(Hanoi Moi) Beautiful memories with the class VIII (K8) and Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong

Beautiful memories with Literature class K8

I was a student of the first class of Literature, Hanoi University of Science (1956-1959). After graduating, I was retained at the school as a lecturer in the Literature department.

In 1965, the Party and State advocated evacuating all universities to rural areas to avoid American pilots from attacking our cadre training facilities.

In the summer of 1965, Mr. Tran Huu Nghia and I were assigned by the Faculty of Literature to accompany the K8 student class (1963-1967) to evacuate to Dai Tu district, Bac Thai province (now Thai Nguyen).

The K8 class is very large, more than 120 people, gathered from three sources: High school students; current officials sent to study to improve their qualifications; the rest studied in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and returned to continue studying in the country.

My teachers and I were “stationed” in Trang Duong hamlet, Van Tho commune, Dai Tu district. Every day, we had to climb a steep slope, which the students often jokingly called “breathless slope”, because when we reached the top, we were out of breath and had to sit and rest for quite a while. We went into the forest to collect wood, bamboo, and other materials to build the library, classrooms, faculty offices, and kitchen for class K8...

The construction of the camp facilities for the K8, K9, K10, and K11 students took place very urgently and was completed early to start the new school year (1965-1966).

In addition to teaching, I was also appointed as Faculty Secretary (the title commonly used at that time - to be exact, Chief of Faculty Office).

The K8 student class is large in quantity and strong in quality because many cadres have returned to study. They are experienced, knowledgeable, good at mass mobilization work, good at organizing social activities, collective activities... Young people from high school up participate in the Youth Union branch with Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong as Secretary. This group is very enthusiastic and active in participating in learning and extracurricular activities. Whenever there is a need to mobilize students to participate with the locality, I often rely mainly on this class.
 

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, during his tenure as Chairman of the National Assembly, visited staff and students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), November 16, 2010.. (Photo: Bui Tuan - VNU)

I remember in 1967, the 2nd Northern Arts Festival took place in Hanoi. In response to the festival, the Faculty of Literature launched an arts festival (singing, acting), selecting the first prize winning work to bring back to Hanoi to participate in the Central Festival.

The K8 students formed an amateur drama team, led by Mr. Hoang Chuong. They chose the play “The Winners” by playwright Hoc Phi. The work praised the steadfast and indomitable example of hero Nguyen Van Troi in the fight against the Americans to save the country of his compatriots in the South. This play won first prize in the faculty’s performance festival. After that, Mr. Bui Ngoc Trac and I were assigned by the faculty to go with the K8 drama team to Hanoi to participate in the Northern Arts Festival.

We “pulled troops” to Hanoi. The leaders of the drama team contacted and borrowed the hall of the Ministry of Culture’s Vocational Theory School on Duong Thanh Street, which had a large stage for rehearsals. The leaders of the drama team also invited author Hoc Phi and director Long Chuong to come every night to watch and give feedback and guidance to each actor, gradually improving the quality of each role and the appeal of the entire play. The leaders of the drama team also contacted the Ministry of Culture to ask for permission to perform at the Opera House, renting one night to rehearse and get acquainted with the stage.

Local art troupes participating in the Festival are registered to perform at one of two places: Hong Ha Theater on Duong Thanh Street; Opera House on Ngo Quyen Street. Most local troupes register to perform at Hong Ha Theater, very few "dare" to perform at the Opera House.

The K8 Literature Drama Team reported and invited the University Board of Directors to attend the team's performance. The school requested a rehearsal before performing at the Opera House. The General Department of Railways lent us a hall near Hanoi Station. Principal Professor Nguyen Nhu Kon Tum, along with the Board of Directors and many lecturers of the school attended. After watching, everyone praised the play as attractive.

Then the official performance night arrived. The Opera House was packed. After the meticulous rehearsal process of each actor with the enthusiastic guidance of author Hoc Phi and director Long Chuong, the performance of the Van K8 drama team received many rounds of encouraging applause from the audience.

At the end of the play, after a long round of applause, Mr. Ha Huy Giap, alternate member of the Party Central Committee, went on stage to present flowers and kindly said: "The students of the Faculty of Arts are different. For amateurs to perform like that is too good, very commendable."

Memories with Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong

My K8 Literature class and I were as close as a family. Later, every year when the class held a reunion, I and some teachers were often invited to join in the fun with our friends. Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong was busy with many jobs so he only came to the reunion occasionally. I would like to share some good memories with the K8 class, with Mr. Trong also attending.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong took a photo with teachers and classmates on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of class K8's graduation.

At the 2016 meeting, Professor Nguyen Kim Dinh, former head of the Faculty, gave Mr. Trong a pair of parallel sentences:

Respect the government, respect integrity, promote the Party's integrity
(respect integrity, respect honesty, revive the Party's spirit)

Yang talent, Yang intelligence, unite people's hearts
(promote talent, promote intellectuals, unite people's hearts)

Mr. Trong replied to his teacher: “Thank you, teacher. This is a noble and extremely difficult task. But I will try my best to repay the trust and love you have for me.”

In 2018, the K8 Literature class gathered at the headquarters of the Voice of Vietnam Radio Station at 58 Quan Su. Mr. Trong spoke with his feelings: "Decades have passed, but the friendship, camaraderie, comradeship and teacher-student relationship are still warm and pure. This is the most precious thing, each of us has and will carry it with us for the rest of our lives."

When it was time for lunch, I said to Mr. Trong: "Since you mentioned the word Love, I will give you a Sino-Vietnamese poem that I just collected:

All things in the world are just shadows(in this world everything is ephemeral, an illusion)

The only thing left in the heavenly tribulation is love.(Thousands of lives pass, only one thing remains, that is love, love of life, love of people)”

Mr. Trong commented: "The poem is so good, teacher. It matches my thinking and lifestyle very well."

At the 2022 K8 class meeting, Professor Nguyen Kim Dinh was absent and asked me to pass on to Mr. Trong a couplet:

Uphold the law, punish the corrupt and corrupt (Above - uphold the law, punish the corrupt and corrupt and corrupt and corrupt)

Below - connect people's hearts, destroy the bandits who harm the people.

I explained the meaning of the parallel sentences and conveyed Professor Kim Dinh's words praising Mr. Trong for doing a great job and hoping he would continue to do so. The whole hall applauded and encouraged Mr. Trong.

When Anh Trong was Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, I printed the book “Knowledge Links” edited by French scholar Edgar Morin. The book collected scientific papers by a number of famous French intellectuals, opening up new directions for general education in this country. I thought the book was very useful, so I personally went to the Hanoi Party Committee Office at 4 Le Lai to give it to Anh Trong.

I remember meeting Anh Trong at Nguyen Manh Hung's house (in the same class as Trong) when he brought a gift to congratulate Hung's daughter on her wedding. When he saw me, Anh Trong smiled and said, "I came to Hung's house to celebrate the happiness of the two children because I'm busy tomorrow and can't attend the wedding." I was truly touched by the sincerity, simplicity, and naturalness of the high-ranking leader of the City Party Committee.

Now that you have gone far away, through these heartfelt lines, I would like to share beautiful memories with the K8 Literature class, with you. My heart is filled with sorrow. Respectfully bid you farewell, a great personality - Comrade General Secretary - "The great furnace man".

Pray for his soul to fly lightly on the white clouds...

>>>> Related news:
-Documentary: General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong - A Loyal, Intellectual and Exemplary Leader
-Professor Nguyen Phu Trong, from a student at the University of General Sciences to Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee
-General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and memories with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities
-General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's affection for everyone
-(VTC1) General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong - From Literature student to head of the Party and State