Efeo - Which Heritage Is Left?
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40 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.8, No.4, December, 2014 EFEO - WHICH HERITAGE IS LEFT? NGUY ỄN TH ỪA H Ỷ(*) Founded in Vietnam in the early 20th century, French School of the Far East (École francaise d ’Extrême-Orient - EFEO ) and the internationally prestigious journal BEFEO are over hundred years old to date. The French – Vietnamese senior scholars of EFEO were good examples of the qualities of genuine intellectual, of passion and devotion for science, the spirit of independence and intellectual freedom. What heritage has EFEO left for us? The author will contribute to clarify the mentioned question in this article. 1. History is originally complex. Written calmly look back to assess more history is even more complex. It is a honestly and objectively . house with many windows. From the The authors P. Brocheux and D. Hémery outside and depending on each viewing were right when saying that French’s location, observer can gain different actions in Indochina were the views, see different, even contrast, shades “ambiguous colonization” ( la of light and dark. A summary evaluating colonisation ambigue ) (P. Brocheux & fairly, properly French colonial period is D. Hemery, 1994). Overall, on a dark one of such cases. At first, the colonial background, it still sparked bright spots, officials and historians often selected of which EFEO was a typical case. ( some real but limited events to praise for EFEO was formerly Permanent the civilization achievements which Archaeological Mission in Indochina French brought to Vietnam – a country (Mission archéologique permanente de had been outdated, stagnating. In l’Indochine ), established under the contrast, the revolutionary soldiers and decree of Governor General of historians later profusely insulted acts of Indochina Paul Doumer dated oppressions and exploitation of French 15/12/1898. To gather in-depth colonialism with accurate evidences, but information and date for a formal, sometimes somewhat were one-sided, visionary and large-scale colonial equated. Today, with time is ripe, with new scientific insights and a complex (*) Assoc. Prof. and Dr., University of Social Sciences multi-dimensional approach, we can and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. EFEO… 41 exploitation, Paul Doumer – an active Archaeological Mission” was inaccurate and ambitious Governor, noticed that the scientifically. However, the new name history, language and culture of the “School” ( école ) also caused mis- colony had to be studied scientifically, understandings (because its main function systematically and comprehensively. was not a teaching facility but a research The Mission was formed for that institute). In 1902, EFEO headquarter was purpose. Louis Finot, Deputy Director of moved from Saigon to Hanoi. Paris Graduate School of Practices, was First research students granted EFEO’s appointed by Academy of Inscriptions scholarship were H. Parmentier, H. and Fine Letters to be the first director Maspero, J. Bloch and G. Coedès (G. of the Mission based in Saigon. Coedès later became Director of EFEO). Although deriving from a political At the beginning, there was a specialized motive, from the very beginning, this library under EFEO with many rare academic organization had in-depth, materials and a museum. Later, EFEO interdisciplinary scientific research had 4 centers located in Hanoi, Danang, function, approached system of study Saigon and Phnom Penh. areas. Two years later, the Mission was The Directors of EFEO from renamed to EFEO under the decreed establishment until 1955 respectively dated 20/1/1900 of the Governor were: Louis Finot (1898), Alfred General of Indochina. Article 1 of the Foucher (1905), Claude-Eugène Maitre Decree stated: (1908), Louis Finot (second time: 1920), “Permanent Archaeological Mission in Léonard Aurousseau (1926), George Indochina established under Decree Coedès (1929), Paul Lévy (1947). In dated 15/12/1898, under control of 1954-1955, Maurice Durand was in Academy of Inscriptions and Fine Letters charge of EFEO for some time before (Académie des inscriptions et belles EFEO headquarter was moved back to lettres ) under Institute of France ( Institut France from Hanoi. de France ) from now will be renamed to French School of the Far East ( École In 1993, EFEO was officially back to Francaise d ’Extrême-Orient )(*) . Vietnam with the function of a bridge between French-Vietnamese cultures. This organization will continue to be The headquarter was in Hanoi, in 2011, governed by the terms of the Decree to there was another branch in Ho Chi establish and subsequent decrees related Minh City. to its functions” ( Bulletin officiel de l’Indochine, 2ème partie, 1900, p.52). 