Professor, People's Teacher, Writer Ha Minh Duc: Celebrating his 89th birthday with 90 published books.

Professor Ha Minh Duc continuously lectured in the Faculty of Literature from 1957 to 1991, served as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Literature, and then as the first Dean of the Faculty of Journalism at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities from 1991 to 2000, while simultaneously holding the position of Director of the Institute of Literature from 1995 to 2003. It can be said that throughout his life, Professor Ha Minh Duc primarily focused on lecturing and conducting literary theory research.

Professor, People's Teacher, Writer Ha Minh Duc

The Ho Chi Minh Prize for Literature and Arts, awarded by the State to him, rightfully recognizes the continuous creative process and tireless contributions of Professor, People's Teacher, and leading literary critic of Vietnam. Just considering the books he recently gifted me, three were published in 2022: "Don't Be Afraid" (96 short poems - Literature Publishing House), "Excursions in the Rose Garden and Visiting the Beautiful Scenery of the Countryside" (Memoirs, Thuan Hoa Publishing House, 2022), and the latest book by writer Ha Minh Duc, a collection of short stories and essays, "The Moon Still Shines in the Late Night Garden" (Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House, released September 2022). Writer Nguyen Tri Huan (former Vice President of the Vietnam Writers Association for the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th terms) once commented: "These books further enrich his vast body of research and creativity, a humanities scientist and an outstanding cultural figure."

I ventured to ask Professor Ha Minh Duc why he still remembers and writes down experiences from 60, 70, or even 80 years ago that are so profoundly valuable and impressive. Instead of answering, Professor Ha Minh Duc recounted in great detail, with captivating clarity, how he meticulously recorded everything he did. On each business trip, whether in China or the United States, Russia or France, Laos or Cambodia, he made an effort to visit as many places as possible. Sometimes he would wander around alone, exploring the scenery, landscapes, and cultural relics to learn and remember them, and then record his experiences in his notebook. Even when treated to a meal by a foreign friend or when the group ate something unusual or drank a particular wine, he would carefully inquire about its origin and preparation, savoring the experience to remember it deeply, and then record his impressions of that day. Later, rereading the main points and key events will awaken many other memories from life experiences, from what we heard and saw, from those trips, which will seem as fresh as ever because of the accuracy of the events and things described.

 Some books by Professor Ha Minh Duc

Professor once told me that when he was young, in his 30s and 40s, he had many encounters with poets like To Huu, Xuan Dieu, Che Lan Vien, Huy Can, To Hoai, and many other famous writers and poets. Whether the encounters were spontaneous or unexpected, he remembered them perfectly, and immediately wrote them down in his notebook along with the time and place where the meeting took place.

Once, the poet Xuan Dieu invited him to his house for a chat. The two sat under the moonlight, conversing as Xuan Dieu recounted his literary creations, his poetic journey, and how the New Poetry movement led him to revolution. The young teacher, Ha Minh Duc, hastily took out his pen and notebook and scribbled down his notes under the moonlight. After the meeting, he immediately set about translating his notes as quickly as possible, skillfully combining memory and translation to ensure the material was accurate and up-to-date.

The same was true for writer Tô Hoài. On several occasions, Professor Hà Minh Đức invited the writer and his wife to dinner to celebrate an event. During the meal, he would always initiate conversation to encourage the writer to share his thoughts. Unable to take notes at the dinner party due to the need for politeness and naturalness, he would diligently write them down at home... Because of this, many of the professor's excellent articles and scientific research works on literature and culture, including the quoted discussions, always surprise and impress many writers, who consistently agree with and support the author...

At the end of our conversation, Professor Ha Minh Duc asked me to forward a new manuscript of his memoirs to a publishing house. On the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, I called to wish him a happy new year. Professor Duc was very happy when I told him about the progress of his new manuscript. He jokingly said it might be his 91st book and that's where it would end. He asked for my address so he could send me a copy of the new book that was almost finished printing at the publishing house. I was both delighted and surprised. Professor Duc also mentioned that, close to Tet, many organizations had respectfully invited him to a gathering, but due to traffic and weather conditions, he thanked them and asked to be excused. He whispered to me, "I'm 89 now, sir. I have a little bit of health left, so I have to be frugal," and laughed heartily over the mobile phone...

We wish Professor, People's Teacher, and Writer Ha Minh Duc continued good health so that he can contribute many more books to the world, many more excellent books that will be published before his passing.

Hanoi, the second day of the Lunar New Year, Year of the Rabbit 2023