Construction and reparation of bridges: a view from stone inscription documents of the Nguyen

Abstract

Today, the repertoire of bridge stone inscriptions from the Nguyen dynasty is numbered 300. They are valuable historical sources. Bridge stele of the Nguyen Dynasty has value in many aspects of social life, such as history, culture, architecture, construction, and heritage. Their main content reflects the construction and repair of bridges in localities throughout the country during the Nguyen reign, which is a significant domain of social life. It indicates the consensus of the local government and people in the construction and reparation of the bridge at that time. In addition, these steles reveal the benefits of those bridges in terms of transportation, trade, and agricultural development… This significant historical resource needs to be deployed thoroughly so that people better understand the history of those bridges and their names as a gateway to a deeper understanding of the village cultures in the Nguyen Dynasty.