Honoring a person from Nghe An province.

The seminar "Phan Boi Chau with Nghe An, Nghe An with Phan Boi Chau" recently took place in Vinh City with over 30 scientific papers. These were truly meticulously researched and passionate works of art. They demonstrated admiration and respect for a prominent figure from Nghe An, while also opening up new perspectives on this historical character. We met and exchanged ideas with several researchers specializing in Phan Boi Chau.

Professor Phong Lê (Former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Literature)

Professor Phong Le

Professor Phong Lê: Only when I grew up did I have the opportunity to learn and understand much about Phan Bội Châu with pride and reverence. He was an outstanding representative of the people of Nghe An, a man who was "very Nghe An" but "very Vietnamese," and progressive with an international and integrated mindset. Phan Bội Châu embodied the essence of the Nghe An people: resilience, indomitability, intelligence, hard work, and the ability to overcome inherent limitations in the Nghe An character: stubbornness, obstinacy, and conservatism. He was also a man of foresight, who knew how to rely on the people and put them first. As Vietnamese people, we are all proud of and admire such a man.

PV: As the former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Literature, how do you assess Phan Boi Chau from the perspective of a writer?

Professor Phong Lê: When studying Phan Bội Châu from the perspective of a writer, it must be noted that Phan Bội Châu's literature is linked to patriotic thought, to the revolutionary cause, and to the cause of national salvation. Phan Bội Châu's poems and writings are stirring calls to patriotism, appealing to the people. His poetry and writings reflect his character, his integrity, and his spirit. Furthermore, we can see a profound humanistic spirit in his works. As stated in the speech welcoming Phan Bội Châu back to his hometown by the people of Nghe An (1926): "For twenty years he spent abroad, using his pen as a bell, his ink as a gong, awakening the nation from its centuries-long slumber; his passion and suffering cannot be adequately described in words..."

Associate Professor Chuong Thau (Vietnam Institute of Historical Studies)

Assoc. Prof. Chuong Thau

Associate Professor Chuong Thau: From my youth, I knew of Mr. Giai San. In high school, I read and loved many of Phan Boi Chau's works, most notably "Prison Writings." After finishing high school and studying in China, I continued to learn about Phan Boi Chau through Chinese newspapers about the Vietnamese patriotic movement. In 1956, I returned to Vietnam and was fortunate to work alongside renowned professors and highly respected teachers: Dang Thai Mai, Tran Van Giau... They advised me: "As a person from Nghe An, you should research Phan Boi Chau; consider it a historical mission." From then on, I became even more deeply aware of my work. These teachers helped guide me in pursuing this meaningful research career on a figure I deeply respect and admire.

PV: Surely you must have had many happy and sad experiences that led to the creation of "The Complete Works of Phan Boi Chau," a book of 13,000 pages?

Associate Professor Chuong Thau: The memories from my research career on Phan Bo Chau could fill many days and months. There were times when I felt alone, and periods when people perceived him differently... For nearly half a century, there were times I had to sell my wedding ring to type documents, and countless times I sat in bomb shelters amidst the echoes of American bombs, propping my hands on my knees to write thousands of pages. Then, with just a pencil and blank sheets of paper, I went to France and China to transcribe everything related to Phan Bo Chau in their respective languages.

Professor, People's Teacher Nguyen Dinh Chu (Vietnam National University, Hanoi)

Professor Nguyen Dinh Chu

Professor Nguyen Dinh Chu: In my opinion, there are still many points regarding Phan Boi Chau that need further clarification, especially the issues concerning his policy of using violence to save the country, which should be accurately reflected in his revolutionary activities and not be oversimplified as they are today; secondly, his trip to Japan and the "Eastern Journey" are being viewed in a biased way; and thirdly, his policy of Franco-Vietnamese reconciliation. Besides that, it is also necessary to emphasize Phan Boi Chau's role as a cultural figure alongside his role as a revolutionary, because Phan Boi Chau embodied the qualities and integrity of a Confucian scholar, a politician, and a writer—a harmonious combination of both a cultural figure and a historical figure...

PV: So, Professor, how should we view and "treat" Mr. Phan today?

Professor Nguyen Dinh Chu: As I have explained above, Phan Boi Chau was a great patriot, an outstanding son of Nghe An province in particular and of Vietnam in general. Therefore, we need to honor him appropriately. First and foremost, this involves completing the Phan Boi Chau memorial area in Nam Dan, the Phan Boi Chau artifact exhibition... This is not simply for tourism purposes, but more importantly, to educate the younger generation about patriotic ideology and traditions, and to build national pride and self-respect. In addition, we need to promote the study and research of Phan Boi Chau, contributing to honoring an outstanding individual. As a son of Nghe An, and someone who has dedicated my life to researching Phan Boi Chau's literature, poetry, and revolutionary career, I hope that after this conference, there will be a shift in how we "treat" our predecessors like him...

Thuy Vinh - Thanh Phuc (Editors)