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Literary pinnacle: A copy of The Tale of Kieu in Vietnamese, published in Ha Noi in 1915. — VNS Photo Thai Loc |
HCM CITY — A Catholic priest in HCM City recently presented a collection of more than 200 copies of the epic poem Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu), written in several languages, to the central province of Thua Thien – Hue.
Truyen Kieu, written by national poet Nguyen Du in the ancient Vietnamese Nom script, in the early 19th century, is often referred to as the pinnacle of Viet Nam's literary heritage.
It tells the life, trials and tribulations of Thuy Kieu, a beautiful and talented young woman who, to save her father from prison, sells herself into marriage with a man, not knowing that he was a pimp, and is forced into prostitution.
Particularly noteworthy in the collection are 27 copies of work printed in the Nom script in 1872, 1886 and 1891 under the Nguyen dynasty, Viet Nam's last royal dynasty. There are 50 copies of Truyen Kieu printed in Vietnamese with the oldest one published by Ich Ky Publisher in Ha Noi in 1915 and more than 170 French, English, German and Korean versions of the poem.
The collection, which also includes a painting featuring Thuy Kieu by celebrated artist Nguyen Tu Nghiem, is now displayed at the Office of the Archdiocese of Thua Thien-Hue Province.
The owner of the collection, Father Nguyen Huu Triet of Tan Sa Chau Church in Tan Binh District, said he hoped the collection would be enjoyed by lovers of old books. — VNS