Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square is named after Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School, a famous school in the early 20th century, once located at 10 Hang Dao. Initially, the school was located at Mr. Luong Van Can's house at 4 Hang Dao, but due to the large number of students, the school moved to 10.
According to historical scholar Duong Trung Quoc, up to now, the ancient house at 10 Hang Dao has remained almost intact, helping posterity imagine a famous school that once had remarkable reforms in education.
Documents recorded from National Archives Center I, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School began operating around the beginning of April 1907.
This is based on the report dated April 27,07 of the Head of the Department of Native Affairs sent to the Hanoi District Attorney, which includes a section mentioning the report of the Head of Hang Dao Street.
This section is recorded in original in archival documents as follows: A school has been opened for two weeks now, at 10 Hang Dao Street, because Mr. Luong Van Can, a bachelor, 60 years old, is an outstanding celebrity in the neighborhood. The school is open during the day for about 50 boys and girls, and hundreds of adults in the evening from 7pm to 9pm. All classes are free.
Accordingly, Luong Van Can is a person who participates in teaching and opening schools, but Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School is registered under 2 names, Nguyen Quyen and Tran Huu Duc. Nguyen Quyen and teachers at Hanoi National University Tran Huu Duc have written a petition to the local government to open Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School - as a private school, with the purpose of teaching French and the National Language under the new program and has been approved by the General Department.
archival documents show that after less than a year of operation, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School has become famous and has a great influence.
Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School focuses on educating patriotism, a new way of life and Western civilization to the masses through the subjects: Chinese Language, Chinese (only for recitation of the New Year), French, and formal science (biology, geography, history, literature, education for citizens, economics, etc.).
Those who teach at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School write books, poetry, and theoretical articles to raise awareness for the masses. With articles reflecting the thesis and the beauty of sleeping habits such as "protecting" and "exposing" the colonial government, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School also guides students to distinguish between the law of public order and the law of illegalness.
After remarkable reforms in education, in order to spread patriotism, improve national spirit, and awaken to the "people's" propaganda of the French government, fight against specialization and tyranny, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc school quickly fell into a "sightspan" and was oppressed and forced to close by the colonial government.
The leaders of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc School have taken positive steps to reopen the school but have been refused, which proves that the colonial government is afraid that the influence of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc will spread. Historical reality shows that the concerns of the colonial government have come true.
Operating for a very short time, it was closed after less than a year, but Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc school still became a historical mark, considered a patriotic movement with the ideology of progressive education reform.
In a conversation with the Labor reporter about the expansion of Dong Kinh Nghia Shu Square, the historian Duong China sent: “If possible, I think, we can spend the attention to the old house No. 10 Hang Dao - the headquarters of Dong Kinh Nghia Shu school. Let us retain historical marks, to retain the valuable cultural sediments of the land of this land. The filial piety, patriotism, the spirit of pride and resilience of the Vietnamese nation ”.
Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, full-time member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society, said: "We are developing cultural industry and cultural tourism, in which the cultural and historical elements of the nation need to be focused on and preserved. National cultural identity must be the core, a strength in the process of promoting the strength of the cultural industry".
According to experts, locations with historical markers around Hoan Kiem Lake, such as 10 Hang Dao, need to be restored, preserved and exploited in cultural tourism development plans.
