November 19 in History in Vietnam

November 19 in History

1938	Death of Vietnamese poet Nguyen Nhuoc Phap, famed for his work Chua Huong (Perfume Pagoda).
1942	Soviet Red Army troops begin a massive counter-offensive against the Germans at Stalingrad.
1946	The first UNESCO conference opens in Paris at which the organisation attains full status as an agency.
1958	Signing of the first trade agreement between Viet Nam and the Kingdom of Cambodia.
1969	The US Apollo 12 lunar module lands on the moon, carrying astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan Bean.
1990	Leaders of NATO and the Warsaw Pact declare the end of the Cold War by signing the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe, slashing their Cold War arsenals.
1997	Viet Nam is officially linked to the internet.
2002	An oil tanker carrying 20 million gallons of fuel oil breaks in two and sinks in the Atlantic Ocean, threatening a spill nearly twice as big as the Exxon Valdez's and an environmental catastrophe along the Spanish coastline.
2004	Sudanese government and rebel officials again pledge to end the 21-year civil war in southern Sudan – this time making the pledge before the UN Security Council.
2006	Russia and the United States sign a key trade agreement, removing the last major obstacle in Moscow's 13-year journey to join the World Trade Organisation.
2007	The UN-backed genocide tribunal in Cambodia arrests the former Khmer Rouge head of state Khieu Samphan, 76, following his release from a hospital in the capital.
2008	The recent commitments on global warming by US President-elect Barack Obama mark a new beginning for world negotiations to replace the Kyoto Protocol, the head of the UN's climate change body Yvo de Boer says. — AP/REUTERS/VNS

Golden Age of Vietnam under the Hung Kings

Golden Age of Vietnam under the Hung Kings
By Pham Tang 
Vietnam was 4877 years old on April 28, 1999 (the tenth of the third lunar month) since Chinese Emperor Ti Ming's heir-designate Prince Loc Tuc came into power in the meridional territory of China in 2880 B.C. after he conceded the right to run China to his brother, Prince Ti Yi, according to Vietnam's legend.
When he succeeded in grouping all the vassal states within his territory into a unified nation, Loc Tuc proclaimed himself King Kinh Duong Vuong and called his newly born nation Xich Quy. Loc Tuc inaugurated the earliest monarchical regime in Vietnam with the Hong Bang Dynasty, as the first ruling family by heirdom in Vietnam's history. The Hong Bang Dynasty lasted for 2622 years till 258 BC, legend of Vietnam said.
All the 18 kings who made up the Hong Bang Dynasty made admirable headway in their efforts to organize Vietnam of yore into one of the most stabilized, prosperous and civilized nations in Asia at the prehistoric stage. This is the reason why Vietnamese people as a whole now
consider Hung kings as their patron saints and founders of Vietnam as a nation right at the period preceding the human recorded history.
Source of Folklore
Developments under the reign of Hung kings largely contributed to the Vietnamese folklore. Good morals such as national obligations between the rulers and their subjects, family obligations between spouses and between parents and children, self-improvement through the cultivation of letters, and beautiful customs such as the practice of haircut and tattooing in preparing oneself to go out hunting or fishing, the blackening of teeth for dental protection, the chewing of betel along with areca nut and slaked lime, and wonderful fabulous tales such as Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh (Mountain God and Aquarius God on Proposal), the Origin of Water-melon and Phu Dong Thien Vuong, the celestial hero, all such belief's, customs and legends date from the time of Hong Bang.


