Folk cultural researcher Ngo Van Ban recently issued a book named "Coastal places in Khanh Hoa depicted through folk verses, legends and folk beliefs", which promises to partly to promote Khanh Hoa Province.
Folk cultural researcher Ngo Van Ban recently issued a book named “Coastal places in Khanh Hoa depicted through folk verses, legends and folk beliefs”, which promises to partly to promote Khanh Hoa Province.
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Some researchers in Khanh Hoa have carried out researches on the culture and folk literature of Khanh Hoa. Quite many works on this subject have been published and have been widely popular in Vietnam. However, the work of researcher Ngo Van Ban has been the first one which specializes in the coastal areas and locations throughout Khanh Hoa Province.
The book is compiled quite meticulously with nearly 40 pages providing a general introduction about the process of formation of Khanh Hoa Province and insights into the coastal places in Van Ninh District, Ninh Hoa Town, Nha Trang City, Cam Lam District and Cam Ranh District. Apart from the information on geographical locations, Ngo Van Ban incorporated in his research many legends, folk verses and folk beliefs associated with each place. For example, Ban provides readers interesting information about Ca Mountain Pass, such as its another name – Cuc Kich Mountain Pass, folklore and historical events relating to the battles taking place at this place.
With hundred of coastal locations introduced in Ban’s book, the readers may feel like they are travelling along the coastal roads throughout Khanh Hoa Province. The author mainly uses narrative style, which helped him to incorporate much information about each area or location into his research. Additionally, the folk beliefs (the worshipping of Thien Y Ana Goddess, Tiger, Whale and Lo Huong, etc.), which are integrated and introduced logically, also help to give readers comprehensive information about the places.
Reportedly, in order to complete the research, author Ngo Van Ban spent much time in studying, collecting information from the published researches of other researchers in and outside the province as well as went on numerous field trips to the localities over the province. According to Ban, his book provides only a part of a massive volume of the folklore associated with the places in Khanh Hoa. However, this is still an interesting and useful reference book for many people to learn more about the coastal province.
Hoang Nhat
Translated by H.N
