Luu cau huyet le tan thu

work by Phan Boi Chau

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June 30, 2026

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Luu cau huyet le tan thu, meaning "Ryukyu's Bitter Tears," is an allegorical work by Vietnamese patriot Phan Boi Chau. Written in 1903, it draws a parallel between Japan's sorrow over the loss of the Ryukyu Islands and Vietnam's own struggle for independence from foreign powers. This piece reflects Chau's deep commitment to Vietnamese nationalism and his use of literature as a tool for resistance against colonial rule. The work was part of his broader efforts to galvanize support for Vietnamese independence movements in the early 20th century.1

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Phan Boi Chau
In 1903 he wrote Luu cau huyet le tan thu (“Ryukyu’s Bitter Tears”), an allegory equating Japan’s bitterness at the loss of the Ryukyu Islands with the Vietnamese loss of independence. With fellow revolutionaries he formed the Duy Tan Hoi (“Reformation Society”; see Duy Tan) in 1904 and secured…
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In 1903 he wrote Luu cau huyet le tan thu (“Ryukyu’s Bitter Tears”), an allegory equating Japan’s bitterness at the loss of the Ryukyu Islands with the Vietnamese loss of independence. With fellow revolutionaries he formed the Duy Tan Hoi (“Reformation Society”; see Duy Tan) in 1904 and secured…
Read More