Outstanding contributors of 2012

Poet Thach Quy "has been pulled out of bed".

In 2012, readers of Nghe An Newspaper became familiar with the name Thach Quy, signed under many articles. Not only did he write poetry, stories about the arts and culture, and commentaries on culture and history, but this "eccentric poet" (a title bestowed upon him by many journalists and writers) also contributed to many columns, especially forums, discussing many "hot" and current issues of the province and the country.



In fact, poet Thach Quy had contributed to the provincial party newspaper from its very first issues. He recalled: “Back then, the newspaper had few contributors, and not many of them knew how to write articles. I remember at that year's contributors' conference, Provincial Chairman Chu Manh even had to instruct the contributors on how to write articles.” Then, after a while, his name rarely appeared in the newspaper, only occasionally in a few poems, he said, due to being busy and also feeling “unwilling to write.” More than a year ago, a close poet friend of his once complained: “This guy is trying to turn himself into a useless old man. All day long he’s lying in bed. Someone please pull him out of bed, because it would be a real shame for a Thach Quy whose name everyone knows to suddenly disappear like this!”

It's true that there was a time when "Thach Quy stayed in bed all day." He wasn't sick, but he was reluctant to go outside, reluctant to interact with others. "Rain or shine / Just flows / On the surface / Sun or rain / Just shines / On the skin" (The Statue - Poem by Thach Quy), like that "Stone": "I don't know, I can't write / I know, I don't want to write." However, the passionate heart of a poet could not remain indifferent to life's vibrancy. People saw him again venturing out to "go fieldwork," knocking on friends' doors and attending literary meetings and exchanges with writers. Occasionally, at the Nghe An Newspaper editorial office, one would see his thin, frail figure, "so frail the wind could blow," coming to meet and discuss good articles and new topics with the newspaper's editors. He remarked: “Now, Nghe An Newspaper has a large team of reporters and contributors, many of whom are sharp writers. The newspaper publishes 8 pages daily, plus the weekend edition, brimming with information. The newspaper has opened many sections, reaching for a multi-faceted and diverse perspective, meeting the needs of its readers. In addition, the newspaper has encouraged many writers and has a good policy to attract contributors. This makes me happy for the provincial Party newspaper. And people like us, hearing and seeing this, and being appreciated in this way, cannot remain uninvolved.”

Poet Thach Quy "couldn't stay out of it," so readers of Nghe An newspaper eagerly awaited his witty and intelligent writing each week, and rejoiced as his close friend announced: "Thach Quy has been pulled out of bed!"
Thuy Vinh

Duong Huy wrote a "short story".

Whenever human life becomes richer, more diverse, and somewhat more complex, literary genres closely related to journalism, such as commentary, essays, satirical poetry, and short stories, find fertile ground to develop, even flourishing and becoming indispensable in national newspapers and magazines. The case of writer and journalist Duong Huy clearly illustrates this.



Many young readers have read and enjoyed some of Duong Huy's children's poems. But perhaps, this writer impresses the majority of newspaper readers with his satirical poems, especially his short stories. Short stories are close to journalism and current events, but they must be written with artistry and skill to be readable. Duong Huy possesses both of these qualities: journalistic and literary. He worked for many years at the Nghe An Newspaper, covering current events; he also spent many years at the Provincial Association of Literature and Arts, managing the Song Lam Magazine, so his awareness of literature and art is very deep. He is also avid reader and traveler. His way of traveling is also unusual: he goes on field trips alone, walking, and rarely venturing far from his neighborhood. According to Duong Huy, walking not only improves his health and endurance, but it also gives him plenty of time to observe, reflect, outline, and find ideas, so that when he returns home, all he has to do is write!

Hundreds of short stories by writer and journalist Duong Huy were created in this way, to meet the needs of numerous newspapers throughout Vietnam, especially during the Lunar New Year season. For over a year now, the "short story" section in the Nghe An Weekend Newspaper has been handled solely by Duong Huy. He usually comes to the editorial office to read the newspaper, receive complimentary copies, and submit his stories, so the editors rarely have to "demand" them; at most, they only make minor adjustments to suit the themes needed for each issue.

