Special class on Sino-Vietnamese characters

14 years of "keeping the flame" of Sino-Vietnamese script alive.

Every Friday morning, a classroom at the Tien Lang Continuing Education Center bustles with activity. Elderly people, their hair now gray, sit neatly at their desks. Some wear reading glasses, others hold their pens slowly and carefully, writing each stroke. On the blackboard are Han Nom characters with many complex strokes. At the lectern, Mr. Nguyen Goi, nearly 90 years old, still enthusiastically teaches. His voice is no longer as booming as it was in his youth, but every sentence and every word remains clear and coherent. He explains how to read and write, clarifies the meaning of each character, and then shares stories about the culture and history associated with ancient texts.

At an age rarely seen, Mr. Goi still regularly attends class. "Teaching is not simply about imparting knowledge. It's also a way to preserve what I've learned and understood, and to pass it on to those who also love the written word of our ancestors," said Mr. Nguyen Goi.

Facing the 90-year-old teacher are students who are no longer young. The oldest member of the club is Mr. Pham Minh Ngach, 81 years old. From Tien Minh commune, he travels nearly 5 km each week to attend class. For the past fourteen years, that distance has become familiar. Rain or shine, Mr. Ngach still comes. His eyes are no longer sharp, his hands no longer nimble, but he still patiently sits beside his notebook, slowly and carefully writing each letter. "Every time I understand a new word, and write each letter myself, I feel very excited, as if I have just conquered something new. Age has never been an obstacle for me to give up this passion," Mr. Ngach said happily.

The Han Nom Club of Tien Lang commune was established in 2012 by the former Tien Lang district, for cultural officials and local people who wanted to learn Han Nom characters. Initially, the class had nearly 50 students. Over time, people came and went, and the class now maintains about 12 members. Although the number of students is smaller than before, the class is still maintained regularly. Because behind the pages of the books is not just about learning characters, but also about a love for traditional culture.

Preserve your love for traditional culture.

Having been involved with the club since its early days, Mr. Vu Minh Duc, nearly 70 years old, understands that learning Han Nom (classical Chinese characters) is not easy, especially at an advanced age. "Learning characters is difficult for an average person, but it becomes even more challenging at an older age. However, with diligent practice, memorizing the rules and methods, learning isn't too difficult," Mr. Duc shared.

The more he studied, the more Mr. Duc realized the beauty of his ancestors' writing. Not only were the strokes beautiful, but each character also contained layers of meaning, reflecting the moral principles and conduct of the ancients. Therefore, for Mr. Duc, studying Sino-Vietnamese script was no longer just about memorizing a writing system. It was a journey of discovery, a part of the nation's culture.

Mr. Le Van Lanh, 65 years old, is also one of the students who has been attending the class since its early days. What keeps him and the other students involved today is not material benefits. The class does not charge tuition fees. What keeps them here is their passion for traditional culture.

Through the class, students can read and better understand Sino-Vietnamese texts, couplets, royal decrees, family genealogies, and other documents related to local history and culture. Things that were once dormant on old pages thus have the opportunity to be reread, interpreted, and retold to future generations.

The good news is that the class isn't just made up of elderly people. Nguyen Van Khoi, 39, has also been involved with the class for over 5 years. The presence of younger students brings hope to the class: the written word, which seemed to belong to the past, can still find someone to carry on the tradition in the present.

Most of those knowledgeable in Sino-Vietnamese studies today are elderly, while the number of young people actively seeking knowledge is still small. Without dedicated classes, passionate teachers, and persistent learners like those in Tien Lang, the gap between the younger generation and this treasure trove of ancient texts will only widen.

Mr. Nguyen Goi understood this well. Therefore, even at the age of 90, he still didn't want to stop. According to Mr. Goi, learning Han Nom script is not just about knowing another type of script. Through each character, learners can better understand their origins, history, culture, and the moral values ​​that their ancestors passed down. Learning is also a way to cultivate the mind, so that each person can further appreciate what belongs to the national tradition.

Perhaps that's why the classroom lights up every Friday morning. The 90-year-old teacher stands by the blackboard. The 81-year-old student travels nearly 5 kilometers to attend class. Hands that tremble more than before still hold pens. Eyes that need reading glasses still intently follow each letter.

When a person can read a village's royal decree, understand a couplet, decipher an ancient text, or find the story of their ancestors in a family tree, the words that were thought to belong to the past acquire a new life.

THANH HOA