Associate Professor-Doctor, musician Nguyen Lan Cuong was born in 1941. He is the fourth son of the late People's Teacher Nguyen Lan. He left a profound mark in various fields, especially paleoanthropology, music, and painting. With over half a century dedicated to archaeology, he was regarded as a leading expert in paleoanthropology. He was recognized by the Vietnam Records Organization for having studied the largest number of ancient human remains in the country, with a record total of 1,093 individuals.
He played a pivotal role in many important national projects, notably the restoration and preservation of the remains of Zen masters at the renowned Dau Pagoda, Tieu Son Pagoda, and Phat Tich Pagoda, and Buddhist cultural heritages of great spiritual and historical value.
In addition, Associate Professor Doctor. Nguyen Lan Cuong was a gifted musician. He took positions of Secretary General of the Vietnam Archaeological Association and Standing Vice President of the Hanoi Musicians’ Association and conducted the Hanoi Harmony Choir in numerous cultural events.
He composed nearly 100 musical works, many of which are choral pieces and children’s songs. Among his well-known compositions are “Vi tuong cua long dan” (The People’s General), “Ve di em” (Come home, my dear), and “Bai ca ve nhung nguoi linh dao” (Ode to the Island Soldiers).
He was also a passionate and creative painter. He started with oil painting in 1962 and left behind many valuable works, most notably the book “Bo xuong noi voi ban dieu gi?” (What Does the Skeleton Tell You?), which features 320 illustrations of the human skeleton, entirely drawn by himself.
His passing is a great loss not only to the field of archaeology but also to music, fine arts, and Vietnamese education.
According to writer Pham Viet Long, Associate Professor-Doctor Nguyen Lan Cuong was a person who radiated positive energy through science and the arts. Even in his 80s, he was still able to ride a motorbike, consistently pursued a teaching career, wrote books, drew paintings, created musical compositions, and increased the enthusiasm of the younger generation.
He was not only a rare scientist and artist but also a lover of life and people, always bringing joy and inspiration to everyone he met. He was living proof that science and art are not opposites, but rather complementary forces that shaped an individual who lived with passion and lived to contribute and inspire others.
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