Hung Vuong's Temple in North Vietnam


Under the reign of King Kinh Duong Vuong, the Xich Quy kingdom stretched from the near bank of the Yang Tse Kiang to the southernmost area now called Quang Tri, adjacent to Ho Ton (Champa), including the Yunnan, Kweichow, Hunan, Kwangsi and Kwangtung provinces of China.
Succeeding King Kinh Duong Vuong was the latter only son, Prince Lac Long Quan who married Au Co of the fairy lineage. Of this union, legend said, Queen Au Co laid a 100-egg pouch giving life to 100 sons who looked just alike, physically and ethnically as well. To determine who is the royal heir and at the same time the seniority among the brothers, a lots drawing was held by the King and as a result, Hung Lang was legal successor, legend said.
Later, when the children came to years of discretion, King Lac Long Quan suggested to Queen Au Co to live apart, each with 50 of their children. "As you are of the fairy lineage, and mountains and highlands are of your domain while I am of the dragon descent and lowland and, rivers and seas are my field of action, we had better depart from each other for the sake of the future of Xich Quy," the King said, according to legend.
Queen Au Co accepted the suggestion and went westwards along with 50 children while King Lac Long Quan was bound down east with 49 of his beloved. Hung Lang, the King's heir remaining in Phong Chau, Xich Quy's capital, and reigning over the whole kingdom.
Ethnic Minorities
Contemporary Vietnamese historians have accredited the existence of various ethnic minorities now living in the highlands of North and Central Vietnam to the Queen's exodus. Hung Lang later changed the Xich Quy national appellation into Van Lang (Country of the Lettered) and called his reign Hung Quoc Vuong. Succeeding Hung Quoc Vuong was Hung Hoa Vuong who was succeeded by his eldest son Hung Hy Vuong and the latter by Hung Huy.
King Hung Huy Vuong had 22 sons and was once in a dilemma in his selection of the ablest heir. He finally said to the princes: "Who among you could supply me with the best foodstuffs ever known thus far as offerings to our forbears' altar from now to the year end will get the throne." Lang Lieu, the King's ninth son and also the most virtuous prince in a light sleep was instructed by an angel to use rice and make of it two kinds of pudding called Banh Day (Round Rice Pudding) and Banh Chung (Square Rice Pudding). Lang Lieu then won the race to the throne.
Lang Lieu came into power under the royal appellation of Hung Chieu Vuong and was succeeded by Hung Vi Vuong, Hung Dinh Vuong, Hung Uy Vuong, Hung Trinh Vuong, Hung Vu Vuong, Hung Viet Vuong, Hung Anh Vuong, Hung Trieu Vuong, Hung Tao Vuong and Hung Nghi Vuong.
Peace and Prosperity
In short, under the Hong Bang Dynasty with Hung kings as rulers, the Van Lang population really enjoyed for long peace and prosperity and moral excellence. Particularly, King Lac Long Quan devoted much of his time to the dissemination, among his subjects the practice of
tattooing as one of those measures against the threat of river and lake monsters, and of using knives and mattoxes made of stone for the promotion of cereals cultivation. He also taught the Van Lang people how to behave as good citizens and practice good morals.
Successors to King Lac Long Quan still put into effect other innovations in the field of agriculture and administration for the improvement of the Van Lang inhabitants' welfare. For example, they urged their subjects to make the most of irrigation for the development of cultivated areas, and divided the national territory into departments, and set up a clear-cut administrative channel with Lac Hau (civilian ranking officials) and Lac Tuong (military officers) helping the rulers in administrative and military affairs.
Hung kings also pushed ahead the promotion of diplomatic ties with China in an effort to better ensure the independence of Van Lang. (On two occasions, Hung kings appointed ambassadorial delegations to visits of good will to China. Chinese annals acknowledged that at one time, the Bach Viet King from the South offered through a visiting delegation a giant turtle to Emperor Ti Yiu and at another time a white pheasant to Emperor Tcheou Chen Kwan.
Hung kings' outstanding achievements resulted not only in the founding of Vietnam of yore as a nation but also in the establishment of well-defined institutions, administrative, social and economic which made up a civilization of the Viets own, entirely different from that of the Chinese.
Relics Remain
The origin of Hung kings largely remains the product of Vietnam's legend. However, vestiges of the Hong Bang Dynasty such as the Hung kings' Temple in Phu Tho (North Vietnam), the agricultural implements made of stone discovered in Son Tay, Vinh Yen, Bac Giang (North Vietnam) and what was recorded in the Chinese Annals of the Bach Viet (100 principalities) kingdom, South China are evidences to the fact that the Viets of the prehistoric age did inaugurate a monarchical dynasty which lasted for 18 generations under the Hung Vuong appellation as several Vietnamese historians put it.
Note from TT: According to Viet Nam Duy Van Su Quan, by Hoang Van Chi, the name "låc" used in "låc hÀu", "llac. tܧng" came from the Chinese phonetization of the word rice, ló (which became luá at a later time). Apparently, due to the weather up North not being as warm as it is now, the Chinese could not grow rice and they discovered rice when they visited what was the Hung Vuong empire of those days, which covers most of southern China.

Legends during the Hung Vuong period

Legends during the Hung Vuong period
By Nguyen Dat Sinh
To the Vietnamese people, Hung Vuong are considered the founders of their nation, the forefather who had built the basic foundation of the Vietnamese society in the old time. This legend was transmitted orally from generations to generations and has been becoming very familiar to every Vietnamese. It was to appear on the first page of every work of historians in the past, usually commissioned by the ruling dynasties, such as: Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu (Complete History of Dai Viet) edited by historians of the Nguyen Dynasty; Kham Dinh Viet su Thong giam Cuong muc (Summary of the Vietnamese History established by imperial order) edited by historian Ngo Si Lien and collaborators under the Lê Dynasty. The legend was harshly discussed by different
scholars who based their criticism on the lack of documents and the chronology of the facts involved in the legend. But it is so attached to the memory of the Vietnamese people to become their common heritage that reveals an origin and a reason to keep them closely united.
According to the legend, the third descendant of King Than Nong, named De Minh, on his travel to control the southern pant of his kingdom, arrived at the region of Ngu Lïnh, met and married Vu Tien. They had a son named Loc Tuc. Loc Tuc was very intelligent and virtuous, and his father wanted to cede him the throne. But he refused the offer and persuaded his father to pass it on to his elder brother, prince De Nghi. So, De Minh made his eldest son De Nghi his heirs but also conferred Loc Tuc king of the South with the title Kinh Duong Vuong, and the name of the country as Xich Quy.
Kinh Duong Vuong married Long Nu, the daughter of Dong Dinh Vuong - sovereign of the Dong Dinh lake - and gave birth to Sung Lam. When he succeeded his father Sung Lam took the title as Lac Long Quan. Lac Long Quan married au Co the daughter of De Lai and grand child of De Nghi. au Co gave birth to a bag containing one hundred eggs hatching out to one hundred sons. Sometimes later, Lac Long Quan said to au Co: "I am the son of a Dragon, and you are a fairy. We are different in nature and cannot extend our living together. It is time for us to be departed. I'll take fifty of our sons to my kingdom on the sea; the other fifty sons will follow you to the uplands to establish another sovereignty."
Au Co and her fifty sons went to the highlands. She crowned the eldest son, King Hung. Hung Vuong named the country Van Lang and made Phong Chau its capital. So, began the dynasty of Hong Bang, and with it the foundation of the Vietnamese nation.
Hung Vuong divided the country into fifteen counties, called his civilian officials Lac Hau and his military officers Lac Tuong. He also titled his sons as Quan Lang and his daughters My Nuong. The dynasty of Hong Bang lasted for eighteen generations, all of its kings taking the same title Hung Vuong.

