Lục Vân Tiên | Digitizing Việt Nam

Lục Vân Tiên

This Lục Vân Tiên collection presents the enduring vitality of Nguyễn Đình Chiểu’s narrative poem through various versions passed down across different regions, with particular attention to the version by Madam Châu Anh Phụng in Bến Tre. Her rendition features notable variations in language and expression, reflecting the reception and transformation of Lục Vân Tiên within the context of local culture. In doing so, the collection sheds light on the work’s role in the literary life and collective memory of Southern Vietnamese communities.

Luc Van Tien, Courtesy of Madam Chau Anh Phung

This manuscript of Lục Vân Tiên comes from the private collection of Madame Châu Anh Phụng, who preserved it as part of her family’s cultural heritage.

The New Tale of Vân Tiên

In the story of Lục Vân Tiên, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu created an entire society where the exemplary protagonists, Lục Vân Tiên and Kiều Nguyệt Nga, symbolize the talent, intellect, and character of human beings. They are individuals who are well-educated and highly skilled. Although each has their own unique appearance and personality, they all embody qualities of "integrity," "resolution," "compassion," and "respect for righteousness." They are ready to help others without fear of hardship or danger, upholding the righteous principle of "not tolerating injustice when encountered on the road." They persist in standing for what is right, both in thought and action. These noble qualities are fundamental virtues of the Vietnamese people in general, and the people of the South in particular.