Duong Huy once confided: "A writer needs the courage to look straight at the truth!" That quality, upon reflection, is also very necessary for a journalist. After publishing several books of short stories, he will soon publish a new book, mainly a collection of short stories printed in the Nghe An Weekend newspaper last year…
Kim Hung

Cao Duy Thai:
Each article is a unique experience.

Cao Duy Thai began writing for newspapers in 1995, but his most memorable experience was the article "The Precarious Bamboo Bridge," which was published in the very first issue of the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions special section of the newspaper. The article reflected the reality of transportation in the highland districts, where suspension bridges posed a danger to schoolchildren and young children. More than ten years later, those bamboo bridges in his mountainous hometown of Quy Hop are gone, but he still believes that perhaps his voice has prompted more attention from relevant authorities to rural transportation, leading to the construction of sturdy concrete bridges.



For nearly 15 years, Cao Duy Thai has been writing and contributing articles, yet he always maintains this belief before each piece. Because of this, he often chooses topics that are close and familiar to the ethnic minority communities where he lives. Sometimes, an article is simply about a successful economic model, a recently revived cultural festival, or a model for building a cultural village, but behind it lies the writer's dedication. He confided that ethnic minority communities, both in the past and present, are very thirsty for information, and they only have the Nghe An newspaper as a source of spiritual support. Through it, they learn many experiences about economic development and learn about the traditional customs of their people. Therefore, whether the article praises or reflects on the situation, it always has a certain meaning. His job is to write in a way that the people understand, listen to, and can learn from.

Cao Duy Thai is a Kinh person, originally from Hung Nguyen district. He and his family moved to Quy Hop during the new economic zone resettlement program. Having long been connected with ethnic minorities and local people, he considers himself a "son of the mountains and forests." This essence is also reflected in his writing style and intonation. To become more professional, he also participated in an in-service journalism training course offered by the Academy of Journalism and Communication. After the course, readers saw him become more "professional" through his articles about the truck accident carrying forest products in Pu Huong National Forest, the story of "Market Chase" to "Waiting for Invitations"... Recently, after five articles about the deterioration of the Choong Temple in Chau Ly commune, he said he was very happy because after the articles were published, district leaders came to inspect the situation, and many businesses also promised to contribute to the restoration and upgrading of the temple. For him, it's a success, a motivation for him to be passionate about his profession and stay committed to it for the long term. And I believe he will succeed.
Song Hoang

Nguyen Nhat Minh:
I want to express my views in the party newspaper.

Currently a student in class 11A2 at Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School, Nguyen Nhat Minh excels in science subjects and English, but writing has also become his passion. When we asked him how he ended up joining the team of contributors to Nghe An Newspaper, Nhat Minh answered maturely, "As a student, I really want to express my opinions, and even more so, in a party newspaper."



As a young contributor to Nghe An newspaper, Nhat Minh first identified himself as a young person, and therefore the issues he addressed were also youthful, fresh, and timely. Nhat Minh's unique style is clearly evident in the Nghe An Weekend newspaper, in his short opinions expressing his views on life, his desire for creative freedom, and his need for self-affirmation. Although the number of articles submitted to the editorial office is not large, Minh's writings have expressed the thoughts and aspirations of young people, including suggestions and wishes that make adults, parents, and teachers reflect.

The first article, and the one that caught the readers' attention, by Nhat Minh was "Living in this life, one needs a kind heart...". Although it was a short opinion, very short indeed, with his own experience, Nhat Minh clearly expressed his viewpoint right from the opening sentence: "The life of each of us must follow the laws of nature; the stream of life flows on, sweeping everything away to dust. But there is one thing that will remain forever, and that is compassion – something we will give and receive in return...". Indeed, love will endure, and giving will surely be reciprocated. But for young people, especially those of Nhat Minh's age, not everyone realizes this!

This article, and most of Nhat Minh's writings, such as "Thank You for Listening, Teacher," and "Let's Help My Dreams Take Flight," express his personal feelings about life and heartfelt confessions to his parents, teachers, and friends. This is also Nhat Minh's direction for future submissions to Nghe An Newspaper, because he believes that the Party newspaper should not only be for veteran revolutionaries and older people, but should become a newspaper for the masses, including young people. Therefore, he hopes to contribute his voice and rejuvenate not only the team of contributors but also the readership of Nghe An Newspaper.

Quang An