Story of the betel leaf and the areca nut

Story of the betel leaf and the areca nut 
There were two twin brothers of the Cao family. Their names were Tan for the eldest brother, and Lang for the youngest one. They got schooling with a Taoist named Chu Chu who lived with his eighteen-year old daughter. He then married her to Tân, and the young couple lived their conjugal life happily. But, Lang found out that his brother treated him less intimately since he got married. In fact, Lang left the house wandering around the country. He reached a larger river and couldn't cross it. Not even a small boat was in the vicinity to transport him to the other side of the river. He was so sad that he kept on weeping till death and was transformed into a lime-stone lying by the river side.
Troubled by the long absence of his brother, Tân went out to look for him. When he reached the riverside he sat on the lime-stone and died by exhaustion and weariness. He was transformed into an areca tree. The young woman in turn was upset by the long absence of her husband and got out for a search. She reached the same place where the areca tree had grown, leaned against the tree and died, transformed into a plant with large piquant leaves climbing on the areca tree. Hearing of this tragic love story, local inhabitants in the area set up a temple to their memory.
One day, King Hùng went by the site and gained knowledge of this story from local people. He ordered his men to take and ground together a leaf of betel, an areca nut and a piece of lime. A juice as red as human blood was squeezed out from the melange. He tasted the juice and found it delicious. Then he recommended the use of betel chewed along with areca nut and lime at every marital ceremony. From this time on, chewing betel became a custom for Vietnamese, and very often they began their conversation with a quid of betel.

Story of the rice cake

Story of the rice cake 
Emperor Hung-Vuong had many sons. Some pursued literary careers. Others excelled in martial arts. The youngest prince named Tiet - Lieu, however, loved neither. Instead, he and his wife and their children chose the countryside where they farmed the land.
One day, toward the end of the year, the emperor met with all his sons. He told them whoever brought him the most special and unusual food would be made the new emperor. Almost immediately, the princes left for their homes and started looking for the most delicious food to offer the emperor. Some went hunting in the forests and brought home birds and animals which they prepared into the most palatable dishes. Some others sailed out to the open sea, trying to catch fish, lobsters and other much loved sea food. Neither the rough sea nor the violent weather could stop them from looking for the best gifts to please the emperor.
In his search, Tiet-Lieu went back to the countryside. He saw that the rice in his paddy fields was ripe and ready to be harvested, Walking by a glutinous rice field, he picked some golden grains on a long stalk. He brought them close to his nose and he could smell a delicate aroma.
His entire family then set out to harvest the rice, Tiet-Lieu himself ground the glutinous rice grains into fine flour. His wife mixed it with water into a soft paste. His children helped by building a fire and wrapping the cakes with leaves. In no time, they finished, and in front of them lay two kinds of cakes: one was round and the other was square in shape.
The round cake was made with glutinous rice dough and was called "banh day" by Tiet-Lieu. He named the square shaped cake "banh chung" which he made with rice, green beans wrapped in leaves. Everybody was extremely happy with the new kind of cakes.


On the first day of Spring, the princes took the gifts of their labor and love to the emperor. One carried a delicious dish of steamed fish and mushrooms. Another brought with him a roasted peacock and some lobsters. All the food was beautifully cooked.
When it was Tiet-Lieu's turn to present his gifts, he carried the "banh chung" and his wife carried the "banh day" to the emperor. Seeing Tiet-Lieu's simple offerings, other princes sneered at them. But after tasting all the food brought to court by his sons, the emperor decided that the first prize should be awarded to Tiet-Lieu.

The emperor then said that his youngest son's gifts were not only the purest, but also the most meaningful because Tiet-Lieu had used nothing except rice which was the basic foodstuff of the people to make them. The emperor gave up the throne and make Tiet-Lieu the new emperor. All the other princes bowed to show respect and congratulated the new emperor.

Legend of the Heavenly King of Phu-Dong

Legend of the Heavenly King of Phu-Dong
In the reign of Emperor Hung-Vuong the Sixth, Vietnam was a peaceful and prosperous country. The Red River was always crowded with boats. Paddy fields extended to the horizon. People were happy.
Then suddenly, from the North came the An invaders. On their war paths, they burned down cities, murdered innocent people and committed all kinds of cruel acts. They destroyed most of the country and made life miserable for the people.
The army of the emperor could not stop the enemy. Emperor Hung-Vuong sent messengers everywhere, trying to find someone who could drive the An invaders out. Young men gathered around those messengers, and listened to the appeal of the emperor. But nobody seemed to be able to save the country.
At the time, in the village of Phu-Dong, lived an old couple with their baby son. Their son was already three years old, and yet, he could neither sit up, nor could he say a word. His old parents were very unhappy.
One day, the emperor's messenger came to the village. He started to read the appeal out loud. Giong, as the boy was named, sat up. He called out his parents and told them he wanted to talk to the messenger. Although the old father was greatly surprised at his son's sudden ability to talk, he rushed out to ask the messenger to come inside.
Before the messenger could say any thing, Giong asked the man to return to the capital and told the emperor that he needed an iron horse, an armor and an iron rod to fight the An invaders. The words from the little boy sounded so clear and so powerful that the messenger quickly obeyed and
went back to the imperial court.
At the request of the messenger, the emperor ordered that all iron from the imperial warehouse be made available He called in every blacksmith of the country to the capital. There, they worked day and night melting down the iron. Then they made a huge horse, a large armor and a long rod of iron.
During this time, at the village of Phu-Dong, Giong started to eat. He ate more and more each day and he grew up very fast. People in the village had to bring more rice to feed Giong who finished one large pot of rice after another. He finally grew up to be a giant.
Then came the day when the imperial guards brought the iron horse, the armor and the rod to Phu-Dong. Giong stood up, stretched his arms and put on the armor. He seized the rod and quickly mounted the iron horse. Soldiers and young men from the village followed him to the front.

