Legend of the Year of the Monkey: Talented but ill-fated, bitter love and foretold departure?

The late Cai Luong artist Nam Phi is a strange phenomenon on the Southern Cai Luong stage in My Tho. She had a difficult life but was a talented reformed singer that few people could match.

Artist Nam Phi's real name is Le Thi Phi. She was born in 1906 in Tien Giang into a good family and had 11 brothers. Although her father is an engineer and hates "infernal singing", Le Thi Phi is very fond of theater. At the age of 10, Le Thi Phi ran away from home to join a theater troupe. From that day on, the father withdrew and did not allow his family to mention the name of his disobedient daughter anymore.

When she first left home, Le Thi Phi joined the Nam Dong Ban theater troupe and fell in love with the troupe's main double, artist Hai Gioi. People's Artist Ba Van once commented on Hai Gioi: "Elegant and scholarly figure, red lips, handsome but also famous singers, many people in the class behind him with a big name still consider him a master." in the singing profession".

Some people even affirm that Hai Gioi is a unique double of the Southern Cai Luong stage. He was the first person to lead Nam Phi to become a famous singer.

However, Mr. Hai Gioi had a short life. After only a few years of living together, Nam Phi became a widow while still a teenager.

After her husband passed away, artist Nam Phi joined several other theater troupes before reaching the peak at the Phuoc Cuong troupe. With a hoarse voice and many confidants, Nam Phi excels in playing the role of a lover. Her name is associated with roles such as: Ly Ngoc Nuong (play Tea Flower Lady), Bang Quy Phi (play The Trial of Bang Quy Phi), Dieu Thuyen (La Bo hi Dieu Thuyen), Mong Hoa (Mong Hoa Nuong). ), Lan (play Lan and Diep)...

In 1931, artist Nam Phi and the Phuoc Cuong troupe brought the play The Trial of Bang Quy Phi to Paris (France) to perform and was warmly received. Year of the Monkey was also awarded 4 medals from 4 countries, received 186 love letters from the audience, 1,009 business cards, 167 photos and 42 articles. The famous actress also received a generous remuneration, equivalent to thousands of taels of gold at that time.

After that success, when returning home, Nam Phi and Phuoc Cuong troupe brought the play The Trial of Bang Quy Phi on tour to many places. The Trial of Bang Quy Phi became one of the plays with the highest revenue and performance frequency in the history of Vietnamese Cai Luong theater.

On the cai luong stage, there are many famous artists, but the name Nam Phi has become legendary. Illiterate because she left home when she was young and didn't have time to study, but she has special abilities, she only needs to listen to the script a few times to be able to memorize it. People in the profession at that time revealed that artist Nam Phi sat outside receiving guests, while inside everyone read the script, yet she could listen and then read it back smoothly.

Achieving ultimate glory on the Cai Luong stage, artist Nam Phi encountered difficulties in love. After her first husband died, she got married to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Cuong but did not have children together. Mr. Cuong then married Ms. Bay Nam - Ms. Nam Phi's younger sister. Faced with that ironic situation, she left the Phuoc Cuong troupe and established her own troupe. When Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Cuong passed away, she and her younger brother - Bay Nam established their own theater. She continues to burn and shine on the Cai Luong stage.

Artist Nam Phi suddenly passed away at the age of 48. Her passing shocked her colleagues. Artist Phung Ha fainted when he heard this news. To this day, in the world of Cai Luong artists, the story is still told: when Mrs. Nam Phi passed away, musician Chin Trich played for several days next to her coffin. He played and cried. On the day of the funeral, he broke the guitar. Artist Nam Phi's family buried that guitar with her.

In the last years of his life, artist Nam Phi had a deep love affair with lawyer Huynh Van Chin. For a long time after the female artist passed away, every afternoon Mr. Chin dressed neatly and brought a bouquet of incense to her grave.

Many years have passed, and many artists have shown outstanding talent on stage, but for many people, Nam Phi is still the most talented of Cai Luong art.

Omen for a long trip?

When artist Nam Phi passed away, the press at that time closely followed his activities. The Investigation - Reporter newspaper has very vivid documents talking about the omens before Ms. Nam Phi's d.eath... spoken by her own mouth. No one expected that those last words would bring true mourning. Accordingly, near the time of her sudden d.eath, her siblings often heard their sister's last words. At first, everyone thought she was just joking. However, it appears continuously, making everyone startled.

She once told her children: "Sister Nam, please take care of your mother's grave somewhere properly, then you will die." According to the research of journalists at that time, Ms. Nam Phi's mother passed away in October 1951 on the way to Can Tho - Vinh Long. Ms. Nam Phi's words made everyone feel sad and think that these were just her words worrying about her mother's grave, but no one paid much attention to the next part "then you will die". Because nothing displeased her or caused any oppression to happen to her.

Then, a week before her d.eath, during a meal at her home, Ms. Nam Phi blurted out: "I'm dead and I'm going to die anyway." Then she turned to the children and continued: "I want to die so much." "".

Hearing that, Ms. Chin Bia (Mrs. Nam Phi's 9th sister) said to her: "I'm not here. If I die, it's me because I'm constantly sick, but you're not." Ms. Nam Phi replied: "No, I know I will go anyway...". Hearing her keep complaining, many of her younger siblings couldn't help but be startled and tried to find a way to get that strange thought out of their sister's head.

Ms. Chin Bia joked for fun, trying to get over the conversation: "You keep complaining. Now, if you want to give us anything in this house, make a will, so that after you leave, we can get it." We're so angry with each other because my belongings are too much."

Ms. Chin Bia makes jokes and tells funny stories that make everyone laugh. However, Ms. Nam Phi thought differently. As soon as Ms. Chin Bia finished speaking, Ms. Nam Phi stood up, grabbed the children's hands and said immediately: "Are you serious, come here and I'll share it with you...".

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