He was the son of a IDEO printing factory staff (Imprimerie d'orient Extronc, also known as the Far East printing plant) in Hanoi. 1923, he attended high school (Buoi high school); 1926 he was expelled for participating in Phan Chu Trinh memorial service and exhorted on strike. Shortly after that, Pham Tat Dac wrote and published a long poetry named “Chieu hon nuoc” (The Youth printing factory, Hanoi 1927) the newly released books were banned. Pham Tat Dac who were trialed in court in Hanoi on 15-6-1927. Strict colonial court convicted the book, but because the author was 17 years old (not old enough to be responsible before the law), the court decided to put him in reformatory until adulthood. Pham tat Dac was sent to reformatory in Tri Cu (now belongs to Ngoc Van commune, Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province). Here he continued propaganda against the French and organized others mates to hit the supervisors so he was taken back to Hoa Lo prison, Hanoi; he was forgiven and released in 1930 but because of poor health, Pham Tat Dac passed away not long after that.
“Chieu hon nuoc” is a song including 198 “song that luc bat” (2 seven-word sentence; 1 six-word sentence & 1 eight-word sentence) sentences expressed the country’s situation and also call for actions to regain the country:
“Think about my own position, so upset
Look at the country, tears fall down
Alone in the wilderness at midnight
Want to bring red blood to stain the country”
Chieu hon nuoc echoes the poetry sound of the Duy Tan movement in the early 20th century and also imprinted the spirit, the mood of the country’s youth in 1920. Chieu hon nuoc was an elated voice of a minor who was passionate with the country’s situation.
Work:
· Chieu hon nuoc, Hanoi, Youth printing house, 1927. Note: there is some confusion of a few works by an author who has the same name with Pham Tat Dac in some books and materials.