 Giong rode off on his horse. The iron horse roared like thunders and breathed fire from its nostrils Behind were soldiers carrying swords and lances vowing to fight the enemies.
When he saw the enemies, Giong sped forward, charging straight into to the An invaders. The fire from the nostrils of the iron horse burned many enemy soldiers to death, Giong struck at the enemies with his iron rod. The enemy soldiers soon broke ranks and fled, leaving behind their dead and wounded.
The enemies were reinforced with their best generals. Giong again rode into the battle and killed most of the An generals. As a result, the iron rod in his hand broke and became useless.
Giong pulled scores of bamboo trees from a nearby forest and used them to fight the enemies. Then the trees broke, he pulled up others along the way. The last enemy general was killed with those bamboo trees. The invaders were defeated.
Giong ordered his soldiers to return to the capital to bring the victorious news to the emperor. Then Giong rode his iron horse up the Soc sÖn mountain where he removed his armor and disappeared. People believed he went up to heaven.
Emperor Hung-Vuong thought it was God who had sent Giong down to save the country. He gave orders that a temple be built in memory of Giong. He also awarded Giong the title of Heavenly King of Phu-Dong. A temple can still be found not far from the place where he ascended to heaven, and every year there is a festival to honor Giong.

Legend of Son Tinh (Mountain Spirit) and Thuy Tinh (Sea Spirit)

Legend of Son Tinh (Mountain Spirit) and Thuy Tinh (Sea Spirit) 
Once upon a time, Emperor Hung Vuong the Eighteenth had a beautiful daughter, Princess Mi Nuong. Her beauty was so renowned that many suitors from foreign lands came to ask the Emperor for her hand. However, the Emperor did not believe that any one of them was good enough for his beautiful daughter. He wanted Mi Nuong to marry someone really distinguished and powerful. Her mother, the Empress was very much concerned for Mi Nuong's future. The Empress looked at her daughter saying: "It is time you should get married, my darling. I hope your father will find a suitable man for you".
The Princess could not hide her emotion and happiness, her beautiful eyes were blurred with tear. She said "Mother, thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. It is up to you and Father to decide for me. I understand that I have to get married and bear children like other women. I believe Father will choose a suitable person".
One day, at the court there appeared two young men. One of them was Son Tinh, the Mountain Spirit, and the other one was Thuy Tinh, the Sea Spirit. Both of them were equally handsome, distinguished, and powerful. The difference in character between the two men was that while
Son Tinh was gentle and quiet, Thuy Tinh had a fiery temper.
Son Tinh bowed his head and respectfully said to the Emperor: "My name is Son Tinh. My kingdom includes all mountains. I reign over all creatures living on the mountains. I own all the riches of the mountains including all the beautiful trees, plants, and flowers. I can summon lions and birds, I can make the mountains grow high to the sky. I want to marry the Princess and promise to bring her happiness and an eternal life".
Thuy Tinh stepped forward, bowed his head and said: "My name is Thuy Tinh. I am the Spirit of the Seas. I reign over all creatures living in the water. I own all coral, pearls, and treasures under the sea. I can raise the level of the sea as high as the mountain top. I can make rain and gather storms. If the Princess marries me, she will become the Queen of the Sea. The most wonderful undersea world and the most magnificent undersea palace will be hers".
The Emperor listened attentively to the suitors. He was reluctant in his choice because both suitors arrived at the same time and were equally handsome and powerful. Then he said to the suitors: "Tomorrow whoever brings the wedding gifts first, will have the hand of the Princess." The suitors left the court and hurried back to their kingdoms in the hope of getting married with the Princess.
Thuy Tinh had all his men collect the best pearls and jewelry, and the most exquisite sea food and delicious seaweed. Son Tinh rushed back to the mountain. He ordered his men to collect the best diamonds and the most precious stones they could find. He also selected the most delicious fruit and most fragrant flowers on earth for the Emperor and the Empress.


The next morning, Son Tinh and a hundred attendants were the first who came to the court. He brought trays full of jewels and baskets full of mango, grapes, strawberries, roses, orchids, etc. The Emperor was delighted with all the gifts. He agreed to let Son Tinh marry his daughter. Mi Nuong bid farewell to the Emperor and the Empress. Then she stepp
ed into the palaquin and followed Son Tinh to his Kingdom on the mountain.
Alter Son Tinh and Mi Nuong had just left the court, Thuy Tinh came with his men carrying trays of jewels, pearls, and baskets full of sea food. Thuy Tinh was so angry when he heard Mi Nuong had gone with Son Tinh just minutes before. He immediately ordered his men to pursue Son Tinh and to take Mi Nuong away.
Thuy Tinh yelled at his men and flourished his magic sword. Then the creatures in the sea turned into thousands of soldiers. Heavy rains began to fall. Gusty winds began to blow. The water level rose higher and higher. The high waves and the flood washed down thousands of trees and houses.
Son Tinh had his own magic wand, too. He turned the animals on the mountain into thousands of soldiers to fight back. He turned the mountain higher as the water rose. The war between Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh lasted for days. No one won the war. Many lives were lost. Finally, Thuy Tinh and his men ceased and withdrew to the sea. However, Thuy Tinh could not give up the idea of taking the Princess back for himself. So, every year Thuy Tinh raises the water and gathers storms up to the mountain top where Son Tinh and Mi Nuong are living. However, he never wins the war. Every year, when the war between the two spirits breaks out, people and animals suffer, crops and properties are destroyed.

