"A Preliminary History of Vietnamese Literature" - A book series systematically presenting the flow of Vietnamese literature.

"A Preliminary History of Vietnamese Literature," published by the National Political Publishing House, is a comprehensive systematization of the appearance and flow of Vietnamese literature from its origins to the first half of the 19th century. Through meticulous research, the book affirms the vibrant vitality of a national cultural strength through historical changes.

Recognizing the role, position, and special importance of literature and art, researchers and literary and artistic critics have explored, researched, compiled, and published numerous works summarizing the formation, development, and evaluation of the achievements and limitations of Vietnamese literature. Among these, the book "Draft History of Vietnamese Literature" by a group of authors including researchers Van Tan, Hoai Thanh, Nguyen Dong Chi, Nguyen Hong Phong, and Vu Ngoc Phan, is a valuable work.

Despite being called a "draft," the book is not abridged, but demonstrates a large academic scope, with many fundamental differences compared to literary history books with similar content that appeared before and after it.

This five-volume set comprehensively systematizes the flow of Vietnamese literature. Photo: M.Chi

The book set consists of 5 volumes, structured in historical order and logically. Volume I, "Language, Written Language and Oral Literature," focuses on researching the fundamental elements of Vietnamese literature.

Part one presents the history of the Vietnamese language and writing system, from spoken and written language closely intertwined with the daily life of the Vietnamese people, to the process of recording information using Chinese characters, the creation of the Nôm script, and the birth and development of the Quốc ngữ script; thereby highlighting an important characteristic of the Vietnamese language: the blending of literary and everyday language, creating enduring vitality for national literature.

The second part delves into oral literature, the oldest part of Vietnamese literature. Folk tale genres such as myths, legends, fairy tales, and fables, along with a rich system of rhyming verse, are presented as a vibrant cultural and literary whole. These works form the ideological and aesthetic foundation for the development of written literature and traditional art forms such as Tuong, Cheo, and Cai Luong.

Volume II, "From the 10th to the End of the 17th Century," marks a shift from examining the preliminary elements to researching literary history in a relatively complete developmental process. Volume II is divided into two periods: the 15th century and earlier, and the 15th to the end of the 17th century. In each period, the authors present the historical context, literary characteristics, and examine both Chinese-language and Vietnamese-language literature, thereby clarifying the relationship between literature and social life in each period.

A notable aspect of Volume II is the clarification of the "inseparation of literature and history" characteristic in the early period of Vietnamese literary history. Many works such as "Viet Dien U Linh Tap," "Linh Nam Chich Quai," and "Dai Viet Su Ky" are approached not only as historical documents but also as literary creations of high artistic value. From the 15th century onwards, Vietnamese literature gradually developed in a more specialized direction, especially with the affirmation of the position of Nôm script literature and the relative distinction between literature and history.

Volumes III and IV (18th-century literature) and Volume V (the first half of the 19th century) continue to reflect the diverse development of Vietnamese literature during the medieval period, with many representative authors, works, and creative trends.

The consistent theme throughout the entire work is its approach that emphasizes the positive values ​​of literature for spiritual life and national consciousness, while also selecting and presenting them in a focused manner, avoiding a broad and scattered approach.

"A Preliminary History of Vietnamese Literature" is a foundational academic work. The book also demonstrates how previous generations of researchers framed issues, systematized materials, and approached literature in close relation to history and society. This is the distinguishing feature and enduring value of the work, continuing to be an important reference for research, teaching, and learning of Vietnamese literary history today.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/so-thao-lich-su-van-hoc-viet-nam-bo-sach-he-thong-dong-chay-van-hoc-nuoc-nha-731242.html