According to the Institute of Han Nom Studies (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences), Mr. Nguyen Quang Hong passed away at 16h59 on 7/10. The professor's wake will be held from 9h to 10h on 9/10, with the memorial service taking place from 10h to 10h30 at the National Funeral Home. He will be interred on the same day at Vinh Hang Park, Hanoi.

Portrait of Professor Nguyen Quang Hong. *Photo: Institute of Han Nom Studies*

Professor Nguyen Quang Hong was born in 1940 in Tra Kieu, Duy Xuyen, Quang Nam (now Da Nang). He dedicated his life to linguistics, becoming a leading scholar in Han Nom studies. His notable academic works include 'Van khac Han Nom Viet Nam' (Vietnamese Han Nom Inscriptions), 'Am tiet va loai hinh ngon ngu' (Syllables and Language Typology), and 'Di van chua Dau' (Dau Pagoda Inscriptions).

In 2006, the 'Tu dien chu Nom' (Nom Script Dictionary) he edited was released. However, the professor remained concerned and was not fully satisfied with the content of that publication. He continued to spend many years researching, compiling, and introducing the 'Tu dien chu Nom dan giai' (Annotated Nom Script Dictionary), which was published in 3/2016.

The work comprises two volumes, collecting 9,450 Nom characters, based on materials from 124 different works and texts. He once said, "This book is not only for researchers but also for the general public. You don't even need to look anything up; you can just open it and read a few lines for entertainment". According to associate professor, doctor Trinh Khac Manh, the dictionary is a source of pride in Vietnamese Han-Nom studies.

During his lifetime, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hong held various positions, including: Deputy Director of the Institute of Han Nom Studies; President of the Linguistic Society of Vietnam and Editor-in-Chief of the 'Ngon ngu va Doi song' (Language and Life) journal; member of the State Professor Title Council and Chairman of the Linguistics Professor Title Council; and member of the National Cultural Heritage Council.

The professor received the 2009 Balaban Prize from the Friends of Nom Preservation Foundation - USA, the 2007 Gold Prize for Good Books from the Vietnam Publishers Association (now the National Book Award), the 2017 State Prize for Science and Technology, and the 2022 Ho Chi Minh Prize for Science and Technology.

Phuong Linh