Legend of the water melon

Legend of the water melon (dua hau) 
Once upon a time, the sixth son of King Hung Vuong the Fifth named An-Tiem disobeyed the King's order and was exiled to a deserted island.
The Prince had to build his own shelter, dig a well for water, and fish and hunt animals for food. One day, he found a green fruit as big and round as a ball. He split the fruit into halves and found the inside of the fruit red. He dared not eat it because he was afraid it was poisonous.


Days passed and the dry and sunny season came. It was so hot that all the plants were dry and the well had no water left. One day An-Tiem was so tired and thirsty that he tasted the fruit He found out that it tasted delicious and quenched his thirst. He
tried to grow the plant around his house then. Soon the whole island was covered with the green fruit.
An-Tiem carved the island's name and his own on some of the fruit and threw them into the sea. Later, seamen found the strange fruit with An-Tiem's name floating in the sea.
Soon, words about the fruit reached the continent and many merchants tried to find the way the island. This then turned the deserted island into a busy island. The island was now crowded. Many boats came and went. An-Tiem helped anyone who wanted settle on the island. Soon, news about that reach the King.
King Hung Vuong was very proud of having a son who was brave and strong enough to overcome difficulties without anyone's help. An-Tiem was immediately summoned back to the court. He brought his fruit with him to offer the King, his father. The King gave him his crown and An-Tiem became King Hung Vuong VI.
Since then the fruit which was called "dua hau" and has become the symbol of luck; people often offer it to relatives and friends as a New Year present.

THE LEGEND OF PRINCESS LIEU HANH

THE LEGEND OF PRINCESS LIEU HANH 
Adapted by George F. Schultz 
The events described in this legend are said to have taken place during the reign of the Emperor Le Anh Tong, who ruled over Dai Viet from 1556 to 1573.
Since the exiled princess was a daughter of Ngoc Hoang, the Emperor of Jade, supreme deity of the Taoists, we may suppose that the story is of Taoist inspiration.
The legend is sometimes entitled "The Exiled Fairy" since the celestial princess was of course an immortal or fairy (tien).
One autumn night, the Emperor Le Anh Tong had a strange prophetic dream. Under the high ceiling of a vast hall, the supporting columns of which were made of the four precious stones he saw two rows of mandarins, arrayed in magnificent court dress, standing attentively. In the center of the hall, at the top of the nine steps, Ngoc Hoang, the Jade Emperor, dressed in a magnificent tunic embroidered with golden dragons, was seated on his throne.
A young maiden then entered the hall; as she walked toward, the pearls dangling from the sash at her waist tingled harmoniously. Standing near the steps leading up to the throne, she held in her hands a jade cup in which she offered Ngoc Hoang the Wine of Longevity. As the Jade Emperor learned forward to receive the cup, it fell from the maiden's grasp and crashed to the floor, breaking into a thousand pieces.
Immediately, a genie seated to the Jade Emperor's left was seen to open a large book and inscribe two characters therein. Two courtiers then conducted the unfortunate maiden towards a door over which was written in golden characters "EXILE BY IMPERIAL DECREE." This inscription was followed by the character for "south (nam)". It was evident that because of her carelessness in serving
the Jade Emperor the maiden had been banished from the Celestial Empire and thenceforth would have to seek an existence on the dark, unfriendly Earth below.
Emperor Le Anh Tong awakened with a start. The palace was filled with a bright light, and the sweet smell of incense invaded his chamber. A courtier was kneeling on the phoenix-embroidered mat; when ordered to speak, he informed the emperor that during the night the empress had given birth to a princess. She was named Lieu Hanh.
As Princess Lieu Hanh grew to womanhood, she became famous throughout the Empire of Dai Viet for her perfect beauty. She preferred to live in a small palace at some distance from the court, which her father had been pleased to build for her there so that she might pursue her studies in quietude.
The princess loved to sit at the edge of a pool fringed with lotus blossoms, painting rustic landscapes or playing the lute or the flute. She would oftentimes compose verses in honor of the four seasons of the year, and these she would then sing to her own accompaniment.
As the pure tones of the maiden's lute floated through the soft air of the garden, the Emperor would go there to listen. Then he would be struck by a sad melancholy which seemed to penetrate to his very soul. He would frown as he spoke.
"Why must you play these sorrowful airs?" he would ask.
Having no answer for her father's question, Princess Lieu Hanh would remain silent.
When the Emperor decided that it was time for the princess to marry, he selected a handsome young mandarin named Dao Lang to be her husband. Although she seemed quite happy with married life, three years later the princess took sick and died.
After his wife's death, the mandarin was rarely seen at court. He spent most of his time in the princess's little palace, where he could sit at the edge of the lotus pool. He had kept a few locks of his wife's hair, which still retained the fragrance of her perfume. In the silent garden he seemed to hear again the pure tones of the lute of former times.
At the end of a year, as was the custom, Princess Lieu Hanh's coffin was opened so that her remains could be laid to rest in her permanent tomb. When the coffin was found to be empty, Dao Lang turned pale and was unable to speak or move.
The following day, the mandarin requested an audience with the Emperor and begged to be permitted to resign his position at court so that he might retire to his native village of Ton Huong, in Nghe An province. His resignation was accepted.
On Dao Lang's return to his native village, he again visited the sites dear to the Immortals. The rumble of the sea was heard beneath the purple slopes of Mt. Hoanh Son, the home of flocks of colorful herons. The little village of Ton Huong was backed against a hill covered with fragrant plants. Dao Lang was fond of strolling about under the tall trees, where he could listen to the murmur of a hidden spring that seemed to accompany his reveries.
One day, the young widower set off along a path shaded by century-old sophoras; it led to an old temple, the half-broken steps of which lay hidden under piles of dead leaves. On a branch he saw a piece of red paper on which were written some verses in old characters, their meaning unclear. For a moment he thought he detected footsteps on the soft moss; but he saw no one.
The following day, he returned to the temple and waited. There was a mysterious rustle in the silent woods; then a little puff of wind bearing a familiar fragrance met his steps as he moved forward. Suddenly he perceived the shadow of the loved one of yesteryear appear under the dark vault of the sophoras.
The princess's approach was signaled by the sound of the pearls dangling from the sash at
her waist. When they met, she told her husband of her origin and of how she had come to be exiled to the Earth.
"The period of my exile has come to a close," she said, "but the magic peace of the garden and the lotus pond will remain with me forever. Today we have met again; however, no one can say how long we may be able to remain together."
In the shade of a mango tree, a son was born to the reunited couple; their happiness seemed complete. One evening, the princess played some old familiar melodies on the flute. The cold tones slipping from the instrument produced a feeling of nostalgia. When the last note had faded away, Dao Lang stood motionless, looking at the moonlight on a quiet bay.
From afar, as if from an unknown land, a serene melody rose through the air. Then it faded into space, although the effect seemed to remain. Lieu Hanh shuddered; laying aside the flute, she walked towards her husband.
"It is time to part again," she said simply. "Farewell."
Dao Lang gave no sign of comprehension. Slowly his wife receded towards he door and raised the curtain. The sound of her pearls tinkled harmoniously and then everything was silent.
Their son became a famous scholar.
Dao Lang erected a small altar under the sophoras in the sacred woods hat had witnessed his meeting with Princess Lieu Hanh. This altar is till to be seen in the vicinity of Ton Huong.

