Tet and spring newspaper stories

Hanoi entered winter, chilly. The last yellow leaves of the ancient trees spread yellow on the sidewalks. I texted to ask for an appointment to meet the former President of the Vietnam Journalists Association Phan Quang (Gia Phan) at 3pm. He texted back: “So happy, looking forward to meeting you!”

At 3 p.m., I rang the bell, the door opened, and I entered the house of 95-year-old Phan Quang, with silver hair, a straight face, and bright eyes in a long-sleeved shirt. When he was young and old, Phan Quang was a learned, elegant, and humble man, and he was never wrong about a promise.

Old Phan:

- I'm old, most of my friends have left. Now I really want to go back to my hometown Quang Tri for the last time, but my health doesn't allow it, I'm powerless.

Old Phan looked out into the yard, where there were nearly a dozen baskets of his favorite orchids.

I understand his mood, at the twilight of his life. Old Phan changed the subject, writing an article for the Tet issue.

Old Phan recalls professional memories:

- Although I am old, writing Tet newspaper is still my passion.

He recalled:

- In 1948, I left home to join the resistance movement in the base. I was assigned by the organization to be a reporter for the newspaper Cuu Quoc Lien Khu IV. The editorial office organized the publication of the Tet issue, reviewed the content, and there was still a lack of short stories to be published in the culture and arts section, so the boss assigned me to "fill" the position. In just one night, I finished writing the story "By the Red Fire". The article was approved for publication, and it was the first Tet article in my career as a journalist and writer.

Old Phan continued the story:

- The Vietnamese press is different from the world press in that it produces the Lunar New Year issue. The atmosphere of making Tet newspapers in the editorial offices is very joyful, like a festival. When I was the President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, the Executive Committee of the Association had the initiative to organize the Spring Newspaper Festival nationwide and in localities, chaired by the Journalists Association. The Spring Newspaper Festival has become a beautiful traditional Tet culture for decades. Having yellow apricot blossoms and bright peach blossoms but lacking spring newspapers is like lacking Tet!

Regarding the Tet newspaper festival, I asked Gia Phan:

- For more than seventy years, Mr. Phan Quang has been a journalist. Which Tet articles have left an unforgettable mark?

Old Phan happily confided:

- Each Tet newspaper article is an unforgettable memory, the Tet newspaper article "I want an orange to worship my ancestors" published in Nhan Dan Tet Dinh Dau newspaper, 1957 is one of those articles. Happy Tet, welcoming spring, Uncle Ho went to inspect the shops selling Tet goods to people in Dong Xuan market, Hanoi. At the fruit stall serving Tet, Uncle Ho played the role of an old farmer going to the province to ask to buy an orange for Tet worship, the saleswoman calmly replied, Tet oranges are only sold wholesale, not retail. Uncle Ho said nothing, returned to the Presidential Palace and made a phone call to severely criticize the Minister of Domestic Trade and the Chairman of the Hanoi Administrative Committee, criticizing the service style far from the people and requesting immediate correction.

Old Phan, the son who left from the Nhung River in Quang Tri, told the story of writing a Tet newspaper to celebrate the spring of Binh Thin - 1976 when the country was free of enemies, Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River were connected, the country was reunited, yellow apricot blossoms from the South and peach blossoms from the North reunited in one house, the Tet newspaper of Binh Thin was full of emotions, the heart of a son of Vietnam was excited...

Recently, Phan Quang has made another mark, publishing a book titled "Phan Quang's Travelogue - Regretting Roses", which shows even more the admirable writing and creativity of veteran writer Phan Quang, his rare clarity and resilience in "transmitting the message", leaving behind for the world masterpieces of travelogues that blend journalism and literature.

Spring has come, Binh Thuan Journalists Association and press agencies of Binh Thuan province are also focusing on making the Giap Thin Tet issue - 2024 - to celebrate the Party, celebrate Spring, celebrate the homeland - the country's renewal. Binh Thuan Spring Press Festival will open before the traditional New Year; the National Press Festival - 2024 will be solemnly held in Ho Chi Minh City, early March 2024.

Spring knocks on every door. Nowadays, the culture of celebrating Tet and welcoming spring in Vietnam cannot be without Tet newspapers and spring newspaper festivals.

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