Why do you want to banish the saying "Close to the mud but not smelling of it" from the folk song treasure?

Collector Thuy Anh (left) organized a talk about lotus flowers in Vietnamese culture at the opening of the exhibition Pink Lotus: Paris - Hanoi in June - Photo: SON TUNG

The story from Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Van Gia during the discussion about the lotus flower in Vietnamese culture on the evening of June 26 at the exhibition space of Pink Lotus: Paris - Hanoi in June in Hanoi brought pleasant surprises to the artists and the public attending.

The exhibition and discussion were organized by collector Thuy Anh, with the participation of Chairman of the Vietnam Fine Arts Association Luong Xuan Doan, representatives of the Vietnam Fine Arts and Cultural Diplomacy Promotion Board, artists, researchers...

Lotus in the depths of Vietnamese culture

Critic Van Gia, in a talk about lotus, told the story of Phung Quan expressing his feelings above in the poem Hoa Sen , printed and published in the collection of Phung Quan's Poetry (Literature Publishing House, 2003).

For a long time, the above folk song has been very familiar and loved by the people, considered to be a praise for the pure and noble beauty of the flower considered the national flower of the nation.

But in the poem Lotus, Phung Quan has an opposite view.

He said the folk song focused too much on describing the superficial beauty of the lotus stamen, flower, and leaves with two repeated sentences describing this beauty placed next to each other.

In particular, the last verse also makes the lotus flower guilty of "treachery" and ingratitude when it denies its muddy origin. He wrote:

Associate Professor Dr. Ngo Van Gia brings an interesting story about lotus flowers, from Phung Quan to Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh - Photo: T.DIEU

It's all in the word near

Just one word that I understand

Ungrateful and treacherous hearts.

Mud and lotus are not close stories?

It is the lotus that grows from within.

The root of the lotus is deep black mud.

Yellow stamens, white flowers, green leaves...

All, all, all…!

Is nourished by mud

Even the pure incense we place on the altar

Also the flesh and bones of the mud!

Like the people: Hard-working, silent, anonymous

Gave birth to great men, heroes, artists...

According to Phung Quan, the word "near" in this verse not only reflects the objective truth about the biological characteristics of the lotus flower, but at the same time it also creates an arrogant, haughty, and treacherous stance that denies the origin of this flower.

So he ended the poem strongly and resolutely, like his personality: "In the name of mud! In the name of lotus!/ I propose: Expel this treacherous sentence from the folk treasure!".

Adding to the story, critic Do Anh Vu explained that Phung Quan may have been too rational and rigid when analyzing this folk song. Until now, it cannot be denied that the folk song still has a strong vitality and is still a symbol of the pure beauty of the lotus flower.

Mr. Van Gia supports Phung Quan's understanding and opinion. In Buddhism there is also the spirit of "non-discrimination", perhaps Phung Quan understands Buddhism very well.

Lotus paintings attract viewers in mid-June, Hanoi lotus season - Photo: T.DIEU

Recently, the public has heard more thoughts about the lotus flower from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and it seems that everything is reconciled in the non-dualistic spirit of Buddhism.

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh wrote: Without mud, there is no lotus. We can understand that mud and lotus are one, transforming into each other, not distinguishing into two. Even more so, there is no distinction between the fragrant lotus and the stinking mud.

Let go of the discriminating mind, to enjoy the fragrant lotus flowers growing from the black mud.

At the talk, Dr. Tran Trong Duong also shared about lotus in the depths of Vietnamese culture, the artists talked about "fossilizing" the beauty of lotus flowers in paintings.

Painter Luong Xuan Doan talks about the "light" beauty of the lotus flower, which is the "light" beauty of the body and mind of the Vietnamese people, a quality that has helped our nation overcome many challenges of history.

A lotus painting in the exhibition - Photo: T.DIEU

Lotus paintings from auctions during COVID-19

The Lotus Exhibition: Paris - Hanoi in June is held in the beautiful space of the villa at 49 Tran Hung Dao, until June 30.

The exhibition introduces 18 paintings from the Pink Lotus collection of collector Thuy Anh such as: Lotus season (Pham An Hai), West Lake Lotus (Hai Kien), Pink Lotus (Dao Lien Huong), Lotus in summer (Binh Nhi), Golden Lotus season (Nguyen Van Duc)...

Ms. Thuy Anh said that nearly half of the lotus paintings in her collection were collected through charity auctions to support frontline hospitals during the nationwide fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and to support the Vietnam Fine Arts and Cultural Diplomacy Promotion Board.

The rest are paintings she personally selected and collected from her favorite artists, some of which were given to her by the artists.

Ms. Thuy Anh said that before introducing the exhibition to domestic art lovers, she introduced it in Paris, along with the ao dai and conical hats painted with lotus.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/sao-lai-doi-duoi-cau-gan-bun-ma-chang-hoi-tanh-mui-bun-khoi-kho-bau-ca-dao-20240627074213685.htm