At the “Living Heritage – Legacy for the Future” event, a humorous exchange between Musician Quoc Trung and People’s Artist Thanh Lam delighted the audience.
The Living Heritage – Legacy for the Future exhibition and the launch of the book *The Universal Within – The Universe of the Mind* took place in Ho Chi Minh City.

The first volume of *The Universal Within – The Universe of the Mind* introduces eight Vietnamese figures of global influence, representing intellect, resilience, and the creative spirit of Vietnam.

The opening volume highlights eight keywords aligned with eight personalities: “Quy” – Jazz artist Sir Niels Lan Doky; “Cong” – People’s Artist Bui Cong Duy; “Chung” – Musician Quoc Trung; “Tri” – Director Pham Hoang Nam; “Duc” – Associate Professor–Doctor–Physician Phan Toan Thang; “Nhan” – philanthropist Nguyen Phuong Lam; “Hien” – Author Nguyen Tuong Bach; and “Xuan” – Director and Author Xuan Phuong.

People’s Artist Bui Cong Duy – one of the eight featured figures. Photo: Loan Le

The bilingual English–Vietnamese publication explores the journey of discovering and sharing the “universe within” — where spiritual strength, compassion, and humanistic thinking form the foundation of lasting success and well-being.
During the discussion, Sir Niels Lan Doky, Bui Cong Duy, Musician Quoc Trung, Dr. Phan Toan Thang, and Director Pham Hoang Nam shared perspectives on their contributions and the values they pursue.

When the host said that successful artists often have stable marriages, Musician Quoc Trung jokingly countered: “We may have stable careers, but our marriages are usually not that stable. For example, Thanh Lam and I also went through changes.”

His remark made People’s Artist Thanh Lam and singer Ha Tran laugh softly from the audience, while the crowd responded with warm applause.

Returning to the main subject, Quoc Trung said his generation was influenced by a Western “aristocratic spirit” — a way of life marked by gallantry, romance, and the idea of preserving honor above all else.

According to him, patience and quietude are no longer valued today, making modern life less romantic despite better living conditions. Younger people no longer read long novels or thick books; instead, they prefer short videos and quick content on platforms like TikTok.

Quoc Trung believes the “aristocratic spirit” is essential. When spiritual values are regarded as life’s most precious treasures, people naturally gravitate toward beauty, art, integrity, and romance.

Jazz Knight Sir Niels Lan Doky shared that the conversation reminded him of his childhood in Hanoi.

He recalled sitting for hours listening to his father and friends speak Vietnamese — a language he didn’t understand at the time — yet the sounds gave him a sense of comfort and warmth.

Sharing his life philosophy, Lan Doky emphasized “following the heart, letting life lead you to new horizons, and not being afraid of mistakes.”
As many artists fear making mistakes, he said: “Even a wrong note is still a note. What matters is what you play afterward.”

Sir Niels Lan Doky – known internationally as the “Knight of Jazz.” Photo: Loan Le

After the book launch, artists and public figures spent time exploring the exhibition’s artistic space, calligraphy displays, and multimedia installations.

The Living Heritage – Legacy for the Future exhibition reconstructs the life journeys, philosophies, and inspirations of globally influential Vietnamese figures across medicine, finance, culture, and the arts.

A highlight of the event was the treasured calligraphy piece by the late Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh featuring the characters “an trú” (peaceful dwelling), symbolizing the serene state of mind that the exhibition seeks to evoke.

Source: Vietnamnet