People's Teacher Le Hong Sam - tireless bird

People's Teacher Le Hong Sam/Photo: Thanh Long

I remember in 1971, when I first entered the Literature Department, Ms. Sam was still very young, probably only about 40 or 41 (later I learned that she was born in 1930). At that time, I was a student so I rarely had the opportunity to get to know her well, meaning I could only occasionally look at her from afar, but I absolutely did not dare to approach her to talk. In my fragmented memory, I remember her first lectures on French realist literature as a fresh stream that cooled our “dry” heads (because I came from a rural area very far from Hanoi). During the time when the war against America was still fierce, names like Hugo, Balzac, Standhal, or Flaubert were still very unfamiliar, but the first time I heard her lecture, those names suddenly became familiar. In my student life, to be honest, I have rarely heard such an engaging and attractive way of communicating. The words and phrases in Ms. Le Hong Sam's lectures seem to have no extra or missing words. It is as if the texts have been polished and refined in advance. That engaging way of teaching is also reflected in her daily speech, in conversations with anyone, whether they are relatives or strangers, she is always gentle and polite like that.

The impression I have of People's Teacher Le Hong Sam is so profound for another reason: in the "warm nest" of the French Literature Department of the Faculty of Literature at that time, there was a "pair" of female teachers, whose presence for a long time was like a "perfect pair". That was the "couple" Le Hong Sam - Dang Thi Hanh. They were both strangely similar and different. Their similarities were expressed in their profound erudition, in their unselfish enthusiasm for their professional work, and in their wholehearted love for their students. But they were also very different: One, when we first met and still is, seemed very approachable (Ms. Le Hong Sam); the other, on the contrary, seemed a bit strict (Ms. Dang Thi Hanh). Ms. Sam seemed romantic but taught realistic literature; Ms. Hanh seemed realistic but taught romantic literature (exactly like Balzac and Hugo). When writing a textbook together, the title the two teachers chose also created in the reader a gentle and interesting comparison:19th Century Western Romantic and Realistic Literature. Also very good at French, but Meritorious Teacher Dang Thi Hanh revealed that she could not handle a full translation session when teachers from the University of Paris 7 (France) came to give lectures; but Ms. Le Hong Sam "did it all" (and still does it now). Even in the daily organization and management at work, although Meritorious Teacher Dang Thi Hanh was once the Principal of a very famous high school in Hanoi (Trung Vuong School), she admitted that management work was a "heavy punishment" for her; meanwhile, Ms. Le Hong Sam, in addition to managing the Department of Western Literature for many years "as light as air", with other tasks, from the role of "coordinator" during the period of cooperation between Hanoi National University and the University of Paris 7, to being the editor-in-chief of major research and translation works of the department, she also completed them all easily. It did not seem to be difficult at all. Many of her colleagues in the Faculty of Literature, including very respectable and energetic professors (such as Professor Ha Minh Duc, Professor Phan Cu De...) had to admit: "Women like Ms. Sam are truly rare."

People's Artist Le Hong Sam devoted most of her life to translating French literature. She was awarded the Order of Academic Palms by the French Government in 2003/Photo: Thanh Long

In terms of expertise, it must be admitted that Ms. Sam devoted most of her life to translating French literature. Compared to other colleagues, especially teachers of Vietnamese literature at the same time, Le Hong Sam's research may not be much, although the number of textbooks and scientific articles she has written is not small (around 30). Readers' impressions of the name Le Hong Sam are probably inclined towards translation. Looking at the number of translated books she has, anyone doing this job must be "coveting". In just that many years, translator Le Hong Sam has published dozens of books. Among them are very difficult books to translate, nearly a thousand pages thick (Confessions,Emile or about educationof Rousseau, many works in nearly 60 volumesThe joke of lifeof Balzac…). In translating French, Ms. Sam is careful, meticulous and responsible to the end. For Le Hong Sam, translation work means adhering to the principle of “creative obedience”. The above argument seems contradictory at first, but is completely consistent. Like her peer - Associate Professor Dang Thi Hanh, in her profession, Ms. Le Hong Sam loves honesty and accuracy to the end. Admitting that translation work is a “difficult, arduous” labor, while many people have the ability but deliberately avoid it, translator Le Hong Sam on the contrary always considers it a great joy. She confided that doing this job requires knowing how to listen, being sincere, and sometimes also accepting “failure”. In a career as a translator, who has not made a mistake at least once? The important thing is to know how to correct it, to know how to sacrifice one’s ego for the accuracy of the original text. People's Teacher Le Hong Sam once left a memorable memory about just one word in translation with Professor Do Duc Hieu. That was the word "lueur" Balzac wrote inPreface to The Comedy of Life: “I write in the light of two eternal truths: Religion and Monarchy”. In this sentence, there is the phrase “à la lueur”, previously someone translated it into Vietnamese as “under the light”, now the senior insisted on changing it to “under the light of the sky”. Translator Le Hong Sam refused even though she greatly respected the French proficiency of the “senior”. But she still felt “guilty” even though later the French experts themselves admitted that the original understanding as translated by Le Hong Sam was correct, she still felt “guilty” towards her senior colleague whom she admired wholeheartedly. If only the teacher were still alive (?)…

Now the name Le Hong Sam is very familiar to Francophone Vietnamese. History has also returned her some “justice”: the greatest reward for her, in my opinion, is the name she left behind (translator, culturalist Le Hong Sam), which will surely be remembered forever by those who love French literature. She has been recognized by the state with the title of People's Teacher, and received the Phan Chau Trinh Award, one of the noblest awards for translators. Ten years ago, on March 25, 2003, affirming her great contribution in the role of connecting French culture and spirit with Vietnamese readers, the French Government awarded her the Academic Palm Medal. She is like a tireless bird, bringing knowledge and joy to the world of intellectuals. I think, for a teacher and an intellectual, that is greater than any title.