This can be said after reading "Sacred Land," a collection of essays and memoirs by journalist and writer Phong Nguyen, recently published (Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House, 2024), a rather substantial book with 26 works written by the author in recent years.
 " hideclass="" src="https://vstatic.vietnam.vn/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/1/23/eed9f544718345da85829e76ea2bff37" style="float: center"> |
The themes reflected in "Sacred Land" are quite broad, sometimes telling stories in the forest, sometimes about the plains, the sea, and islands; sometimes addressing the economy , sometimes introducing culture and society... If "Beside the To Hap River" presents readers with a vivid picture of economic development in the mountainous region of Khanh Son, then "Ninh Van, My Hometown" depicts a coastal commune with many changes resulting from the tireless efforts of its people. If "Nha Trang's Adventures with the Universe" tells about the Nha Trang Observatory, located on a hill in Hon Chong, a place attracting tourists from afar to Khanh Hoa, then "The Story of the Ship from a Strange Land" recounts the activities of the Institute of Oceanography , including the Vietnam Oceanographic Museum. If "The Land of the Citadel" brings readers many traces associated with the Dien Khanh ancient citadel over several centuries, then "Sacred Land" speaks of the daily life of our soldiers and people in Truong Sa, the sacred land of our Fatherland. If "Asking about the dance offered to the Goddess..." refers to the Thap Ba Tower and the Thap Ba festival in Nha Trang, then "Oh, Chapi..." speaks of the dedication of folk artist Mau Quoc Tien - a son of the Raglai people - in collecting and preserving the traditional culture of the Raglai people...
Not only diverse in subject matter, the content of each essay and memoir in "Sacred Land" is also rich, containing a wealth of vivid and valuable information for the reader. Born and raised in Khanh Hoa, and having worked as a journalist for many years, Phong Nguyen has witnessed the transformation of his homeland. Therefore, when discussing a region or topic, he often uses numerous sources for comparison, then seamlessly blends them with his life experiences, emotions, and memories to create his works.
In particular, to make his writings captivating to readers, Phong Nguyen always uses and expresses himself in a language that is deeply lyrical, rich in imagery, and highly evocative. The passage in the memoir "Oh, Chapi..." is an example: "The night is hazy in the O Kha valley. Mist hangs like a hazy veil over the lonely mountains and forests of Khanh Son. The sound of a mosquito-catching bird echoes faintly in the silvery air. The mountains seem to be dreaming in a deep, peaceful slumber. I sit by the fire in the small house of the Raglai people, waiting for my ama (father) and away (mother) Mau Thi Muoi, his wife, to join us in silence. The fire crackles against the sparse bamboo wall. Away Muoi adds firewood to the pot of wild vegetable soup she just picked that afternoon. Wild vegetable soup cooked with cassava. This dish is not unfamiliar to me. Without meat or fish, it is still very sweet and fragrant with the flavors of the mountains and forests. Beside the house, unlike other rivers flowing eastward, the To Hap river murmurs and meanders westward, as if trying to find its way back to a distant land of memories for many generations of Raglai people on the majestic Truong Son mountain range..."
As Phong Nguyen's third collection of essays, following "Sacred Blood Drop" (2010) and "Flowers of the Sea" (2020), "Sacred Land," with its many colors, can be said to have created another success for journalist and writer Phong Nguyen, leaving many impressions on readers as they explore and contemplate a region...
HOANG NHAT TUYEN
Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/202410/dat-thieng-buc-tranh-lap-lanh-nhieu-sac-mau-f347288/
Comment (0)