Copy of giant poetry book presented to UNESCO

A reproduction of Vietnam ’s biggest poetry book titled “Hoa Lu Thi
Tap” was presented to the United Nations Education, Science and Culture
Organisation (UNESCO) on Nov. 5.

The copy, with its
covers made of rare wood and the inside sheets of leatherette paper,
weighs 8.3 kg and measures 42cm x 30.5cm x 0.7cm, as compared to the
giant version with a weight of 54kg and measurements of 109cm x 70cm x
10 cm.

“Hoa Lu Thi Tap” is a collection of 121 poems
written by Prof. PhD Hoang Quang Thuan, Dean of the Institute of
Telecommunication Technology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and
Technology.

The epic poems tell readers about a
historic period 1,000 years ago spanning the Dinh, Le and Ly dynasties
of Vietnam until 1,10 when King Ly Cong Uan moved the royal capital from
Hoa Lu to Thang Long.

The poems are written in
calligraphic style by painter Tran Quoc An and illustrated with photos
by Pham Tu in the giant book that is also made from rare wood and
leatherette paper.

The giant book was recognised as
the biggest poetry book made in Vietnam on Nov. 4 and will receive
the certificate on Dec. 11.

The President of the
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has proposed that UNESCO
recognise the poetry collection as a Memory of the World. A copy of the
poem collection and the proposal were presented to UNESCO during its
Executive Council’s 136th session in Paris on Oct. 14./.

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Book on Uncle Ho published in Mexico

A book of “President Ho Chi Minh’s Political Articles” has been reprinted in Mexico by the Workers’ Party of Mexico (PT).

A ceremony was held in Monterrey , the capital of the Mexican state
of Nuevo Leon to introduce the book to the public on the occasion of
a visit by Vu Van Phuc, Deputy Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s
Commission for Communication and Education.

The
General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Mexico (PT) Alberto Anaya
Gutierrez said that the book has been updated based on a similar book
published by the Cuban Communist Party in 1973.

He
praised President Ho Chi Minh’s contribution to national liberation in
Vietnam as well as to struggles for freedom in other countries
worldwide.

Phuc praised the book’s latest edition,
saying that it helps to strengthen the friendship between both parties
and countries.

During their stay in Mexico , the
Vietnamese delegation also attended the 10 th International Conference
on Pre-school Education in Monterrey./.

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Record book honours monk

The Vietnam Records Book has recognised Most Venerable Thich Giac Toan
as an individual who translated the most Zen poems written during the Ly
and Tran dynasties (10th-14th century) from Han (classical Chinese
language) into Vietnamese in the luc bat style (a six-word sentence
followed by an eight-word sentence).

The Most
Venerable Thich Giac Toan, whose pen name is Tran Que Huong, on Sept.
18, released a book Huong Thien Ngan Nam (The Spirit of Zen in Thousand
Years) featuring 120 Zen poems written by Buddhist priests of the Ly and
Tran dynasties. It includes 2,783 sentences.

The
700-page book, written from the beginning of the Lunar New Year to July,
opens with a poem by priest La Quy and ends with a poem by priest Huyen
Quang.

The Most Venerable Thich Giac Toan said he
had decided to translate words featuring Buddhism from Han to Vietnamese
in “luc bat” because all Vietnamese, from intellectuals to ordinary
folk, hear this style of poetry even when they are newborns.

"So a luc bat poem is easy to enter readers' hearts," he said.

The book is a gift to Hanoi to celebrate the ceremony of the city's 1,000th anniversary.

The HCM City General Publishing House will print 15,000 copies of the
book. Of those, 12,000 copies will be given to monks and nuns across the
country while the remaining will be sold at bookstores nationwide.

The Most Venerable Thich Giac Toan became a monk at the age of 14 in
the Mekong Delta's province of My Tho , and in the late 1960s began
to write under the pen-name of Tha Phuong Khach. In the 1970s, he
issued two poem books including Tang Pham Cho Doi (Gifts for People). In
1980, he changed his pen-name to Tran Que Huong.

The Most Venerable Thich Giac Toan is vice chairman of the HCM City
Buddhist Sangha's Executive Board and deputy editor-in-chief of Giac Ngo
newspaper./.

