Soaring birds’ wings
are returning to the cozy nest,
where they have lived many days
in sweetness.
Reminiscing the moment of parting
and reluctant footsteps,
one pines for those green days of youth.
One earnestly longs to find old friends,
but wind-swept birds are hard to be seen.
Absent is the blue birds’
cheerful singing in their soaring days,
fading in a far-off distance
of a thousand directions.
On the road away from the homeland,
one embraces the wind and mist;
the heart alone carries this yearning.
Silently it anguishes for the day of return
to find the thread of love
that has been severed.
Evening birds calling for the wind
is like the sound of a lost person’s heart.
An ambrosia taste
lingers images of homeland.
As steps are paused,
the traveler feels such agony.
Soaring birds’ wings
are returning to the cozy nest,
where they have lived many days
in sweetness.
Reminiscing the moment of parting
and reluctant footsteps,
one pines for those green days of youth.
One earnestly longs to find old friends,
but wind-swept birds are hard to be seen.
Absent is the blue birds’
cheerful singing in their soaring days,
fading in a far-off distance
of a thousand directions.
On the road away from the homeland,
one embraces the wind and mist;
the heart alone carries this yearning.
Silently it anguishes for the day of return
to find the thread of love
that has been severed.
Evening birds calling for the wind
is like the sound of a lost person’s heart.
An ambrosia taste
lingers images of homeland.
As steps are paused,
the traveler feels such agony.
An ambrosia taste
lingers images of homeland.
As steps are paused,
the traveler feels such agony.
You’ve just enjoyed “Day of Return,”
a well-known song composed
by Mr. Hoàng Giác s in 1947 and
presented by famed singer Elvis Phương,
with dance accompaniment
by Hà Thành Dance Company
and choreography by Mr. Kiều Lê.
It was performed at the 1000 Years
Thăng Long – Hà Nội
Grand Celebration in October 2010.
O Đà Lạt, farewell, my sweet
O Lâm Viên, high waterfalls, and distant hills
O singing pines and
trembling Golden Stream
You hear not in someone’s footsteps
a promise to return?
O Đà Lạt, farewell, my sweet
O Cam Ly Waterfall
and the romantic Love Forest
The lonely listen to melancholic laments
Someone separated
from the beloved dreams of a morrow
when love is fulfilled.
As I travel, drifting to places far and wide
The indifferent world
forgets to wait for an old love
Tomorrow when rainfall veils one’s sorrow
Searching for one’s first dream,
whereto do fluttering flowers
and butterflies go?
O Đà Lạt, farewell, my sweet
O flower aroma and fragrant peach-lips
Hear you not one’s sobbing heart?
Someone separated from the beloved
beckons for love to be fulfilled.
Someone separated from the beloved
beckons for love to be fulfilled.
Those who have been to Đà Lạt and
visited the beautiful sceneries there
would often feel wistful
at the time of departure.
O Đà Lạt, farewell, my sweet
O Lâm Viên, high waterfalls, and distant hills
O singing pines and
trembling Golden Stream
You hear not in someone’s footsteps
a promise to return?
Once there and ever mesmerized
by the flora, mountains and forests,
upon saying farewell
one quietly promises to return one day
to satisfy the heart’s yearning.
O Đà Lạt, farewell, my sweet
O flower aroma and fragrant peach-lips
Hear you not one’s sobbing heart?
Someone separated from the beloved
beckons for love to be fulfilled.
I travel with footsteps dragging everywhere
The world so indifferent where
all longing for old love is forgotten
Then come rainfalls hiding one’s sorrow
First dream searched: where are the
fluttering flowers and butterflies going?
O Đà Lạt, farewell sweet heart
O flower scents, O full lips of romantic girl
Can you hear the sobbing of one’s heart?
Someone hampered calls
for his deep romance!
Loneliness and isolation
often accompany the moment
when the day comes to an end.
The transition between
light and darkness
evoke even deeper melancholy.
