“Bui Xuan Phai: For Love of Hanoi” Awards:Hanoi in continuous movement

The determination to revive To Lich River receives a nomination in the Idea Prize (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) – The balance between nostalgic stories and contemporary factors is among outstanding traits in the nominations for the “Bui Xuan Phai: For Love of Hanoi” Awards 2019.

One focal point of heated discussion of the 12th edition of the award is the balance between stories and works of nostalgia and contemporary factors and colours.

Head of the jury, poet Bang Viet said each category has several outstanding nominations.

From the past to the present

Many nominations reflect nostalgia for and recreate Hanoi’s background and space in a time long gone by in different ways, especially those in the two categories of Work Prize and Job Prize.

The three works “Mot thoi Ha Noi hat” by Nguyen Truong Quy, “Kim Lien mot thuo” by Vu Cong Chien and “Ha Noi quan xa pho phuong” by Uong Trieu deliver enthralling views about the city’s landscapes and people.

Nguyen Truong Quy re-creates part of the Hanoi lifestyle in the past. The book “Mot thoi Ha Noi hat” focuses on the capital city before and after 1954. Quy had no intention to fill in the blank of the history, but chose an aspect that historians often set aside: entertainment in urban area.

With that spirit, Quy helped readers trace back to the way of new-style music at the time to discover “the legend of Hanoi”. The legend was weaved from lyrics and melodies of famous composers of the golden age like Doan Chuan, Pham Duy, Van Cao, Hoang Trong and Hoang Duong, among others.

Therefore, “Mot thoi Ha Noi hat” helps readers gain an understanding of Hanoi people sense and taste in a time of the past.

Meanwhile, “Kim Lien mot thuo” by Chien brings readers back to Kim Lien quarter, the first high-quality apartment complex built in Hanoi in 1959, in its first years. The book not only helps the old generations recall their beautiful childhood, but also delivers a simple and warm image of culture, lifestyle, thought and demeanour of Hanoi citizens to the younger generations.

(Photo: VietnamPlus)

Choosing a different aspect – cuisine, author Uong Trieu delivers a vivid image of daily lifestyle in Hanoi.

The head of the jury said in the Work Prize category, the judges favour scientific research to work of fiction. Those archival works require great efforts and are useful for future’s reference, re-create part of cultural and art-related activities of Hanoians, and are filled with the spirit of the millennial city.

In a different aspect, in an effort to conserve memories and heritage of the capital city, a sketching group often arranges field trips to various locations in Hanoi.

At first, the group started with only four members. Three years after its establishment, it membership has expanded to more than 3,000, both Vietnamese and foreigners, in all age groups and jobs. The members share a common interest in sketching and a passion for learning of Hanoi’s history and culture from the past to the present.

Giang Vo apartment complex sketch by An Duy, a member of the sketching group (Photo by organising board)

Continuing the dreams

The nominations include works, ideas and activities honouring Hanoi and contributing to the capital city’s development. In other words, they honour authors, works, activities and ideas connected to the development of Hanoi, as well as profound sentiment for the capital city.

The efforts to help the Hanoi Post Office building near Hoan Kiem Lake regain its old name, instead of the current name “VNPT Hanoi”.

Construction of the first blocs of the Hanoi Post Office began back in 1893. Over the past 120 years full of the ups and downs in Hanoi’s history, the name and memories with the building have become a special fragment in the culture and history of the city.

The effort to help the Hanoi Post Office building near Hoan Kiem Lake regain its old name receives a nomination in the Job Prize category (Photo by the organising board)

Prof., Dr., architecture Hoang Dao Kinh, a jury member, said the effort to revive To Lich River manifests the determination of Hanoi in conserving a witness of the city and creating “green” and clean landscapes, in the hope of putting an end to pollution which adversely affects local residents.

About 10 decades ago, the river was among the main traffic routes of Thang Long capital (the former name of Hanoi). Along with Red River and Kim Nguu River, it formed a waterway network surrounding Ke Cho (a folk name of the city).

Generally, in addition to works, activities and ideas recalling Hanoi of a time in the past, nominations for the 12th “Bui Xuan Phai: For love of Hanoi” Awards contain image of a modern and dynamic capital city that is ready for integration. A project on building the Formula 1 race course and hosting Formula 1 Grand Prix in Hanoi for the first time in April 2020 receiving a nomination is an illustration.

The construction of a race course stretching over 5.5 km along with support facilities and the hosting of Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2020 are viewed as a huge opportunity to promote images of Vietnam’s landscapes and people, as well as affirm Hanoi’s position as an ideal and safe destination for tourists and international cultural festivals and sport events.

The awards were initiated in 2008 by the Vietnam News Agency’s The Thao & Van Hoa daily and Bui Xuan Phai’s family.

The award ceremony is set to take place in Hanoi on August 27./.