“Hong Son the pho” horizontal lacquered board
Ladies and gentlemen!
The Nguyen clan of Tien Dien is prestigious not only for its achievements in the Imperial Examination but also for producing many outstanding diplomats. During his tenure as a court mandarin, Nguyen Nghiem received the Qing Dynasty's envoys to feudal Vietnam many times and clearly demonstrated his resilience against their demands. During the Nguyen Dynasty under Emperor Gia Long, Nguyen Du was also sent to the Qing court twice in 1813 and 1820.
Nguyen De (Nguyen Du's sixth brother) was also a talented diplomat under the Tay Son Dynasty when he was twice sent to the Qing court. Here, he earned the respect and admiration of the Qing mandarins for his talent and spirit. In 1795, during one of his diplomatic missions to the Qing court, Nguyen De was gifted a horizontal lacquered board inscribed "Hong Son the pho" by a Qing mandarin, Hoang Phu Thai, to express his admiration and praise for the outstanding talent of Nguyen De and the Nguyen clan of Tien Dien.
The large horizontal lacquered board is made of wood, with the four words "Hong Son the pho" inscribed, meaning “a prestigious clan at the foot of the Hong Linh mountain,” praising the fame and prestige of the Nguyen clan of Tien Dien.
This large horizontal lacquered board, currently on display at the Nguyen Du memorial house, is not only a rare artifact but also a valuable heirloom for future descendants to understand and be proud of the Nguyen clan of Tien Dien.