Exhibition on Nguyen Du’s literature legacy opens

Ha Tinh (VNA) - More than 1,000 documents, works and images on the life and career of great poet Nguyen Du are being showcased at an exhibition that opened at the Nguyen Du memorial site in the central province of Ha Tinh on November 30.

The exhibition is being held to mark the poet’s 250th birth anniversary (1765-2015).

On display are calligraphy pieces with quotes from the poet’s most famous work “The Tale of Kieu” (Truyen Kieu), valuable materials from versions of the tale in foreign languages, the first- ever exhibited Truong Luu woodblock and exhibits on Nguyen Du’s family and native land.

Images about the province’s history, culture and socio-economic achievements are also on show.

The exhibition, which will run until December 5, represents researchers’ respect for Nguyen Du, who made great contributions to the country’s literature and art.

Nguyen Du (1766-1820), also known as To Nhu and Thanh Hien, was recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural Celebrity with 108 others in 2003.

His most influential work, The Tale of Kieu, is a 3,254-line classic verse novel written in "luc bat", a traditional form of Vietnamese poetry that consists of alternating lines of six and eight syllables.

Kieu's story is vastly popular in Vietnam. Many people know the epic by heart, and it has been translated into 20 different languages including French, Chinese, English, Russian and Japanese.

The work was recognised by the World Peace Council as one of the world's most celebrated cultural works in 1965.-VNA