It’s chilly today; the sun goes to sleep early.
I miss you, O love! I miss you.
The gray atmosphere and chilly wind
further increase the desolation
of unspoken feelings and memories
about a time of yore.
The gray sky’s as if about to melt into tears.
It’s all over! There’s nothing left, my dear!
Naught remains but deep yearning
in the midst of a quiet evening.
Alone, I listen to the whole evening
slowly entering my heart of desolation.
It’s chilly today; the sun goes to sleep early.
It’s chilly today; the sun goes to sleep early.
I miss you, O love! I miss you.
Nothing is as sad as tender evenings,
when sunlight gradually merges in darkness.
Trailing wind glides over entangled grass.
A few pieces of the dazed night
hide among branches.
Clouds follow the birds
to a green mountain in the distance
Flock after flock,
harmoniously they fly in silence.
The gray sky’s as if about to melt into tears.
It’s all over! There’s nothing left, my dear!
No more breeze on the balcony
and moonlight on the veranda
No more dew drops and leaves
falling intimately above us.
It’s the end of jealousy and sulking.
What happiness it was when we
could be in sulks with each other!
Alone, I listen to the whole evening
slowly entering my heart of desolation.
I miss your voice, your image, your picture.
I miss your voice, your image, your picture.
I miss you, I miss you so much, my love!
I miss us in those days
that are now oceans away
Miss your lips smiling at the horizon
Miss your eyes gazing at me attentively.
Wind after wind, waves of longing
and affection come and go
O memories, why beckon me still?
It’s chilly today; the sun goes to sleep early.
I miss you, O love! I miss you.
Nothing is as sad as tender evenings,
when sunlight gradually merges in darkness.
Trailing wind glides over entangled grass.
A few pieces of the dazed night
hide among branches.
Clouds follow the birds
to a green mountain in the distance
Flock after flock,
harmoniously they fly in silence.
It’s all over! There’s nothing left, my dear!
No more breeze on the balcony
and moonlight on the veranda
It’s the end of jealousy and sulking.
What happiness it was when we
could be in sulks with each other!
I miss your voice, your image, your picture.
I miss you, I miss you so much, my love!
I miss those days
that are now oceans away
Miss your lips smiling at the horizon.
A Journey through Aesthetic Realms:
Music & Poetry
will be back in just a moment.
Please stay tuned to
Supreme Master Television.
Welcome back to
A Journey through Aesthetic Realms:
Music & Poetry.
Love, dreams and union
are the eternal wishes of lovers,
for whom life is full of beautiful poems,
and the world is as fresh as grass
and flowers, smooth as sweet nectar.
The two fell hopelessly in love;
Both dared not move!
Just the stirring desire to embrace
Each other in their very souls!
But farewell and separation are always
like the end of a sad movie.
One leaves and the other stays,
in a windy and foggy landscape.
One goes far away
to the end of the horizon, and the other
returns home with deep sorrow.
The world closes at night, and many
pages of life are blurred by teardrops.
Somewhere,
there is only a silent prayer, as if
to comfort a lonely, suffering soul.
But sadly, it's not so.
Where is the gorgeous phoenix now?
Why things happened the way they did,
She does not know...
Lonely and cold,
She hides away her soul,
Praying with silent tears!...
Once upon a time,
A male phoenix,
Gorgeous and passionate,
Romantic and kind,
Met a beautiful lady of his heart!
The two fell hopelessly in love;
Both dared not move!
Just the stirring desire to embrace
Each other in their very souls!
Then the beauty finally said:
“I must go!”
Then the gorgeous panicked,
Ran to her place, Saying:
“Please do not say so!...
I love you.”
The lady phoenix said:
“I love you too.”
Then they'll live “happily ever after,”
That's what anyone would guess.
But sadly, it's not so.
Where is the gorgeous phoenix now?
She does not know...!
And the tears flow
Like the water of Chao-phraya
In the season of flood!
