VietNamNet Bridge – Long ago, when Do Trung Lai was still in his father’s arms, he fell in love with the Chinese poems his father sang to him as lullabies. Sixty years later, this love has become even more profound, pushing him to host his first exhibition

The poems are written on large wooden boards (1.4m x 1.2m) and are illustrated by Lai’s paintings. (Photo: http://www.cand.com.vn)

The poems are written on large wooden boards (1.4m x 1.2m) and are illustrated by Lai’s paintings. The Chinese versions of the poems are displayed alongside the translated versions. There will also be poems that were translated by famous poets of previous generations. The show offers the public the chance to compare the beauty of each written word in the poems, and enjoy them through the language of colour as well.

“Translating Chinese poems is so difficult, even for Confucian scholars. I love Chinese poems because of their concise words,” said Lai.

Attendees of the event can also purchase the Education Publishing House’s newly-published books of Chinese poems that Lai compiled and translated, dedicated to the three poets.

“Chinese poems are treasures of China, of the Orient, of the world,” says Lai. “Viet Nam has been influenced profoundly by Chinese culture. Only when one loves Chinese poems, can one understand and love Viet Nam’s classical poetry and the origins of the country’s thoughts and arts,” Lai added.

Art-lovers will also be able to enjoy the sweet poems created by Lai, praising the beauty of nature, autumn, and his love for his family.

Born in 1950, Lai was a colonel in the military, a journalist for the Quan Doi Nhan Dan (People’s Army) newspaper, and deputy editor-in-chief for the newspaper The Voice of Viet Nam. He left his job in 2006 to spend more time on his passion for Chinese poetry. He has now translated over 200 poems.

The exhibit is on display until next Monday, at Viet Art Centre, 24 Trang Tien Street, Ha Noi.

(Source: Viet Nam News)