Petrus Ky: The 'Father' of Journalism and Cross-Century Controversies

As Editor-in-Chief of Gia Dinh Newspaper, Truong Vinh Ky was the first Vietnamese to hold the most important position in an editorial office, laying the foundation for the country's journalism profession.

The first Vietnamese journalist - Truong Vinh Ky (1837-1898).

The scientist who is fluent in the most foreign languages in Vietnam

Truong Vinh Ky (1837–1898), commonly known as Petrus Ky, was born in Cai Mon village, Vinh Long province (now Vinh Thanh commune, Cho Lach district, Ben Tre province). Truong Vinh Ky's father was a Confucian scholar who loved literature and was talented in poetry. He was appointed to the position of Commander of the Nguyen Dynasty under King Minh Mang. He died early when Truong Vinh Ky was only three years old.

His mother was Mrs. Nguyen Thi Chau, a hard-working, kind woman who single-handedly raised three children: two boys and one girl. From an early age, Truong Vinh Ky showed his special qualities. At the age of three, he had memorized the Tam Tu Kinh. At the age of four, he began to learn to write. At the age of five (1842), he studied Chinese and Nom characters with a teacher named Hoc in the village.

After only a few years, the young student had read the Minh Tam Buu Giam fluently, approached the Four Books and Five Classics, and memorized many Tang and Song poems—a solid foundation of Eastern learning from a young age.

Later, he mastered up to 27 languages, including Chinese, Sanskrit, Thai, Lao and some southern dialects. French writer Émile Littré (1801-1881) commented: "P. Truong Vinh Ky's knowledge of 26 foreign languages is enough for humanity to honor him as the greatest linguist of our time."

After graduating from the seminary, he did not pursue the priesthood but became a professor of French, then an interpreter for the colonial government. Along with his administrative work, he began a prolific career of writing and translating – translating the Bible, writing short stories, writing articles, researching Vietnamese history, language, and culture…

French scholar Jean Bouchot in the late 19th century affirmed that Truong Vinh Ky was "a unique scholar in Indochina and even in modern China". He wrote: "That entirely Southern Vietnamese person is on par with the most worthy scholars of Europe in all branches of science ...".

The person who 'held' the first national language newspaper

Gia Dinh Newspaper, the first national language newspaper in Vietnam, was first published on April 15, 1865, initiated and edited by Truong Vinh Ky. The newspaper was mainly published in the Southeast region, with content presented in Annamese (ie Vietnamese) using the Latin alphabet.

Before that, in order to be able to print a newspaper in the national language, the French government in Cochinchina had to order a special typesetting in France. This work lasted for two years and was only completed in January 1864 – an important technical preparation for the birth of the national language press.

The first person assigned to organize the printing and distribution of the newspaper was Mr. Ernest Potteaux - a French official, who was then working at the Interpreter's Office of the Southern Interior Department.

Four years after the Gia Dinh Newspaper was established, on September 16, 1869, Governor of Cochinchina G. Ohier signed Decision No. 189, officially appointing Mr. Petrus Truong Vinh Ky to assume full editorial authority of the newspaper. As Chief Editor - a title equivalent to today's editor-in-chief - he received an annual salary of 3,000 French quan, a significant benefit at that time.

According to this decision, Gia Dinh Newspaper continued to be published weekly with a content structure divided into two distinct parts. The official part included administrative documents, decrees of the Governor and the colonial government, written in French and directly translated into the national language by Mr. Truong Vinh Ky. The unofficial part includededucational and entertaining articles, dealing with topics such as history, ethics, current events, etc., to popularize knowledge, support teaching in native schools and arouse the interest of Vietnamese readers.

In this role, Truong Vinh Ky is recognized as the first Vietnamese person to hold the position of editor-in-chief in the history of national language journalism - an important milestone in the journey of formation and development of modern journalism in Vietnam.

Patriotism in One's Own Way: A Look Back from Posterity

Although honored as an outstanding scholar, Truong Vinh Ky is also a controversial figure, especially regarding his role in collaborating with the French colonial government. Some scholars criticized him for being “close to the colonialists”. However, many modern researchers believe that Truong Vinh Ky once worked for the French, but he was still a patriot in his own way.

Historian Duong Trung Quoc said: “Everyone loves their country, no one should claim to have the monopoly on patriotism. It’s just that each person’s patriotism is expressed differently, even with conflicting interests.”

Writer Son Nam shared: "From the time he passed the exam until his death, Mr. Truong Vinh Ky still showed himself to be pro-French. However, people in the South never looked down on him. He did not join the French... Although he was trusted by the state during his lifetime, he never relied on his position to harm his homeland. He taught the Lang Sa officials the customs and etiquette of the Annamese people. He was truly a master of the whole country and the South...".

Researcher Le Thanh commented: "Educated in the Western way since childhood, when he grew up he worked as a French servant, but his friends wrote letters urging him, but he did not listen, still stubbornly refused to keep his Vietnamese clothes for the rest of his life and to be a pure Vietnamese for the rest of his life."

And in the history of our country's journalism, the name Truong Vinh Ky is always mentioned first in the list of people who laid the foundation for Vietnamese journalism.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/petrus-ky-ong-to-nghe-bao-va-nhung-tranh-cai-xuyen-the-ky-post1549383.html