Mac Thuc Thai Doan Chat: Be honest before poetry!

(Baonghean) - His small house is hidden behind a narrow alley in the village, peaceful in the clear, rustic atmosphere. Before the gate, he carved a few lines of self-admonition from the Three Character Classic: "Unpolished jade/ Will not become a valuable artifact/ A person without learning/ Will not understand reason." Those admonitions carved on the moss-covered brick made me hesitate slightly as I bowed slightly and stepped through the arched gate bordered with climbing vines to meet him…

Poet Mac Thuc Thai Doan Chat converses with the author.

That momentary hesitation didn't stem from a fear of emphatically asserting the importance of scholarship, of cultivating and refining human honesty and kindness, but rather from a premonition of engaging in dialogue with an elderly gentleman well-versed in classical literature, classical Chinese, and perhaps, highly disciplined and meticulous? That premonition, however, did not materialize. The author, Thai Doan Chat, before me was a 74-year-old man, short and stocky, with a benevolent face and an open, friendly manner of conversation. He said he was in the middle of translating some Chinese documents and cordially invited us to sit down on the neatly arranged chairs in the courtyard, bathed in sunlight and filled with the chirping of birds at the start of the day.

I told him my impressions after reading his published works: "Short Plays," "To Someone," etc., that his poetry and research seemed to have a folk flavor, leaning towards the genuine, witty, and profound aspects of folk literature. In response, he smiled and recited a few lines of poetry casually: "At the beginning of the year, look at the calendar / On the cover, there are so many 'girls' in their prime! / The girl blinks her eyelashes / Her clothes are lacking... fabric, her feet are... bowed..." These lines, taken from the poem "Calendar Chaos," which he spontaneously composed during Tet (Lunar New Year) years ago, still retain their relevance today, stemming from his distasteful and vulgar images on Tet calendars – which should be solemn and joyful, in keeping with traditional customs to encapsulate a year of joy and sorrow and usher in a new year of peace and prosperity. That's Thai Doan Chat, a lifetime of using poetry to express his innermost feelings.

This heartfelt expression of his feelings for poetry and life stems from the anxieties of an intellectual facing the turbulent times. The author, Thái Doãn Chất, is originally from Cầu village, Diễn Lợi commune (Diễn Châu district). That's his current name, but he prefers to remember his peaceful hometown, the historical Vông village, Ngọc Lâm hamlet, Hoàng Xá commune, Thái Xá district. That village remains vividly present in his memory, with scenes of famine in 1945, of queuing for rationing during the subsidy period, and of the collective cooperative model… He says he remembers every milestone, every event that tormented his small house and the warm thatched roof of his childhood. But what he remembers most and cherishes most is the educational foundation he received from his family, with his uncle and father knowledgeable in both ancient and modern times, proficient in classical Chinese studies, which paved the way for his later career in education and literature. He graduated from the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi Pedagogical University, and has taught in various places: Nguyen Du High School (Ha Tinh), Nha Trang Pedagogical College, Nghe An School of Educational Management, Dien Chau District Continuing Education Center, etc.

“My thirst for knowledge and the foundation of my family's education opened the door for me to gain insightful perspectives and understanding of the events and phenomena around me. Unfortunately, once I ‘saw’ it, I couldn’t stop myself from writing, from pondering,” author Thai Doan Chat confessed. He chose folk literature as an outpouring of his thoughts, because “folk literature is the essence distilled from the lives of the people, of the hardworking farmers. I love the songs, the melodies, the simple yet profound and multifaceted dialogues of my people. I believe that folk literature is the last thing remaining in the swift flow of time, precisely because of its inherent, rustic strength,” he confided.

That thought became the overarching creative thread for author Thai Doan Chat, even though at times during the creative process, the pressing demands of work and reality led him to many other genres. To this day, his literary and poetic career has left the most lasting impression on readers near and far in the satirical genre – a genre he admits he didn't focus on, but which seems to have been his most successful. His poetry collection "Short Plays" (Nghe An Publishing House, 2007) is known for its concise, biting poems in the lục bát (six-eight) or song thất lục bát (seven-six-eight) or tứ tuyệt (four-line) forms… The eyes of a man deeply concerned with the times see many vices, bad habits, and blatant unwritten rules in society, and he writes with indignation, sarcasm, and bitterness. I have the feeling that the poet Thai Doan Chat is standing right there, confronting the dark sides of life and pointing directly at them:

Some places are quite tricky to talk about.

Planning and strategizing skillfully.

Bringing corruption to the fight against embezzlement.

It's like trying to cover an elephant with a basket or a sack.

It's like playing with a toy in the water.

Like a chicken with tangled hair.

The more they work, the more corrupt and greedy they become.

To provoke the public into shouting: Bring the curtain down immediately!

(The curtain falls)

Satirical poetry brought him relief, even though each poem felt like "a painful birth." At the same time, poetry also gave him enthusiastic readers – hardworking farmers in the fields during harvest season, who would read aloud to each other verses that were truly "painful," because they so accurately reflected the flaws and vices of so many people in the world. However, like many other satirical poets, Thai Doan Chat also encountered considerable trouble. He spoke of common social issues, wrote constructive criticism, but many readers still felt they were reflected in his poems, or that "it" was speaking to "them"! This led to endless questioning, numerous hardships, and many unfortunate incidents caused by his poetry. I tentatively asked him if, after all that hardship and suffering, he still held firm faith in his folk-inspired satirical poetry. After a moment of reflection, he replied, "In the end, I will always remain a sincere person when it comes to poetry."

The poet's published works.

That being said, I understand that in recent years, he has shifted his focus to writing classical Chinese poetry, researching Chinese inscriptions and documents, and developing a passion for the Tale of Kieu and ancient folk tales. Thinking about it, this shift seems inevitable, not because his satirical passion has waned, but because, although still deeply concerned with the turbulent realities of society, his age and health, at over seventy, are more suited to contemplation and reflection. Furthermore, his wife and children pay closer attention to his writing time, out of concern and worry for the health of this elderly man who has dedicated decades to writing. Seeing their gestures and gentle words of support, I understand that he is truly living in his own peaceful garden, surrounded by the boundless love and respect of his family. He said that it was the greatest happiness of his life, and more importantly, having a third son named Thai Doan An who shared his passion for literature, even though he is currently a math teacher!

Throughout his poetic career, author Thai Doan Chat received many important awards: the Third Prize at the 3rd Ho Xuan Huong Literature and Art Award (2002-2005) for the work "Nghe An Inscriptions" (folk literature genre), which he co-authored with researchers Ninh Viet Giao, Dao Tam Tinh, and Dang Quang Lien; and the Fourth Prize at the 4th Ho Xuan Huong Literature and Art Award (2005-2010) for the poetry collection "Short Dramatic Scenes"... He said that awards are something to cherish, recognizing his creative journey, but that glory is not enough to shine for long. Essentially, don't live in false fame; if you love this arduous writing profession, write with passion and honesty. Then he shared with me the meaning of his pen name, Mac Thuc: "Mac Thuc means 'the Mac family' - I chose it to remember my roots. Mac Thuc also means... 'ink', a full inkwell, a self-admonition about humanistic values ​​and compassion in writing, about respect for learning and the literary profession..." I was astonished when I heard his explanation, and I told myself not to be indifferent to what seems simple and insignificant. It was like remembering the moment I first met him, seemingly stoic yet incredibly amiable, a laugh that seemed to fade away, yet lingered on...

Phuoc Anh