The Passing of GS Tran Quoc Vuong

At 3:00 a.m. on the morning of 8 August, after a long illness, GS Tran Quoc Vuong passed away. See the brief obituary below - one of many tributes that will doubtless follow. The world of Vietnam Studies has lost one of its true giants.

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Colleagues,

Sorry for the barbarized message--my first (and last) attempt to send a

Unicode message. The obituary may be read in its entirety at the link

below:

http://vnexpress.net/Vietnam/Van-hoa/Guong-mat-Nghe-sy/2005/08/3B9E0E71/

Dear VSG,

What a horrible horrible batch of email this morning! I opened up my email to find that GS Tran Quoc Vuong, one of my closest Vietnamese friends and mentors, had died and then opened another message to find that the recently retired Hoang Van Lau of the Vien Han Nom was killed in a motorcycle accident yesterday. Although not as well known as Tran Quoc Vuong Hoang Van Lau was also an extremely important scholar for those in Han-Nom studies.

Sorrowfully,

Michele Thompson

Michele Thompson

Dept. of History

Southern Connecticut State University

Michele and List,

This is indeed a sad time. Many of us will miss Vuong's quick and

informed mind, his quirky humour and generous assistance.

If anyone on the list writes anything in memory of Vuong, or Hoang Van

Lau, I would like to post them to the web site. (No copyrighted published

articles please, unless you are the copyright holder)

Judith

Dear Judith,

I'll try to write something up on both of them when I get back from Munich. I'm still sort of shocked about both of them, especially Vuong. Ha Noi really won't be the same for me without him.

Hugs to Boyo,

cheers

Michele

Dear list,

Below there are some words about Tran Quoc Vuong and his main data. An articles

was published in Lao Dong written by Do Quang Hanh, 9.8.2005 p. 5. for those

who want to know more.

Irene Norlund

BIO: Tran Quoc Vuong, FAMED HISTORIAN DIES AT 71

Thai Press Reports

August 11, 2005

LENGTH: 276 words

HEADLINE: VIETNAM: FAMED HISTORIAN DIES AT 71

BODY:

Section: Regional News - Historian, Professor Tran Quoc Vuong, died in

Hanoi yesterday after a long battle with esophagus cancer.

He was 71.

Professor Vuong, who wrote about a variety of subjects from history, to

archaeology and man in society, was among the first to begin a systematic

study of Vietnam's culture.

In 1960, he translated and provided notes to Viet Su Luoc, or Sketches of

Vietnam's History, one of the country's most ancient surviving works.

In 1973, he was the chief author of the two-edition Danh Nhan Hanoi, or

Hanoi's Famous Personalities, and in 1975, in collaboration with Vu Tuan

San, he wrote Hanoi Nghin Xua, or Thousand-year Hanoi.

In 1976, he worked with Le Van Hao and Duong Tat Tu, to write Mua Xuan va

Phong Tuc Vietnam or Spring and Vietnam's Customs.

All were expressions of his desire to contribute all his knowledge to

recording his country's history.

Born on December 12, 1934, in northern Hai Duong Province's Kinh Mon

Village, Vuong graduated as first laureate Bachelor of History-Geography

at the Hanoi University.

He was then invited to teach at the university.

He studied archaeology during 1959-60 and together with renowned

Archaeology Institute Director Professor Ha Van Tan led the way in

unearthing Vietnam's archaeological history.

He was made a professor in 1980.

Professor Vuong's many posts included deputy general secretary of the

Vietnam's Folklore Literature Association and first president of the Hanoi

History Association.

His funeral will be held at the Defence Ministry's Funeral Hall at 5 Tran

Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi, this Friday starting at 8am. - VNS