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| The path leading from the gate symbolizes a river, the central image of the song “Khuc hat song que” (“Song of the countryside river”). Photo: Nguyen Vu Trong Thi |
A “G-clef” in the countryside
During his lifetime, Nguyen Trong Tao once told his son: “One day, I want to rest here, listening to the wind blowing across the fields and over the roof”. That simple yet heartfelt wish became the inspiration for his son, Trong Thi - an architect - to build a memorial for his father in the place where he was born. He shared that shortly before his passing, his father had sketched a basic draft of the project. After his death, the family agreed to complete his last wish.
The idea took shape in 2020, and after two years of design and construction, the memorial was completed in early 2024. Covering more than 175 square meters and facing the fields, it consists of three parts: a worship area, a memorial courtyard, and an exhibition space for personal artifacts. The space is simple, inspired by “Khuc hat song que”, the song that made Nguyen Trong Tao’s name. The layout is shaped like a river and a pair of eyes - the symbols of memory and the soul of the artist. Trong Thi calls it a “G-clef in the countryside.”
From the entrance, a winding gravel path leads to a bronze statue of the poet, his gentle face turned toward the fields. Sunlight filters through bamboo leaves and glimmers on a glass wall engraved with lines of text, as if the poetry is humming with the wind. Every detail, from the oval pond evoking the shape of a river, to the curve of the roof like a breeze, to the wooden plaque engraved with poems, all preserve a memory. Trong Thi said: “I wanted this place to make visitors feel at peace, as if sitting beside my father, listening to his stories of life”.
Architecturally, the project blends elements from all three regions: the rustic warmth of Nghe, the elegance of Hue, and the old-world charm of Hanoi. They are places where Nguyen Trong Tao once lived and composed his works. Every brick, wooden frame, pond, and roof tile was carefully chosen so that each detail carries the breath of poetry. Trong Thi shared: “When I drew the first draft, I thought of my father’s music. He used to say that art must allow people to see their own hearts in it. I simply recreated that by using materials and light”.
On the inauguration day in early 2024, many friends of Nguyen Trong Tao from Hue, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City returned to attend. In the quiet space, his verses resounded, filled with the breath of the fields, rustic yet profound: “There is a forest that died but remains green in me”. It is the life philosophy of an artist who believed that beauty could transcend the finite and leave behind a lasting radiance.
The breath of heritage
Nguyen Trong Tao (1947-2019) was a distinctive figure in Vietnamese arts and literature. A poet, musician, painter, and journalist, he devoted his entire life to creativity. From Dong dao cho nguoi lon, Nuong than, The gioi khong con trang to Con đuong cua nhung vi sao and Khuc hat song que, each of his works is imbued with humanity, nostalgia for his homeland, and a yearning for beauty.
Hue was a place where Nguyen Trong Tao lived for many years, and it left a deep imprint on his soul. Because of that, traces of Hue still appear in the memorial in Dien Chau today, a quiet elegance woven into every detail. Trong Thi said: “My father’s greatest legacy is the way he lived, the way he played. If this place helps people slow down and care for each other more, then that is exactly what he wanted”.
Since its opening, the memorial has become a cultural destination for the community. Many poetry-and-music gatherings have been held in its courtyard, where people come together to sing Khuc hat song que, a song filled with gratitude and love for the motherland. From this place, Nguyen Vu Trong Thi has also nurtured the idea of expanding it into a literary and artistic space. He hopes local authorities will support the vision so the memorial can become a cultural destination where art lovers gather to read poetry, sing, and share stories of memory.
He also plans to build a small memorial in Hue, where Nguyen Trong Tao dedicated many passionate years of his life. “Hue gave my father so much. I would like to have a small corner there where people can remember him, as a part of Hue’s literary memory,” Trong Thi shared.
The memorial dedicated to the poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao has just been awarded the 2024 Excellence in Literature and Arts Prize. Above all, the memorial is the result of a journey shaped by love and filial devotion. It is a space of remembrance and creativity, where the past continues in the renewed spirit of today’s artists.
From the land of Dien Chau to Hue - that journey still continues. And within the lingering echoes of Khuc hat song que, the voice of the homeland still resounds, like the poetic lifeblood and humanity that Nguyen Trong Tao has left for life.