A love letter, one letter...

Writer Nong Viet Toai shares his thoughts on Phong slu in the old Tay community.

Four Seasons of Love

Phong slu poems are written in a continuous seven-syllable verse form, sometimes divided into stanzas of four lines each. Each Phong slu poem has profound meaning and content, with elegant verses expressing inner feelings, and neat, flowing handwriting, often lasting several dozen lines.

In the past, the Tay people used to write "Phong slư" on cloth, about half a meter wide. The frame of the letter was decorated with bees, butterflies, flowers, swallows carrying envelopes, dragons bowing to the moon, etc., like a work of literature and art, which Tay men and women often hung or pasted in their bedrooms.

A Phong slư is usually written in Tay Nôm script and sent by a man or woman to their loved one. For those who are literate and able to compose it themselves, the Phong slư bears a strong personal imprint of the writer.

Whatever the stomach thinks, whatever the heart tells it, that's what it writes down, but the handwriting must be neat and tidy; the more elaborate, the more sincere it shows. Phong slu is also written on pink or red paper, colors symbolizing the passionate love of couples in love.

Writer Nong Viet Toai recounted: In the old days, many people in the Tay community were illiterate and had to rely on "Slay sli" men, the common intellectuals living in the Tay community, to write for them.

It is rare for private matters of love to be made public for others to see and read, but for that privacy to be elevated into a genre with its own structure and expressive style, fixed poetic rules, and, even more remarkably, a distinct way of reciting it as a folk melody recognized by the community—this is a unique feature of the Phong slư melody of the Tay people.

Typically, the opening of a Phong slu letter follows a pre-established pattern. A year has four seasons, and the opening sentence refers to the season in which the letter was written. Phong slu letters only discuss the theme of love, but it is love within the context of the four seasons of agricultural production.

The art of Phong slư writing often employs exaggeration and hyperbole to demonstrate that, for the sake of their loved ones, they are capable of doing things that defy logic. For example, they might decide to build a pond on a treetop to raise fish, boil water to make lamp oil, make water flow up a mountain, or turn a boat descending a waterfall back down the waterfall…

Therefore, Phong slư still exists in the emotional life of the Tay people as a beautiful cultural feature, imbued with intense and passionate love. To demonstrate the writer's skill, Tay Phong slư often uses historical allusions and stories, or Tay folk tales to inspire lovers to follow their example, such as the stories "Nam Kim - Thi Dan," "Luong Quan - Bjooc Pha," etc.

The Phong slư folk song has a sweet melody, sometimes low, sometimes high, filled with longing. The further apart they are, the deeper their feelings become over the years, and the more love letters are exchanged, the richer and more heartfelt their content.

What sets Phong slư apart from other Tày folk songs is the way it's recited. When Phong slư is delivered, the recipient carefully unfolds the letter, holding it in their hand while reading and reciting to savor the love poem, to feel the metaphorical, affectionate, or longing, or even resentment... of their lover.

A shared memory

An ancient scroll written in Tay Nôm script.

An ancient Phong slu scroll written in Tay Nôm script.

Currently, not many people in Thai Nguyen province know how to sing Phong slu. Those who know how to write and sing Phong slu are mainly older generations of artisans in the communes of Cho Don, Nam Cuong, Ba Be, and Bang Thanh.

Many years ago, the Ba Be Long Tong Festival often featured reenactments of Phong slu call-and-response singing. However, with the passage of time, the space available for these exchanges of Phong slu melodies has become increasingly limited and infrequent.

Ms. Vu Thi Luong, a folk artist in Cho Don commune, said: "In the past, whenever we went on mobile propaganda tours in villages and hamlets, we would perform the Phong slu melody. The people listened very attentively, the atmosphere seemed to quiet down, and the emotions were very joyful and moving. Now, few young people know how to sing it, and I hope the commune will have classes to teach and revive this folk melody."

Through Phong slư, the Tay ancestors not only conveyed subtle ways of communicating about love, but also passed down the enduring moral standards of the community. It is the voice of the faithful and unwavering love of the ancient Tay people. It's not an exaggeration to say that if you want to know how generations of Tay people expressed love in the past, you should read Phong slư.

In the romantic lives of the Tay people, when two people fall in love, Phong slu becomes a precious keepsake, cherished and preserved as a part of their shared memories. If their relationship ends and they cannot be together, these letters become deeply ingrained memories, accompanying them throughout their lives.

Although time relentlessly flows and the ways people express love may change, the beauty of love remains intact. And so it is with Phong Slư, forever a captivating love letter, a memento of love from a bygone era in the cultural and spiritual life of the Tay people.

Today, the themes in Phong Slư poetry are more diverse; they are not only poems expressing love between men and women, but also praise national heroes, love for the homeland, or propaganda and motivational content...

New poems are set against the backdrop of ancient poetry, allowing people to recite them, enriching their lives with love and affection. Through this, the beauty of this traditional folk culture will continue to thrive in the community.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202601/tinh-thu-mot-buc-12538d2/