People's Teacher Lê Hồng Sâm – An Unwearying Bird

Jackie Chan/USSH

People's Teacher Lê Hồng Sâm. Hanoi, 2012.

I remember in 1971, when I first entered the Faculty of Literature, Ms. Sam was still very young, perhaps only around 40 or 41 (I later learned she was born in 1930). At that time, as a student, I had very few opportunities to get to know her well; I only occasionally saw her from afar, never had the chance to talk to her up close. In my fragmented memory, I recall her first lectures on French realist literature as a refreshing stream that nourished our "dry" minds (I came from a rural area far from Hanoi). During that time, when the war against America was still raging, names like Hugo, Balzac, Stanghal, and Flaubert were still completely unfamiliar, yet the first time I heard her lecture, those names suddenly became familiar. Honestly, in my student life, I rarely encountered such a captivating and engaging way of teaching. The words in Ms. Sam's lectures seemed perfectly worded, neither superfluous nor lacking. It was as if the texts had been meticulously crafted beforehand. This captivating teaching style was also evident in her everyday speech; in conversations with anyone, whether family or strangers, she was always gentle and refined.

My impression of People's Teacher Le Hong Sam was so profound for another reason: within the "warm home" of the French Literature department of the Faculty of Linguistics and Literature at that time, there was a "pair" of female teachers whose presence for a long time was like a perfect match. That "pair" was Le Hong Sam and Dang Thi Hanh. They were both remarkably similar and different. Their similarities were evident in their profound erudition, their selfless enthusiasm for their professional work, and their wholehearted love for their students. But they were also very different: one, at first meeting and even later, seemed very approachable (Ms. Le Hong Sam); the other, on the contrary, seemed somewhat strict (Ms. Dang Thi Hanh). Ms. Sam, with her romantic side, taught realist literature; Ms. Hanh, with her realist side, taught romantic literature (exactly like Balzac and Hugo). When co-authoring a textbook, the title they chose evoked a gentle and interesting comparison in the reader's mind:19th-century Western Romantic and Realist LiteratureBoth were very proficient in French, but Professor Dang Thi Hanh, a distinguished teacher, revealed that she could not handle a complete translation session when professors from Paris 7 came to lecture; but Ms. Le Hong Sam did it effortlessly (and still does to this day). Even in daily office management, although Professor Dang Thi Hanh was once the principal of a very famous high school in Hanoi (Trung Vuong High School), she admitted that management was a "heavy punishment" for her; meanwhile, Ms. Le Hong Sam, besides managing the Western Literature department for many years, handled it "as easily as nothing," and in other tasks, from her role as "coordinator" throughout the cooperation period between Hanoi University and Paris 7 University, to her role as editor-in-chief of major research and translation projects of the department, she completed everything effortlessly. There was no sign of hardship at all. Many of her colleagues in the Literature department, including highly respected and resourceful professors (such as Professor Ha Minh Duc, Professor Phan Cu De, etc.), had to admit: "Women like Mrs. Sam are truly rare these days."

Jackie Chan/USSH

Nearly 30 years after his retirement, this esteemed man continues his daily routine, like a bee making honey, sitting in front of his old computer, producing thousands of pages of textbooks, research papers, and translations.

In her personal life, as well as in her professional life, People's Teacher Le Hong Sam has experienced losses and hardships. Her life partner, if not for his untimely death, could have provided her with a warmer, more stable support system, allowing her to devote herself more fully to her profession. In her work, if she had been treated fairly like her peers, she could have contributed much more, especially in guiding and mentoring generations of students. But having been close to her for a long time, I never once heard this "disadvantaged woman" complain. She quietly lived and worked with love. And although she raised her child alone, few can be prouder than her, having raised her beloved daughter, Le Hong Mai, into a decent person. Under the loving care of her only daughter, Le Hong Sam now enjoys a fulfilling and peaceful life, both materially and spiritually. Of course, regarding the loss and hardship, only occasionally, during heart-to-heart conversations, does she reveal a hint of regret. Meanwhile, nearly 30 years since her retirement, this respected woman continues her daily routine, like a busy bee making honey, sitting in front of her old computer, producing thousands of pages of textbooks, research papers, and translations. Not only that, she has attended almost all major events at the French Cultural Center L'Éspace; traveled back and forth between France and Vietnam for professional conferences; and is a member of the Balzac International Research Society… Indeed, looking at the "mountain" of work she has done, it's hard to imagine how, in all that time, an 83-year-old woman could have accomplished so much. There were times when I "dared" to make this comparison: perhaps she was like Balzac, the writer she admired, who in his relatively short life wrote nearly a hundred works, totaling thousands of pages.The Comedy of LifeMs. Le Hong Sam also "works with two brains".

My feelings for my esteemed teacher will never fade. Of course, I know that feelings are more or less subjective and emotional. They may be right or wrong. However, I am always certain that the accuracy of my "feelings" is not low. Because during my more than 40 years at the Department of Linguistics and Literature, now the Department of Literature (although she retired almost 30 years ago), I always had the opportunity to meet her, chat with her, and even discuss work (on a couple of occasions, we sat together at the French literature forum at L'Éspace). Therefore, I will never forget her work habits, lifestyle, and daily personality. As I mentioned above, upon first meeting her, through her manner of speaking and her elegant, gentle appearance, no one could fail to notice her refined air of a "distinguished lady." It was difficult for anyone to stop talking to her. She always knew how to captivate and persuade her interlocutors with her insightful observations, her vast knowledge, and her gentle, charming words. Ms. Sam's charm could even be revealed in a small conversation with a relatively "small" audience—a student. I knew students who had only met her once but were completely smitten, and continued to admire her long afterward.

