Introducing the translation of the book 'Post-Examination Period - Masculinity and Modern Aesthetics in Colonial Vietnam'

(CLO) On December 11th, the seminar "Gender and Modern Aesthetics - The Story of Post-Examination Masculinity in Colonial Vietnam" took place at the Institute of Literature (Hanoi).

The seminar presented academic findings from Ben Tran's translation of the work, illuminating the post-examination period in Vietnam through a gender lens. From the rise of print culture and journalism to the participation of female readers, the research revealed a modern literary landscape taking shape amidst the social upheavals of the early 20th century.

"Post-Examination Period - Masculinity and Modern Aesthetics in Colonial Vietnam" by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ben Tran (translator's note) is one of the few studies on men and the issue of masculinity during a turbulent period in Vietnamese history (1900-1945).

A view of the seminar "Gender and Modern Aesthetics - The Story of Post-Examination Masculinity in Colonial Vietnam".

This book offers readers a vivid picture of the transformation of Vietnamese cultural and literary life after the abolition of the imperial examination system. Following the collapse of the all-male bureaucracy, a new printing culture emerged, closely linked to the Vietnamese alphabet, journalism, and an expanding readership, particularly with the emergence of women in the literary world .

The book comprises five chapters, each unfolding as a new perspective: from "ethnography through personal experience" in the reportage of Tam Lang and Thach Lam; to realism and modern aesthetics through the novels of Vu Trong Phung; from sociological novels and resistance to Confucianism in the writing style of Nhat Linh; to the way language and narrative perspective shape gender in Khai Hung's "Halfway Through Youth "; and finally, the intersection of Queer internationalism, modern Vietnamese aesthetics, and anti-colonial spirit.

The book "Post-Examination Period - Masculinity and Modern Aesthetics in Colonial Vietnam" was translated by Mai Thi Thu Huyen and Dang Thi Thai Ha.

According to Ms. Dang Thi Thai Ha, who directly participated in translating the book "Post-Examination Period - Masculinity and Modern Aesthetics in Colonial Vietnam" by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ben Tran, the book shows how post-examination printing culture fundamentally changed the face of Vietnamese literature: the national script, newspapers, female readers, and post-examination writers all blended together to create a distinctive modern aesthetic.

In particular, the focus on women—both as readers and as literary characters—opened up a new horizon, reflecting the instabilities of colonial masculinity and marking a turning point for Vietnamese literature in the early 20th century.

Dr. Doan Anh Duong (Institute of Literature) shared her opinions at the seminar.

Also at the seminar, Dr. Doan Anh Duong (Institute of Literature) expressed that Ben Tran's book opens up a very interesting approach: instead of viewing literature simply as a verbal art, the author proposes viewing literature as a form of culture.

This approach helps us broaden the scope of research, viewing literature as a means of understanding the history, culture, and especially the people of Vietnam themselves.

The book "Post-Examination Period - Masculinity and Modern Aesthetics in Colonial Vietnam" not only offers fresh perspectives on values ​​and broadens the scope of understanding modern Vietnamese cultural life from a global viewpoint, but also opens up potential avenues for research on Vietnam in the first half of the 20th century, as well as the periods before and after it.

Source: https://congluan.vn/gioi-thieu-ban-dich-cuon-hau-khoa-cu-nam-tinh-va-tham-my-hien-dai-o-viet-nam-thoi-thuoc-dia-10322229.html