The Vietnamese Scholarship at the Turn of the Millennium: A Study of the Pioneering Works of Gustave Emile Dumoutier (1850–1904)

Abstract

As East-West contacts led to tumultuous times, the old culture tended to fade out as a new one arose. This changed not only the social system but also the way of thinking of many in the affected countries, particularly scholars. While traditional culture is proudly honored in Asian societies, the resulting changes and adaptations from Western contact often led to humiliation, dishonor, conflicts, and social disturbances. Taking Vietnam as the example, this essay examines the works of one of the earliest French scholars and colonial administrators, Gustave Dumoutier (1850–1904), to understand how the colonial educational system affected artistic and academic disciplines and changed the intellectual order in the country forever.