On 25/1, Thu Huyen, a tourist from Nghe An, visited Hue and met Bruce Klein, an American writer, at a cafe near Lim Bridge. After discussing books and travel experiences in Hue, Bruce showed off his new tattoos of Thien Mu Pagoda and the Perfume River, which he had done on 22/1. He remarked, "my country has done many bad things in Vietnam, but the Vietnamese people still love me."

Huyen asked Bruce to write down his thoughts using a language translation app and took a photo. The social media post featuring Bruce's tattoos and his message received more than 24,000 likes within one day. Many users were impressed by the tattoos and Bruce's affection for Vietnam.

Bruce shows his tattoos of Thien Mu Pagoda and the Perfume River on his arm. Photo: Sm_catina

"He must truly love Hue to get it tattooed," commented Thien Anh. Ha Minh wrote, "the tattoo shows what a beautiful impression Vietnamese people leave on foreigners."

Tattoo artist Ho Minh Quan stated that Bruce visited his shop on Chu Van An street on 22/1, selecting images of Thien Mu Pagoda and the Perfume River, two famous heritage sites in Hue. They spent one day researching and developing the design, and it took 6 hours to complete the work. The total cost for the tattoo was 6 million dong.

During the tattooing process, Quan was interested to hear Bruce mention he was writing a book about the Perfume River. They also discussed the past war, in which Bruce's father had participated. Bruce believes that the war was a mistake made by an older generation.

Speaking with VnExpress on 27/1, Bruce expressed his surprise at how widely his tattoos had spread online. He shared that, in addition to writing, he works in cargo security, which has led him to travel frequently between Vietnam and the US since 2011. Currently, he has chosen Hue as a retreat for one month to focus on writing his novel.

Bruce revealed that his book, titled "Thuong" in Vietnamese, is set along the Perfume River in the 1880s and concludes at the same river in modern times. The story follows three souls bound by destiny and karma, whose lives unfold over four lifetimes. In each life, one jade hairpin appears, silently guiding them. Thien Mu Pagoda is a recurring presence throughout the narrative.

The American visitor disclosed that the story begins with a boy who loses his parents when his village is attacked during a search for rebel forces. He conducted extensive online research to craft a fictional story based on real historical events.

Bruce poses with Huyen after their chance meeting at a cafe. Photo: NVCC

When he visited Hue for work in October last year, Bruce experienced a restless night and walked to the bank of the Perfume River. Standing by the river, he felt a profound connection, as if he had known the place for a long time. This is why the Perfume River holds such special meaning for him.

Bruce expressed his fondness for the Vietnamese word "thuong." The first time he heard its meaning explained, he felt it encompassed many deep layers – no English word truly conveys the same sentiment as "thuong."

Bruce recounted that he first truly understood "thuong" when he witnessed a friend in TP HCM going through a breakup. At that moment, he clearly felt his friend's pain, wished her the best, but also recognized that "pain is individual." Bruce realized he could only be there to support her like an older brother. Similar experiences in life helped him grasp that "thuong" represents a unique emotion, transcending friendship, pain, and sadness.

"It is the most beautiful word I have ever known. Even as a writer, I find it difficult to express the emotions associated with this word," he stated. The American visitor believes that foreigners may not fully comprehend all the nuances of the word as Vietnamese people do, but through his novel, he hopes to introduce Vietnam's "thuong" to a wider international audience.

Hoai Anh