Nguyen Khuyen

Nguyen Khuyen

Nguyễn Khuyến was a famous Vietnamese Confucian scholar, poet and teacher living in 19th century.

Nguyễn Khuyến was born on 15 February 1835 in his mother-in-law hometown Văn Khế village, Hoàng Xá commune, Ý Yên district, Nam Định province. His father-in-law home town is Và village, Yên Đổ commune, Bình Lục district, Hà Nam province. His father who was a teacher is Nguyễn Tông Khởi (1796–1853). His mother is Trần Thị Thoan (1799–1874) whose father is Trần Công Trạc.

His first teacher is Phạm Văn Nghị. Although his intelligence and high knowledge, his examination path was not in favourable condition. In 1864, he passed the Cử nhân degree (or: Hương Cống, Chinese: 鄉貢, the lowest degree of Vietnames feudal educational system) at first-rate in Hà Nội. One year later, unfortunately, he failed Hội examination that was why he lived in Hanoi to learn in Quốc Tử Giám (National University). He continued to study. Furthermore, to remind himself in iron discipline and mobilize himself, he changed his given name from Nguyễn Thắng to Nguyễn Khuyến. In Vietnamese language, Thắng only means success or victory but Khuyến has a stronger meaning that is inspiration or stimulation; Thắng is the result but Khuyến is the way toward result (Vietnamese people has a good tradition named "Khuyến Học"- Study Encouragement). After six years of exertion, he passed the Hội Nguyên degree and the Đình Nguyên degree continuously in only one year 1871. This case has been very rare throughout history, so people gave him an honourable name: "Tam Nguyên Yên Đổ" (Yên Đổ's first-rate graduate in three times).

He was responsible for Mandarin in the age of French invasion. All events happened like his text in Đình Nguyên examination twelve previous years: "The carriage does not come toward because the horses do not want to pull as well as the political situation does not become better because people do not want to do. Are there no talent in life? It is completely untrue". When patriotic movements such as "Cần Vương" ("Seeking the King") were fired out and his dream of "Trị quốc, bình thiên hạ" (leading the country, pacifying the world) was not realized, he landed in an impasse. He recognized his powerlessness of changing condition and was awarded deeply of the decline of Vietnamese feudalism. He was one of first Vietnamese people criticizing feudalism system that is conservative and unrealistic. In 1884, he withdrew from public life and reculde himself in Yên Đổ as the action showing incorporation with French enemy. This was also the time he found back the relaxation in his soul in simple and tranquil life in countryside.

The more disadvantages he met in his life, the more talented he became in his writing. He was the hyphen between classical literature and modern literature. He was both a prominent lyric poet and an outstanding satirical poet. He reached the peak of Nôm letter's literature. He was the first Vietnamese poet who put realism opinions in classism poems. Among his best poems are: "Group of three poems about Autumn: Fishing in Autumn, Drinking in Autumn, Versing on Autumn" which express the sad and loneliness and "Paper Doctor" which ridicule incapable Scholars. In addition, he was one of a little upper-class poets wrote about poor farmers in praising attitude. Reviewing all his life, he only taught his children about deep gratitude toward farmers: "Being Scholar, do not forget rice, beans and eggplants".

He died on 5 February 1909 in his hometown Yên Đổ.

See also


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nguyễn Khuyến — is the famous Vietnamese Confucian Scholar, poet and teacher living in 19th century. Nguyễn Khuyến was born on 15th February, 1835 in his mother in law hometown Văn Khế village, Hoàng Xá commune, Ý Yên district, Nam Định province. His father in… …   Wikipedia

  • The worshipping house for Nguyen Khuyen — The worshipping house for Nguyễn Khuyến is situated in Vị Hà hamlet, Trung Lương village, previously Yên Đổ, Bình Lục district, Hà Nam provice. A visitor can arrive at the worshipping house from Nam Định city, going along the road N 21A to Phủ Lý …   Wikipedia

  • Nguyen Van Thieu — Nguyễn Văn Thiệu Born April 5, 1923(1923 04 05) Phan Rang, Ninh Thuận Province, Annam, French Indochina (now Vie …   Wikipedia

  • People with the surname Nguyễn — Nguyễn is the most common Vietnamese surname, held by an estimated 40 percent of Vietnamese people. The following is an incomplete list of notable individuals with this surname.Heads of state or government*Nguyễn Cao Kỳ, former prime minister of… …   Wikipedia

  • Nguyen Than Hien — For his contemporary from northern Vietnam, see Nguyen Thuong Hien. Nguyễn Thần Hiến (1856–1914) was a Vietnamese scholar gentry anti colonial revolutionary activist who advocated independence from French colonial rule. He was a contemporary of… …   Wikipedia

  • Dong Da District — Quận Đống Đa   Urban district   Country  Vietnam Province …   Wikipedia

  • Nam Dinh — Thành phố Nam Định Tran Hung Dao Statue in Nam Dinh City …   Wikipedia

  • Neo-Confucianism — Not to be confused with New Confucianism, a movement that emerged in the 20th Century. Neo Confucianism (simplified Chinese: 宋明理学; traditional Chinese: 宋明理學; pinyin: Song Ming Lǐxué often shortened to 理學) is an ethical and metaphysical Chinese… …   Wikipedia

  • Binh Luc — ( vi. Bình Lục) is a district ( huyện ) of Ha Nam Province in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam. Bình Lục is where scientists excavated 6 Dong Son drum such as Ngoc Lu drum, Vũ Bị drum and An Lão drum. Bình Lục is the father s homecountry of… …   Wikipedia

  • Néoconfucianisme — Le néoconfucianisme est un courant philosophique qui prit son essor sous la dynastie Song et devint la version officielle du confucianisme depuis le XIVe siècle jusqu’au tout début du XXe siècle, malgré la concurrence du courant Hanxue à partir… …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”