Writer Doan Huu Nam.

Reporter: “Literature is the soul of the land”, what do you think is it true to Lao Cai?

Writer Doan Huu Nam: Before the August Revolution, writer Nguyen Cong Hoan taught in Lao Cai for more than 2 years. What he received here became his inspiration for composing "Horse and Men", "The Last Step"... During the American war and the following years, Lao Cai was the source of inspiration and creative material for the writer Nguyen Thanh Long to compose "Silently Sa Pa", the writer Ma Van Khang has composed a series of works for a lifetime such as "White silver coin with flowers", "Wedding without certificate", "Borderland", "Meeting in La Pan Tan", "Alone with a horse"; Then writers like Lo Ngan Sun, Nguyen Thi Minh Thong, Ma A Lenh, Po Sao Min have also composed many works over the last few years.

It must be affirmed that Lao Cai is the land of literature and has a "charming" and “love” with literature, especially novel. In my opinion, Lao Cai has precious resources that other places do not have, it is a cultural "gold mine" imbued with national identity, the life of the highland people is always an "endless source" for art, including literature.   

The front land of the Fatherland also has the convenience of trade, so in each period, there is early cultural interference. During the feudal period, Lao Cai was very crowded trading center, trading with the other side of the border; During the French colonial period, Lao Cai province received special orders from the ruling regime. In the current period, with the opening of the economy, Lao Cai province has cultural interference from many different sources and directions. Thanks to the attraction that Lao Cai has converged many "talents", many writers, although not born in Lao Cai, have attached to this land, giving them a living capital, and inspiring their literature from the ego. I am also in the same case, from Ha Nam, now I am already the child of Lao Cai.

Reporter: Art requires inheritance, continuity, what do you see in the "descendant" generation of writers?

Writer Doan Huu Nam: My class and Mr. Nguyen Van Cu, Nguyen Van Tong, Ma A Lenh, Po Sao Min, Cong The... are now over 60 and 70 years old, even are 80 years old. Lao Cai's 7X generation of writers and poets is also quite powerful and potential like Ma A Lam, Nguyen Le Hang, Hoang Anh Tuan, I only regret due to the reasons of business travel, work, life that we are not having outstanding writers on the artistic path. Therefore, I feel even more sorry for Lao Cai when it is not "charming enough" to keep the two 7X writers that are being increasingly appreciated, Pham Duy Nghia and Tong Ngoc Han. Of course, both of them have left Lao Cai, one returned to the capital, the other returned to Phu Tho mostly for work or for private life.

Reporter: We are missing young writers with outstanding featured works, how can we improve that, sir?

Writer Doan Huu Nam: This shortage is not only in Lao Cai, but many localities of the country also have a similar situation, in some places it is even alarming when calling it a "shortage crisis". The issue is not difficult to understand, technology and the internet have made reading and book culture increasingly disappearing; the young generations, especially students, instead of reading books, spending too much time on computers, phones, and e-books. It is increasingly rare that people from the school age have love, passionate literary affection, fascination. Literature is increasingly reduced in the vast pool of virtual space, in countless channels and information flows on the internet.

The novel "Human Roots" has won the A prize in the contest of writing novels, stories and autographs on the topic "For national security and peaceful life”.

As I said above, Lao Cai is in the period that lacks many writers, especially novel, with potential, breakthrough, typical of young literature. However, we should not worry too much, because in my opinion, literature is different from other arts in that it requires deposition, sedimentation, and contemplation. I keep thinking from myself, when I was over 40 years old, I wrote my first novel, from then on, continuously, until now I am over 60, I am still busy with my composing, always worrying about short days and nights, how precious the time is.

At the Central level, writing contests have begun to be organized, prizes only for young writers, although the province has not yet, it is very necessary to "awaken" potential talents. And more than that, it is necessary to have orientations and adjustments from within the expertise of the education system, in the propaganda and mass information about the aesthetic value, especially the beauty, the historical tradition of province's literature.

No matter how life changes, I still believe that the value of literature does not lose and even though there is a shortage of factors right now, I still believe that the land of literature will not have a "blank" of talent.

Reporter: Thank you for having this conversation!