Celebrating Sương Nguyệt Anh

 

Today’s Doodle celebrates Sương Nguyệt Anh, the first female newspaper editor of the first women’s newspaper in Vietnam. On this day in 1918, the first publication of Nu Gioi Chung  (Women's Bell) was published — the newspaper where Nguyệt Anh was editor in chief. Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Hanoi-based guest artist, Camelia Phạm.

Nguyệt Anh was born on March 8, 1864 in An Binh Dong village of the Ben Tre province. Her father, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, was a poet and teacher who taught her how to read and write in both Chinese and Chữ Nôm, a form of Vietnamese language that uses Chinese characters. Nguyệt Anh started writing her own poetry. In honor of one of her most well known poems centered around apricot blossoms, the Doodle artwork incorporates apricot blossoms and an apricot color palette.

The next few decades were a tragic time for Nguyệt Anh. Her father died when she was 24, and she and her brother took over his school to teach the locals. She then moved to Rach Mieu in My Tho City, married, and gave birth to a daughter. Two years later, her husband passed.

She became the first female editor in chief in Vietnam when she started writing for the Nu Gioi Chung newspaper in Saigon under the pen name Sương Nguyệt Anh, meaning “Widowed Nguyệt Anh.” Many of the newspaper’s issues spoke about women’s roles in Vietnamese culture and society.

Sương Nguyệt Anh is remembered for her bright mind and personality, as well as her resilience through adversity. She was a pioneer for women writers and editors in Vietnam and paved the way for generations to come. She had connections with people from all walks of life and treated everyone with respect. There are several streets named after Nguyệt Anh in cities like Ho Chi Minh, Da Lat and Vung Tau.