Discover the southern land through "U Minh legend"

Kim Dong Publishing House has just released the work "U Minh Legend" by writer Nguyen Thi Diep Mai.

U Minh Legend is a collection of 18 magical folk tales, thrilling legends and myths that have been passed down through generations, both dramatic and imbued with humanity, revolving around the relationship between humans and nature, with gods, and with mysterious forces that cannot be explained by reason.

The book opens the door to the mysterious world of U Minh land - the southern land "stretching along the banks of the West Bay". The work is not simply a collection of stories, recorded according to the stories of the elderly local people, who have been attached to U Minh land all their lives, but goes beyond, recreating a cultural, spiritual, historical realm with special layers of sediment, deeply imprinted in the consciousness of the people of the South.

Each story about that land seems to echo an ancient song, carrying the soul of the land, of the water, of the forest, of the brave and resilient people of the South.

Through each page of the book, readers will see the arduous journey of our ancestors to reclaim the land from a mystical perspective. The work deeply reflects the harmonious but also challenging relationship between humans and wild nature, with sacred forests and poisonous waters and a steadfast belief in the spiritual power of the ancient people of the South.

The writing style in U Minh Truyen Ky is imbued with the breath of a folk storyteller, each word is carefully selected, echoing the oral language of the Western region, both rustic and simple, yet containing solemnity and mystery. Along with that is the storytelling space close to familiar places in the lives of the people of the South, especially the people of Kien Giang , places such as: Rach Soi, Rach Gia, Ha Tien, Hon Son, ... interwoven with that is a mystical spiritual space, beyond the boundaries of human reason.

The book has many impressive illustrations. (Photo: Manh Hao)

The thrilling stories and legends that have been passed down from generation to generation on written pages are recreated by familiar folklore motifs, such as the story of The Curse of the Lord of the Sacred Forest, which evokes the motif of “a mortal man and a fairy woman”, but does not stop at a dreamy love story, but instead conveys a profound lesson about the sacredness of oaths. The tragedy of the character Do not only loses his wife and children, but also awakens the consequences when people cross the spiritual boundary through infidelity.

Stories with extraordinary character motifs like “Thạch Sanh” bring us back to the model of a brave, self-sacrificing and benevolent folk hero, where good triumphs over evil. Or the motif of gods incarnating as humans to save humanity in the story of the Forest Guardian is a symbol of the spirit of protecting the sacred forest, of compassion in the way humans treat all species.

It can be said that U Minh Truyen Ky by Nguyen Thi Diep Mai stands out as a milestone extending the Vietnamese folk culture. The values ​​of folk culture and anecdotes are not only retold but also recreated with profound morality. U Minh Truyen Ky will be a book worth reading for those who love Southern folk culture. It is not only a story but also recalls the origin and awakens pride in the richness of the Vietnamese legend treasure.

Writer Nguyen Thi Diep Mai was born in 1972 in Ca Mau. She is a Doctor of Cultural Studies, a member of the Vietnam Writers Association, and is currently the Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Kien Giang province. Readers know her through published works such as: Love Gone with the Wind (published by the Kien Giang Literature and Arts Association), Pansy Story (Dong Nai Publishing House), Love (Ca Mau Publishing House), Returning to the Border (People's Army Publishing House), Returning Roses to the Land (Thanh Nien Publishing House), Hoa Tran Cua Toi (People's Police Publishing House)...

LINH BAO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/kham-pha-vung-dat-phuong-nam-qua-u-minh-truyen-ky-post887532.html