The copy, with its covers made of rare wood and the inside sheets of leatherette paper, weighs 8.3 kg and measures 42cm x 30.5cm x 0.7cm, as compared to the giant version with a weight of 54kg and measurements of 109cm x 70cm x 10 cm.

“Hoa Lu Thi Tap” is a collection of 121 poems written by Prof. PhD Hoang Quang Thuan, Dean of the Institute of Telecommunication Technology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

The epic poems tell readers about a historic period 1,000 years ago spanning the Dinh, Le and Ly dynasties of Vietnam until 1,10 when King Ly Cong Uan moved the royal capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long.

The poems are written in calligraphic style by painter Tran Quoc An and illustrated with photos by Pham Tu in the giant book that is also made from rare wood and leatherette paper.

The giant book was recognised as the biggest poetry book made in Vietnam on November 4 and will receive the certificate on December 11.

The President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has proposed that UNESCO recognise the poetry collection as a Memory of the World. A copy of the poem collection and the proposal were presented to UNESCO during its Executive Council’s 136th session in Paris on October 14.