Every person enters this world empty-handed, and when they depart, they return empty-handed as well. Life is fleeting, passing by in the blink of an eye. Regardless of one’s high status, wealth, or poverty, and also no one lives forever with time. Especially in death, they quickly fade from the memories of others. However, what is it that makes millions of audiences, friends, and colleagues fondly remember the ‘Cai Luong King’ – the late Meritorious Artist Vu Linh? What is it that attracts such widespread attention, a privilege that only a few artists receive?
The Laotian proverb ‘Stay to be remembered, leave to be missed, depart to be cherished’ is similar to the Vietnamese proverb ‘The buffalo dies for its hide, the person dies for their reputation’ or ‘A stele will wear out in one hundred years. A posthumous ill fame will remain whole in a thousand years’. They all implicitly advise us to avoid negative and immoral lifestyles. Because everyone will eventually depart, but a bad reputation can last forever, sometimes subjecting individuals of future generations to ridicule and contempt. If you maintain good moral character, not only will one’s reputation resonate far and wide and earn the affection, trust, and unwavering protection from others.
However, the law of life is fair, and to receive the good things, one must surely go through many challenges. Sometimes, one needs to pay a high price for such hardships, to find humanity value within oneself. We can look at the example of the late Meritorious Artist Vu Linh, whose image evokes deep sorrow in the hearts of the audience, friends, and colleagues after his passing, as they always held sincere and affectionate feelings for him. So, what did he do to be remembered by everyone?
Photo.The affection of the audience toward the late Meritorious Artist Vu Linh
Devotion to parents and wholehearted commitment to family members.
Renowned artist Vu Linh, whose real name is Vo Van Ngoan, is commonly referred to as ‘Nhu’ within his family. He was born in 1958 in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, and is the fifth child in a family of six siblings, and if counted in the Southern region, he holds the fifth position. From a young age, he had a deep passion for singing and early on showcased his talent for performing cai luong, a popular music genre in Southern Vietnam during the 1990s. Additionally, daily, he witnessed his hardworking parents struggling to make a living and tirelessly caring for their children without ever taking a break. Due to his profound love and gratitude for his parents, he was conscious of the responsibility to shoulder the family’s burdens in place of his parents in the future. Despite being very young, he mapped out a direction for his life’s development and recognized his strengths. Therefore, he began seeking lessons from Master Musician Van Vi, a renowned musician in the Southern Cai Luong music community at that time. With his natural talent and strong determination, after only a month, he received a first-class degree when he was only 11 years old. During this time, he hid his parents from singing at restaurants and bars. No matter how far away they were, he would ride his bike there, “the average salary is 10-30 VND a night, enough money to buy clothes and the rest to save”, he recounted in an interview. In the old days, under the great feudal influence, few parents had children pursue a career in music because they viewed it as a profession lacking moral qualities and not belonging to the four social classes: the Scholar, Farmer, Craftsman, and Merchant, also known as the “Four Occupations’
So, when the incident was discovered, he was beaten by his mother, and his father was so angry that he beat the TV and shouted ‘Absolutely forbidden from here to let Nhu sing anymore’ the late artist sadly recalled. Although angry, with a mother’s love, she saw the longing and sadness in her 11-year-old son’s eyes and silently career supported him to continue pursuing his singing. Thanks to her positive encouragement, he is even more determined to strive for excellence and ensure his mother’s peace of mind.
At the age of 13, he joined the Dong Au Hoa The He singing troupe and adopted the stage name Hung Tuan Linh. Later, he changed it to Vuong Vu Linh before finally shortening it to Vu Linh. At the age of 15, he had the good fortune of being discovered by the famous artist Thanh Sang, who recognized his unique voice and mentored him toward a professional career in the performing arts. During that time, Thanh Sang was a highly reputable star, admired by many for his singing talent and ethical lifestyle, which also influenced the artist’s father. As a result, he found joy in watching his son perform on television alongside his idol. This brought him great happiness and deepened his singing career with the hope of achieving success to support his family financially.
He has experienced many ups and downs in life.
According to the story, he signed his first contract with the record label Hon Nuoc and received a high salary. “To the point where when I brought home 100,000 VND to my parents, they thought I had robbed someone because at that time the largest denomination was 500 VND”, he happily said.
Later on, he was invited to perform in many places, from Ho Chi Minh City to other provinces, including the Hoa Anh Dao Kim Chuong troupe, Khanh Hong An Giang, Thien Nga, Son Minh, Minh To, Huynh Long, Lam Dong, and more. However, it wasn’t until 1988 when he joined the Tran Huu Trang 2 Cai Luong Theater that he truly stepped onto the glorious stage after more than 15 years in the profession. It was from this point that the name Vu Linh became beloved by audiences everywhere, and simply seeing his image on advertisement banners would attract a crowd, making the theater packed with people. In addition, he also played a significant role in reviving the traditional art of Cai Luong and was honored as an outstanding artist by the state in 1997. However, for him, “real glory is not as important as family affection, as long as there are family matters, I can give up everything”, the artist shared.
