Dao Duy Anh was born to a Confucianist family in Thanh Oai district, Ha Tay northern province. When he was young, he studied in Thanh Hoa, then moved to the National School in Hue, and graduated in 1923 with a diploma. He then worked as a teacher in Dong Hoi, Quang Binh. After he met patriot Phan Boi Chau in 1926, he decided to move to Saigon to start his journalism career. But halfway he met another patriot, Huynh Thuc Khang in Da Nang central city, and returned to Hue central city to work as an efficient collaborator for the Tieng Dan (the People's Voice) newspaper there. He was arrested by the French colonialists in 1929, but was released one year later. Since then, he started to work as a teacher in the Thuan Hoa private school. Also during this time, he gave his whole mind to study history and literature and completed many valuable cultural works. After the August Revolution in 1945, he taught in the Hanoi University, then evacuated to Thanh Hoa northern province and worked at the Literature and Art Branch of the fourth zone. In 1950, he moved to the Viet Bac northernmost Vietnam Base and headed the Literature-History-Geography Subjects of the Ministry of Education. He then worked as history lecturer for the Teacher’s Training College and the Hanoi University. Later, he moved to the Vietnam's Institute of Social Sciences (which is now the National Institute of Social Science and Humanities). He died in 1988 in Hanoi.

Dao Duy Anh is a scholar with wide knowledge, and has made many valuable studies in linguistics, literature and history. His works have greatly contributed to the study of Vietnam’s history and culture. His main works are: 'Vietnamese-Sino Dictionary' (1932-1936), 'Outline of Vietnam’s Culture and History' (1938), 'Treatise on the Story of Kim Van Kieu' (1943), 'Outline of China's History' (1944), 'Confucianism Critical Essay' (1943), 'Vietnam’s Ancient History' (1955), 'Vietnam’s History' (1955), 'Vietnam’s Ancient History' (1956), 'The Establishment of Nationalities in Vietnam' (1958), 'Nguyen Trai Complete Works' (1969), 'Vietnam through Dynasties' (1964), 'Kieu Dictionary' (1974), 'The Origin, Composition and Development of Chinese Transcribed Vietnamese Language' (1975). He has received the Ho Chi Minh award with his groups of works on the Vietnamese culture and history which include 'Vietnam’s History from the Origin to the 19^th Century', 'Vietnam’s Ancient History', 'Outline of Vietnam’s Culture and History' and 'Vietnam through Dynasties'. These works showed Professor Dao Duy Anh’s comprehensive, diverse, fine and in-depth knowledge as well as his careful selection of the precious material in the national and international cultural heritage and in the daily life of the people. These works also expressed the independent and creative thoughts of the professor. These studies, together with the great contribution made by professor Dao Duy Anh, have helped establish and develop Vietnam’s modern history.

By VUONG LINH NAM

 

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