The story of Truong's wife

The story of Truong's wife
Adapted by An Dinh Ton 
The temple to Truong's wife is located on the side of the Hoang river, village of Vu dien, district Ly Nhan, province of Ha Nam. Here is her story.
She married a man of the Truong family. After a half a year, he was conscripted to go and fight a distant war. When he left, she was pregnant. She gave birth to boy, which she name Dan. During her husband absence, as she sat with her child, she would point to her shadow and would tell him that that was his father. After three years, her husband was released from service and came home. The boy by then could talk. When he called him, he replied:
You are also my dad? How can you talk now? My dad used to be silent. He came at night. He would sit when mom sat. He would move when mom moved.
The husband was struck by what his son has revealed to him. He became suspicious, then
questioned his wife and did not believe when she denied having been with another man. He gave her such a hard time that in despair she jumped in the Hoang river to kill herself to prove her faithfulness.
Then one night, as he sat with his child, he pointed to the shadow of his father on the wall and said:
My dad has come back, see!
It finally struck the husband that his wife has used her shadow to provide the boy with as a surrogate father. As he came to recognize the injustice he did onto his wife, he built a altar on the river edge so that he can make offering to help free her soul. The people of the village subsequently built a temple in her honor. King Le Thanh Ton (1442 - 1497) on a tour of this province passed the temple and this inspired the following poem about her temple:
This column of incense smoke by the whirlpool
Is this the temple of the wife of Truong.
When the oil lamp is out, do not listen to the child,
Why the river to bring her misfortune.
Witnesses of her faithfulness are the sun and the moon
Why is it necessary to have an altar to redress the injustice
Passing by we learn the ins and outs of this story
Truong you have been too harsh!
King Le Thanh Ton reigned from 1460 to 1497. He was one of the enlightened King of the
Early Le dynasty. He made political reforms and also was a patron of the arts. He founded the 'Tao dan nhi thap bat tu', the 28-star literary society, and was their leader.