Why yesterday is so far
And today so different from days past,
Why things happened the way they had,
She does not know...
Lonely and cold,
She hides away her soul,
Praying with silent tears!...
Once upon a time,
A male phoenix,
Gorgeous and passionate,
Romantic and kind,
Met a beautiful lady of his heart!
The two fell hopelessly in love;
Both dared not move!
Not a word of love uttered.
Time slipped by quietly.
Desperately they waited
For love to be declared.
Yet silent he still was!
But later that love blossomed, too.
As beautifully as that dreamt of
by lovers.
But sadly, it's not so.
Where is the gorgeous phoenix now?
She does not know...!
And the tears flow
Like the water of Chao-phraya
in the season of flood!
Why yesterday is so far
And today so different from days past,
Why things happened the way they had,
She does not know...
Lonely and cold,
She hides away her soul,
Praying with silent tears!...
Once upon a time,
A male phoenix,
Gorgeous and passionate,
Romantic and kind,
Met a beautiful lady of his heart!
The two fell hopelessly in love;
Both dared not move!
Not a word of love uttered.
Time slipped by quietly.
Desperately they waited
For love to be declared.
Yet silent he still was!
But later that love blossomed, too.
As beautifully as that dreamt of
by lovers.
But sadly, it's not so.
Where is the gorgeous phoenix now?
She does not know...!
And the tears flow
Like the water of Chao-phraya
in the season of flood!
Why yesterday is so far
And today so different from days past,
Why things happened the way they had,
She does not know...
Lonely and cold,
She hides away her soul,
Praying with silent tears!...
On the occasion of
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s lecture
titled “The Hotel Called Life”
in Fresno, California, USA
on June 23, 2001,
a performance program was held
the following day
at the Fresno Convention Center,
organized by
the Supreme Master Ching Hai
International Association.
With Supreme Master Ching Hai
as the guest of honor,
famed Aulacese (Vietnamese) artists
specially presented songs adapted
from poetic verses composed by her.
During that time,
we had a chance to speak with
singers Mỹ Huyền and Hoài Nam.
I feel very happy and honored.
I feel there’s love, love among humans,
and such enthusiasm.
I also put my whole heart
in the two songs that I performed.
Respected Master, I have never had
the honor to speak with you,
but I believe that you are a person
of greatness, someone who is noble,
compassionate and loving toward all.
I would like to respectfully
wish Master abounding
peace, safety, and health.
This is the first time
I came to Fresno to sing.
In the depth of my heart,
before arriving here,
I imagined a different atmosphere,
like very formal, similar to the shows
that I’ve performed in all these years.
But when I set foot here,
my thinking was completely different.
It’s because when I came here
and met the brothers and sisters,
although I don’t know their names,
my fellow countrymen,
I feel so lighthearted because
the kindness between people
is just overflowing.
As we live our lives,
we can’t be thinking that
we know everything already.
Every day we’re learning new things.
Today, I see young people who have
been living here for a long time,
but they have an awareness
about human love, which
makes this world much more beautiful.
I think it must have been
because Master helped shine on you,
meaning bringing you enlightenment.
I don’t know much,
but I’m speaking from my heart.
I appreciate it so much.
This world has lots of suffering already,
we need to have many more of
these gatherings, we need more
such friendly and loving faces.
I feel that it’s like a tranquilizer
and a gentle medicine for...
I’m moved to tears as I speak now.
What I’m saying is true to my heart.
I learned of Master
through TV and radio.
The first time I heard of Master
was 3 years ago.
By chance, when I was driving,
I turned on the radio in the car.
I listened to Master’s lecture
and felt that it was very close
to our ordinary lives.
Master didn’t use any lofty terms at all.
Master talked
as if having a conversation,
yet that reached me deeply.
I listened and I liked it.
I’m saying this honestly with
the conscience of a human being.
Since that day,
I enjoy listening to Master so much.
I listened to Master’s lectures
on the radio, then later I learned that
Master’s lecture is on every Saturday,
and I have never missed it.
