Vinh Linh refracted through the perspective of literature and art

In a sense, the countryside of Vinh Linh has partly reflected the land of Quang Tri . There are many good poems written about Vinh Linh, but there are two poems that are both good and strange that not everyone knows clearly. There have also been plays that are very Vinh Linh-style and seem unusual.

“Catching a tiger to plow”, illustration of the story of the mandarin Vinh Hoang - Photo: T.D.V

The story of a mandarin and a wedding in poetry

Many times returning to Vinh Tu commune (Vinh Linh, Quang Tri), the cradle of the story of Vinh Hoang, we understand more and more the proud folk saying: "Vinh Hoang, the whole village talks about the story". When coming here, listening to the artist Tran Duc Tri passionately telling the story of the mandarin, captivating the listeners, even children as young as ten years old have shown their talent for telling the story of the mandarin, worthy of being his successor; even an old farmer who has not been to school like Mr. Tran Huu Chu has become a "village painter" when "telling" the story of the mandarin with rustic but vivid paintings.

Many people know this story. It is so famous that there is a PhD in literature research like Mr. Vo Xuan Trang who came to the village to collect and publish it into a book, and there is even a graduation thesis of the Faculty of Literature - Hue University on the topic of the story of the mandarin Vinh Hoang. As for cultural identity, according to Ms. Hoang Da Huong, a cultural officer of Vinh Tu commune: "If you don't know how to tell a story, you are probably not a Vinh Tu person". But the story of the mandarin Vinh Hoang being put into poetry is not necessarily widespread.

Until one day, by chance, I met poet Ngo Minh, whose paternal hometown was Quang Binh and maternal hometown was Vinh Linh, and I realized more about the vitality of folk literature. At that time, when he was excited, the poet confided that he had a poem titled: "Listening to the story of the mandarin Vinh Hoang". When he saw my excitement, he started reading: "Bombs were thrown across the river to save money on ferry fare/ While picking a painting, I accidentally picked a tiger's tail/ The storyteller insisted that it was true/ Anyone who doesn't believe me, please come to my village...".

Then he explained: “I feel the story of the mandarin Vinh Hoang in poetry. The first sentence of the poem is about the story that the mandarin Vinh Hoang told the villagers when he went to the death anniversary on the other side of the Ben Hai River, he didn’t need to take a boat. He just needed a trick to provoke the American planes to drop bombs on the other side, after the death anniversary, he would provoke them again, the bombs would drop back on this side, then he could leisurely go home; as for the story of picking the painting, because it was not yet dawn, he couldn’t see clearly, he mistakenly picked the tiger’s tail...”

It is truly strange! The humorous spirit, even with life-and-death dangers, is told in a calm yet ironic voice: "Looking at the mocking laughter!" The poet has captured the spirit and put it into a poem that is vivid and impressive. The ending makes the listener even more moved: "Oh Vinh Linh, stepping up from the tunnel/ I thought it was a white funeral color/ Who would have thought that under the ashes, the stories of the mandarins/ Emerged green, sparkling with smiling eyes/ A potato had to be boiled in five pots/ The story seems unbelievable/ But when I arrived at Vinh Linh, I scooped up handfuls of dirt/ I understood more and more strange stories". This is also a strange thing in poetry!

The second poem tells a story of double happiness right at the border area, titled “Bride-taking over Ben Hai Bridge” by poet Canh Tra. This work was published on July 20, 1975, in the “Liberated Literature and Arts” newspaper, and won the best poem award on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the “Liberated Literature and Arts” newspaper.

The poem was composed right in Hien Luong village with the opening verses: “One sunny morning with yellow Ngau flowers/The bride procession crossed Ben Hai bridge/The bridge had just been built and the paint was still fresh/The two banks were green with new rice buds/Watching the two families cross the bridge, tears welled up/And joy overflowed like children” . A wedding must have a bride procession, it was such a normal thing as it had always been. So there was nothing strange about writing a poem, more than that, making me laugh and cry like a child.

Yes, because what was once very normal has become unusual in the divided border area, so for nearly 20 years, the story of traveling across the bridge has been very rare, let alone such a bustling wedding procession. Therefore, it has become an event in poetry. As poet Vo Van Hoa (Hai Lang, Quang Tri) said: "The poem is a strange phenomenon in poetry, it truly recreates and feels truthfully, deeply, and subtly a strange thing in life, a story that only exists in the border area."

The poem recalls a seemingly normal reality, without any sign of war, bombs falling, bullets exploding, but still makes the reader numb with the pain of separation: "The young man Vinh Linh married the girl from Cua-Cam Lo/The river was jubilant as the couple loved each other/The wind gently blew the waves at the foot of the bridge/And the old folk song was heartbreaking/"Going to Hien Luong, why did the long road stop/When arriving at Ben Hai, why did the love attic..." .

And return to the boundless joy of a peaceful reality that is so humane when life returns to normal, peaceful as its true nature: "Today's wedding is as natural as flowers, as leaves/Like you getting married, like me getting married/But it's not as surprising as a dream/I look at the river, hear the river flowing murmuringly/Whoever is singing, it seems like I'm singing/Watching the clouds drift, I see the vast sky/Your feet are so busy, my love!".

Poet Pham Dinh An commented: "The poem is good in its unique ideas, meanings, and poetic images, and in addition, its simple and bright presentation, covered with a sense of folk culture, has a rustic beauty but is also sophisticated enough to create a poetic story about an interesting wedding procession, bringing out a noble, profound, and broader meaning than a normal wedding procession." Along with songs like "The First Spring" by musician Van Cao, this poem has touched the strong desire of the national consciousness to become works with a fresh, long-lasting vitality, perhaps unaware of the wrinkles of age.

Strange show

Only after talking with writer Xuan Duc did I realize that after the province was re-established in 1989. Quang Tri, when it had just "separated", was lacking in many ways but its aspirations were not small. Moreover, there was the veteran director People's Artist Xuan Dam (Mrs. Kim Quy's husband), the playwright Xuan Duc, the talented actor People's Artist Kim Quy (from Vinh Linh) and Chanh Phung, but with only that many people, it was difficult to create a play. The national small stage performance festival was full of challenges but also too attractive an invitation to refuse.

One day in 1991, director Xuan Dam, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Quang Tri province, told the Deputy Director of the Department, writer Xuan Duc: "You write me a play right away, remember there are only two characters, one male, one female, and you know why there are only two, because there are only two actors: Chanh Phung and Kim Quy, live within your means." Writer Xuan Duc followed suit, but thought all day and all night, scratching his head but still could not come up with such a play.

In the morning, meeting director Xuan Dam, he grimaced and "negotiated": "You have to give me one more character, just one character, otherwise it's out of the question". The director of the Department of Culture replied: "Okay, I'll give you one more character, a female character, because there's only Tieu Hoa left". Struggling to create, writer Xuan Duc finished writing the play "Waiting Until When" also inspired by the border land of Vinh Linh, later director Xuan Dam changed the name to "Nonsense of Life Stories". Then the whole "theatre troupe" set off in a U-oat car to perform in Ho Chi Minh City.

The province was poor, with limited funds, scarce facilities, and scarce actors, but it was a resounding success. The play won a gold medal, and the actors also won gold and silver medals, making the theater world of the whole country admire. Continuing the momentum, gold medals followed one another in the following festivals, making Quang Tri a golden address for small theater.

Pham Xuan Dung

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/vinh-linh-khuc-xa-qua-goc-nhin-van-nghe-191316.htm