Famous ancient poem conquers poetry lovers in Germany

Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu) is presented in German on the background of the music by professor, musician Dang Ngoc Long, at an event in Dresden city, Germany, on April 1. Photo: VNA

Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu), a Vietnamese poem masterpiece from the 18th century by Nguyen Du, was presented in German on the background of the music by professor, musician Dang Ngoc Long, at an event in Dresden city, Germany, on April 1.

The event, which brought together over 100 visitors, most of them German and international friends, was organised and funded by Dresden’s "Die Märchen 1001" (Fairy tales 1001) association, aiming to promote the Vietnamese culture in the host country.

The Vietnamese masterpiece has been translated into 20 different languages, including German by the late German couple Irene and Franz Faber. The first German edition was published in the European nation in 1964.

Prominent Vietnamese poet and World Cultural Celebrity Nguyen Du, also known as To Nhu and Thanh Hien, was born on January 3, 1766, to a noble family in Thang Long ( Ha Noi ).

His most outstanding work is the Tale of Kieu, a 3,254-line classic verse poem written in “luc bat”, a form that consists of alternating lines of six and eight syllables, a traditional form in Vietnamese poetry.

It recounts the life, trials and tribulation of Thuy Kieu, a beautiful and talented young woman, who had to sacrifice herself to save her father and younger brother from prison. She sold herself into marriage with a middle-aged man, unaware of his profession as a pimp. He later forced her into prostitution, marking the start of a series of tragic events in her life.

Throughout the poem, Nguyen Du depicted the beauty of true love and loyalty, and the unyielding hope for justice.

VNA