Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Trịnh Công Sơn

Role / Field:

Iconic Vietnamese songwriter whose music explored love, loss, and anti-war themes.

Born:

1939-02-28

Died:

2001-04-01

Century / Era:

1939s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Trịnh Công Sơn (February 28, 1939 – April 1, 2001) was a Vietnamese musician, songwriter, painter and poet. He is widely considered to be Vietnam's best songwriter. His music explores themes of love, loss, and anti-war sentiments during the Vietnam War, for which he was censored by both the southern Republic of Vietnam and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Many performing artists, most notably Khánh Ly, Hồng Nhung, Trinh Vinh Trinh (his younger sister), and some overseas singers such as Tuan Ngoc, Le Quyen, Le Thu, and Ngoc Lan, have gained popularity in their own right from covering Sơn's songs.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Trịnh Công Sơn was born in Buôn Ma Thuột, Đắk Lắk Province, French Indochina, but as a child he lived in the village of Minh Huong in Hương Trà in Thừa Thiên–Huế Province. He grew up in Huế, where he attended the Lycée Français and the Providence school. When he was ten he lived with his father in Huế's Thừa Phủ Prison for a year in 1949. Later he went to Saigon and studied western philosophy at the Lycée Jean-Jacques Rousseau, from which he graduated with the baccalaureate degree. In 1961, he studied psychology and pedagogy in a school for teachers in Qui Nhơn in an attempt...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Ahmad Shah Massoud — Contemporary (Died in 2001) (2001): Afghan military leader, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", fought against foreign occupations.
• Anthony Gordon (footballer) — Contemporary (Born in 2001) (2001): English professional footballer known for his time at Everton, Newcastle, and Barcelona.
• 3rd Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (02-28 · Born) (1543): Founding figure of the Dalai Lama lineage, pivotal to Gelug school's rise in Tibet.
• Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i — Shared historical date (02-28 · Died) (911): Influential 10th-century Isma'ili missionary who aided the conquest of Ifriqiya.
• Abbé Prévost — Shared historical date (04-01 · Born) (1697): French novelist, best known for the highly popular romance, Manon Lescaut.
• Abdul Qadeer Khan — Shared historical date (04-01 · Born) (1936): Pakistani nuclear physicist, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program'
• 1939 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1939
• February 28 (02-28) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 28
• 2001 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2001
• April 1 (04-01) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 1

Frequently Asked Questions about Trịnh Công Sơn