One Month in the South by Pham Quynh

First appearing in Nam Phong magazine in 1918 and published in three installments (not consecutively), 'A Month in Cochinchina' tells the story of writer Pham Quynh's travelogue to famous places in Cochinchina more than 100 years ago.

Book One Month in Cochinchina - Photo: Publishing House

One Month in the South was written after Pham Quynh had a travelogue of more than a month in the South. During this time, he traveled here and there throughout the six provinces, saw and heard many things, and broadened his knowledge.

After returning to the North, he published the travelogue One Month in the South in Nam Phong magazine , recounting the trip, "bringing honest words to discuss with the nation".

Stepping foot in Nam Ky feels happy

Based on the content of the travelogue, on August 21, 1918, Pham Quynh took the train from Hanoi to Hai Phong. On August 22, 1918, he left Hai Phong on the ship Porthos to travel to Cochinchina, four days later the ship docked at Saigon port.

The rickshaw took Pham Quynh across Khanh Hoi bridge; the northern tourist began to come into contact with Saigon - a large metropolis in the South. The streets of Catinat, Charner, Xa Tay, the Tay theater, the wire house, the Governor's Palace... appeared brightly before the eyes of the northern boy.

Pham Quynh, 26 years old that year, had subtle and profound comments about the people, culture and life of Saigon:

"Especially on Sundays, after the main church mass, there is no scene more beautiful than Catinat Street around nine or ten o'clock.

Men, women, boys, girls, Westerners, Southerners dressed very politely, from church to walk through the shops, in crowds like a festival.

Pham Quynh did not just stay in Saigon, Gia Dinh, and Cho Lon. During his trip of more than a month, he intentionally traveled to many places and broadened his knowledge: "Therefore, the feeling of a newcomer here is a feeling of joy, joy and trust in the future, not sadness and regret for the past."

Guiding the nation onto the right path

There were exchanges and meetings between Pham Quynh and famous scholars, intellectuals, and colleagues in the journalism industry of the continent: Bui Quang Chieu, Nguyen Phu Khai ( La Tribune indigène ), father and son Diep Van Cuong and Diep Van Ky, Nguyen Van Cu ( Dai Viet magazine ), Phu Bay Le Quang Liem ( Long Xuyen Khuyen Hoc Hoi ), Vo Van Thom ( An Ha daily newspaper )...

In addition to detailed and accurate descriptions of the people, culture, customs, history, geography, and economic activities of the Southern region, Pham Quynh's comments on journalism, publishing, social integration, and the Chinese and Cham paintings... more than 100 years ago are still relevant today.

Writer Pham Quynh - Photo archive

According to him, if all journalists understood the duty of journalism, what profession could be more beautiful, better, more noble, enough to make people devote their whole life to pursuing it?

"At a time when the old and the new intersect, and the national ideology does not yet know what to take as the standard, we should advocate good ideologies to guide the nation onto the right path, not letting it stray into dangerous alleys.

In terms of education, society, politics, customs, literature, and morality, our influence can encompass everything.

"One word of public opinion from me can make people abandon the evil path and follow the righteous path, or abandon the righteous path and follow the evil path" - Pham Quynh said.

Pham Quynh (1892-1945) was a great Vietnamese writer and journalist in the early 20th century. He worked at the Far Eastern Institute, collaborated with Indochina magazine, was editor-in-chief of Nam Phong magazine, and taught at Hanoi College...

Since 1932, he held the positions of: Imperial Office, Minister of Education, Minister of Personnel in the government of King Bao Dai.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mot-thang-o-nam-ky-cua-pham-quynh-2025062109213852.htm