See you again, Quy Nhon!

Essays by Lieu Hanh

This isn't my first time here, but every time, Quy Nhon always brings me something new, and it seems I have a special connection with this land.

One of my first stops in Quy Nhon was to visit the tomb of Han Mac Tu – the talented but ill-fated poet. Standing before the tombstone, my eyes welled up as I touched the cold stone slab. He lay there, surrounded by the moon, wind, sky, and clouds, and I could almost hear the beautiful yet heartbreaking verses echoing in my mind: “One day, by the jade stream, with the stars and dew, I will lie dead like the moon. No fairy will come to weep, to kiss me and wash away the wounds of my heart.”

Quy Nhon - Binh Dinh is often known as a land of martial arts and literary traditions, the birthplace of the famous "Four Friends of Ban Thanh" - Han Mac Tu, Che Lan Vien, Yen Lan, and Quach Tan. It is also the place where the poet Xuan Dieu, dubbed the "king of love poetry," left behind verses brimming with the warmth of family ties in the Nẫu region: "Father from the North, mother from the South / A Confucian scholar marries a fish sauce seller /…Father's homeland Ha Tinh, a narrow, dry land… / Mother's homeland, where the south wind blows, refreshing / Binh Dinh, green rice fields embracing the shadows of Cham towers."

Paintings by artist Vu Hoang Tuan

My initial fondness for Quy Nhon stems from the fact that this land has nurtured many poetic souls. But Quy Nhon not only allowed me to wander through literary and poetic realms, but also left me with the impression of an increasingly prosperous and modern coastal city. In recent years, Quy Nhon has developed at a breakneck pace. About ten years ago, when I strolled along the Quy Nhon beach, I simply swam, admired the sea, wandered around the peaceful city, and... slept. But now, the streets are more vibrant, the city has more highlights, and even the shops and restaurants seem more diverse in color and style.

My best friend took me for a stroll around the FLC urban area, and at the end of the day, we went to admire the sea. And the sea, for me, is a passion. The sea is majestic and vast. The sea is deep and boundless. The sea is generous and abundant. The poet Nguyen Trong Tao once lamented a youthful love in these verses: "I let love slip away / Please don't forgive or resent me / Yellow lilies brushing against my feet remind me / Of a sad afternoon with white waves on the Quy Nhon sea." How lovely, and the poem is like an invitation to return to Quy Nhon!

The sea in Quy Nhon makes you want to lie down on the grassy bank, on the sandy shore, to gaze at the sea and let your soul wander in the strong wind, while seemingly hearing the sweet, poignant song "The sea remembers your name and calls you back."

And whenever my heart is troubled, I return to the cherished memories of Quy Nhon. It was here that a persistent young man from the Nẫu region finally became the haven of my life, forcing me to set aside the clumsy verses of my youth: "I won't return to the Nẫu region, my love / Even though the waves of Quy Nhon keep me awake."

Every time, Quy Nhon warmly welcomes me. Usually, the weather here is hot and sunny, but today I bid farewell to Quy Nhon on a drizzly afternoon. My friend said it was spring rain! The sea. The wind. The warmth of friendship and a touch of nostalgia – I secretly promised myself I would return to Quy Nhon someday!

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