"Let's Go Back to Childhood," a collection of 20 journalistic essays about Hue by journalist Hoang Thi Tho, has just been released to readers.

The land that both Nguyen Tay Son and Nguyen Gia Mieu dynasties chose as their capital, from its scenery, soil, flowers, fruits, plants, birds, people, culture, and education , captivates, enchants, and leaves a lasting impression.

Hue is beautiful and poetic, Hue is dreamy, Hue is of poetry, music, and art, "Hue is known for its fragrant food and beautiful clothes"... these are "old news stories," because too many people have written about it already. Without skillful writing, it can become repetitive, clichéd, and outdated. However, Hue is a hidden value, full of layers of sediment and rich resources, and with the right approach, writers can bring fresh emotions to readers from the precious gems they discover.

The 20 journalistic essays in the collection "Let's Go From Childhood" are sparkling gold nuggets from the hands of a writer with keen observation, meticulous description, precise data, rich memory, vibrant ideas, and gentle emotions.

Within those golden gems lie places, people, and cultures that you would be hard to find anywhere else in the world, except Hue. It's the place where a king built his tomb, yet didn't forget to make room for birds: "I planted many trees here to attract birds. Any bird that finds joy can come and stay." It's the place known as the "City of White Ao Dai" with... “ The White Road .” That white waterfall has captivated countless hearts, leaving travelers from near and far in Hue spellbound and reluctant to leave; it has made many young men wait outside the gate, hoping to see “ her coming home from school … ” so they could “ take her home in the rain …” whenever the Dong Khanh girls finished school. It is a place with gardens – gardens whose names alone are enough to make one swoon: Thuong Lac Vien, Xuan Vien Tieu Cung, Cat Huong Cu, Phu Mong Vien, Tich Thien Vien, Nha Vien, Tinh Gia Vien, An Lac Vien… It is a place with over a thousand tempting royal and folk dishes; and where a refined lady wrote a cookbook in the form of 100 four-line poems, "A Hundred -Year-Old Food Recipe." There was a man who owned over ten thousand valuable books in his family library, a peasant couple who spent their lives on the river to protect the sacred forest of the Chá mountain, and names that shaped the Huế style: Ưng Bình Thúc Dạ Thị, Trương Đăng Thị Bích, Hoàng Thị Cúc, Mai Thị Trà, Bửu Ý, Trịnh Công Sơn,...

In particular, Dong Khanh Girls' High School and its female students, as depicted in Hoang Thi Tho's book, have become unparalleled values. Through the inner perspective of someone deeply connected to this prestigious school throughout her life, the author cherishes and preserves the golden essence of Dong Khanh in her heart; and from there, she recounts and writes with passion, poignancy, and emotion, mirroring the rhythm of Dong Khanh's history through its ups and downs. From the author's pen, Dong Khanh emerges as a quintessential example of Hue femininity, the perfection of an educational philosophy embodying eternal truths: learning combined with practice, true talent and knowledge, virtue, grace, speech, and conduct… The value of Dong Khanh is reaffirmed at its 70th, 80th, 90th, 95th, 100th, and 105th anniversaries. Through Hoang Thi Tho's writing, each Dong Khanh festival becomes a Dong Khanh Festival – unique, beautiful, and full of pride.

In her memories of old Hue, her feelings about present-day Hue, and her dreams for the future Hue, we see Hoang Thi Tho always deeply concerned with cultural and educational values; troubled by the preservation of the beauty of Hue's soul, from the kitchen to the school. How can we ensure that not only Kim Long, but anywhere, anyone, and everything in Hue will satisfy tourists – the "emperors" of everyday life – and agree with the old saying, "I love, I miss, I'll risk everything to go"? How can we ensure that people not only "embrace a sweet love" but also "turn to stone" once they have encountered Hue? How can we ensure that Hue remains a place, even though it once belonged to the king, that "even the king would yearn for"? It seems the author is entrusting these thoughts and aspirations to us – those who love Hue and those who read this book.

Starting from childhood, the author, and the people of Hue in general, rose from poverty and hardship, yet was not lacking in family traditions, moral values ​​in interpersonal relationships, and a romantic spirit. From this, a genuine, simple, and frugal Hue emerges, characterized by its frugal lifestyle with simple things like fish sauce and pickled vegetables, yet also refined and elegant in its spiritual life with poetry, music, painting, birds, and flowers. This is precisely the "unparalleled beauty of Hue" that Thi Hoang Tho has recreated in her book with reverence.

In her article about Hue's gardens, author Hoang Thi Tho affirms: "The beauty of simplicity is true beauty." That's right! Simplicity doesn't mean crudeness, but rather naturalness; it's a sincere and simple depiction of the inherent, innate, and genuine beauty of the land, landscape, and people of Hue. Even when speaking of elegance, it's an inherent elegance, not something achieved through elaborate embellishments, ornate designs, or decorative embellishments. The 20 essays in "From Childhood " possess this simple beauty – truthful in their journalistic information and overflowing with genuine emotion in their words, expressing love, admiration, nostalgia, and respect for the gifts of nature and the creations of the people in this land where "even the king would envy."

Nguyen Thi Tinh Thy