CHẾ LAN VIÊN

In Vietnamese by Chế Lan Viên
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

Chế Lan Viên [1920 – 1989] real name Phan Ngọc Hoan, was born in Cam Lo, Quang Tri. At the age of 7, his whole family moved to Binh Dinh, so he used the pen names Mai Linh, Thach Han, Thach Mai. At the age of 17, Che Lan Vien became famous with the work Dieu tan. In 1939, he went to Hanoi to study, then went to Saigon to work as a journalist, and then returned to Hue to teach. Around 1942, he published the collection of literature Vang Sao and wrote the collection of short stories Gai lua. After the August Revolution, he worked for the newspaper Quyet thang of the Viet Minh Central region… In 1949, Che Lan Vien joined the Communist Party of Vietnam. For many years, he participated in the leadership of the Vietnam Writers Association and was a National Assembly delegate for the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th terms.

Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm, the blogger, poet, and translator, was born in 1971 in Phu Nhuan, Saigon, Vietnam. The pharmacist currently lives and works in Western Sydney, Australia.