He always remains grateful and lives humbly and discreetly even when at the peak of success
When mentioning the Cai Luong King, one immediately thinks of the talented, kind-hearted, and compassionate artist Vu Linh, known for his moral values and humble lifestyle, even at the pinnacle of his career. Especially for those who help him, he always maintains gratitude and can reflect on press interviews or daily life. He often talks about someone, such as a mentor, an elder sibling, or even the audience, with sincere gratitude and appreciation. Furthermore, he consistently upholds integrity and respect for others.
Specifically, there was a time when a production requested him to lip-sync for the sake of his health, but he promptly refused, stating, “Doing so would deceive the audience. I would rather sing within my capabilities than pretend like that”. Additionally, he is very discreet in his charity work and avoids sharing with the media. He believes that his reputation is thanks to the support of the audience, so he chooses to express his gratitude to his benefactors in a similar manner.
Photo: The Cai Luong King of a bygone era.
On the other hand, during his heyday, his name held significant influence with the public and the cai luong singing troupes. However, if he were to see his name placed at the top of a poster ahead of his seniors and older colleagues, he would feel extremely uncomfortable. There were instances where he immediately sought out the manager there and spoke firmly, “No, you can’t do that, dear. I won’t accept it. You must place my name after Minh Phung and Le Thuy.” These small actions demonstrate that he is a profound individual. In addition, this exemplifies his qualities of humility and respect for others.
Silently supporting and cherishing the camaraderie among colleagues
Over 50 years in the performing arts, he has achieved 15 major and minor awards and left behind over 400 videos of cai luong performances, encompassing both classical and contemporary themes. One of the notable works that contributed to the late artist Vũ Linh’s reputation includes the play “Lương Sơn Bá – Chúc Anh Đài”, “Xa Phu Đi Sứ”, “Giũ Áo Bụi Đời”, “Bức Ngôn Đồ Đại Việt,” and more. Additionally, his collaboration with the five leading actresses who emerged from the Tran Huu Trang Prize in 1991 helped them shine, including artists Tai Linh, Thanh Hang, Phuong Hong Thuy, Thanh Thanh Tâm, and Ngoc Huyen.
Photo: The late Meritorious Artist Vu Linh and the 5 leading actresses received the Tran Huu Trang Prize in 1991.
In addition, he has collaborated with artists such as Thoai My, Phuong Mai, Phuong Hang, Phuong Loan, Cam Tien, Thanh Ngan, Tu Suong, Que Tran, and even National Meritorious Artist Le Thuy, who commented about him, stating, “He has an adorable personality and remarkable talent. During that time, he was adored by the audience”. Regarding People’s Artist Hong Van, she described “Vu Linh as a truly talented individual, not only charming and enthusiastic but also skillful in his performances. As a result, he captivated the hearts of many audience members. He excels in portraying every character, and the actresses secretly cherish working with him”.
Photo: He can embody a diverse range of personalities
Meritorious Artist Dieu Hien also admitted that she had never seen anyone with a personality quite similar to the late artist. “He was not greedy for money but valued the affection of the audience, colleagues, and friends. Whenever he meets someone talented, has a good voice, and is dedicated to the profession, he will immediately support and help them become famous”.
Throughout his life, he has supported many generations in the industry, but he has never spoken well of himself. It is his quiet tolerance, caring for others, and acts of kindness that have touched the hearts of audiences, friends, and colleagues. As a result, hundreds, even thousands of social media accounts on various platforms have been created to express condolences to him. Moreover, after his death, many colleagues set up their altars in the house to pay their respects, including artists such as Ngan Tuan, Linh Tam, Linh Ti, etc., to show their deep respect and gratitude towards him.
Recently, the artist Ngan Tuan composed a series of 5 songs to commemorate the late Meritorious Artist Vu Linh, which have been warmly received by a large audience. These songs include “Nhớ Anh Năm – Remembering You”, “Yêu Ông Hoàng Cải Lương – Admiring the Cai Luong King”, “Xin Hãy Để Anh Yên Please Let Him Rest in Peace”, “Tôi Đã Mơ Thấy – I Dreamed of You”, and “100 Ngày Vắng Anh – 100 Days Without You”.
During the event, an elderly audience member shared their thoughts, saying, “I have never admired anyone other than artist Vu Linh, so when I heard these songs about him, I was truly moved, recalling our encounters. It further deepened my appreciation for him because of his compassionate nature”.
Photo: Fans admire his compassionate personality.
In addition, Artist Binh Tinh revealed, “The legacy that Father left for his adopted daughter is to uphold ethics, sing well, act excellently, and always strive.”
Although he has now departed, his immortal works and the legend of a talented and compassionate artist will continue to live in the hearts of all those who love the art of cai luong.
By TVVN Press
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