Writer Son Tung - from the person to the work is a block of truth

When I just reached the second floor, I looked in and heard Hong Mai's voice - the writer's wife: "Thang! You just came out. Come inside!"

I was welcomed into Uncle Son Tung's house in such a friendly and gentle manner. It was 2011. At that time, the writer had fallen ill and could no longer speak. But he still remembered me. Unfortunately, he could no longer speak like the previous times. Ms. Mai had to "translate" for me from the "language of the eyes" and the difficult sounds of a stroke patient. He asked me if I was from Nghe An, if I was well, how was my work?... When I said goodbye and left, I saw that he was very thoughtful. Ms. Hong Mai said, he was very happy to see someone from the countryside.

I don't visit writer Son Tung often, but every time, it's like returning to a place of intimacy and true love.

The first time I saw him was in 1985, when I was stationed in Hanoi, I went to listen to him speak at an agency under the Ministry of Agriculture at Vong Crossroads. That day he talked about Uncle Ho, about “Blue Lotus Bud”.”Everyone was attracted by his fascinating, new and strange story, hearing and knowing about Uncle Ho for the first time with specific and vivid evidence.

Before that, in 1982, I read the novel "Blue Lotus" when it was first published; I also read the "criticism" about the book and the author. I knew the writer of this article and a few times accidentally heard him and his colleagues discussing the story of "Blue Lotus". At that time, we knew that he was just the writer. The real author of the article was not a single person but a collective of a common perspective and perception at that time. Many years later, around 2006, when the author of the old article visited Vinh, I asked him if he remembered the 1982 article "attacking" "Blue Lotus". Surprised by the question, silent for a moment, he said, that was a story of a time, not his own, not just about "Blue Lotus". But I still regret it. If only back then... Having known him for a long time, I know he spoke the truth because he was a very real person. He was also a person of history.

Once, when I went with Mr. Bui Thiet to visit the writer, I asked: Do you remember the article "attacking" "Blue Lotus"? Of course. But that's how it is. That's how it was at that time. It couldn't be otherwise. He smiled and said so.

Writer Son Tung (second from left) in Uncle Ho's hometown Sen village. Photo courtesy

The novel "Blue Lotus" was released in the same year as the documentary "Hanoi in Whose Eyes" were two famous literary and artistic events. The book was "criticized" and the film had to be stopped. But many astute people said that it signaled an important change in historical, literary and artistic awareness. As students of History, we were interested in the historical aspects, objectivity and truth in these works. My friends said, it must be like that, it must be like that, that is the truth. My friend Khanh said: Mr. Vuong (Professor Tran Quoc Vuong), an advisor of the documentary "Hanoi in Whose Eyes", also really liked "Blue Lotus" because it was real, reasonable and logical. I don't know when, but I know for sure that the two men, writer Son Tung and historian Tran Quoc Vuong, were soul mates. In 1999, the Nghe An Folk Arts Association invited Prof. Tran Quoc Vuong was in training in collecting and researching. At a party, I heard the professor say that there is history in Folklore and literature. In Nghe An, if we look at "Blue Lotus" by Son Tung, we will see and know.

Another time, when we were quite close, I asked the writer:

- When you write about Uncle Ho, you are writing prose, not a biography. So is there any time when you make it up?

- Yes. But just the details, to make it into a text but must keep the principle of not fictionalizing history, must be honest with history - he answered.

For me, it was a big, big lesson.

From left to right: Teacher Hoang Dao Chuc, writer Son Tung; Director of Trang An Cultural Center - Bui Phuc Hai, writer Hoang Kinh. Photo courtesy

As a journalist, I have interviewed many intellectuals and artists in the country and abroad. But I regret that I have not been able to conduct an interview with writer Son Tung. There were times when I had plans, even prepared questions, but when I met him, that idea was forgotten and replaced by stories of all sorts, even though they were still about work, current affairs, public affairs, personal affairs...

There was no interview in the newspaper, but I asked and learned many things from him, especially about journalism. Knowing that he had been a professional journalist for many years, and started writing from journalism, I asked him, what is the secret to good journalism? He said, journalism as well as writing, there is only one secret: to respect the truth, respect history, respect objectivity, including the feelings of anyone, any character. And if you want the truth, you have to go find it. The most difficult thing in this world is to find the truth. To write "Blue Lotus", it took him 30 years to find documents about Uncle Ho, about the people involved, and history inside and outside the country. He also said, protecting the truth is as difficult and arduous as searching for the truth. Protecting the truth is the responsibility of writers and journalists.

Thinking back on this, I see that Son Tung is a block of truth, and his works are also a block of truth. He and his works are a mixture, blended together into a large block of truth, with no room for any falsehood.

Writer Son Tung has never written for Nghe An Culture Magazine or Ha Tinh Culture Magazine. But for us, for a long time, he has been a close collaborator. That is because he is very interested in these two magazines as well as the cultural situation of his hometown. Every time we meet, he asks: How is our culture these days? Is the magazine doing well? Are there any difficulties?... He not only asks when we meet, but also through our other friends. I remember, in 2006, the first thing he asked when I came to his house was: The magazine has been separated. Keep trying. That means the province is very interested. Keep trying.

His family's dormitory in Van Chuong Alley (Hanoi) has long been the Chieu Van of Hanoi's literati and intellectuals. Not only Hanoi but also the whole country and international friends. It is a place to share joys and sorrows, a starting point for ideas and creative plans of many literati. Son Tung is the owner of Chieu Van. Now he is no longer there to welcome his friends. He has gone far away to find the truth for new creations. The old house now only has Ms. Mai to welcome Chieu Van on his behalf. How sad.

Writer Son Tung, real name is Bui Son Tung, born on August 8, 1928 in Hoa Luy village, Dien Kim commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province. He participated in revolutionary activities since 1944 (70 years old)DAt the end of 1967, he was sent to the Southern battlefield to establish the Southern Youth Newspaper. On April 15, 1971,He was seriously wounded (grade 1/4) on the battlefield in the Southeast and had to go to the North for treatment.

He also worked for theBAgriculture, Vanguard... He is a member of the Vietnam Writers Association; was awarded the title of Labor Hero by the State in 2011. He passed awayborn at 23:05 onJuly 22, 2021, at the age of 93.

WORK

Prose:By the window(short story collection, Labor Publishing House, 1974);Remember the source(Women's Publishing House, 1975);May Anniversary(1976);People and the road(Women's Publishing House, 1976);Nguyen Huu Tien(story, Thanh Nien Publishing House, 1981);Blue lotus(novel, Kim Dong Publishing House, 1981);Sunny Garden(Thanh Nien Publishing House, 1997);Heart of the Earth(novel, Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2000);Tran Phu(story, Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2000);Golden Lotus(novel, Literature Publishing House, Ho Chi Minh City, 2000);I'm back(Women's Publishing House, 2000);Ho Chi Minh's light(People's Police Publishing House, 2005);Uncle Ho seeks talented people(News Agency, 2006);Mom is back(Women's Publishing House, 3rd edition, 2006);Concave(novel, Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2006);Hibiscus(People's Police Publishing House, 2005; Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2007);I am here(Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2008);The fateful encounter(National Political Publishing House, 2008);Dao Tan and Nguyen Sinh Sac's family(Van Hien, No. 5, 2011);Tyes sen village(co-author, Kim Dong Publishing House, 2009).

Movie script:See you again Saigon(1990).

Verse:Composed about 100 songs, typical ones include:Send you a poem hat(1955) andGreen window(1971).