Russian edition of “Tale of Kieu” to hit the shelves

The bilingual Vietnamese-Russian edition of “Truyen Kieu”, an 18th century poetic masterpiece by Nguyen Du, will make its first debut in Hanoi on November 6 to mark the poet’s 250th birth anniversary.

Hanoi (VNA) -The bilingual Vietnamese-Russian edition of “Truyen Kieu” (The tale of Kieu), an 18th century poetic masterpiece by Nguyen Du, will make its first debut in Hanoi on November 6 to mark the poet’s 250th birth anniversary (1766-2016).

Started in 2013, the Russian translation was done by Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Huy Hoang, from Moscow University; translators Doan Tu Huyen and Vu The Khoi; Russian poet Vasili Popov and Anatoli Sokolov, a researcher of Vietnamese studies.

The team expressed their hope that they have conveyed precisely the meaning and spirit of the classic novel, particularly its 3,236 classical references, literary allusions and idioms.

Prominent Vietnamese poet and World Cultural Celebrity Nguyen Du, also known as To Nhu and Thanh Hien, was born on January 3, 1766 into a noble family in Thang Long (Hanoi).

His most outstanding work is the Tale of Kieu, a 3,254-line classic verse novel written in “luc bat”, the form that consists of alternating lines of six and eight syllables, a traditional verse form of Vietnam's poetry.

It recounts the life, trials and tribulation of Thuy Kieu, a beautiful and talented young woman, who had to sacrifice herself to save her father and younger brother from prison. She sold herself into marriage with a middle-aged man, unaware of his profession as a pimp. He later forced her into prostitution, marking the start of a series of tragic events in her life.

Throughout the poem, Nguyen Du depicted the beauty of true love and loyalty and the unyielding hope for justice.

In Vietnam, the Tale of Kieu is vastly popular, with many people knowing the epic by heart, and it has been published in more than 20 languages worldwide to date, including French, Chinese, English, and Japanese.

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

Nguyen Du was recognised by UNESCO as a World Cultural Celebrity among 108 others in 2003.-VNA

VNA

See more

The Vietnamese space at the 33rd edition of the Havana International Book Fair, which is running from February 13-23. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese culture introduced at Havana book fair

Books on culture and history of Vietnam, and beloved President Ho Chi Minh, along with images of Vietnam's natural beauty, have drawn the attention of many Cuban and international readers at this year’s fair, which is held annually at the La Cabaña fortress in Havana.

Sinh folk paintings (Photo: VNA)

Hue preserves Sinh village folk paintings

To revive and develop this traditional craft, local authorities are actively promoting vocational training, preservation efforts, and linking the craft with community-based tourism.

Delegates at the signing ceremony (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Laos strengthen ties through golf development

As part of the initiative, the VGA will provide expertise in areas such as golf rules, refereeing, coaching, and national rankings, supporting Laos in building a more structured and internationally integrated golf system.

Le Xuan Thanh, Editor-in-Chief of the The Thao & Van Hoa Newspaper and head of the organising board, speaks at the launch of the 19th Cong Hien (Devotion) Awards. (Photo: VNA)

Official nominations announced for Devotion Awards 2025

Le Xuan Thanh, Editor-in-Chief of the The Thao & Van Hoa Newspaper and head of the organising board, said the Music Devotion Awards has played a crucial role in recognising and promoting Vietnamese pop music for two decades. Since 2023, the awards expanded into sports, integrating a hybrid voting system that combines votes from journalists, experts, and the public.