Jackie Chan/USSH

Hanoi, 2013.

Professionally, it must be acknowledged that Ms. Sam has dedicated most of her life to translating French literature. Her research may not be extensive, although the number of textbooks and scientific articles she has published is considerable (around 30). However, the reader's impression of the name Le Hong Sam is likely to lean towards her translation work. Looking at the number of books she has translated, anyone in this field would surely be envious. In just those years, translator Le Hong Sam has published dozens of books, including some very difficult ones, nearly a thousand pages long.Confessions,Emile, or about educationby Roussau, numerous works in nearly 60 volumesThe Comedy of Life(Balzac's work...). In translating French, Ms. Sam is meticulous, thorough, and responsible to the very end. For Le Hong Sam, translation work means adhering to the principle of "creative obedience." This point may seem contradictory at first, but it is actually consistent. Like her peer, Associate Professor Dang Thi Hanh, in her profession, Ms. Le Hong Sam values ​​honesty and accuracy to the utmost. Acknowledging that translation work is extremely difficult, it's hard for anyone to go through life without making mistakes at least once. Most importantly, the translator must be truly sincere, must know how to listen, and must be willing to sacrifice their ego for the accuracy of the original text. I still remember a small anecdote surrounding the translation work between People's Teacher Le Hong Sam and Professor Do Duc Hieu. When she received the position of General Editor for the massive book series...The Comedy of Life, knowing partPrefaceFinding it difficult and requiring utmost accuracy, she asked Professor Do Duc Hieu to take on the task. However, upon receiving his translation, Professor Do Duc Hieu insisted on revising just one word compared to previous translations: “I write in the light of two eternal truths: Religion and Monarchy.” This sentence contains the phrase “à la lueur,” which had previously been translated into Vietnamese as “under the light,” but the senior translator insisted on changing it to “under the flickering light.” Ms. Sam refused, believing the previous translation was acceptable. Nevertheless, she still felt uneasy about her professor's actions. During an international conference on Balzac, she brought up this concern with her French colleagues, and it turned out her long-held worries were correct. Professor Do Duc Hieu passed away 10 years ago. But every time this story is mentioned, I still see Ms. Le Hong Sam feeling a pang of regret, wishing he were still alive. I know that's just her personality. In academia, when forced into dialogue to uncover the truth, with any colleague, she's always gentle but fiercely protective.

With younger colleagues, she was just as decisive when it came to helping. I remember when I was just starting out with French literature, my French was very rudimentary, let alone my dream of setting foot in the land of Hugo and Balzac. However, it was Ms. Le Hong Sam who ignited the flame in us young people, giving me the belief that one day, I too could speak French fluently and set foot in the homeland of these two masters of French literature, Balzac and Hugo. I remember around 1983 or 1984, when Professor Jean Dupeb from Paris 7 University came to work with the department, Ms. Sam, then the deputy head of the Foreign Literature department and the leader of the French Literature group, decided to arrange for me to meet and get acquainted with him. True to her word, she encouraged me to boldly accompany her to the Thang Loi Hotel to meet and talk with the professor. But at that time, my French was still very poor; how could I possibly have a conversation? I was very worried. It was better to avoid him and deal with it later, because if my ignorance was revealed, everything would be ruined. But it turned out that Ms. Sam had prepared a "discours" speech for me. It was simple; I just needed to memorize it. And yet, my first meeting with the French professor was more successful than I could have imagined. Of course, Jean Dupeb later found out everything. That's why he was determined to persuade the responsible people at Paris 7 to allow us, some young teachers from the Literature department, to go to France for further training, opening a new chapter for Western literature. Later, when I was in France, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Professor Dupeb for a longer time, and I honestly told him everything. Dupeb laughed and said he knew everything. That's why he intervened to help us realize our dream. Thanks to my "training" trip to France, I later participated in many professional tasks such as writing textbooks, translating anthologies, and translating some pages of the ministry.The Comedy of LifeAnd, following her example, we actively promoted French culture. It can be said that the contributions of People's Teacher Le Hong Sam to the development of French Literature in particular, and Western Literature in general, are immense. For a long time afterward, and even now, she continues to play the role of "coordinator" in the Franco-Vietnamese relationship. Inspired by her example, in 2003, I boldly took on the role of "coordinator" for a film project funded by the Ford Foundation. After 10 years of operation, the Faculty of Literature now has a new department (Art Studies), and surely in a short time, there will be an additional Art Studies major at the Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

The name Le Hong Sam is now very familiar to Vietnamese Francophones. History has also given her some degree of "justice": the greatest reward for her, in my opinion, is the name she left behind (translator, cultural figure Le Hong Sam), which will surely be remembered by those who love French literature for generations to come. She was recognized by the state with the title of People's Teacher and received the Phan Chau Trinh Award, one of the most prestigious awards for translators. Ten years ago, on March 25, 2003, affirming her immense contribution in connecting French culture and spirit with Vietnamese readers, the French government awarded her the Order of the Academic Palms. She is like a tireless bird, bringing knowledge and joy to life. I think, for a teacher and intellectual, that is more significant than any title.