The dialog mount Na-Son

The dialog mount Na-Son
Adapted by George F. Schultz 
The mountains of the province of Thanh Hoa, which are covered with dense forests for hundreds of miles, once served as an asylum for those hermits who chose to flee from the world in order to lead a life of meditation and solitude. At the beginning of the fifteenth century, an aged woodcutter was living on Mount Na-Son, in the district of Nong Cong. Daily he went to the village, where he would exchange his load of wood for wine and rice; he never found it necessary to save a single sapeque. When met by the farmers along the way, he would speak to them about the cultivation of their mulberry trees. When asked his name and origin, he would only smile. In the evening, when the sun had set below the tops of the mountains, the woodcutter would slowly return to the little hut that was his home.
One day, during a hunting expedition, King Ho Han Thuong happened to cross the woodcutter's path. The latter was walking along singing some verses of his own composition. The king stopped to listen.
"Na-Son has jagged rocks and dark trees.
I dress in leaves and adorn myself with orchids.
On all sides blue peaks surround my abode.
In the distance stretches the plain of green rice fields,
Far from the whirl of horses and chariots.
The world's dust does not touch these places.
The tall grasses efface every vestige of war.
The Earth buries the Court's decorations."
His song ended, the woodcutter arranged the flap of his tunic and disappeared in the forest.
The king was certain that he had encountered a sage and ordered one of his mandarins, Truong Cong by name, to invite the old man to his Court. The mandarin called to him, but the woodcutter was already deep in the forest. Truong Cong then set out to follow him.
The mist was already forming on the branches of the pines. Unused to the rugged terrain, Truong Cong had great difficulty in avoiding the vines and brambles that encumbered his path. The farther he advanced, the steeper the slope became. Greatly outdistanced by the woodcutter, the mandarin was soon lost in the unfamiliar surroundings. Raising his eyes, he saw that the shadows of the night had already invaded the mountains and that the trees had begun to blur. Somewhat uneasy, he would have liked to turn back; then a cock's crow from a neighboring bamboo thicket revived his hopes. At the thought that he must be near some human habitation, he raised himself on his stick and reached level ground.
The mandarin saw a small hut standing at the edge of a stream. Peach and plum trees with young, green trunks shaded its porch; here and there chrysanthemums were growing. Inside the hut he saw a rattan bed on which were lying a guitar, a flute, and a bamboo pillow. On the whitewashed walls, two songs were written in cursive characters: "Love of Chess" and "Love of the Summit".
The woodcutter was seated nearby, teaching a blackbird to speak. He appeared surprised to see Truong Cong.
"This corner of the world is lonely and deserted," he said. "Why did you take the trouble to climb up here?"
"I am a servitor of the king," replied Truong Cong. "Knowing that you are a sage, His Majesty sent me here to invite you to come to the Court. An escort awaits you at the edge of the forest."
"I am only an old man who has fled from the dust of the world", replied the woodcutter, smiling. "I earn my living with the ax, and my friends are the deer and the fish and the moon and the wind. I know only how to quench my thirst at the spring, how to prepare the roots of the forest for food, and how to sleep soundly amidst the mist."
The woodcutter then invited Truong Cong to remain with him and to partake of his modest meal of rice and vegetable. The two men conversed until far into the night without once referring to the affairs of State.
But the following morning, Truong Cong repeated his invitation.
"The famous hermits of olden times were not indifferent to the welfare of the State," he said. "In their retreats, they awaited the propitious hour at which to offer their services to the sovereign. For example, La Vong abandoned his line in the waters of the River Vi in order to serve King Chu Van Vuong. Although your knowledge is immense and your talent is great, you conceal yourself deep in the forest. I beg you to reconsider so that those who wish to bring happiness to mankind will not be deprived of your services."
"Every man has his own vocation," replied the woodcutter. "Nghiem Tu Lang declined Han Quang Vo's offer and refused to exchange his peaceful life on the banks of the Dong Thuy for the duties of prime minister at the Court; my slight merit could never be likened to his. Up to now, Heaven has been kind to me, and I desire no more happiness than that given to me in this verdant haven. If I were ambitious to tread the narrow road to honors, not only would I blush with shame for my failure to keep faith with the ancients, but I would also lose the friendship of the monkeys and the cranes. I beg you to return alone and not to insist further in this matter."
"Must you find every action in the present world contemptible?" asked Truong Cong. "Our monarch is great and men come from beyond the four seas to visit him. Chiem Thanh (Champa) has relinquished certain territories in order to be recognized as his vassal. The North (China) has sent gifts and has withdrawn its forces. Lao Oua and Dai Ly have likewise submitted to his will. He now lacks only the counsel of sages in order to glorify his virtue and to make his reign comparable to those of Duong Nghieu and Ngu Thuan of the Golden Age. If you sincerely desire to live apart from the world, I must respect your wish. But if you will think of the common weal, you will not let this opportunity slip from your hands."
"Your words do me too much honor," replied the woodcutter. Then he asked, "The present sovereign is of the Ho family isn't he?"
"That is correct."
"Did he not abandon Long Do in order to establish his capital at An Ton?"
"Yes, certainly."
"Although I have never set foot in the palace nor even in the capital," continued the woodcutter, "I have learned a great deal about the king. Lies, ambition, and luxury are the members of his entourage. He exhausted the people to build the Fortress of Kim Au. He emptied the national treasury to construct the walls of Hoa Nhai. Gold is thrown about like so much withered grass and jade, like dirt. Meanwhile, corruption buys titles and rank and opens the gates of the prisons. The masses are murmuring with dissent, and rebellion flares up on the bank of the River Day. The North has taken advantage of the situation to demand the cession of Loc Chau. The Court mandarins imitate the sovereign and become his accomplices in crime. That is why I fled from the world and concealed myself in the mountains and forests. Why should I return to drown in the tumultuous torrents of politics and thus throw the precious stone of Con Son into the flames?"
Unable to reply to these arguments, Truong Cong remained silent. He departed then and reported the woodcutter's words to King Ho Han Thuong. After a moment of anger, the monarch seemed delighted to receive an honest man's opinion. He ordered Truong Cong to supply himself with magnificent gifts for the sage and to go to his retreat a second time.
When the mandarin arrived at the summit, he saw that weeds and grass obstructed the approaches to the hermit's hut. On the stone wall, he noticed two verses that had been freshly brushed thereon with pine resin:
"At the mouth of the Ky La, poetic inspiration will be suddenly shattered; Beneath the summit of Cao Vong, misfortune will overtake the stranger."
No one understood the significance of these prophetic words.
When the king learned that the sage had vanished without a trace, he became furious and ordered his troops to set fire to his mountain. The trunks of the giant trees crackled in the heat, and the rising smoke obscured the horizon for many miles. A black crane was seen to leave the conflagration and trace great circles in the sky before disappearing in the direction of the sea.
Several years later (in 1407), the Minh (Chinese dynasty: Ming, 1368-1628) invaded Dai Ngu. The Ho armies lost battle after battle and were forced to retreat to the province of Nghe An. Ho Qui Ly was captured at the mouth of the Ky La River and his son Ho Han Thuong, on Mount Cao Vong; their last faithful followers fell at their side. In this way, the prediction contained in the couplet inscribed on the stone wall on the summit of Mount Na-Son came true.
The ephemeral Ho dynasty, which ruled Dai Ngu from 1400 to 1407, is not considered a legitimate dynasty by Vietnamese historians. Ho Qui Ly, the first Ho king, usurped the power in the year 1400. One year later, he assumed the title of thai-thuong-hoang (supreme emperor), and his son Ho Han Thuong became king.
Ho Qui Ly tried to maintain that he was a descendant of Ngu Thuan, one of the five legendary emperors of the Golden Age of Ancient China; therefore, he changed the name of Dai Viet to Dai Ngu. He was no ordinary man; but as an usurper, he did not have the support of the people and failed in his effort to establish a lasting dynasty.

