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Vietnamese Short Stories: An Introduction PDF

176 Pages·1985·4.767 MB·English
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VIETNAMESE SHORT STORIES An Introduction Edited and with Translations by Janies Banerian With a Foreword by Dr. Nguyen Dinh Hoa Other works of interest: Losers Are Pirates: A Close Look at the PBS Series “ Vietnam,: A Television History" Edited by James Banerian, 1985, Sphinx PubL Report on the Vietnamese Land Refugees: The Journey Through Cambodia and Life in the Refugee Camps by Kim Ha, Translated and Edited by James Banerian, 1983, Boat People S.O.S. Committee, 6970 Linda Vista Rd., San Diego, CA 92111 Pirates on the Gulf of Siam: Reports of the Vietnamese Boat People by Nhat Tien, Duong Phuc and Vu Thanh Thuy, Translated by James Banerian, 1981, Boat People S.O.S. Committee Inkdrops, by Le Tat Dieu, Translated by James Banerian, 1979, Vietnamese Artists Association Vietnamese Short Stories: An Introduction Edited and with translations by James Banerian Copyright 1986 by James Banerian All rights reserved Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 86-061040 ISBN: 0-932729-03-7 Sphinx Publishing 4234 East University Phoenix, Arizona 85034 (602) 437-0207 This book 18 dedicated to all Vietnamese writers and artists who are still imprisoned or suffering under communist persecution. FOREWORD It gives me great pleasure to add a brief statement on the occasion of the appearance of this collection of Vietnamese short stories, which out of modesty the translator-editor hesitated to call an anthology. When I started at Columbia University in 1953, then later continued teaching Vietnamese language and literature at the University of Washington and the University of Hawaii in 1965-1966, the paucity of lesson materials was appalling. Beside photocopies of excerpts from Vietnamese literary manuals, the students had access only to A c. Vietnamese Reader by Laurence Thompson and Nguyen Due Hiep (University of Washington Press, 1961), a textbook in which reading texts were prepared by the second author, a talented teacher and journalist At Southern Illinois University, since the late 1960s, Morris Library has helped fill the gap through a vigorous acquisitions program that led to the growth of the Vietnamese collection, one frequent user of which in the mid 1970 s was the editor of this book. But not until 1975 did there appear a fine volume of English translations, A Thousand Years of Vietnamese Poetry, by Nguyen Ngoc Bich (Alfred Knopf, 1975), which followed closely a superb rendition by Huynh Sanh Thong of Vietnam’s national poem, The Tale of Kieu (Random House, 1973; bilingual edition, Yale University Press, 1983). Then in 1979, an excellent anthology by the latter translator-editor offered some 500 poetic selections now available as The Heritage of Vietnamese Poetry, at a particular time when Vietnamese overseas so deeply feel the need to preserve their cultural legacy in their homes away from home and within a new environment not necessarily conducive to the cultivation of age-old Vietnamese cultural traditions in literature and the arts. James Banerian, a serious interpreter of Vietnamese thought and psychology, has now brought out this felicitous version of prose samples authored by contemporary writers. “Ong Ban,” the highly motivated student whom I discovered on the Carbondale campus a decade ago, quickly impressed me with his interest, his industrious­ ness and his intelligence in translation work. This book is another savory fruit of his quiet labor: this tireless gardener has over the years tenderly nurtured a variety of exotic trees and bushes within the luxuriant garden of Vietnamese literature, a corner that would generously proffer freshness, color and fragrance to any passers-by who choose to dismount from their horses. in FOREWORD Jim Banerian’s translations speak for themselves, but it is hoped that these few remarks in retrospect will adequately express gratitude for a valuable and overdue contribution to the futherance of Vietnamese studies in North America Nguyen Dinh-Hoa Director Center for Vietnamese Studies SlU-Carbondale PREFACE Following the French Indochina War, the United States became directly involved in the affairs of Southeast Asia as part of its effort to contain the expansion of Communism in the world. In the new war that developed, more than two million American soldiers were sent to fight in Vietnam. Thousands of men were killed or wounded, while many others were listed as missing in action. Billions of dollars were spent by the American government in the long and controversial conflict Events in Southeast Asia shook American society in the 1960s and 1970 s. Questions raised by opponents of the war aroused the con­ sciences of the population at large. With the war’s end, the defeat of America’s allies, and the influx of refugees into the United States, the “Vietnam War” has become a lasting part of this country’s history, affecting politics, the military, society and many personal lives. Yet even as the name “Vietnam” became a household word, it is sad to note that after all these years Americans seem to know so little about Vietnam and the Vietnamese people. Volumes have been written about the war with reflections and commentaries on political and military matters. But curiously few books are available today on Vietnamese culture, social habits, philosophy, and history- materials which might shed more light on the issues of the war and what was really happening. Rarer still are translations of Vietnamese novels, stories, poems and other literary works which could tell US even more about Vietnam and the subtleties of its culture The contention in America spawned by the war in Vietnam revealed how deficient was our knowledge and understanding of the Vietnamese and how niggardly were our attempts to make up for this inadequacy over the decades. As for the Vietnamese, their culture is currently at a critical juncture in history. The policy of the Communist government is to eliminate the traditional culture of Vietnam, or at least contaminate it with socialist interpretation, in order to create the “New Socialist Maa” The family system is being disrupted as parents, children and siblings are encouraged to spy on each other. Youngsters are indoctrinated in Party ideology and told to become good nephews and nieces of Uncle Ho. The presence of security police and cell supervisors precludes free expression of thoughts and feelings. Literature that runs counter to official dogma is confiscated, while writers, artists and musicians are put away in “re-education” camps. Educators must fall in line with V PREFACE Party guidelines and teachers considered to be “reactionary” are carted off to prison. Religious expression is repressed as only approved monks, priests and ministers are permitted to perform their duties. Across Vietnam, the people live in a state of anxiety and hopeless­ ness. Such an environment is hardly conducive to creativity and imaginative expression. Vietnam’s intellectual life is slowly being killed by the fanatic machinations of the Communist leadership. The country’s most perceptive and sensitive individuals are forced to waste their energies and talents planting manioc in barren fields, breaking rocks, or simply rotting away in prison..Without the stimulus of free human spirit, Vietnam’s culture is deteriorating in its own birthplace Vietnamese living abroad, too, are witnessing the gradual disap­ pearance of their culture Life in foreign countries demands that immigrants adapt their behavior and attitudes to suit their new environment The Vietnamese language may be acceptable at home or in largely “Vietnamese” settings, but must give way when the immigrants deal with mainstream society. Schooling and social pressures teach different lifestyle patterns- a fact that many immigrants find distressing. The proportion of those able to read and write their native language fluently is diminishing as the older generation passes on, leaving children and grandchildren with “foreign” sensitivities and skills. Without sufficient support, then, for the preservation of Vietnamese culture in the United States and abroad, it is clear that in time the basis of that culture will erode outside, as well as inside, Vietnam. The literature, too, will eventually die out as fewer persons are capable of enjoying those written works that survive the refugee exodus. A number of novels, short stories, romances, thrillers and “kung fu” serials have been reprinted in this country. Refugee authors have produced some new books and numerous Vietnamese-language magazines and newspapers have sprouted up wherever a sizable community of refugees has settled. The quality of such works varies and their future depends on how well the community maintains its demand for materials in Vietnamese. It goes without saying that translation is becoming an increasingly important part of the effort to preserve Vietnamese literature and culture. While not without their shortcomings, translated works act as an essential vehicle for communication between the Vietnamese and Americans, providing a framework by which the two cultures may

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