Hue is gentle behind the wheels, not too crowded with traffic, not disturbed by the sound of horns, the roads are lined with flying tamarinds, the cool breeze from the Huong River blows softly, it is very pleasant. Parallel Le Loi Street, there, there is a famous national school with a history of more than 100 years, two-storey houses painted pink and red under the green canopy.
The school only opens its doors at certain hours for high school students to enter and exit, and the rest, only a small gate is open. Tourists when visiting this road are attracted by the beauty of the school, everyone stops to take a walk in the school. The atmosphere of the afternoon in the classroom was filled with the rush of lectures and the soft laughter of the mischievous students.
Hue National University was established in 1896, carrying the construction style of the Nguyen Dynasty with a long row of walls surrounding it exquisitely carved and PHAP style with a row of two-storey houses painted in red. The school changed its name over the years: École Primaire Supérieure (i.e. Primary College) but commonly known as Quoc Hoc (1896-1936), Khai Dinh High School (1936-1954), Ngo Dinh Diem High School (1955-1956), and returned to its original name in 1956 until now. The school gate is built on two floors, the upper floor hangs a plaque engraved with the words Truong Quoc Hoc painted with gold lipstick, two dragons embossed with porcelain pieces on both sides and on the fence wall on the right side of the main gate there is also a "screen", leaving the 117-year history of the school.
Behind the gate is a road lined with ancient trees, moldy moss, and four seasons that shade the school yard. Rows of two-storey houses are located under the green canopy, long rows of smoking corridors, and open windows to catch the sun. The rows of houses are connected by corridors, which are a place for students to relax during breaks.
The large school yard, the green grass, the rows of stone chairs, the tamarind leaves and the pale pink cherry blossoms at the end of the season are still here. The flower season of Hue National University is in full bloom at the end of February and early March, a pink color covers the school, scattered all over the roads, landing on the branches of spring grass. Then, through that flower season, the whole school yard was bustling in the color of purple mausoleum and brilliant phoenix flowers, the color of the farewell flower season of the students' days. At that time, the school yard was beautiful in the color of flowers and the color of the pure white ao dai like beautiful butterflies, in the sunny smile of the gentle girl but the corners of her eyes glittered with tears of summer farewell.
Walking along the small streets in the oldest school in Vietnam, I feel like I am returning to a very ancient time. Here, many celebrities used to study and today, the next generation adds fame to the school. Hue National University is still there, silent under the shadow of ancient trees, in the sound of ticks scattering at noon in summer, welcoming the warm sun and cool breeze by the Perfume River.
Synthetic Migo
Photo: Nguyen Luan/Truong Bui