The writer from Muong Man has passed away.

Writer Muong Man (real name Tran Van Quang, born in 1947 in Chuon village - a famous wine-making village in Thua Thien - Hue (now Hue City). He lived in Can Tho as an adult, and from middle age to the present day, he has resided in Ho Chi Minh City.

His passing has left a deep sense of loss in the literary and artistic circles, because Muong Man was one of the most exceptional figures: a quiet, persistent writer, faithful to the pristine beauty of literature, and in the final stage of his life, continued his creative journey through painting.

From Chuon village in Hue to the literary land of the South.

The pen name Muong Man first appeared in the magazine Van in 1965, with two short poems, "Childhood" and "Summer". However, it wasn't until 1995 that he published his first poetry collection, "Vong," and in 2008, he released the poetry collection "Diu Khuc."

From 1974 to 2005, he devoted himself entirely to prose, with more than 20 works published.

In 2008, upon retiring, he put down his pen to pick up a paintbrush, quietly embarking on a different creative journey and painting over 70 pictures. He held a solo exhibition, "Enchanting Moon Week," in Ho Chi Minh City with 50 works, as a silent farewell to the public.

Around the age of 17, Muong Man wrote the long poem "Through Several Flower Lanes," which included the following lines:

"My hands are so confused, remembering someone."
The dress, with its flowing, wide skirts, evokes a feeling of love.
The road home passes through flower-lined lanes.
"Don't even glance at the bees and butterflies..."

In his essay "That Words," he wrote:

"That from carrying dust on his shoulders"
The year hasn't been long enough, and the months have already passed.
The leaf-gatherer sighed.
"I'll go home and light a fire to dry away the words of the wind and rain."

Those few lines of poetry seem to encapsulate his entire writing journey: always beginning with a romantic spirit, but ending with moderation, clarity, and thoughtful reflection.

The characters in his works often live in a dreamy, innocent, loyal, and virtuous world, rarely falling into the dark corners of instinct or lust.

A rare voice amidst war.

The short story collection "Draining the Cup of Love" (Youth Publishing House, 2003) comprises 48 short stories – more than half written before 1975 when he was a war correspondent in Central Vietnam. Critic Nguyen Khac Phe commented: "On the pages of Muong Man's writing, there are almost no sounds of bombs and bullets… but a wealth of human emotions – love for his homeland, for men and women, for his wife and children, for his friends… and above all, the author's compassion for those who are unfortunate…".

The stories of Muong Man are often gentle and vague, yet persistently haunting, because they leave in the reader's heart a very human resonance.

From literature to film, he remains a kind and compassionate Muong Man. Writer Doan Thach Bien once remarked: "Muong Man's writing is full of poetry and ideas, so he has succeeded when he transitioned to writing film scripts."

He was the screenwriter for many films and television series: "The Insider" (1987), "The Story of the Seven Crossroads - The Sound of the Zither" (1997), "Wind Through the Dark and Bright Regions" (1995), "Moon Without Seasons" (1998), "Destiny" (2003)...

While his literary works are dreamy and elegant, his film scripts are closer to life, grittier and more realistic, but thanks to the "flowing poetic quality," as Doan Thach Bien said, the stories still retain the necessary depth and humanity.

The writer Muong Man passed away just before Tet (Lunar New Year), bringing to an end a life of work, creativity, livelihood, and the preservation of his character with rare perseverance. He was not loud or ostentatious, but he left behind a world of words and colors that was unique, kind, pure, and full of thoughtful reflection.

Farewell, Muong Man - a man who dedicated his life to literature only to choose silence through painting. The literary world bids him farewell with profound sorrow, as if bidding farewell to a dear friend who lived a life of completeness, kindness, and humility to the very end.