28 years of collecting and translating "Lai Khun Chuong"

• February 11, 2011 18:08

HeadThis spring of Tan Mao (2011), I was given a precious book, "Lai Khun Chuong" (Nghe An Publishing House - 2010). The book is bilingual in Thai - Vietnamese, includes 2 parts and 8 chapters, 3917 sentences long, collected, translated and introduced by author Quan Vi Mien (editor-in-chief).

Remember, 5 years ago (2005), the Social Sciences Publishing House also printed the book "Lai Khun Chuong" edited by Professor Phan Dang Nhat. Thus, the heroic epic "Lai Khun Chuong" of the Thai people, which seemed to only remain in the minds of the elderly in the remote Muong villages of the Western mountains and forests of Nghe An, was once again revived and radiated under the light and cultural guidelines of the Party.

Since childhood, our generation has been told (in the form of a song) about "Lai Khun Chuong" - a very concise and meaningful battle epic of the Thai people! However, not everyone can fully collect and translate that epic into popular Vietnamese!Quan Vi Mien (writer La Quan Mien) is a native of Khun Tinh village (Quy Hop district, Nghe An province).

Born and raised in a land full of myths and legends, trained with profound and profound knowledge of folk culture, combined with a passionate love for his homeland and his village... but it still took him 28 years (from 1982 - 2010), with the help of many colleagues, to publish "Lai Khun Chuong"! 28 years, a truly reliable period of time for a book of collection and translation.

Without true love and high responsibility for a special cultural asset left by ancestors, it is certainly impossible to maintain the flame of passion and enthusiasm for a Thai literary work, which is considered difficult to collect and translate. Just that alone makes us truly admire and appreciate it. When I read this book to many people in the village, the elderly people shed tears...! Everyone believes that Quan Vi Mien is a unique Thai folklorist of the "land that created Khun Tinh".

Thai Tam