The essay writing contest on the salt-making profession, themed "A Hundred Years of Salt Making - A Lifetime," was organized to serve a national event. Therefore, the Provincial Union of Arts and Culture Associations proactively launched the contest widely, collaborating with associations in the Mekong Delta and extending the initiative to associations nationwide. Considering that this was a narrow and relatively new topic, the Provincial Union of Arts and Culture Associations also broadened the scope to include both journalistic and literary essays.
Provincial Party Secretary Lu Van Hung presents awards to the winners of the essay contest about the Vietnamese salt-making profession. Photo: HT
Yes! This is a narrow and new topic. Out of the 63 provinces and cities nationwide, only a few localities have salt-making as a profession, so not every journalist or artist understands or can write about salt production. That's why the number of entries was not large; the competition only received 40 submissions.
Despite the small number of entries, the competition accomplished its purpose. Out of 40 submissions, 30 were of good quality. These works compiled typical facts that shaped the history of Vietnam's salt industry. By approaching them, we gain a systematic and fundamental understanding of the history of salt production in Vietnam.
The competition has given us a deeper understanding and touched us with the usefulness of salt in our daily lives, a salt we consume and use every day but often overlook, lacking a meaningful perspective. The competition has mobilized the cultural values that salt brings to Vietnamese life, through songs and rhymes, allowing people to understand from within, from the soul of life, the significance and responsibility of salt.
The competition also helped to chart the future of the salt-making industry and affirmed Bac Lieu as the capital of Vietnam's salt industry.
The first prize-winning essay "Carrying the Sun to the Fields," though focusing solely on the lives of salt workers, reveals a truthful piece of writing, with a sincere and insightful perspective on the lives of salt farmers. Readers are moved and feel affection for the lives of salt workers through the professional, emotionally rich, and soulful writing style.
Second Prize winner, "Salt of Affection," is a literary essay that delves deeply into the culture of salt. Reading it, we find many beautiful folk songs and rhymes about salt that have existed since ancient times. Reading it, we see that within each grain of salt lie souls, profound aspects of life.
The second prize, "Bac Lieu Salt - Salt of Affection, Richness Continued - Sweetness Passed Down Through Generations," is a journalistic piece. While the title is somewhat lengthy, its strength lies in affirming Bac Lieu as the "salt capital" of Vietnam; and outlining the formation, development, and future direction of the Bac Lieu salt industry.
The remaining entries that won third prize and honorable mention were also very good, but they weren't perfect; they had flaws here and there.
Looking at the competition as a whole, if we were to look for something incomplete or regrettable, it would be the topic of Ba Thac salt. This is a specialty of Bac Lieu, if not the whole country, yet many articles mention it but none delve deeply into clarifying the formation, the techniques of making Ba Thac salt, and why it is named as such.
In short, although the number of entries in this competition was not high, it comprehensively addressed the topic of salt and human life. It fulfilled its mission of providing a general, complete, and even fresh perspective to contribute to the Vietnam Salt Craft Festival - Bac Lieu 2025, making it even more meaningful.
Writer Phan Trung Nghia (Member of the Judging Panel)
Source: https://baocamau.vn/cuoc-thi-viet-ky-ve-muoi-duoc-gi-a42405.html
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