I’m in bed, sleepy,
but after I listen to Master, I feel better.
Then I could sleep some more.
I’d like to thank Master.
I’m already old,
no longer a young person.
But at least, better late than never,
meaning that I was able to meet
an enlightened Master.
Although Master’s words are very simple,
but I feel that they help my heart
to be so light.
Honestly speaking,
I will continue the rest of my life with
a light and carefree heart, unlike before.
That’s what
I would like to say to Master.
In today’s
A Journey through Aesthetic Realms:
Music & Poetry,
we have enjoyed the song
“Farewell Đà Lạt,”
by singer-songwriter Duy Khánh, with
vocals by Duy Khánh and Hồng Vân.
Next was the poem
“Lovelorn in the Evening,”
recited by Supreme Master Ching Hai
and written by poet Xuân Diệu.
The poem was set to music
by composer Chu Minh Ký and
presented by singer Bạch Công Khanh.
Our program concluded with
“The Two Phoenixes,” a poem
written by Supreme Master Ching Hai,
with recitals by artists
Hữu Phúc and Nguyệt Lan;
it was excerpted from CD
“The Dream of a Butterfly”.
This poem was adapted to music
by composer Nhật Ngân,
with vocal performances by singers
Mỹ Huyền and Hoài Nam, excerpted
from DVD 743 “Buddha’s Sadness”.
Poet Xuân Diệu was born in 1916
in central Âu Lạc.
As a member of
the Self-Reliance Literary Group,
Mr. Xuân Diệu was a pioneer
in the New Poetry movement,
acclaimed for his romantic verses.
His poetry collection “The Star”
received the 1954-1955 literary award
from the Vietnamese
Writers’ Association.
Xuân Diệu also wrote short stories,
essays, and literary reviews.
In addition, he translated the works
of eminent poets around the world
such as Victor Hugo,
Sándor Petőfi, Nicolás Guillén,
and Rabindranath Tagore.
Some of his illustrative works include
poetic collections “Poetry Poetry,”
“Fragrance Sent into the Wind,”
“Xuân Diệu’s Collection,” and
the short story “Yellow Pine Pollen.”
Singer-songwriter Duy Khánh
was born in 1936,
a native of Quảng Trị, central Âu Lạc,
into a noble family.
In mid 1950s, he won first place
in a singer contest
sponsored by Radio France Asia
with the song “Peaceful Moon.”
After that, he began to perform
for many radio stations, on stage,
and worked with the Hoàng Thi Thơ
entertainment group.
He was well-known for such songs
as “Day of Return”
and “Humble Village.”
He recorded with legendary singer
Thái Thanh in song cycles
“The Mandarin Road”
and “Mother Việt Nam.”
Duy Khánh was also acclaimed
for the songs that he composed himself
such as “If You Go to Huế,”
“Sending Love to the Central,” and
“The Road Back to Motherland.”
The song “Humble Village”
was performed by Mr. Duy Khánh
during the benefit concert “Traces
of Previous Lives and Love Songs”
in December 1996 at Long Beach
Terrace Theater, California, USA.
On January 15, 2003,
when singer-songwriter Duy Khánh
was treated at a hospital,
our Association members visited him,
bringing love and gifts
from Supreme Master Ching Hai
to this talented and gentle artist.
Mr. Duy Khánh expressed
the following to Master.
Respected Supreme Master,
today your disciples came to visit me.
Though still very young,
they are very kind
and represent Master to visit me.
I’m so touched.
I can see that in any situation,
Master always helps many people.
I’m very moved.
I’m sorry that Master is on travels
and not here, thus I don’t have
the honor to see Master.
All this time, I’ve paid attention
and found that you are
a very benevolent person and that
you have assisted many people.
I thank you, Master,
for sending your disciples here,
and for supporting me
materially and financially.
I’d like to emphasize again
that I wish very much to see Master
again some time. I’d be very happy.
