The core of the novel is the love story between Thien, a girl from Dien village, and Quan Thanh, a young border guard officer serving in the northern border region. The plot creates multiple layers of narrative, simultaneously establishing corresponding spatial layers that "envelop" the two main characters. The first, innermost, and deepest core is the cultural customs of Dien village—a village rich in traditional culture and ancestral roots, home to the famous and sacred Phuc Mau Pagoda and the Ba Chua Dau Temple, dedicated to a deity from the Ly Dynasty. A virtuous, diligent, and kind-hearted girl like Thien is chosen by the Dien village festival organizers to be Thanh Hien Thanh Nu—the embodiment of Ba Chua Dau in the Ba Chua Dau Temple Festival...

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The author skillfully guides the reader onto a mythical boat, drifting along a stream of poetic words, back to the ancient village of Dien in the Kinh Bac cultural region. That same village, however, is different today. The village is gradually becoming deserted as young people flock to work abroad, seeking jobs in the city, or even marrying foreigners… Three young women leave the village to find work and fall into a trap. The narrative pauses here, posing a question: Where is the village's cultural vitality today? Following the footsteps of the people of Dien village, the novel takes the reader to a different present-day space, a harsh border region filled with schemes, smuggling, fraud, even violence and crime…

The main plot of the novel revolves around Quân Thành and his comrades on the border, tirelessly safeguarding national security. Every day, they sweat it out on the training ground, and for Quân Thành, his indispensable weapon is the K54 pistol. Besides memorizing basic specifications, structural features, functions, and combat performance, the user must diligently practice gripping the gun, shooting posture, breath control, emotional control, and intense concentration. Quân Thành becomes a skilled marksman thanks to his unwavering dedication and his deep understanding of the gun, as if it were his lover. For him, each shot is a convergence of his love for his village, his pride in his family's rich revolutionary tradition, and especially his longing for Thiển...

Strangely, when shooting at targets during training or when hunting down criminals, Quân Thành's marksmanship was remarkably accurate. This was aided by the Human Consciousness—a fantastical, non-existent figure who provided unwavering spiritual support to Quân Thành while on guard duty or on missions late at night. It seems that with the help of the Human Consciousness, in his dreams Quân Thành met his beloved father—a brave soldier who fell heroically as a border guard in the past. Quân Thành recounted these details to his girlfriend back home.

Surprisingly, Thien also received spiritual support from the Lady of the Daughters in completing her project to transform Dien village into a beautiful, prosperous, civilized village that attracts tourists . Whenever she had to ponder or think deeply, she felt empowered by the Lady of the Daughters. It turns out that the work of protecting and building the country undertaken by today's young people always has a solid foundation in the historical and cultural traditions of the nation.

The novel's title, "Lightweight Mountain," can be interpreted metaphorically: Something difficult (like a mountain), but with love, willpower, and determination, will become light (weightless) because it is always supported and empowered by life today and by history yesterday.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/sach/ket-noi-van-hoa-doc-lam-moi-phong-cach-viet-ve-bo-doi-thoi-nay-1017070