Bui Duong Lich talks about the character of Nghe people

Nghe An includes present-day Nghe An and Ha Tinh, an area stretching from Khe Nuoc Lanh to Deo Ngang. Photo: google maps

"Nghe An Ky" is considered a valuable work in many aspects, especially in terms of geography, history and culture. The book has just been republished by the Social Sciences Publishing House, according to the translation of translator Nguyen Thi Thao, an officer of the Institute of Han Nom Studies (previously, in 2004, the World Publishing House printed a copy).

The "Nghe An Ky" book is said to have been written when Bui Duong Lich was holding the position of Nghe An Education Inspector (from 1805-1813). He was a person who traveled extensively in Nghe An, so he knew a lot and understood deeply about this land.

Bui Duong Lich was a rare scholar who was respected and appointed to official positions by three successive dynasties, the Le Trung Hung, Tay Son and Nguyen. He passed the Huong Cong examination in 1774, then passed the Hoang Giap examination in 1787 under the Le dynasty. Having served as an official in both Thang Long capital under the Le dynasty and Phu Xuan under the Nguyen dynasty, and then held office in his hometown Nghe An, he had enough knowledge and experience to analyze the personalities of people from different regions.

The book was carefully compiled and consists of three main parts, including Thien Chi - about astronomy and meteorology of Nghe Tinh land (including both Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces today) and Vietnam in general, Dia Chi - about the physical geography of Nghe Tinh land, Nhan Chi - about personality traits and outstanding characters of Nghe Tinh land.

In the Geographical section, the book describes in detail the geographical features of Nghe An in ancient times, from the territory, land veins, mountains, islands (including mounds), rivers, lakes, estuaries...

Nghe An Citadel was built of earth in 1804, two years after King Gia Long ascended the throne. Photo courtesy

He commented generally on the geographical characteristics of Nghe An: "Nghe An is close to the mountains and the sea, the land is gravelly and barren, and there are not many flat and spacious areas. Therefore, people often have to measure rice from Son Nam to sell. Only Nam Duong, Thanh Chuong and Hung Nguyen districts in the riverbanks often grow corn to make up for that shortage, Thach Ha, Nghi Xuan and Chan Phuc districts with a lot of loose soil often use half of it to grow potatoes to supplement the food. As for the other districts, they all take small products, do odd jobs and trade to make a living, but the handicrafts are also very primitive and clumsy".

To the people of Nghe An

From the terrain, Bui Duong Lich commented on the people: "The area has veins running from Quy Chau, majestic mountains, stagnant rivers, so the people are mostly heroic and brave", and "Dong Thanh district and Nam Duong district, there are many martial artists, and the temperament is also heroic and brave".

The once-famous land of Phoenix Central Capital. Photo: Nguyen Book

Bui Duong Lich gave some summaries about the temperament of Nghe An writers as follows: "Nghe An literature is mostly strong but tough, not very polished. Among the 28 stars of Tao Dan association in Hong Duc period, Nghe An did not have a single one. At that time, there were Tham Chinh Pham Thuc Can from La Son district and Thuong Thu Dang Minh Bich from Nam Duong district, both of whom were famous for their good poetry but were not allowed to participate, that's why".

According to the Royal Doctor Bui, because Nghe An had many people studying and taking exams, they often discussed traditional affairs with the villagers, so the local etiquette and integrity improved.

Regarding mandarins, Bui Duong Lich praised mandarins from Nghe An: "Take reputation as the most important thing. If anyone is used to buying cheap and selling expensive, competing with the people for profit, he will be despised by contemporary public opinion and will never be able to rise up in his life. Scholars who have not yet achieved fame all take advantage of the power to accumulate wealth as a shameful thing."

Meanwhile, regarding bravery, he commented: "Nghe An soldiers in the past were called victorious soldiers. If they were skillful in using them, they would become invincible in the world. It was not that they were braver and more courageous than others, but simply because they were accustomed to hard work and hardship, feared customs and laws, were close to their superiors, and risked their lives for their leaders."

Bui Duong Lich also frankly commented on the "bad qualities" that people from all over the country criticized the people of Nghe An: "Nghe An has bad land and poor people, far behind the four towns, but the customs are simple and honest because of that. People from the towns often laugh at them for being corrupt, the people do not tolerate petty things, their hearts are at peace, because of thrift, people from the towns despise them for being stingy".

Maintain the same order to this day

Over two hundred years have passed, although many things have changed, many of the characteristics of Nghe An people as described by Bui Duong Lich are still preserved today.

Professor Vu Ngoc Khanh, a son of Nghi Xuan land, when analyzing the character of Nghe Tinh people, had comments not far from the author of "Nghe An Ky": "Nghe Tinh people, due to harsh natural conditions and poor economic life, always show resilience in life, accept and overcome circumstances with high will and determination, showing a spirit of tireless progress. They are diligent in studying, eager to learn, studious, eager to learn and have the will to become famous through education".

Professor Phong Le, former Director of the Institute of Literature, who grew up in Huong Son, said: "The Nghe scholar with the image of the wooden fish is also a symbol of the spirit of learning, and also a symbol of stubbornness. Stupidity is not something bad, it is a typical personality of the Nghe people, it is the arrogance of scholars, of educated people. The Nghe people are stubborn and stubborn, but they are loved by many people because they are also straightforward, straightforward and sometimes generous, not calculating benefits for themselves."

In conclusion, Professor Phong Le commented: "The most typical characteristics of Nghe people are studiousness, stubbornness, and arrogance, based on a foundation of talent and kindness."

And unlike the Le and Nguyen dynasties, nowadays, Nghe An has many poets whose names are known throughout the country, such as Tran Huu Thung, Hoang Trung Thong, Nguyen Trong Tao, Thach Quy, Le Huy Mau...

Regarding the army, although the soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army all share the same valuable qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers, the soldiers from Nghe An are still famous for their spirit of solidarity, overcoming difficulties, loyalty and bravery. Just like in history, Nghe An today has produced many talented generals, such as Chu Huy Man, Hoang Dan, Le Thiet Hung, Nam Phong, Nguyen Quoc Thuoc... Generals from Nghe An always demonstrate intelligence, bravery, absolute loyalty and especially, always demonstrate the spirit of learning, learning anytime, anywhere possible.

In a general assessment of the character of Nghe people, scholar Dang Thai Mai, a native of Thanh Chuong, had a famous saying: "Courageous to the point of negligence, diligent to the point of recklessness, determined to the point of dryness and frugal to the point of "wooden fish"".

Thriftiness, economy, and "wooden fish" are still ridiculed by people from all over the world, but they have been the character traits of the people of Nghe An for generations. That is also what the Imperial Doctor Bui Duong Lich was proud of when he wrote in "Nghe An Ky": "The pure customs have never been interrupted."