Composer Nhật Ngân was born
in Thanh Hóa, Âu Lạc.
He came to know music through
the guidance of Catholic priests.
He has been writing music since 1959.
Mr. Nhật Ngân has
composed hundreds of songs.
Some of his well-known songs include
“Taking You to the Other Shore,”
“I Won’t Be Home This Spring,”
“Awakened from a Dream,”
and “Happy Days Quickly Gone By.”
Supreme Master Ching Hai personally
presented composer Nhật Ngân
with a souvenir gift during the
“Traces of Previous Lives
and Love Songs” benefit concert,
organized by
the Supreme Master Ching Hai
International Association
at the Long Beach Terrace Theater
in December 1996.
Composer Nhật Ngân has also joined
our Association to visit artists in Âu Lạc
with New Year gifts
and Supreme Master Ching Hai’s love.
He wrote the following letter
to Supreme Master Ching Hai:
Anaheim, February 1, 2000
Respected greetings, Master.
Ever since I had the opportunity
to work with your Association
during the Long Beach concert
through the song
“Passing by Your House,”
which I set to music and later on to be
able to join the concert organizers
to Âu Lạc to present gifts to the artists
there during the spring of 1997,
I have had many good impressions
about the humanitarian work
of Master and your Association.
In recent years, though I didn’t have
the good fortune to see Master,
but through contacts with
some Association members,
I received as gifts some of
Master’s poetry collections,
published by your Association.
From these poetry collections,
I found the inspiration
and was able to complete 12 songs.
Respectfully yours,
Nhật Ngân
Composer Chu Minh Ký was born
in a Christian family in southern Âu Lạc.
Besides writing songs,
composer Chu Minh Ký is also
talented in translating song lyrics
from other cultures.
Mr. Chu Minh Ký
has composed many poems which were
aired on Supreme Master Television’s
A Journey through Aesthetic Realms:
Music & Poetry,
with vocal performances by admired
singers such as Ngọc Ánh, Quỳnh Lan,
Hoàng Quân, Quốc Đại, and Xuân Phú.
Supreme Master Ching Hai has fondly
sent gifts to composer Chu Minh Ký
with her best wishes.
Hồng Vân is among the most famous
poetry reciters in Âu Lạc
and also a well-known
folk singer since the early 1970s.
Hồng Vân’s sweet and gentle singing
and reciting voice lingers in the hearts
of listeners through such poems as
“The Hues of Antigone Blossom,”
“Words of a Courtesan,”
as well as folk songs like
“Song of the Mountain Pass,”
and “Song of the Black Horse.”
As affinity led her
to Supreme Master Ching Hai’s poetry,
she has cherished and expressed
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s poems
so movingly and with such spirit,
poems such as “Why Am I Still in Love?”
“Waiting for You,”
“Asking My Love in Yonder,”
and “How Can I Forget...”
During Christmas 1996,
the Supreme Master Ching Hai
International Association organized
a benefit concert
in Long Beach, California, USA
in support of Aulacese artists
residing in their homeland.
Up to this time,
Supreme Master Ching Hai continues
to lovingly send New Year gifts
to Aulacese people in need,
including artists.
During those occasions,
our Association members had
the pleasure of visiting Ms. Hồng Vân.
She had sung in dedication
to Supreme Master Ching Hai
a song entitled “The Moon River”
to express her gratitude for Master.
Ms. Hồng Vân said,
“Though we are thousands of miles
apart, I always think of you
as a highly revered Master.”
Singer Mỹ Huyền is the beloved
daughter of composer Thu Hồ.
At age 9, she joined
the Fatima Catholic children’s choir
and was selected many times
to perform on television.
After becoming a professional singer,
she was encouraged by her father
to study the 16-string zither
with musician Bửu Lộc,
thus she is able to perform
skillfully traditional tunes
such as Lưu Thủy and Kim Tiền.