2. After over a century of scientific Governor Paul Doumer, the person who research, EFEO has left us a massive had the initiative to rename, explained legacy with rich information on that the previous name “Permanent Vietnamese as well as Oriental history and culture. This is a valuable asset including manuscripts, publications, (*) It was later often called School of the Far East - EFEO. maps, inscriptions, museum exhibits, 42 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.8, No.4, December, 2014 preserved heritages and thousand of the introduction of the first issue, the studies, , contributing to building the Editorial Board advocated a foundation of Vietnamese modern social methodology synthesizing sciences – humanities and culture - arts. interdisciplinary system, connecting and comparing all aspects of life of In addition to rich book repository of different countries in a region. The history of Indochina and Asia written in journal also emphasized empirical Latin, Slave, Hán-Nôm, Japanese and fieldwork survey, directly went to Indian, EFEO also stores a lot of researched sites and monuments. international science newspapers, magazines and journals, “there are up to BEFEO was published regularly every 460 Latin periodical publications with year until the Volume XLIII (1943). Due over 30,000 issues, of which there are 48 to “events occurred in Indochina”, the Vietnamese periodical publications, journal was stopped publishing until the bound to about 6,000 volumes” (Tr ần Th ị appearance of new set in 1951 which Ki ều Nga, 2013). In addition to was printed with 3 volumes 44-1, 44-2 publications for in-depth researchers such and 45-1 consecutively. Since then, the as Excursions et Reconnaisances, journal has continued its publications Journal Asiatique ..., the most famous until now. Despite of being explained that after the 50th anniversary, EFEO has scientific journals stored by EFEO to been reformed, “opened a new function, mention are: Bulletin de l ’École in an entirely different way compared to d’Extrême-Orient, Revue Indochinoise, before” (with some additional modern Bulletin des Amis du Vieux Hué, Bulletin history studies), in general, in the second des Études Indochinoises... EFEO also phase, we do not find many research publishes its own publications such as papers as excellent as in the first phase. BEFEO ( Bulletin de l ’école d ’Extrême- Publishing time is not as regular as Orient), PEFEO ( Publications de before (currently, two volumes are l’EFEO ). Volume XXIV of PEFEO was combined into one every two years). On the monograph Le Thanh Hoa of Charles one hand, one of the reasons may be due Robequain (1929) and Volume XXVII to the team of French Orientalists in the was the monograph Les Paysans du post-colonial period is somewhat Delta Tonkinois of Pierre Gourou (1936). decreased. On the other hand, due to BEFEO is a quarterly journal increase in academic level, readers’ (sometimes half-yearly), it is bound to requirements are also enhanced. one volume, from 4000 to 1,000 pages. It is difficult to list all diverse, rich Volume I was published in 1901. At scientific works of team of authors who that time, EFEO headquarter was in are permanent or term members, Saigon, but the Board of Directors honorary members or news reporters, decided to print at Schneider printing collaborators of EFEO. We can refer to house in Hanoi, because only here had several directories created (of which modern printing machineries. Right in there is Nguy ễn V ăn T ố directory) (See: EFEO… 43 Nguyen Van To, 1921; Bibliographie Beaux-Arts de Paris, excellent EFEO , 1948; “Table des matières”, archaeologist, architect – whose wife BEFEO , 1952-1992, aafv.org). To date, was talented journalist writer Jeanne University of Lyon in France has Leuba (1882-1979). They stuck together digitized 107 issues of EFEO, published in the cause of research and description on the website persee.fr and we can of Cham Towers (*) . (*) access quite easily . Especially noteworthy was female 3. The most important thing to experts in the team of EFEO’s scientists. emphasizes is the example of personal First to mention is Madeleine Colani qualities and working spirit, energy (1866-1943), she dedicated most of her which the team of scientists working for life with the excavation and studies of EFEO has left for us. They are all archaeological sites of Stone Age in genuine intellectuals who are passionate, mountainous areas B ắc S ơn, Hòa Bình enthusiastic towards research, scientific and Chum field (Laos), and apparently creativity, the homo academicus forgot to get married. Next is Suzanne (academic people – as words used by Karpelès (1890-1968), a resilient Laurent Dartingues) (Laurent intellectual who was against abuse of Dartingues, 2012, p.45) – stepped into power. She was a student of Paris the career since very young age, such as: Graduate School of Practice, student of Paul Pelliot (21 years old), Henri great scholars Sylvain Lévi and Louis Maspéro (25 years old), Henri Finot. In 1922, she went to Hanoi to Parmentier (29 years old), Jules Bloch work for EFEO. She attached to the study (25 years old), Georges Coedès (25 of Sanskrit and Buddhism, she was the years old). Louis Finot accepted to head expert in charge of Cambodia Institute of of Permanent Archaeological Mission of Buddhism. In 1941, Karpelès was Indochina since only 34 years old and dismissed by government Vichy of Léonard Aurousseau became Director of France because of Jewish origin and her EFEO when 38 years old.