By Phạm Huy

On May 2, cultural researcher and author Hữu Ngọc took his last breath at the age of 107, leaving behind deep sorrow in the hearts of his family, friends, colleagues and the Vietnamese cultural community.

Born Nguyễn Hữu Ngọc on December 22, 1918 on Hàng Gai Street in Hà Nội’s Old Quarter, the esteemed scholar dedicated his entire life to promoting Vietnamese culture, especially the rich heritage of Hà Nội, the city of his birth and lifelong devotion.

A soul rooted in its origins

In 2017 for the launch of the 10th Bùi Xuân Phái - For the Love of Hà Nội Awards, I sought out Hữu Ngọc to complete his nomination dossier for the Grand Prize category.

After being honoured, whenever he released a new work or prepared materials for significant cultural events in Hà Nội or across the country, I would visit him for his insights. Through heartfelt conversations, he told me about his life, experiences and the long journey he had taken alongside Việt Nam’s evolving cultural and historical landscape throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Each of his stories felt both like personal recollections and vivid snapshots of a turbulent era – one filled with challenges yet brimming with the nation’s aspirations for renewal and global integration.

I always called him Uncle Hữu Ngọc. To me, he was a brilliant intellectual, a profound cultural researcher, and a soul forever connected to his roots. He dedicated his entire life to bridging Vietnamese culture with the world. He was not only a researcher, writer, and translator but also a historical witness, a storyteller of culture who shared his experiences with unwavering passion and dedication.

I still remember stepping into his small room where he welcomed guests, the walls lined with books and documents. His eyes would light up whenever he spoke about the works he had authored, the books he had translated, and the newspapers he had contributed to.

He passionately recounted his youth – his time as an English teacher, his participation in the independent revolution, his work in journalism and publishing, and the difficult years during wartime when he never stopped learning and researching culture.

Above all, he could talk endlessly about his love for languages, for cultures of different nations and, most profoundly, his deep and abiding affection for Vietnamese culture.

A quote he often repeated – and one that many have cited – is: "Culture is the soul of a nation, the thread connecting the past, present and future. Preserving and promoting culture is the responsibility of every individual, especially those engaged in research and dissemination."

Among his most remarkable contributions was his in-depth research into the culture of Hà Nội, the thousand-year-old capital of Việt Nam. With relentless passion, he spent years studying, documenting and introducing the city's distinctive features, traditional values and cultural transformations through various historical periods.

His work, Sketches for a Portrait of Hanoi, is not merely a scholarly study but a vibrant, emotionally rich depiction of the life, people and culture of the capital city.

In recognition of this outstanding work, he was awarded the Grand Prize at the above said 2017 awards edition. The prestigious honour celebrated individuals who have dedicated their lives to Hà Nội through extraordinary works, ideas and actions, demonstrating a profound, lifelong connection to the city in both their personal and professional journeys. The award not only acknowledged Ngọc’s achievements in cultural research but also paid tribute to his deep love and unwavering devotion to Hà Nội and its people.

I still remember the day he received the award. He proudly shared his books about Hà Nội in various languages, visibly moved by the honour.

"I am now 99 years old, yet I have spent more than 70 years exporting Vietnamese culture to the world," he said.

"I have published 34 books, including Sketches for a Portrait of Hanoi, which was released in 1997 in both English and French as a gift for world leaders attending the Francophone Summit in Hà Nội. It was the first book to introduce the city’s essence to foreign readers."

A year later, in 2018, he was recognised as a "Capital’s Outstanding Citizen", a prestigious title awarded by the capital Hà Nội to acknowledge his extraordinary contributions to the cultural and social development of the city. This honour stands as a testament to the community’s deep respect and gratitude for his tireless efforts in preserving and promoting Hà Nội’s cultural identity.

Through his stories, I could sense a man of both simplicity and boundless passion – an intellectual not only brilliant in academia but also warm, sincere and humble. He never sought personal recognition, always emphasising that his work was the product of collective efforts across generations, shaped by those who journeyed alongside him in the cultural field.

He never shied away from discussing the challenges he faced, especially during times of national hardship. Yet, those very challenges forged him into a resolute researcher and an inspiration for generations of young scholars.

What impressed me most was his perspective on culture as a continuous flow, constantly evolving yet always retaining its core traditions. He firmly believed in expanding cultural exchanges and learning from the world, but never at the cost of national identity. This idea became the guiding thread that ran through all his works and cultural initiatives.

Ngọc stands as a model of perseverance and dedication in literary pursuits. His unwavering commitment to research, writing, translation and cultural dissemination was evident in every endeavour he undertook. Even beyond the age of 100, he continued to publish monumental works, demonstrating a relentless creative spirit.

His legacy is not just a vast intellectual treasure but an enduring source of inspiration for scholars, researchers and all who cherish Vietnamese culture. His name is forever linked to the mission of preserving and encouraging traditional cultural values while fostering international exchanges in an era of global integration. VNS

Hữu Ngọc's notable works and awards Hữu Ngọc authored numerous research projects and influential cultural works, making significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Vietnamese heritage, particularly the rich cultural legacy of Hà Nội. One of his most distinguished works, Sketches for a Portrait of Hanoi, is widely praised for its vivid and emotionally profound depiction of the people, history and traditions of the capital. Beyond this, he produced other remarkable works, including Wandering Through Vietnamese Culture, which highlights the nation’s unique traditional values; Vietnam: Tradition and Change, a reflective exploration of Việt Nam’s cultural transformation; and the monumental collection Cảo Thơm Lần Giở (Turning Open Scented Manuscripts), which introduces the careers and philosophies of more than 180 world-renowned figures, published when he was over 100 years old. Ngọc received numerous prestigious distinctions from the Vietnamese government, including the Independence Order and the Meritorious Service Medal. His contributions were celebrated internationally too, earning him accolades such as the Palmes Académiques from France and the North Star Medal from Sweden. His literary achievements were equally recognised, with awards such as the Vietnam Book Gold and Bronze prizes and the Vietnam National Book Awards, highlighting the enduring cultural significance of his published works. VNS