Kieu Truc Phuong: Stop singing for your children, now selling noodles and friendship with Thanh Kim Hui

Once a bright digger of wealth but in the late afternoon, artist Kieu Truc Phuong had to earn a living by selling noodles. Although she is in her 80s, the artist is still healthy and works every day, calving noodles for guests to earn a living.

Recently, the program "Rice Market" has aired. At this week's show, the artist group Ngu Long Journey Ky visited artist Kieu Truc Phuong, who played the role of Thi Cua in the classic "Shellfish Clam" with the late People's Artist Thanh Kim Hue.

Retired for more than 20 years, Kieu Truc Phuong now lives with her daughter and grandchildren in a small alley in Ho Chi Minh City. HCM. Every day, she helps her daughter sell noodles. Despite being 75 years old, the artist is still healthy and works every day, calving noodles for guests. She said she wakes up at 3 a.m., then works until the afternoon but is still not tired.

Artist Fang Dung had to exclaim: "Ms. Fang's noodle soup is very delicious. Whoever was near her compound came to eat for her. She only sells in a small alley, so there are no shops or signs, only selling to neighbors. She sells this shop to make a living every day, sharing a house with her daughter, so it is not too difficult, but it is not abundant. She sells 7 days, one item a day, so the menu changes constantly.

Saying the name of artist Kieu Truc Phuong, people do not know, but if you say her classic role is the role of Thi Cua in the play Shellfish Clam with Thanh Dien, Thanh Kim Hue, everyone knows.

She is 75 years old this year, but her skin is still smooth even though she does not make up, she looks very young, so Phi Phung called her sister for children."

After a long retirement, she said her decision to give up her passion was due to grief after her son's death, as well as not being able to make a living because the show was not as much as before. Recalling her memories when she was still on tour, Kieu Truc Phuong affirmed that she can still sing, even agreeing to act immediately if invited by the theater.

"I've been out of acting for decades. I had a son who got sick and died, so I was so sad, I stopped acting.

Besides, at that time, the stage was also down, I had to sing for a long time to have a show, so life was inadequate and incomplete. That's why I stayed at home, helping my children trade and cook. Actually, this noodle shop is mainly cooked by my daughter, I just help her.

At that time, I performed in the four countries, traveling all over the troupes, from Thanh Minh Thanh Nga 2 troupe to the Autumn Huong troupe, then the Narcissus troupe... In Thanh Minh Thanh Nga 2 troupe, I sing with Thanh Sang, while Thanh Minh Thanh Nga 1 troupe is Thanh Nga and Thanh Sung together."

Referring to the character of Thi Cua, Kieu Truc Phuong modestly said that she only sang one echo with Thanh Kim Hue. The artist confided that in the last moments of her life, she had the good fortune to be by her side.

She confided: "Me and Thanh Jinhui are very close and love each other, poor Thanh Jinhui. I remember, on the day of the Year of the Hung funeral, I met Thanh Kim Hui who was still very healthy, who expected about 1 week, I heard that Thanh Kim Hui had cancer, very sick.

I was so sad that I went to visit Qing Jinhui. Qing Jinhui was lying in one place at that time, and everyone who came refused to continue. We artists are like that, when we're bad we don't want to see anyone.

The last day was the day Thanh Jinhui moved home from the Ethnic Medicine Hospital. Someone called me to tell me to visit Qing Jinhui, I am very weak. I immediately ran down to the house to visit.

When I arrived, Qing Jinhui was still awake and had been sitting for a while when I was about to leave. I was just about to leave when Qing Jinhui fell in love.

I sat reciting Nanmoamida Buddha when I saw Qing Jinhui's mouth suddenly smiling as if he was seeing someone even though his eyes were closed and enthralled.

I saw that and said: Now husband and children, everyone has pushed enough, you can leave with peace of mind, no questions.

After saying that, I chanted Nan Mo Amitabha Buddha and Qing Jinhui just like that, walking quickly and gently, without writhing or startling at all.

Thus, I stayed with Thanh Jinhui until the last moment of my life. Poor Qing Jinhui kept calling me to go to my house and I was so involved in trading that I couldn't come."

Artist Kieu Truc Phuong also revealed that she was the makeup artist for Thanh Kim Hue at the time of her death:

"In the old days, I was the makeup person for Thanh Jinhui when I went to sing. By the time Qing Jinhui died, I was also her makeup artist. I was scared at first, but then I felt normal because nothing was cold. I made faces for Qing Jinhui for a long time and even cried because I loved her, we played together for so long. Fortunately, when Qing Jinhui closed my eyes in time to see me, I regretted it.

Now I see some friends my age who are sad because I don't know which one is ahead and which one is behind, let alone then."

Talking about the moment she heard the news of her husband's death, Kieu Truc Phuong said that at that time, she was still forced to sing "Don't cry anymore" to complete the show, if she did not have to pay back the theater money. When she got home, her husband's aftermath was done. Qiao Truc Fang confided, making the artist happy, but his relatives were very distressed.

Artist Binh Tinh: Carrying the whole family alone, quietly helping many colleagues Thảo Mai19:28:31 29/03/2025Binh Tinh is the daughter of the Duc Loi - Bach Mai traditional opera artist couple. Her family has 4 generations pursuing the art of opera. Binh Tinh herself has had a passion for opera since she was very young.