Launch of the book "Prison Diary" translated by poet Quach Tan

The work “Prison Diary” is a collection of 133 poems, written in Chinese, born in a special situation. In August 1942, Nguyen Ai Quoc took the name Ho Chi Minh as a representative of the Vietnam Independence League and the International Anti-Aggression Section of Vietnam to work in China. When he arrived in Tuc Vinh, Guangxi, he was unjustly imprisoned by Chiang Kai-shek's government, and from here began a 13-month journey full of hardship and suffering, passing through 18 prisons in 13 districts of Guangxi province. During those months (August 1942 - September 1943), he composed the collection of poems “Prison Diary”.

"Prison Diary" translated by poet Quach Tan.

The collection of poems truthfully reflects the prison system and a part of Chinese society under Chiang Kai-shek. Prisons are places where many social evils (gambling, trading, bribery, etc.) take place, with many injustices, injustices, exiles, and oppressions of people in miserable conditions.

Each poem in the Diary is the author's voice, deeply depicting the soul, thoughts and feelings of Uncle Ho during his time imprisoned in a foreign land. It is a passionate patriotism, always yearning for the Fatherland, wishing to return and join the fight of his comrades and compatriots. Despite suffering hardship and oppression, he always gave love and care to everyone, especially the prisoners around him. His immense, boundless love was not only for all human lives, regardless of class or ethnicity, but also for nature, blending into all things. Exuding from the entire Diary is a revolutionary optimism, belief in a bright tomorrow, his strong, resilient will, and his iron determination. The bravery of a communist soldier, the great spiritual strength helped him overcome exile and prison, to the day of freedom, to return to his beloved Fatherland, to lead the people to gain independence and freedom for the nation. The work has become a national treasure of Vietnam, praised by international friends and translated into many languages around the world .

With this translation by poet Quach Tan, readers who love “Diary in Prison” have another choice besides the familiar translation by Nam Tran and other Confucian scholars. The pages of poetry are translated and presented in a new and unique way in the publication, allowing us to understand and appreciate more about the translation talent, especially the feelings of poet Quach Tan for beloved President Ho Chi Minh. Known as a leading translator of Tang poetry in our country, however, in this translation, Quach Tan has broken the mold, converting some poems of “Diary in Prison” into other traditional Vietnamese poetic forms such as the six-eight verse form, because according to the poet, “There are many poems that I find more meaningful when translated into six-eight verse.” For this reason, Quach Tan has humbly called it a “translation.”

Especially with this edition, readers will be able to "admire" Uncle Ho's poems with the handwritten Chinese characters by calligrapher Tran Thuc Lam, a literary friend of Quach Tan, and the beautiful handwritten Vietnamese characters by the poet himself.

On the occasion of the 133rd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and also the 80th anniversary of Uncle Ho writing the work "Prison Diary", the National Book Center, the National Political Publishing House Truth and the national online bookstore book365 respectfully organize the book launch seminar "Prison Diary" at 9:00 a.m. on May 18, at the National Book Center (24 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), with the participation of 3 speakers: Historian Duong Trung Quoc; Sinologist, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Van Toan; and writer Quach Giao, son of poet Quach Tan.

At the seminar, readers will hear very interesting shares, touching stories from the speakers about the origin, the reason why poet Quach Tan translated "Prison Diary", about the "journey" with many "strange encounters", and then with the support of the poet's family, the help of historian Duong Trung Quoc - the person who poet Quach Tan met, admired, introduced his translation and he found this translation "really beautiful handwriting, really good translation and wanted to introduce it to everyone to read", the work "Prison Diary" once again comes to readers through a new translation by the talented poet from "The land of agarwood, sea swallows".

On the occasion of the book launch of "Prison Diary", the speakers will sign books for readers at the event.

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