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BRIEF INTRODUCTION
TO VIETNAMESE LITERATURE
For over
four thousand years from the beginning of Vietnam, the Vietnamese were struggling against Chinese to set the
country on the way of achievement of liberty, peace and prosperity. In
addition, one century of fighting against French for freedom and independence.
Vietnamese have created the richest of literature, which includes all aspects
of Vietnamese Social Culture from countryside to the kingdom. Following the
five characteristics of Vietnamese literature: The Vietnamese folk literature,
the written Vietnamese literature (Formed by Han Literature and Nom
Literature.), the Vietnamese Romanized (to write
or print as a Vietnamese language in the Latin alphabet, Romanize
Vietnamese) National Literature, the Vietnamese literature in Southern and
Northern of Vietnam, and the Vietnamese literature in Exile (Formed by
Vietnamese Writers in Exile.)
1.THE VIETNAMESE FOLK LITERATURE.
This
literature came into being very early from any class of population in Vietnam. It had a profound effect on the spiritual life of the
Vietnamese. The folk Vietnamese literature always described the beauty of Vietnam, humanism, the love of goodness, romantic love, living
experience and etc. Legends, fairy tales, humorous stories, folk songs, epics
and so on have a tremendous vitality and have lived on today.
2.THE WRITTEN VIETNAMESE LITERATURE.
a. Han Script/Chu Han, The Vietnamese
literature in Han: From the 2nd century BC to the 10th
century of our era, Viet Nam had been under the domination of China on some occasions. At the beginning, people in Vietnam speak their native language/Vietnamese language (Only one
dialect pronunciation). Unfortunately, they had not had their own character to
write, they had to apply the Chinese character (the Han) from China to write, but Vietnamese had pronounced the Chinese words
in the Vietnamese sound. This is Chu Han /Han Script.
Written literature first appeared around the 10th century. It had a leading
role and bore the main traits of Vietnamese literature. From the 10th century,
literary works were written in Han (classical Chinese). We ought to mention:
Nguyen Trai (1380-1442) with the GiaHuan Ca and Quoc
Am Thi Tap and TrungTuManh Tap, King Le Thanh Ton with the numerous poems, Nguyen BinhKhiem, Le Quy Don and etc.
b. “Chu
Nom” (Demotic script). Characters of Chinese script used to describe and to
pronounce meaning in Vietnamese language formed ancient Vietnamese writing.
Even Demotic script originated from Han
Script (Chinese Word) but Chinese neither read nor understood meaning
of Demotic script. Since the 16th century, chu nom literature became increasingly
popular, and held a primary position by the early 18th century. Well-known
works written in Chu nom included ChinhPhuNgam by female poet Doan Thi Diem, the Kieu story by
Nguyen Du, poet Ho XuanHuong etc.
THE VIETNAMESE
ROMANIZED NATIONAL LITERATURE / QUOC NGU LITERATURE.
The 19th
century was a turning point for Vietnamese letters. In the 20's, and the
following decades, the Vietnamese literature was written in Vietnamese (Romanized national language). For the duration of
Vietnamese Romanized development, the country saw
rapid changes in its socio-economic structure, acculturated life and began to
experience the far-reaching influence of Western culture.Under the influence of Western thought and
culture translated for the first time into QuocNgu by famous writers like Truong VinhKy, Huynh TinhCua (South VN), Nguyen Van Vinh
and Pham Quynh (North VN). In South Viet Nam, PetrusKy (Truong VinhKy)
published the first daily newspaper in QuocNgu, the GiaDinhNhatBao
or GiaDinh Daily,
and translated numerous occidental classics. His collaborator was PaulusCua or Huynh TinhCua, who was author of a
well known Dictionary in the Vietnamese QuocNgu Language.
From
then on Vietnamese literature developed constantly, particularly during the two
wars of resistance for national liberation. Many young authors emerged in the
literary circles. Traditionally, Vietnamese literature always featured patriotism,
national pride and humanism. It was not by chance that great cultural
personalities such as Nguyen Trai, Nguyen Du, Nguyen BinhKhiem, Ho XuanHuong, BaHuyenThanhQuan etc.
THE VIETNAESE
LITERATURE IN SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN OF VIETNAM.
In
accordance with Geneva Agreement July 21, 1954
two divided Vietnam, North and South of Vietnam: The North was under the
Communist Regime and the South was under the Republic.
a.
Vietnamese literature in North of Vietnam under control of Communist Party: In
order to prepare for next step of war in Vietnam, Communist Party applied theory of Communism in ruling
people in Vietnam without freedom to write and or writer for freedom. In 1956
all famous writers of the Nhan Van Giai Pham magazine were forced to jail for brainwash, and
or labored torture. Most writers for government focused on political
propaganda, class struggle, ideological struggle, created hatred and fear
within population. This had been overflowing in magazines, newspapers, books,
radio broadcast, T.V, movie etc.
b.
Vietnamese literature in South of Vietnam: People in South of Vietnam had been
freedom to write in any area of human life including sex, culture,
socio-economic, politics, literature, religions, arts etc. Unfortunately, all
of these products were destroyed, burned out right after Communist Government
ruled the strong tyrannize on people of Vietnam, which resulted in millions of people fleeing Vietnam for freedom by boat and many political refugees became the
Vietnamese Writers in Exile. Now, we have other aspect of Vietnamese
literature, the Vietnamese literature in exile.
THE VIETNAMESE LITERATURE IN EXILE
Recently,
there are thousands of Vietnamese Writers in Exile all over the world who
restore the Vietnamese literature for Vietnamese, although they are broken
heart to recall their past in Vietnam.All members of the VietnameseAbroadCenter are proud to be a part of the International PEN Committee
to do whatever they can for people in Vietnam.
California, November 2003
By Nguyen Viet Nam, Writers for Freedom and Human Rights.
