The Prime Minister has issued Decision No. 1717/QD-TTg on the establishment of King Tran Nhan Tong Institute on the campus of the Hanoi-based Vietnam National University.

The institute is tasked with studying the heritage, cultural value and career of King Tran Nhan Tong; cultural values and thoughts of the Tran Dynasty and relevant issues; providing policy consultations on development, preservation and promotion of the king’s heritage and cultural value, and traditional cultural values of the nation; and organising training activities on relevant branches in line with current regulations.

Overview of the Vietnam National University in Hanoi. Photo: vtc.vn

The institute is headquartered in Hanoi and has a legal status as well as its own seal and bank account.

King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third king of the Tran Dynasty, ascended the throne when he was just 21. He is famed for defeating the Mongol invaders twice during his 15-year reign.

The King abdicated the throne when he was 35 and spent the rest of his life on Yen Tu Mountain practising and propagating Buddhism. He founded the Truc Lam Zen Sect and worked to unify different Vietnamese Buddhism sects into Vietnamese Zen Buddhism.

Source: VNA