Farewell to Professor Hoang Nhu Mai – the artist teacher

Professor, People's Teacher Hoang Nhu Mai at her home. Ho Chi Minh City, July 20, 2012. (Photo:Jackie Chan/USSH)

I remember when I entered the 16th class of the Faculty of Literature, we had few opportunities to get close to Professor Hoang Nhu Mai. Because the entire "professors" of the Faculty of Literature at that time (Hoang Nhu Mai, Dinh Gia Khanh, Chu Xuan Dien, Le Dinh Ki, Nguyen Tai Can, Phan Cu De, Ha Minh Duc, Do Duc Hieu...) were too overwhelming for us. The self-consciousness of students at that time was a big barrier that made us miss many opportunities to meet and learn from the teachers. Even with younger and less famous teachers at that time, we only dared to stand from afar and watch. Therefore, a famous professor like Professor Hoang Nhu Mai was even more "overwhelming". If I remember correctly, Professor Hoang Nhu Mai only taught us a single course on Vietnamese literature for about 5 or 6 sessions. The class at that time was in a level 4 house, in front of building C1, now Me Tri dormitory. Although we had heard many stories about the Teacher before, stories that could be more or less embellished, such as that Teacher Mai lectured like an actor on stage, or that Teacher Mai had a habit of lecturing and sometimes singing a very emotional opera piece, or that it was hard for anyone to stop listening to Teacher Mai lecture… Yet when we actually attended the first class of his lecture, we still could not stop the flow of emotions. In fact, the content of the lectures of Professor Hoang Nhu Mai that we heard back then was not necessarily profound. But the inspiration was truly great. Teaching literature in those ancient times was not like today, there was no need for much theory or poetics, the Literature teacher only knew how to teach with enthusiasm from the heart to the heart. Yet I found that the effectiveness of the rudimentary lessons of that time brought us more love for literature than now. It seems that literature is different from some other sciences. It is life. In addition to knowledge, a literature teacher also needs his heart and enthusiasm. Professor Hoang Nhu Mai is one of those teachers. That is the reason why we remember...

Later, when we got to know Mr. Mai better, we were no longer surprised by his artistic qualities in his literature lectures. That artistic quality was natural and did not need much discussion. Because before starting to teach at the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi University, since 1943, Mr. Mai, in addition to working in the education sector, also participated as an actor in many plays, and participated in writing scripts for many plays of art troupes at that time. Later, he also left behind many profound works of theater research, even more than his literary research works. Therefore, we see in teacher Hoang Nhu Mai, an artist, that's all. The artistry of the Teacher is also convincing for another reason: in terms of appearance, we have to admit that, even at an old age, the Teacher is still very handsome: bright eyes, resonant voice, and from a stage perspective, the Teacher has an impeccable "radio" voice. I believe that, listening to the Teacher's lectures and witnessing his style and gestures, many female students must be "fascinated".

Jackie Chan/USSH

Before teaching at the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi University of Science, since 1943, in addition to working in the education sector, Mr. Mai also participated as an actor in many plays, and participated in writing scripts for many plays of art troupes at that time.

Professor Hoang Nhu Mai, in addition to his artistic qualities, also has the kindness of a teacher who has been involved in teaching literature for many years. I think, in fact, there is no need to explain much about this quality. Because it would be strange for a writer and a literature teacher not to be kind. Although I did not have the opportunity to be close to him, I was fortunate to hear many generations of teachers and students of the Literature Department, both in the South and the North, wholeheartedly praise him. I know that not every literature teacher is praised and admired by students like that. That is because throughout his entire teaching career, Professor Mai never missed an opportunity to help his students. Even me, I still remember clearly that, although we were not close to each other, when I first graduated, because he did not know that I had been retained to teach, he offered to introduce me to work at a newspaper. The thing is, he had many close relationships. And the instinct to help people was almost always present in the Master. I still remember it until now.

In October 1986, the Faculty of Literature, Hanoi University of Science celebrated its 30th anniversary. The faculty board at that time invited the Teacher to attend the celebration at 19 Le Thanh Tong. Regardless of the long distance, the Teacher returned. Not only that, the artist's soul in the Teacher resounded in the poems he wrote in the Faculty of Literature's guestbook at that time:

Teachers some dead some alive
Students buried in the battlefield
Thirty years a journey
Coming here has both sadness and joy
Please burn incense together
All the dead come here

Five years ago, on the occasion of the 90th birthday of Professor - People's Teacher Hoang Nhu Mai, teachers and students of Truong Vinh Ki High School, where he was the principal, teachers and students of the Language and Literature Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, where he worked for a number of years, held a birthday celebration for him. The Literature Department, Hanoi at that time, because they were far away and could not attend, sent a flower basket and a congratulatory card to him. I felt sad and sad thinking that this gesture should have been the responsibility of the General Literature Department. But thinking back, it turned out to be okay, because teacher Hoang Nhu Mai is now a teacher of many people. General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, at that time Chairman of the National Assembly, a former student of the 8th course, Hanoi General Literature, due to being busy with work, also sent a letter and a gift to congratulate him. I was not able to attend, but hearing the story still made me feel "indifferent". The teacher was so moved by the good feelings of many generations of students across the country for him, he was embarrassed to say in front of the crowd that he was "favored" too much, and told the students not to "praise" him too much, what he did for life, for his students, was just normal and inevitable like many other things. I say "indifferent" because of that. At this time, when the teacher was still "lying" there, unable to fly to see the teacher of his time, for the last time, I quickly read the condolences on the online newspaper of many generations of students for the teacher. There was a detail that moved me. Until the end of his life, knowing that he was about to leave, teacher Mai still did not stop thinking about everyone. An article said that, when he was lying on the hospital bed, forced to maintain his life through an oxygen tube, but when he saw relatives and students coming to visit, teacher Mai still insisted on "cutting off" the oxygen tube, to be able to talk to everyone one last time...

Farewell, Teacher, farewell, Professor – People's Teacher Hoang Nhu Mai. Please accept from us, the teachers and students of the Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, your beloved old home, our condolences and respect.

A sad Saturday afternoon in September 2013