In his revolutionary career, President Ho Chi Minh wrote many historicdocuments and famous works, including a collection of poems called"Prison diary". The work is a self-portrait in poems, reflecting thehumane and optimistic soul of the profound communist and poet Ho ChiMinh. Stay tuned for some insights from the Voice of Vietnam Radio.
To mark the 70th anniversary of "Prison diary", a recent workshop inHanoi confirmed the artistic value, humanity, and vitality of the poemcollection, a high-profile work in Vietnam’s modern poetry. The workshopwas organized by the Party Central Committee’s Communication andEducation Commission, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, andthe Union of Vietnam Arts and Literature Associations.
"Prison diary" consists of 133 poems written in Chinese Han scriptfrom August 29, 1942, to September 10, 1943. The original edition is asmall notebook whose cover is illustrated with 4 verses and a sketch oftwo hands in chains.
Ho Chi Minh was both theauthor and a character who recorded and retold "stories in jail" in adiary format. "Prison diary" can be seen as an autobiography in verse,in which President Ho placed the revolution and the people in thesupreme position.
Literary critic Phuong Luu saysthe work shows the greatness of a great personality, whose earnestdesire was "Independence for the nation and freedom for humans": "It’snoteworthy that the word 'freedom' is repeated again and again,demonstrating Ho Chi Minh’s desire for freedom as a human being and apoet. This also matches his thought as a leader. When establishing theState, he named it the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. But this was notenough. Vietnam was one of the rare countries that have added anotherphrase to its official name: 'Independence – Freedom – Happiness',meaning the nation was independent and the people had to a right tofreedom and happiness. This is what we are pursuing now."
Ho Chi Minh’s "Prison dairy" depicts the revolutionary’s perseverance,resilience and iron will to overcome all hardships with hope andoptimism for the future. Despite being in custody and enduring 18prisons in 13 district of China’s Quangxi province, the author showeddignity and unruffledness as a revolutionary prisoner.
To begin the collection, Ho Chi Minh wrote "I am not keen on recitingpoems, but what else can I do in jail; All day long I recite poems tofind solace; Reciting and waiting for the day I will be released".Enduring the harsh conditions of Chiang Kai-Shek’s prison, the prisonerwas firm in his belief in the rosy future of the revolution. "There isneither wine nor flower in jail; It’s hard to resist tonight’s beauty; Ahuman being watches the moonlight via a window; The moon peeps at thepoet through the gap of the window".
Literarycritic Professor Phong Le calls "Prison diary" the most honest andin-depth self-portrait of Ho Chi Minh. He emerged in various postures: arevolutionary who lost freedom, a miserable prisoner, a friend who wassympathetic to all lower-class people and a poetic soul in favor ofnature. He was also a human being with extraordinary strong will and arevolutionary optimism amid the most difficult circumstances.
Poet Vu Quan Phuong told VOV: "I wrote several studies about him,including articles about his prison escape and how he merged into thecircle of prisoners, the bottom-of-society class. 'My itchy body ispurplish-red as if covered an embroidered silk cloth; Rustling as ifplaying a guitar. Wearing silk cloth, my prisoner friends are honoredguests. Playing music in jail voices friendship'". (Poem Scabies)
"Prison dairy" was translated into Vietnamese in 1960 and since thenhas been translated into English, Arabic, Portuguese, German, Korean,Japanese, and Spanish. On October 1, 2012, the Prime Minister of Vietnamsigned a decision recognizing "Prison diary" as a national treasure.-VNA
To mark the 70th anniversary of "Prison diary", a recent workshop inHanoi confirmed the artistic value, humanity, and vitality of the poemcollection, a high-profile work in Vietnam’s modern poetry. The workshopwas organized by the Party Central Committee’s Communication andEducation Commission, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, andthe Union of Vietnam Arts and Literature Associations.
"Prison diary" consists of 133 poems written in Chinese Han scriptfrom August 29, 1942, to September 10, 1943. The original edition is asmall notebook whose cover is illustrated with 4 verses and a sketch oftwo hands in chains.
Ho Chi Minh was both theauthor and a character who recorded and retold "stories in jail" in adiary format. "Prison diary" can be seen as an autobiography in verse,in which President Ho placed the revolution and the people in thesupreme position.
Literary critic Phuong Luu saysthe work shows the greatness of a great personality, whose earnestdesire was "Independence for the nation and freedom for humans": "It’snoteworthy that the word 'freedom' is repeated again and again,demonstrating Ho Chi Minh’s desire for freedom as a human being and apoet. This also matches his thought as a leader. When establishing theState, he named it the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. But this was notenough. Vietnam was one of the rare countries that have added anotherphrase to its official name: 'Independence – Freedom – Happiness',meaning the nation was independent and the people had to a right tofreedom and happiness. This is what we are pursuing now."
Ho Chi Minh’s "Prison dairy" depicts the revolutionary’s perseverance,resilience and iron will to overcome all hardships with hope andoptimism for the future. Despite being in custody and enduring 18prisons in 13 district of China’s Quangxi province, the author showeddignity and unruffledness as a revolutionary prisoner.
To begin the collection, Ho Chi Minh wrote "I am not keen on recitingpoems, but what else can I do in jail; All day long I recite poems tofind solace; Reciting and waiting for the day I will be released".Enduring the harsh conditions of Chiang Kai-Shek’s prison, the prisonerwas firm in his belief in the rosy future of the revolution. "There isneither wine nor flower in jail; It’s hard to resist tonight’s beauty; Ahuman being watches the moonlight via a window; The moon peeps at thepoet through the gap of the window".
Literarycritic Professor Phong Le calls "Prison diary" the most honest andin-depth self-portrait of Ho Chi Minh. He emerged in various postures: arevolutionary who lost freedom, a miserable prisoner, a friend who wassympathetic to all lower-class people and a poetic soul in favor ofnature. He was also a human being with extraordinary strong will and arevolutionary optimism amid the most difficult circumstances.
Poet Vu Quan Phuong told VOV: "I wrote several studies about him,including articles about his prison escape and how he merged into thecircle of prisoners, the bottom-of-society class. 'My itchy body ispurplish-red as if covered an embroidered silk cloth; Rustling as ifplaying a guitar. Wearing silk cloth, my prisoner friends are honoredguests. Playing music in jail voices friendship'". (Poem Scabies)
"Prison dairy" was translated into Vietnamese in 1960 and since thenhas been translated into English, Arabic, Portuguese, German, Korean,Japanese, and Spanish. On October 1, 2012, the Prime Minister of Vietnamsigned a decision recognizing "Prison diary" as a national treasure.-VNA
