HA NOI (VNS)— An 18th century poetic masterpiece will be translated into Russian to mark its author's birthday.

Truyen Kieu (Tale of Kieu), comprised of 3,254 verses by Nguyen Du (1766-1820) recounts the trials and tribulations of Thuy Kieu, a beautiful and talented young woman who sacrifices herself to save her family.

The translation will be done by Nguyen Huy Hoang, PhD, from Moscow University. An overseas Vietnamese in Russia, Hoang Van Vinh, will donate US$5,000 to pay for the work.

The story has been translated into 31 languages, with 10 different versions in French alone.

The commitment to translate the story into Russian is one of a series of activities to celebrate the poet's 250th birthday in 2015. He was recognised by UNESCO as world cultural celebrity. — VNS