Reign title: Đại Bảo III (1442)
Erection time: on 15th of 8th Lunar month of 15th Hồng Đức reign title (1484)
Size of stele: 108cm in height, 52cm in width, 18cm in thickness.
Shape: Flat, stone gray color
The stele pediment is in an arch shape and decorated with precious clouds, sacred trees, and strange grass. The edges of the stele are decorated with flowering vines. The stele was put on a tortoise which has a round head that is raised high, slightly arched forward with a wide mouth and fangs. The tortoise’s eyes are large, round, and graceful, expressing the eternal desire of knowledge. The title of the text in ancient Chinese character of seal style (Triện) is on the year of the exam: “Records of Doctoral laureutes of Nhâm Tuất Royal exam, 3th Đại Bảo Reign title”.
On 15th of 8th Lunar month, Giáp Thìn Year (1484), King Lê Thánh Tông ordered the erection of the stone stele recording names and homelands of doctoral laureates of examinations at Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám in order to honor talents and encourage studying. The stone stele recording names of the laureates of the exam held in 1442 was one of the first 10 stone stales which were erected at this time.
The text on the stele in Chinese Character was composed by the head official of Academy, chief of Đông Các insitute Thân Nhân Trung. The inscriptions include names and homelands of laureates, the name and functions of the text composer, editor, calligrapher and the year of stele erection.
First class: Nguyễn Trực from Thanh Oai district, Ứng Thiên precinct (now Thanh Oai district, Hà Nội city) was entitled Trạng nguyên (1st-grade laureate). He was the first Trạng nguyên (1st-grade laureate) of the Lê dynasty and the first doctoral laureate who had his name engraved on the stele. Nguyễn Như Đổ from Thanh Trì district, Thường Tín precinct (now in Thanh Trì district, Hà Nội city) was entitled Bảng nhãn (2nd-grade laureate). Lương Như Hộc from Trường Tân district, Hạ Hồng precinct (now in Hải Dương city, Hải Dương province) was entitled Thám hoa lang (3rd-grade laureate). Ngo Si Lien was among 33 of doctoral laureates who passed exam of the third rank. He was an outstanding historian.
On the stone stele of the examination in 1442, the full names of the exam supervisors and examiners, who were all high-ranking officials, were also recorded. They played an important role in organizing the examination and selecting talented individuals for the country. Particularly, the examiner for this examination was the renowned cultural figure Nguyễn Trãi. The names of calligrapher and engraver of the inscriptions: Civil Mandarin Nguyễn Tủng (Title: Cẩn sự lang, Trung thư giám chính tự); Civil Mandarin Tô Ngại (Title: Mậu lâm lang, Kim quang môn đãi chiếu).