Ms. Mỹ Huyền also writes songs,
some of which are
“The Lonely Lover 2,”
“The Silent Lover,”
and “Missing You Forever, Mother.”
Supreme Master Ching Hai
lovingly presented singer Mỹ Huyền
a souvenir gift during
the benefit concert for artists in Âu Lạc
in 1996, Long Beach, California, USA.
Singer Mỹ Huyền shared:
I remember the day of
Supreme Master Ching Hai’s
benefit concert. On that day,
lots of people came to show support.
In a solemn and warm atmosphere,
for all the artists present as well as
everyone in the organizing staff,
and in particular my father and me,
we felt that it was very intimate
and touching.
That concert was so magnificent
in such a peaceful atmosphere.
I would say it was one of
elegance and intimacy.
I must say I admire very much
what Supreme Master Ching Hai
has done for humanity.
I remember my father also came up
on stage to thank Master
for her virtuous deeds.
I also sang during that evening.
I felt very happy and touched.
Singer Hoài Nam
won first place for his performance
of “Love for My Homeland”
by composer Phạm Duy and
“Reunion in the Ocean” by composer
Phạm Đình Chương in a singing
contest organized by well-known
musician Ngọc Chánh.
In 1997, in a survey by Người Việt
(Vietnamese People) Daily News,
Hoài Nam was chosen by audiences
as the most admired male singer.
With fond appreciation,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
has warmly sent gifts to singer Hoài Nam
with her blessing wishes.
Bạch Công Khanh
is a young singer born in 1990.
He won second place in the 2009
School Singing Voice Contest.
Some songs that he is known
for include “O My Hometown,”
“The Aulacese Bamboo Tree,”
“Alone,” and “Dream of the Crane.”
Besides singing, Bạch Công Khanh
is also involved in films.
Nguyệt Lan was born
in southern Âu Lạc .
She is married to Phạm Đức Thành,
a talented and famous
monochord musician.
She is a skilled poetry reciter
and can perform both
modern music and Aulacese folk opera.
Nguyệt Lan is admired
by audiences for her sweet
and uplifting singing voice.
Supreme Master Ching Hai
has affectionately sent gifts
to artist Nguyệt Lan.
Hữu Phúc was born in Tây Ninh,
southern Âu Lạc.
He shared that he was fortunate
enough to be introduced to the sounds
of folk music at a very young age;
as such, he is able to perform
both modern and traditional music.
He also can recite poetry.
Hữu Phúc often sings traditional
and folk songs.
He was a winner in a singing contest
in Montréal, Canada, in 1991.
Poetry reciter Hữu Phúc
was presented with gifts along with
conducive wishes
from Supreme Master Ching Hai.
Thank you for watching today’s
A Journey through Aesthetic Realms:
Music & Poetry.
Please stay tuned to
Supreme Master Television
for Vegetarian Elite.
May you and your family be graced
with Heaven’s miraculous blessings
Respected Master,
ladies and gentlemen,
I came from a Buddhist family.
Therefore Buddhism has been
absorbed in my blood quite a bit.
I’m not sure how I could have
the affinity to stand here today
and speak to Master,
to you ladies and gentlemen,
and the practitioners.
First, this is a great honor for me
to see Master in person.
Together we lend our caring hands
Rejoicing with the two
harvesting seasons of corn and potato
So life is as fragrant
as golden rice grains, O love!
Please tune in to
Supreme Master Television
on Saturday, March 12, 2011,
for a special program in memory of
actor La Thoại Tân,
a multi-talented artist who was acclaimed
as one of the Âu Lac’s (Vietnam’s)
comedy kings, featuring jokes
that were presented to
Supreme Master Ching Hai and guests
at gatherings with media personages,
writers, and artists in the United States.
Remember you still the mountain
and river of Hương Bình?
Those green days of youth,
with lingering affection
Returning to the flower garden
to offer her a sweet briar
Songs of loving affection
make her cheeks rosy
The pulse of life is peaceful and joyous
Together we walk as our shadows merge.