The Vietnamese Nôm Preservation Foundation was founded in 1999 as a public charity devoted to preserving 1000 years of writing in Chữ Nôm, the Chinese-like script that Vietnamese used to record their own language and its vast heritage of poetry, history, medicine, and religion. Today, that entire literary culture is about to go extinct. Out of 80 million Vietnamese, less than 100 scholars worldwide can read Chữ Nôm. The publication of Spring Essence: The Poetry of Hồ Xuân Hương (Copper Canyon, 2000) offered a reversal of this cultural loss. Using cutting-edge computer technology developed by experts who would later start the Foundation, Nôm was printed for the first time in true type fonts. This first, landmark publication and printing of Nôm via computer technology opened up the possibility of unlocking centuries of ancient Nôm writing by accessing it and displaying it through the computer keyboard.

Since the publication of Spring Essence in 2000, linguists, lexicographers, and computer experts from around the world have volunteered to help the Foundation extend this initial success through developing two project areas: 1.the publication of the first dictionary of Nôm (in true print and computer-accessible), and 2. the providing of scholarships to students, both from the United States and in Vietnam, who wish to study with a Nôm scholar. The dictionary project, now underway, will cost $40,000 and will take 15 months to complete. We believe the dictionary is the start of everything that will be done by us and by others in the future, while the current generation of students IS the future. Both projects are described at: VNPF Projects.

These projects are being funded by grants and private donations. Presently we are short of our financial goals and in order to complete our dictionary and continue funding scholarships for students we need your help. Please send your financial support to:

The Vietnamese Nôm Preservation Foundation
229 Beachers Brook Lane
Cary, North Carolina 27511
USA
Email: info@nomfoundation.org