Some news and articles by the author published in Lang Son Newspaper in 1981
Composing poems, writing articles, and sending news and articles reflecting all aspects of the school and my hometown Dong Mo - Chi Lang to Lang Son Newspaper, the special issue "Chi Lang Army", "Military Zone 1", Van Nghe Xu Lang Magazine, Lang Son Radio Station..., I became a close young collaborator of the editorial offices.
Corresponding
I still remember, I was busy attending the conference of “Collaborators - Correspondents of Lang Son Newspaper” in 1982. When I received the invitation from the newspaper, I reported to the Board of Directors of Chi Lang A High School (Chi Lang District) to ask for leave from school to go to Lang Son town to attend the meeting. Although I knew that my works were published in central and local newspapers, when I held the formal invitation, typed properly with the bright red seal of Lang Son Newspaper, the teachers passed it around to see and congratulated me. The Principal patted my head and immediately “approved” me to be absent from school and instructed the homeroom teacher and subject teachers to tutor me in the future…
From Dong Mo mountain town to Lang Son town is only 36 km but I had to travel by car for more than half a day. Catching a car and getting a ride was a problem because in those days there were very few passenger cars, most of them were Soviet-era “Com Mang Ca” cars that drove while pushing, sometimes suddenly breaking down. The old National Highway 1A through Sai Ho Pass was winding, full of potholes, making the car go at a snail’s pace…
From Lang Son bus station (now the Department of Construction), I walked a few hundred meters. At that time, this area was quite deserted because it was mainly a military area and the headquarters of local Party agencies. In addition, after the border war, some agencies or households still remained in evacuation areas in the lowlands... I entered the citadel gate area and followed a small road, with rows of grass and ponds on both sides; occasionally there were rows of quiet level four houses.
Lang Son Newspaper was located in the area of the Border Command now. I immediately saw a row of garages as long as a conference hall, on the porch hung a red banner with the words "Warmly welcome comrades to attend the Conference of Collaborators - Correspondents of Lang Son Newspaper in 1982". Next to that, diagonally, there was also a row of level four houses. From a room, Uncle Ha Nghien, then the Editor-in-Chief, hurriedly said: "Is that you, Chien? Come in here and have some water". I entered the small room, where there was a desk full of manuscripts and newly published issues of Lang Son Newspaper. Uncle Nghien and I often corresponded with each other. I always remember that Uncle Nghien was very diligent in answering readers. Personally, every one or two weeks, I received a reply letter from him, giving me comments on news, articles, and poems.
The author (front row, second from left) and colleagues at the Lang Son Newspaper Youth Union Congress in 1991
The conference lasted 3 days, many collaborators were seniors, soldiers, policemen and some propaganda officers of departments and branches in the province. When we met, we shook hands and greeted each other. I was sought out by the uncles, the uncles, the men, the women, the men, the women. At that time, rice and vegetables were the main food, because the subsidy period was still difficult, but there was an abundance of affection and laughter. The uncles and men saw that I was thin and small, so they often picked up thin pieces of meat or fried eggs and put them in my bowl, urging me to eat. Doctor Cuong (also known by the pen name of Machine Hammer, which I loved very much) laughed loudly, saying that he had read my poems and firmly invited me to his private house in Dau Mountain - on the outskirts of Lang Son town by his old bicycle. On the way, the two of us talked about poetry, literature and life very happily.
At the conference, I was honored to be one of about ten people who went up to the podium to receive the “Lang Son Newspaper Correspondent” Card (Card number 26CN/LS) with the very “impressive” words: “The Editorial Board of Lang Son Newspaper certifies that comrade Nguyen Duy Chien in Dong Mo town - Chi Lang is a Correspondent of Lang Son Newspaper. Requesting the Party Committees, authorities and organizations at all levels to help comrade Nguyen Duy Chien to do everything easily”. April 12, 1982. On behalf of the Editorial Board. Ha Nghien”.
Behind the scenes
After the conference, I was surrounded by teachers and friends who asked me to tell stories “in the province”. Everyone was amazed and passed around the “Lang Son Newspaper Correspondent” card. One day, the leaders of the Party Committee and People’s Committee of Dong Mo town invited me to the headquarters for a drink, encouraged and motivated me to study and compose. In particular, I was allowed to go to the Chi Lang District Food Department in Mo Chao area, about half a kilometer from my house, and heard the announcement that I would be given 14 kg of rice per month to “nurture my special talents”. I remember that from around mid-1982, on the 15th of every month, I went to the District Food Department and was given a very beautiful and luxurious “Order” which clearly stated: “give comrade Nguyen Duy Chien 14 kg of rice - no additives”. And so, I was nurtured with the love and care of all levels and sectors until I went to a professional school…
I was admitted to the Faculty of Fine Arts, Central College of Music and Fine Arts (now the Central University of Fine Arts). Here, I was entrusted by the school's Youth Union with the important responsibility of being the Deputy Head of the school's dormitory radio station. At that time, twice a week, 6 of us gathered in the "student management" room on the 2nd floor of the school's impressive 5-storey dormitory to work. Here, there were amplifiers, microphones, recording equipment and live broadcasting to 2 large loudspeakers like trays pointing at the student housing buildings, creating a quite cheerful and youthful atmosphere.
After graduating from the Central College of Music and Art Education, in September 1989, I was accepted into the Editorial Board of the Lang Son Literature and Art Magazine (Lang Son Literature and Art Association) as a layout artist and editor of the reportage section. About half a month later, I was invited by the agency's leaders and instructed: "When you join the agency, there will be enough 3 young people to establish a Youth Union. The Party cell will have opinions and work with the Youth Union of the Provincial Agencies to soon establish the Youth Union of Lang Son Literature and Art Association". So I was appointed as the temporary Secretary of the Youth Union...
During my youth as a journalist and writer, I remained close to my colleagues at Lang Son Newspaper. I remember, around the beginning of 1991, I received an invitation to attend the Lang Son Newspaper Youth Union Congress. In the past, there were no flower shops like today, so I went to my neighbor's house to ask for a bunch of bright, fresh thorny roses. I wrapped the flowers in a newspaper, decorated them a bit, and they looked very beautiful and solemn. At the congress, we shared with each other about the activities of the youth union organization, about the strength of youth in propaganda work. Mr. Vi Hung Trang - a reporter from Lang Son Newspaper was elected as Secretary of the Youth Union. Mr. Trang and I were both from Chi Lang, so we knew each other from before. Later, Mr. Trang transferred to work as a reporter for Nhan Dan Newspaper, stationed in Lang Son, while I worked as a reporter for Tien Phong Newspaper, also "stationed" in my home province...
June - summer, red in my memories. Slices of journalism career rushed back. I was recalling the early years of my life with literature and writing when I heard that Vi Hung Trang had retired under the regime since June 2025. I suddenly remembered that this year I have also completed "Sixty years of the zodiac". Holding the mirror to look at myself, I saw that my hair was dotted with silver strands. Suddenly, the phone rang, pulling me back to reality. I held the mobile phone and felt it was heavy. On the other end of the line, a caring voice rang out: "Uncle. Remember to send your article to the special issue of June 21 of Lang Son Newspaper!". It turned out that it was the Head of the Print Department of Lang Son Newspaper and Radio and Television Station calling to urge me to write. Perhaps the connections between generations of local journalists helped me relive my "Youthful Journalism" days filled with memories that can never fade in my memory...
Source: https://baolangson.vn/gan-bo-voi-nghe-bao-lang-son-5049438.html
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