Nghe Tinh homeland in the heart of La Son master Nguyen Thiep

His hometown Nghe Tinh not only left many important marks in Nguyen Thiep's life and career, but also existed in Phu Tu's heart with poems full of pride, love, and contemplation.

Nghe Tinh in the life and career of Nguyen Thiep

Not only was it his birthplace, Nghe Tinh was also associated with major events in Nguyen Thiep's life. He entered the imperial examination system with the provincial examination at Nghe An school. In his youth, he traveled the mountains and rivers and taught throughout his hometown. At the age of 34, he became the Anh Do Instructor, and at the age of 40, he became the Thanh Chuong District Chief (both in Nghe An town).

After retiring from office, he returned to his village to open a hermitage to teach. His hometown was where Nguyen Thiep first met Nguyen Hue in 1788 and the second time to discuss strategies to defeat the Qing army in 1789. He was appointed as De Dieu and Chief Examiner of Nghe An, the first provincial examination of the Tay Son dynasty. This was also where Emperor Quang Trung established the Sung Chinh Library, entrusted Nguyen Thiep with the position of Director and overseeing the construction of Phuong Hoang Trung Do.

Nguyen Thiep's attachment to his homeland was also shown through his decisions at every turn of his career path. In 1780, Trinh Sam invited him to Thang Long to discuss plans to overthrow the Le Dynasty. Nguyen Thiep was unable to persuade him, so he returned to teach. Quang Trung declared himself emperor and invited Nguyen Thiep to Phu Xuan to help the king, but he declined. When Nguyen Anh ascended the throne and showed his respect, he found a way to leave. Clearly, faced with opportunities for advancement in his career, Nguyen Thiep chose to return to his hometown to enjoy the countryside, focus on teaching, and maintain his integrity.

La Giang Phu Tu, Lam Hong Di Nhan and La Son Phu Tu are 3 of the many nicknames that people often use when talking about Nguyen Thiep. Among them, La Son Phu Tu is the most frequently used and familiar nickname, used by King Quang Trung to call him. Illustration from the internet

Nghe Tinh in the pride and love of La Son

Nguyen Thiep was a man who spent his whole life attached to his homeland, his footprints were imprinted all over the vast Hong Lam region, as he said in his autobiography in Hanh Am Ky: "The mountains and rivers of Nam Chau, his footprints are almost everywhere". This is what nurtured in him a deep love for his native land.

In the Hanh Am poetry manuscript, he wrote about his hometown Nghe Tinh with a strong sense of pride: The Central Land has many talented people/ During the Ming Dynasty, it belonged to Dien and Hoan/ The dragon's veins split into branches/ The land borders the southern barbarians/ The water is vast in the Song Ngu sea/ The sky is high in the Van Nhan mountain/ This year, the literary spirit is prosperous/ The light shines on Dau Ngu (poem from Hoan Chau).

He admired the "talents" of his homeland Hoan Chau, the "spiritual land" such as Mai Hac De, Nguyen Bieu, Le Loi: "Poor hero Mai Thuc Loan/ Was harmed by the traitor Duong Tu Thuc" (Poem of the Black Emperor); "Anh Quoc Thanh Hoang Phuong Thao Luc/ Nghia Vuong Kieu Tai Tich Duong Hong" (Poem of the Wild Grass/ Nghia Vuong Kieu Tai Tich Duong Hong)...

He loved the charming mountains and rivers as well as the famous landscapes of his hometown: Hong Son di bac son chi ty/ Ca ca chi mien valley diec tho/ Huong Tich dai do long huu khu/ Hoa Khe cuong ban thuy dong luu (Hong Son di bac son mountain spread out its arms/ The mounds and piles undulate in several long rows/ Huong Tich competes for the sky on the right/ Hoa Khe gathers water to the east - poem Du Lieu Dong); The poem Truong Cu Huyen Sach/ The flat land starts Kim Nhan/ The magic pen pierces the deep sky/ The fairy gourd falls to the world/ The sacred energy is collected/ An Nam that Thai San - poem Kim Nhan Dong)...

The tradition of the homeland has enriched the world of Nguyen Thiep's poetry. In turn, the master with his sincere verses has contributed to beautifying the homeland.

La Son Phu Tu Poetry Temple - Nguyen Thiep in Kim Song Truong Commune (Can Loc). Photo by Thien Vy

Nghe Tinh in Nguyen Thiep's worries and nostalgia

La Son witnessed and understood the harsh nature as well as the miserable life of the people of Nghe Tinh. He always wrote about his hometown people with a heavy heart. La Son spoke of the crop failure and famine of the hometown people with sadness: Hoan Chau has been subject to military service for a long time/ Wealth and human resources are gone/ What's more, in the past two or three years/ Crop failure, not knowing where to rely on/ The people are extremely poor, five or six out of ten/ Starved to death and scattered/ Not yet receiving the edict granting leniency/ Plus more pressing taxes - poem Thua Phuc.

He saw the cause not only in the conscription, high taxes and levies, but also in the social instability and constant war: "The Holy King has not been seen for a long time/ [There is] only the smoke and fire of war raging in the East Citadel" (The Holy King has not been seen for a long time/ [There is] only the smoke and fire of war raging in the East Citadel); and in the natural disasters and constant floods: "Thien Nhan, the wind and rain/ Binh Tru Ba Duc Phien/ Dao Ung Thien Nhu Lau/.../ Nien Mang Huyen Khanh That/ Me Quy Sinh Tran Phu" (Thien Nhan, the wind and rain/ Under the plains, the waves want to overturn/ The sky pours water as if it is punctured/.../ In a year of crop failure, the family is bankrupt/ Rice is expensive, pots and pans are moldy - poem "Vu Trung Vang Co Huong"). Therefore, in the petition to King Quang Trung, Nguyen Thiep spoke about the people of Nghe Tinh with heartfelt words: "Nghe An, the land is bad, the people are poor [...]. In a year of crop failure, epidemics, some died of hunger, others were displaced. Of the ten, only five or six are left. Now is the dry season, the fields are abandoned, very little is planted.

The bronze statue of La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep shows majesty. (photo taken at La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep Temple, Luy village, Kim Song Truong commune - Can Loc, his hometown).

Despite the hardships and difficulties, his hometown Nghe Tinh is still beautiful in the heart of La Son Phu Tu. Every time he goes far away, he can't help but miss his hometown. When he goes to Bo Chinh, Quang Binh, Nguyen Thiep thinks about Tra and Bot mountains near his village: Tea and Bot are not even mentioned in his hometown. When he goes to the North to take the Hoi exam, he remembers his old garden: Tea and tangerines in my garden, I fertilize and till them. The simple, deep nostalgia for his hometown is something truly precious in the heart of the Phu Tu.

The land of Nghe Tinh, a land of great people, has nurtured a La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep. Then, with his talent and virtue, he continued and promoted the tradition and honored his homeland with great contributions to the nation, including special poems about the land and people of Lam River and Hong Mountain. The deep attachment between Nguyen Thiep and Hong Lam land left a beautiful symbol of the connection between a famous person and his homeland.

Pham Tuan Vu

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/nui-hong-song-la/que-huong-nghe-tinh-trong-tam-long-la-son-phu-tu-nguyen-thiep/255552.htm