… Holding in hand the book Following the golden traces by author Bui Ngoc Long, which has just been published by Thuan Hoa Publishing House, I feel that the stories of the ancient capital's relics, which are inherently light, seem to have... gathered into "heavy weight". What should I write about his passionate yet calm "way of loving" Hue , with the depth of historical, feng shui, cultural, and geographical stories...? As Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung, Deputy Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, with the preface A "way of loving" heritage printed at the beginning of the book, wrote: "With author Bui Ngoc Long, "following the golden traces" to explore and experience Hue's heritage and the people here, to see that each Hue person has their own "way of loving" their heritage, and this book is a way...".
Cover of the book Following the Golden Traces
PHOTO: BNL
Theo dau vang son is a collection of articles that Bui Ngoc Long had written and published on the Culture - Arts page of Thanh Nien Newspaper for many years, and before publishing the book, he probably edited and supplemented them. Those articles attracted many readers of the newspaper that he had been associated with for the past 20 years, in his role as Thanh Nien reporter residing in Thua Thien-Hue.
The book has 7 parts with more than 300 pages, including: Feng Shui of Hue Citadel, Searching for traces of the Twenty Sacred Landscapes , Sacred Mountains, Stories of Royal Physicians of the Nguyen Dynasty, The Strange Fate of Restoring Can Chanh Palace, Searching for traces of the Tay Son Dynasty, The Quintessence of Vietnamese Martial Arts. Each part has its own unique style and interesting interpretations, from which to convey and spread a deeper message, which is to join hands to preserve and promote the heritage value of the Complex of Hue Monuments, including the Hue Citadel, which was recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage in 1993.
The author presents books to representatives of the Hue Book and Culture Club.
PHOTO: LE HOAI NHAN
As a son of Hue, who loves and travels to the land where the spirits of a dynasty gather, the topic that journalist Bui Ngoc Long confides in, in my opinion, is quite thorny, because it "touches" the depth of the source of the land known as the land of the gods. It would be very difficult to fully express the intention without concern and anxiety. Before writing, to receive the sympathy and satisfaction of readers, perhaps one must consider carefully and be convincing enough. With his own mettle, the author has delved deep, overcome with confidence, with the way of researching and approaching the problem and using appropriate materials and language of a journalist who does not hesitate to immerse himself, pursuing to the end of the cherished topic.
That is the story of feng shui of Hue citadel, the story of mausoleums and temples, the story of mountains and rivers, the place names of each region and the people of Hue. Many articles, when reading, seem as if the author is knocking on each wall of the citadel, looking in all directions to ask questions himself (along with many Hue researchers), explain why and tell in journalistic language about a poetic and ancient natural area. A concise, clear and refined language to convey very specific topics about Hue, which many readers are interested in and have a need to explain. It must be short but complete, must be deep but concise, that's it!
Author Bui Ngoc Long signs books for readers at the book launch
PHOTO: LE HOAI NHAN
That is why, when writing this article, I honestly cannot find enough words to explain the origin of each issue that the author has painstakingly presented in the book. Perhaps because for many years, every day when I hold Thanh Nien newspaper in my hand, I have passionately followed each of his articles, imagining the author walking up each step. On those mossy stone slabs hundreds of years old, he has gone and arrived very completely.
Reading Bui Ngoc Long's book, I suddenly remembered the story of a day when a group of tourists were delighted to admire the two ao dai of the Empress Dowager Tu Cung displayed in Hue. Suddenly, I imagined further the wind blowing through the royal palace in the past, fluttering the royal robes of the kings leisurely walking up the Tu Phuong Vo Su Lau to look out over the sky and earth, after days and nights of worrying about the people and the country.
Citadels, mausoleums, temples, jewelry, royal robes, secret medicine, the quintessence of martial arts... aren't they the sediments of the 140 years of the Nguyen Dynasty existing in Hue, left for future generations to discover?
Sharing the reason for publishing the book, journalist Bui Ngoc Long said: "Every journalist has his own way of choosing his own path to delve into the field of words. I am lucky to be born and work as a journalist right in the sacred land of the ancient capital of Hue, the land of deep cultural sediments. Hue's cultural heritage is inherently mossy and silent, but to me it is always attractive. The mission of a journalist is not to "research" heritage but to tell current events, to see how contemporary people respond to heritage. And from that current event, the writer hopes to bring readers a look at heritage with love. The book is an event marking the 20th anniversary of my work at Thanh Nien Newspaper, responding to the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day".
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vang-son-tram-tich-muon-nien-185250620221850945.htm
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