Understanding culture to promote "Vietnamese Knowledge"

Collector Tran Huu Tai with his collection of Tale of Kieu. Photo: T.A — Collector Tran Huu Tai with his collection of Tale of Kieu. Photo: TA

However, deep in Mr. Tai's heart is the dream of getting closer to "Vietnamese Knowledge", contributing a little effort to the journey of preserving and promoting national culture.

Collector Tran Huu Tai shared about the project "Vietnamese Knowledge" that he is implementing.

* In your journey to explore lands around the world , what concerns do you always carry?

- It is about promoting the value of world cultural celebrities. Along with that is the story of raising the cultural value of Vietnamese people on the world map.

We all know that Vietnam has 7 world cultural celebrities recognized by UNESCO including Nguyen Trai, Ho Chi Minh , Nguyen Du, Chu Van An, Ho Xuan Huong, Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac.

I think Vietnam should create its own brand of world cultural celebrities. That is how we can be proud and affirm our position in the eyes of international friends.

* What feelings and perspectives does each destination and each meeting leave you with about the two words "Culture"?

- In every country I visit, it is easy to see that people always emphasize the importance of local history and culture. Thanks to that, their local values are diverse and profound.

To achieve that result, the education sector plays a very important role. Culture is completely close, within the reach of everyone, of all ages, levels... It all lies in the approach and education about culture.

The people who have worked with me all have in common a deep knowledge of society and culture. Perhaps partly because they were born and raised in a well-educated, highly intellectual environment.

* What responsibilities does a cultural storyteller usually carry? What is the key factor, sir?

- It is to inspire the core values of culture. To do so, the storyteller himself needs to understand the core things.

The narrator's spiritual life is still related to material factors. Because with material things, it is easy to consolidate culture.

One thing I always keep in mind is that doing culture is very difficult. Therefore, doing business while supporting those who are passionate about Vietnamese culture is how my CSO Gallery operates. Combining the material with the spiritual is the key.

* For the cultural storyteller, will the two aspects of "contributing to culture" and "receiving from culture" be balanced or unbalanced?

- As I just said, doing culture from a private perspective will be very difficult. Therefore, the difference between these two factors is very large. The sacrifice and contribution of a cultural storyteller cannot be compared to what they receive.

However, it is not impossible to do. When seeing the true destination of research and acquiring cultural knowledge, the cultural storyteller himself will know how to balance his own emotions. At that time, happiness always attracts people to continuously create.

* You often mention the phrase “Vietnamese Knowledge”. Is that the profound goal you are aiming for?

- Vietnamese books are the face and value of "Vietnamese Knowledge". If many people read books and collect rare books, it will help the country preserve and develop "Vietnamese Knowledge".

Currently, Vietnam has rare books that are hundreds of years old but their price is lower than a bottle of wine or a rare Vietnamese bookcase is valued by the market at less than half the price of a supercar. This unreasonable situation is a wake-up call that it is time for Vietnamese people to have a more correct view of the value of rare books.

For example, digitizing rare books and documents for long-term preservation is a good way. The continuous development of science and technology creates many opportunities for private collectors like us to have more conditions to preserve national culture.

* In the current period, to preserve and develop "Vietnamese Knowledge", what are your ways?

- Currently, CSO Gallery is aiming to combine the values of 7 world cultural celebrities of Vietnam into a certain whole, creating a project with the brand name "Vietnamese People - Vietnamese Knowledge".

The project is expected to be implemented over a period of 5 years. The key factor to create the uniqueness of the project is the lesson from the proverb "One tree alone cannot make a forest, three trees together can make a high mountain".

Finding and combining the common points of 7 Vietnamese cultural celebrities into one whole is my dream and my big goal.

This is extremely important as the country develops and its relationship with the world becomes deeper and deeper. If we do not promote and maintain the knowledge about our country's cultural celebrities, the young generation in the future will easily lose their national pride.

To me, Vietnamese people need to fully grasp their own cultural values before stepping out to integrate with international friends.

* Thank you for your interesting sharing!

Source: https://baodanang.vn/hieu-van-hoa-de-thuc-day-tri-thuc-viet-3300168.html