Persistently preserve old values

Following the small road leading to Deo Nua hamlet, Phuc Thuan commune, Pho Yen city, Thai Nguyen province, we came to the simple house of artisan Hoang Trong Quy. In that rustic house, Mr. Quy was diligently writing Chinese characters, the dragon and phoenix strokes were carefully drawn on yellow paper, as if to express his love and respect for the tradition of his ancestors.

Born into a San Diu family with a Confucian tradition, from a young age, Mr. Hoang Trong Quy was taught and imbued with a culture rich in rituals and knowledge. His father and ancestors in his family were all intelligent Confucian scholars, good at reading, knowledgeable about customs, and often taught etiquette and morality to their descendants.

As the eldest son in a family of six siblings, Mr. Quy, although the most loved and pampered, soon became aware of his role and responsibility towards his ancestors and clan. It was this living environment rich in traditional values ​​that became the cradle that nurtured his deep love and enduring sense of responsibility for the national culture.

Mr. Hoang Trong Quy carefully and meticulously wrote the Chinese characters.

Reminiscing about his youth, Mr. Quy said that in 1965, he enlisted in the army, participated in the resistance war against the US, saved the country, and contributed to protecting the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. In 1979, he continued to fight to protect the northern border, and it was not until 1981 that he returned to his homeland after years of war. His military career took him through many fierce battlefields, leaving him with an iron will and a deep sense of responsibility for the nation. However, when the gunfire subsided, another worry haunted him, which was that San Diu culture was gradually fading away, and many traditional values ​​were at risk of disappearing in the modern flow. From then on, he was determined to devote the rest of his life to preserving and passing on the precious heritages left by his father.

After returning to his hometown, he began to relearn Chinese characters from his father. During the day he was busy with work, and at night he practiced diligently until late at night. Mr. Quy confided that at that time, knowledge had been forgotten after many years of war, so relearning was not easy.

During his studies, he always tried hard, paying attention to lectures to recognize the characters, strokes and meanings of words. Whenever he had free time, he would take out books to read and patiently practice each stroke, each line, practicing over and over again until he mastered it. Despite many difficulties, he never thought of giving up. According to him, writing is a means of preserving ancient knowledge. No more literate people would mean that the quintessence of culture would be lost forever.

In 2023, at the age of 81, Mr. Hoang Trong Quy was honored to be appointed as Dai Phan Su Chu - the highest rank of the person who presides over important ceremonies in the San Diu ethnic community. In the concept of the San Diu people, Dai Phan is not only a title, but also a symbol of knowledge, prestige and deep understanding of traditional rituals and customs accumulated and preserved through many years of studying and practicing religion.

Passing the torch to the next generation

Now, despite his advanced age, artisan Hoang Trong Quy still diligently teaches Chinese characters, San Diu language and traditional rituals to his children and students. In the family, his two sons have followed in their father's footsteps to learn San Diu characters and customs, and a grandson is currently studying them. "We only try to preserve the San Diu language, without using an interpreter. In the past, no one in our generation needed an interpreter when going to worship, festivals or cultural exchanges, but now many young people do not know how to speak their ethnic language, so when going to worship, practicing rituals, some people have to use an interpreter," he confided quietly.

On the mahogany bed in the middle of the house, Mr. Quy carefully arranged the ancient books. His eyes lit up with pride, he gently introduced to us that, currently, his family still preserves nearly 100 ancient books of the San Diu people, including books that are 400-500 years old. Most of them are handwritten manuscripts in Chinese characters, passed down through many generations, containing profound values ​​about customs, traditional rituals, spiritual life and beliefs of the San Diu ethnic community.

The book, which is 400-500 years old, is kept in Mr. Quy's family.

Upon receiving that precious archive, Mr. Quy spent a lot of time copying and preserving it carefully, with the desire to pass it on to future generations. "I'm afraid that I won't be able to keep the original, so I have to preserve it very carefully. Each time I write to copy an ancient book, it can take a whole month, sometimes longer, but I still have to do it to pass it on to my children and grandchildren," he shared.

Not only preserving and developing Chinese characters, Mr. Hoang Trong Quy is also an artist who preserves the Soong Co melodies of Phuc Thuan commune. Mr. Quy said that singing Soong Co is not only about lyrics, but also an important ritual in San Diu culture, used in occasions of offering betel and water, exchanging between men and women, and wishing blessings for family and life. Realizing the risk of Soong Co culture being lost, he proactively collected and recorded ancient songs, and at the same time composed new songs to praise the Party, Uncle Ho, the homeland, and the country to teach the younger generation.

Mr. Quy shared about the Soong Co folk song exchange of the club.

As a person passionate about ethnic culture, artisan Hoang Trong Quy not only teaches traditional culture, teaches writing and singing, but also always worries about the future of the San Diu language. He is worried that many children in the family no longer speak their mother tongue, but only use the common language to communicate. Therefore, he always reminds his children and grandchildren: "The San Diu people must learn the San Diu language. If they do not learn, they will lose their language later."

Not only in his family, he also actively promotes in the community and in club activities. At the age of over 80, he also takes on the duties of a member of the Standing Committee of the Association for the Protection and Promotion of the Cultural Values ​​of the San Diu Ethnic Group in Thai Nguyen Province for the 2021-2026 term and Chairman of the Club for the Conservation and Promotion of the Cultural Values ​​of the San Diu Ethnic Group in Phuc Thuan Commune, to contribute more to the work of preserving his ethnic identity.

At the same time, in 2022, Mr. Hoang Trong Quy was honored to be awarded the title of Meritorious Artisanby the President in recognition of his outstanding contributions to preserving and promoting the nation's precious cultural heritage.

The certificates of merit are proof of Mr. Quy's persistent contributions to the San Diu ethnic community and the Fatherland.

Comrade Tran Binh Duong, Chairman of the Association for the Protection and Promotion of the Cultural Values ​​of the San Diu Ethnic Group in Thai Nguyen Province, shared: “Mr. Hoang Trong Quy is an outstanding son of the San Diu ethnic group. He is a person who deeply and comprehensively holds the typical cultural values ​​as well as the precious heritages of the San Diu people. With enthusiasm and a high sense of responsibility, Mr. Quy has actively collected, preserved, and taught cultural values, while organizing many meaningful cultural exchange activities to spread love and national pride. In addition, Mr. Quy also wholeheartedly guides people and teaches children in the locality to practice traditional rituals, contributing to preserving the cultural beauty that is gradually fading in modern life.”

Despite his old age and poor health, Meritorious Artisan Hoang Trong Quy is still as dedicated as he was in the early days. He is still a shining example, a person who has devoted his whole life to preserving and transmitting San Diu culture. His journey is not only a story of diligent learning and teaching, but also a shining example of the spirit of preserving cultural heritage.

Article and photos: BAO NGOC

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/nguoi-nang-long-voi-van-hoa-san-diu-823441