preserving memory, and a bridge of cultural connection./.
