On the last day of the year, the weather was as cold as "cutting the flesh and cutting meat", taking advantage of the early sun and heating, teacher Trieu Nguyen Minh read every word in the book of the Dao. This is a familiar job for 3 years of Mr. Minh, since he did not work as a "teacher". Seeing him drunkenly reading the book, I did not dare to bother, waited until he stopped, I started the story.

Artist Trieu Nguyen Minh teaches students how to write Nom Dao.

Before I met him, I had read his file asking the State President to consider and award the title of Excellent Artist, but unbelievably, an old man with his surname, the special name of the Dao is Kinh. Mr. Minh confided: I was born in Thai Binh, due to famine in 1945, I was adopted into a Dao family in Nam Dang. My father, Trieu Phuc Thang, does not know the Dao language, so from a young age, he often encouraged me to study the Dao literacy and rituals to serve my family, the village and teach my children and grandchildren. At this time, in the commune there are a number of priests but do not teach Dao. In 1951, my family took me to Dan Thang commune (Van Ban) to learn literacy from teacher Trieu Huu Phau in 2 months. From 1962 - 1964, I continued to study worship lessons from teachers Phung Xuan Huyen, Trieu Phuc Ban in Nam Dang commune; Mr. Hoang Quy Tien in Khanh Yen Thuong commune. Gradually, I mastered the books and memorized the traditional ritual songs and songs of the Dao ethnic group and started to practice simple rituals, such as ancestor worship, worshiping of Thanh minh, full moon of the seventh month, lunar new year. ... In my daily life, I also observed and attended the Dao ethnic customs and practices such as marriage, funerals, festivals, songs, dances and folklore in real estate. construction, housing experience, medical remedies ...

Being a reputable person in the community, although he learned words and learned rituals of the Dao, he always encouraged people not to be superstitious. medical. Seeing that there was a lack of physicians in the commune to serve the people, Mr. Minh actively applied to study medicine, with the consent of the local authorities, from 1965 to 1967, he went to a nursing class in Yen Bai province. After graduating, he returned to work as a nurse, then Head of the Health Station of Nam Dang commune, until 1988, he retired from the regime.

During the process of participating in the work, he did not have much time to practice the rituals and songs.However, he often tinkered with self-study, reading and writing practice so as not to forget the writing and rituals of the people. Dao wishing to pass on the handwriting and rituals to his children and grandchildren in the future. Recognizing that writing of the Dao is in danger of dying, there are no people in the commune and neighboring localities who teach letters to children. Meanwhile, according to the regulations of the Dao people, teaching classes are not allowed without the teacher passed on to teach. So, in 1990, he went to the teacher Trieu Dang Vuong in Phu Nhuan commune, Bao Thang district to teach teaching. When Mr. Vuong taught literacy, by the end of 1990, Mr. Minh started to open a class teaching Dao characters for his children in the commune for more than a month, now there are 45 students. From 2005 to 2016, he continued to open 9 more classes, with 254 students from communes such as Tham Duong, Dan Thang, Nam Tha, Nam Dang, Tan An, Son Thuy (Van Ban), Phu Nhuan (Bao). Won) attended school. Classes, he is all open at home, students come to live with their families during school, some lasting more than a month. Students come to study to bring rice, paper, and pens, and books are written and edited by him.

To read, write fluently, practice the rituals, students must study for 2 to 3 consecutive years. In the first year, he taught letters to students to memorize, practice writing scripts, and translate words with books such as "Pa Ly", "Deep Khai", "Zang". When studying for 1 to 2 months, the students come home to practice reading and writing. Whenever they do not understand, they will come home, he further instructed. More than 80% of students, after finishing learning the words, continue to learn the rituals, they are taught simple rituals, such as ancestor worship, full moon of July, Lunar New Year, after that, they will teach them to worship lessons songs, steps in the ceremony, 3 lights and 7 lights, funerals ...

Before the students came to study, he prepared enough books for each person. Literature books are mainly copied from ancient books, while the teaching books, he carefully drafted, suitable for each type for students to read and practice most easily. In addition to teaching books for students, he also copied old books from his fathers for the purpose of keeping for his descendants. Some kinds of books are very valuable such as "Insight" used to see good and bad days; "Deep tolerance", "deep spirit" has two types of "full of willpower" books about the priest, including the origin, birth, maturity, learning to become a teacher and other types of "will" mainly about time, place, preparation of the landlord from the date of viewing, inviting teachers, making paper ... may the ancestors, the gods bless the homeowner healthy, prosperous business, free from disease and The book "Auditorium" is used among the elite ...

In addition to teaching students how to write Nom Dao, Mr. Minh also taught students who aspired to be teachers such as Trieu Giong Tho in Nam Dang commune, Trieu Kim Huyen in Dan Thang commune. There were 15 people who were students of Mr. Minh who became a priest like Phung Kim Dinh, Trieu Kim Phuong, Trieu Nguyen Tien, Phung Kim Chieu, Trieu Kim Huu ... Speaking of which, Mr. Minh regretted: From 2017 up to now, due to my old age, my strength and weakness, I have not directly taught in class as before, but only instructed 10 students on the rituals, songs and funeral steps. However, I still have strength, I am still willing to help and share with students, because they are continuing to hold the Dao culture and will continue to transfer their cultural capital to the generation. later.

With his dedication, in March 2019, Mr. Trieu Nguyen Minh was awarded the title of Excellent Artist in the field of social practices and beliefs. Mr. Trieu Nguyen Minh shared: That title is the honor of the whole life, the whole family, is the motivation for me to continue with the work that my whole life has spent time pursuing.