Launch of the novel 'Words and People, 400 Years...'

On the afternoon of November 1, in Ho Chi Minh City, writer Hoang Minh Tuong launched the historical novel 'Words and People, 400 Years...', a rare work that directly explores the journey of forming the national language.

Writer Hoang Minh Tuong (middle) and journalist Luu Trong Van chat with readers.

The work is set in the time when Portuguese missionary Francisco de Pina began recording Vietnamese in Dai Chiem (Hoi An), thereby forming the foundation of the national language. Writer Hoang Minh Tuong focuses on the complex interaction between East and West, politics and religion, individuals and communities, to depict the journey of the birth of Vietnamese writing amidst historical upheavals.

In “Words and People, 400 Years…”, the Vietnamese language is elevated to the status of “main character” – a living, breathing, emotional entity, containing the beauty and expressiveness of the national soul. The system of characters interwoven between history and fiction such as Francisco de Pina, Bento Thien, Dao Duy Tu, Princess Ngoc Van… together with love affairs and power fluctuations create a cultural and political space rich in depth.

At the launch, many researchers, writers, and readers expressed their impression of Hoang Minh Tuong's combination of artistic fiction and historical accuracy. Physics PhD Nguyen The Hung commented: "This is a historical epic filled with emotion, recalling the benefactors of literature that we have long forgotten."

Writer Dang Van Sinh said that the novel has a lyrical style, evoking deep emotions but needs more “strong literary spirit” to match the scale of the subject. Meanwhile, sociologist Pham Xuan Dai assessed that the work has “cleared the name” of characters who were misunderstood in history, such as Alexandre de Rhodes, and opened up a fairer perspective on those who contributed to the birth of the national language.

Many experts, researchers, writers, journalists and beloved readers attended the book launch "Words and People, 400 Years..."

Poet Tran Chan Uy recounted that after Hoang Minh Tuong’s two trips to Iran and Portugal to commemorate Alexandre de Rhodes and Francisco de Pina, he “suggested” the writer write this novel. “A year later, on behalf of Vietnamese people who knew Quoc Ngu, he thanked the founders of the nation’s writing,” Tran Chan Uy shared.

According to journalist Luu Trong Van, the work has “fully constructed the story of the history of the Vietnamese language through literature”. “Words and people, 400 years…” not only recreates an important historical period but also affirms that the Vietnamese language is the soul of national culture, a living heritage, closely linked to Vietnamese identity.

The book, published by the Vietnamese Women's Publishing House, is considered by experts to be a significant contribution to the current historical novel genre, where literature becomes a bridge to help readers approach history with emotion and respect.

According to VNA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/ra-mat-tieu-thuet-chu-va-nguoi-400-nam-525326.html