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| The poetic Trinh Cong Son Park by the Huong River |
On an afternoon at the end of September, like many others, tourists and locals came to Trinh Cong Son Park (at the foot of Gia Hoi Bridge, Phu Xuan Ward) to enjoy the fresh autumn air. Unexpectedly, that very afternoon, the sound of Tran Manh Tuan’s saxophone filled the air with familiar melodies of Trinh’s music. The crowd gradually gathered around the stone stele engraved with Trinh’s famous song “Noi vong tay lon” (The Great Circle of Unity), newly installed in the park. Thus, after the street named after Trinh Cong Son, Hue now has a park bearing his name on that very street, with a bronze statue of him in the park’s center, and now a stone stele carved with one of the songs that made the musician from Hue famous.
The lyrics and music of “Noi vong tay lon” were meticulously engraved by artisans from Non Nuoc (Da Nang). Every word of the song shines on the 21-ton stone stele, so that its melody may forever resonate by the banks of the Huong River - where Trinh’s music was born. The song was written in the late 1960s, during a time when Vietnam was divided. Its lyrics express the longing for peace and national unity. It was published in Trinh Cong Son’s collection “Kinh Viet Nam” (Vietnamese Scriptures), released by Nhan Ban Publishing in 1970.
After April 30, 1975, this song was broadcast on Saigon Radio, marking a historical moment - the country’s reunification. Nearly half a century later, “Noi vong tay lon” continues to be sung at major ceremonies, community events, and concerts, symbolizing unity, human connection, and the expansion of compassion.
Before it became Trinh Cong Son Park, the beautiful plot of land by the Huong River, adjacent to the Dong Ba River, had already attracted visitors with its poetic scenery and various cultural and community art events. Since being named after Trinh Cong Son, the space has been beautified - greener, more peaceful, and full of life. Besides Trinh-themed music programs, many other events have chosen the park as their stage or gathering place.
Nguyen Phu, a resident of Vy Da Ward, who frequently visits the park, shared: “Hue has many beautiful spaces, most of them along the Huong River. But Trinh Park has something uniquely its own - not only poetic but also breathing the spirit of music, serenity, and purity.”
Speaking about the park named after her brother, Trinh Vinh Trinh could not hide her emotion and happiness: “After the street and the bronze statue, my brother Son has returned to Hue in another way - his song has been inscribed on stone.”
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Acknowledging the contributions of the Trinh musician
In 2011, the People’s Council of Thua Thien Hue Province (now Hue City) approved naming a street after the late musician Trinh Cong Son. The street is 600 meters long, stretching from the foot of Gia Hoi Bridge to Nguyen Binh Khiem Street. Later, the adjacent land extending toward the Huong River was chosen to establish Trinh Cong Son Park. This acknowledges Trinh Cong Son’s contributions to Vietnamese music in general and to Hue in particular. It also enhances the overall landscape of the ancient capital and the riverside scenery of the Huong River - a “lyrical character” that is inseparable from the music of the Trinh musician.
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