The journey to preserve the Vietnamese soul through each page of the book

Recently, Kim Dong Publishing House organized an exchange program with the theme “Young people with Vietnamese identity” on the occasion of launching the publication Chung mot ngoi nha. This continues to be proof that Vietnamese culture is a valuable material for creativity, and also an opportunity for young people to assert themselves.

Creation from identity

The publication Chung mot ngoi nha is made in the form of an atlas (a book illustrated with maps), aiming to stimulate readers' interest in learning about the diverse cultures as well as the rich spiritual life of the 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam.

Exchange program "Young people with Vietnamese identity" organized by Kim Dong Publishing House at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street

Each page of the book opens up a vivid world , making readers surprised and proud of the diverse cultural and spiritual treasure of the great family of Vietnamese ethnic groups, such as: H'Mong, Dao, Kinh, Tay, Nung, Cho Ro, Chut, Khmer... reflected through many different dimensions: cuisine, language, costumes, festivals and folk games...

The authors of this publication are Vo Thi Mai Chi (born in 1984) and Ho Quoc Cuong (born in 1990). Previously, the two had collaborated many times and one of the outstanding works was Dat nuoc gam hoa (first published in 2022). The book contains knowledge about geography, history, culture, people..., helping readers have a specific and vivid view of each land, each province and city on the map of Vietnam. In each piece of information, drawing, and color block, there is love for the country and pride in being a child of the homeland. To date, this work has been reprinted 8 times and the English translation version has also been reprinted 2 times. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day, both of them also launched the publication Following the Steps of Time, introducing to readers 38 typical works and clusters of works of Gia Dinh - Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City throughout the long history.

As one of the three advisors for the Chung mot ngoi nha publication, MSc. Phan Dinh Dung, lecturer at Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, said: “Through the publication, the group of authors has promoted and spread the country’s typical cultural values. In particular, the book was published at a time when the whole country was welcoming major national anniversaries, contributing to both developing a reading culture and inspiring readers to learn more about the strength of national unity as well as the beauty and pride of the country and people of Vietnam.”

Awaken your potential

Graduated from the Faculty of Urban Planning, Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture, but Ho Quoc Cuong has a special passion for the culture and history of his country. He participated in the historical project "Heroic Vietnamese History" for 3 years, or participated in the cross-country cycling program "Green Journey" in 2010. From this journey, Ho Quoc Cuong had certain experiences in each province and city, but when learning, exchanging or researching deeply, he realized that his knowledge was too small compared to the diversity of cuisine , costumes, culture, personality, and traditions of the regions in the country.

“As a child of Vietnam, it is certainly impossible not to know the history and culture of our country. This is the motivation for Mai Chi and I to start implementing the projects. Because I believe that these publications bring more or less value to the community. In addition, from personal observation, I see that Vietnam's position in the international arena is increasingly important and has highlights. Not only in the country but also in the world now, people are paying more attention to culture, tourism , cuisine, and Vietnamese people. That is a great potential for not only the publishing sector but also other sectors in exploiting and creating based on Vietnamese identity", said artist Ho Quoc Cuong.

As artist Ho Quoc Cuong shared, in addition to the publishing field, recently, many young artists have had certain successes when exploiting the cultural materials of the nation, a typical example is the case of singer Phuong My Chi. Products created from indigenous materials will be valuable spiritual baggage, helping young Vietnamese people firmly preserve their identity, nurture their love for their homeland and step out into the world with a proud attitude of being a child of Vietnam.

Master Phan Dinh Dung also said that we often worry that young people will gradually move away from or no longer care about Vietnamese identity, but in reality, that is not the case. "Each nation has its own identity, reflected in many different aspects. The important thing is that we inspire and create conditions for young people to continue to have ideas and create products about national culture, such as the cases of Vo Thi Mai Chi and Ho Quoc Cuong, which will be easier for readers to access," Master Phan Dinh Dung advised.

HO SON

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/hanh-trinh-giu-hon-viet-qua-tung-trang-sach-post812340.html