Searching for the 'female writer' Mong Huyen

Surprisingly, Mong Huyen was a male poet, not a female poet as researchers of "100 Years of Hue's National Language Literature (1920-2020)" have suggested – a small but mistaken perspective!

In the research work titled " 100 Years of Vietnamese Literature in Hue (1920-2020) - A Perspective " edited by Pham Phu Phong, published by Thuan Hoa Publishing House in 2024, page 71 states: "Besides Tan Da, the pioneer of the concept 'literature is useful, literature is for fun', whose spirit is honored by the authors of ' Vietnamese Poets ', among the 46 authors 'elected' for this 'dictionary of poetry', there are 7 female authors, and Hue has two: Mong Huyen and Thu Hong, both born in 1919."

Poet Mong Huyen (1919 - 1997)

PHOTO: FAMILY ARCHIVES

Authors from Hue University of Science claim that Mong Huyen's biography is shrouded in secrecy: "To date, we only know that the poet was born in Hue, studied for his high school diploma in Hanoi, had poems published in two newspapers in Hue at the time, Trang An and Song Huong , was the author of the manuscript collection Rung Dong (unpublished), and even his real name is kept secret [original text: "secret" as Hoai Thanh noted in his footnote: 'The poet requested that we not reveal his real name'."

Following guidance from researchers at Hue University of Science, we attempted to find the poet Mong Huyen in *Vietnamese Poets* .

Surprisingly, the biography of poet Mong Huyen is anything but "secretive." While readers of "Vietnamese Poets" might not have known Mong Huyen's biography more than 80 years ago, they didn't have to wait until "to this day"—more than half a century ago, they already knew a great deal about the poet's background.

Surprisingly, Mong Huyen was a male poet, not a female poet as researchers of "100 Years of Hue's National Language Literature (1920-2020 ) " have suggested – a small but mistaken perspective !

Book cover of "100 Years of Vietnamese National Literature in Hue (1920 - 2020) - A Perspective" (Thuan Hoa Publishing House - 2024)

PHOTO: TGCC

Mr. Nguy Thong Nhat, son of the poet Mong Huyen, currently living in Hanoi, confirmed that his father was the poet Mong Huyen - as stated in "Vietnamese Poets" .

Mr. Nguy Thong Nhat suggested: The group of authors of the book "100 Years of Vietnamese Literature in Hue (1920 - 2020) - A Perspective" from Hue University of Science, edited by Pham Phu Phong, should, when they have the opportunity to come to Hanoi, please come to 50 Hang Bai Street (Cua Nam Ward) to meet him for a reception, a clear introduction to the biography, career, and correction of the gender of the poet Mong Huyen.

Poet Mong Huyen, whose full name was Nguy Mong Huyen, was born in 1919 in Hue and passed away in 1997 in Hanoi due to old age. In 1941, poet Mong Huyen was introduced by Hoai Thanh and Hoai Chan in "Vietnamese Poets" with his famous poem " The Wild Garden ". In 1945, he moved to Hanoi to study and work. From 1954, poet Mong Huyen worked at the Vietnam News Agency until his retirement.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/di-tim-nu-si-mong-huyen-185260602110524461.htm