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New anthology celebrates Hanoi’s 1000th birthday

A thousand special copies of a book on the life and times of Hanoi
over 1,000 years, by the leading expert on Hanoi , Nguyen Vinh Phuc
will be sold to herald the capital city’s millennial celebration.

Nguyen Minh Nhut, Director of the Young Publishing House which published
the book, said that these special copies will be available at the third
Hanoi International Book Fair from September 17-21, at the Giang Vo
Exhibition Centre in Hanoi .

According to Nhut, the limited addition of only 1,000 copies printed on high quality paper will also be signed by the author.

The
books will be numbered beginning at 1010, the year when King Ly Cong
Uan announced he was moving the capital city from Ninh Binh to Hanoi ,
with the last copy numbered 2010.

Those copies whose number
coincides with the year during nation witnessed major events, such as
1975 when the country became reunified, will be put to auction to raise
fund for charitable activities.

With more than 1,000 facts about
the history and culture of Thang Long-Hanoi, Phuc’s book is basically an
encyclopedia on Hanoi , and won him a prize from The Thao-Van Hoa
(Sports&Culture) newspaper and the Bui Xuan Phai Foundation in 2009./.

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Third Int’l book fair to celebrate Hanoi birthday

The third Vietnam International Book Fair will be held in Hanoi
from Sept. 17-21 as part of activities to mark the 1,000th anniversary
of the capital city.

Nearly 80 publishing
houses, book distribution companies, book stores and printing
establishments across the country will display their publications at the
event.

The Frankfurt centre for international
book fairs and exhibitions will bring 800 books to the fair and plans
to present them to the National Library.

Meanwhile, the Chinese press and publication general office will bring to the fair 2,610 book titles and 2,685 books.

In addition, about 30 foreign publishing houses and book distributors will take part in the event.

Prominent
at the fair will be the historic book which includes the full text of
King Ly Thai To’s decree to relocate the capital city to Hanoi, and
many objects and publications on Thang Long-Hanoi.

During the biennial fair there will be seminars, exchanges between
writers, publishing houses and readers and a ceremony to launch the book
on the 1,000th celebration of Thang Long-Hanoi./.

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Book on Ho Chi Minh’s life published in Cuba

A book on late President Ho Chi Minh has been published in the Spanish
language in Cuba to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of diplomatic
ties between Cuba and Vietnam .

The book entitled “Memories of Uncle Ho”, written by Senior
Lieutenant-General Phung The Tai, was published by the Jose Marti
Publishing House.

Speaking at the ceremony to present the book,
in Havana on September 7, Cuban reporter Marta Roja highlighted the
milestones in President Ho’s life and work.

Roja, the last
foreign reporter to interview President Ho before he passed away, said
that President Ho was a pioneer during the struggle for freedom by
colonised countries in Asia and Africa and the founder of the
Vietnamese Democratic Republic, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
He was well-known for his statement “Nothing is more precious than
independence and freedom”. He was the person who led the revolution to
liberate the Vietnamese people and ensured their victory over foreign
aggressors.

The 2,000 copies of the book that the Jose Marti
Publishing House have printed will help young Latin American people,
particularly avid Cuban readers to better understand President Ho Chi
Minh./.

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Book on Vietnam-Russia labour cooperation published

A book praising the labour cooperation between Vietnam and the former
Soviet Union while building Hoa Binh hydro power plant, the Southeast
Asia’s largest hydro power plant has been published in Russia .

The 260-page book includes numerous photos and memories by Vietnamese
and Russian experts, who used to take part in the construction of the
project.

The book’s preface was written by Vladimir Buiyanov,
President of the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Association and Dao Trong
Thi, President of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association.

One
of the book writers was Pavel Bogachenko, former head of experts of the
former Soviet Union to the Hoa Binh hydro power plant project, who was
awarded Vietnam ’s “Labour Hero” title.

The book recalled hard
working days of thousands of Vietnamese workers and Russian experts at
the project, praising their great contributions to develop the energy
sector, a major area of Vietnam ’s economy and boost friendship and
cooperation between Vietnam and Russia./.

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