A family representative stated he passed away around 4:20 PM on 6/7 in his hometown of Bao Loc, Lam Dong.

Poet Bui Thanh Tuan in 2021. Photo: *Facebook Bui Thanh Tuan*.

Bui Thanh Tuan began writing poetry during his school years, gaining attention from readers through poems published in newspapers like Muc tim and Tuoi tre. After high school, he studied Journalism and Literature at the University of Ho Chi Minh City (now Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities). In 1993, during a training trip for youth union officials from northern universities and colleges in Ho Chi Minh City, Bui Thanh Tuan, then a Youth Union official for the Literature Faculty, read a poem. Among the listeners was musician Truong Quy Hai. The musician later set the poem to music, naming it "Ha Noi mua vang nhung con mua," inspired by its opening line. The original poem was subsequently titled "Chia tay nguoi Ha Noi" by the author.

The song depicts a Hanoi that is intimate and beloved, with a lingering sense of nostalgia woven into its lyrics: "Hanoi this season, my heart holds so many memories, I recall a cold night, our hands intertwined, the warmth I gave you in our innocent youth." This evokes a beautiful first love connected to the ancient Co Ngu street, quaint roadside stalls, and the hazy purple of West Lake. The track quickly gained widespread recognition through performances by singers My Linh and Cam Van. Building on this success, during 1996-1997, he was considered one of the highest-earning young poets in Ho Chi Minh City, largely due to song royalties.

Bui Thanh Tuan also composed and self-set to music "Ru long kho dai" in 1998, performed by singers Nhat Thien Bao, Thanh Ha, and Nguyet Anh. His 2003 composition, "Neu dia dang chang con gi de nho...", was set to music by musician Nguyen Quoc Khanh in 2006, renamed "Phuc am chieu", and performed by singer Dinh Nguyen and renowned vocalist Tuan Ngoc. In the 2000s, he released poetry collections: "Con chut tinh rieng trong mat nhau" (Youth Publishing House, 2000) and "Phien ban" (Literature Publishing House, 2008).

In the 2010s, after over 20 years of writing poetry and journalism in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and a period living in the US, Bui Thanh Tuan moved to the mountain town of B'Lao. He stated he had traveled extensively, experiencing both success and hardship, and wished to return home to care for his parents.

* The song "Ha Noi mua vang nhung con mua" performed by Cam Van

By Mai Nhat