The golden ax

The golden ax
Adapted by George F. Schultz 
There was once a very poor man who lived near the forest. He was able to earn enough for a bare existence by cutting firewood, which his wife would barter for rice in the market place.
One day, when this man was cutting wood at the river's edge, the ax slipped from his hands and fell into the water. Although the woodcutter searched for it everywhere, it was not to be found. Discouraged, he sat down on the bank, lowered his head sadly, and wondered how he would be able to earn a living in the future. When the man raised his eyes again, he saw a little old man standing in front of him. The newcomer asked the woodcutter the reason for his unhappiness. The latter described what had happened and added that the lost ax had been his most valuable possession. Only with it would he be able to earn his daily rice.
"I am the dragon of this river," said the old man sympathetically, "and I am going to help you. If you will wait here for a minute, I will recover your ax for you."
With these words the old man plunged into the water. A few moments later, he reappeared, holding a golden ax in his hand.
"Is this your ax?" he asked.
"No," replied the woodcutter, "that is not mine. My ax was made of iron and had a wooden handle."
The river-dragon plunged into the water again and then emerged holding aloft a silver ax.
"Is this ax yours?" he asked.
Again the honest woodcutter replied in the negative.
The dragon then submerged for a third time. When he reappeared, he was holding a very ordinary iron ax in his hand.
"Is this your ax?" he asked the woodcutter.
"Yes," came the reply, "that is mine, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your assistance."
"You are an honest man," said the river-dragon then. "For that reason, in addition to this iron ax, I am going to give you one of silver and one of gold as well."
It was difficult for the simple woodcutter to find words with which to thank his benefactor. He picked up the three axes and returned to his cottage.
The evidence of all this new wealth soon aroused the speculation of the woodcutter's neighbors. With the exception of one man, however, they all wished him well.
This man was full of envy and was greatly desirous of obtaining for himself a golden or silver ax. From the woodcutter he obtained an exact description of the place on the river bank where the miraculous event had taken place. The greedy man then found an old, rusty ax and went there with it. He threw the iron ax into the water and pretended to be greatly troubled because of its loss.
The little old man appeared before the man and asked the cause of his trouble. Falsely the man described his loss and begged for the old man's assistance.
"You shall receive justice," was the reply. Thereupon, the old man plunged into the river and reappeared with a golden ax in his hand.
Before the dragon even had time to ask the question, the man shouted, "That's my ax. Give it to me at once."
"You are lying," replied the dragon angrily. Raising the ax high in the air, he struck the liar a blow on the neck, killing him instantly.
Since that time, no one has ever tried to obtain a golden ax or even a silver one from the river-dragon's hoard.
==
Note. This story is probably of Buddhist inspiration but Confucianists would also approve of its moral: Greed is indicted and punished; honesty is rewarded. It also illustrates Vietnamese belief in the supernatural river-dragon, a generally beneficent creature, who is said to inhabit the depths of every stream and to be able to assume human shape at will.

-------------------------------->

The secret housewife

The secret housewife
Adapted by George F. Schultz 
There was once a young man who had lost both his parents and was left entirely alone in the world. There was no one to keep house for him. When he returned home in the evening, tired and hungry, he had to prepare his own meal and wash his own dishes.
It was distasteful to continue living in this manner, and the young man often thought how pleasant it would be to have a helpmate. He earned so little, however, that no father would ever have considered him seriously as a prospective son-in-law.
One evening, the young man returned home to find a five meal on the table and his house in perfect order. He sat down at the table, ate the food, and went to bed wholly satisfied; still he was unable to imagine who might be taking such good care of him. In the morning, when he arose, breakfast had been prepared and was already on the table. It was all very unusual because the house had been locked during the night and he had not heard the slightest noise.
The matter continued in the same way for several days. It was evident that some unknown person was looking out for his welfare. Although grateful for the service he was receiving the young man was plagued by curiosity and greatly desired to make acquaintance of his unknown benefactor.
One morning, he pretended to depart as usual but slipped back into the house through an open window. Then he saw a wonderfully beautiful young woman step out of a picture that was hanging on the wall. She immediately set about cleaning and polishing the furniture. With a leap he locked the door and ran to the center of the room, where he grasped the young woman by the arms and held her firmly.
"Are you the one who has been preparing my meals and doing my housework?" he asked.
"I was sorry for you," she replied. "That's why I did it."
"I want you to take care of me for the rest of my life," said the young man then. "Will you marry me?"
"That would not be possible," replied the young woman. "You are a real man and I am only a portrait on the wall. We are not of the same mold."
Thereupon, the young man removed the picture from the wall and locked it in a trunk.
"You can no longer go back to the picture," he said triumphantly. "Now, will you be my wife?"
The young woman had to give her consent. They were married, lived happily together, and became the parents of three handsome sons. The man grew older with time, but his wife did not age. She always appeared just as young as the day on which she had stepped forth from the portrait.
People then began to wonder about the woman's perennial youthfulness and even her three sons showed their concern. One day, the eldest asked his father about it. At first, the father refused to answer his son's questions; but the latter persisted until told that his mother was a living picture and would never change. He refused to believe it, however, and the father became angry at his son's lack of respect.
"If you will not believe me," he said, "take a look at the frame from which your mother stepped forth."
Then he gave his son the key to the trunk in which the picture frame was kept.
Even when he had seen the frame for himself, the son refused to believe that his mother had once been a part of it. But as he did not wish to anger his father further, he waited until he had left the house before questioning his mother.
"Mother," he asked then, "Is it true that you originated from a picture?"
"Who ever told you that?" she asked in turn.
"I have seen the frame," replied the son, "but I do not believe that you were ever in it."
"Where is the frame?" asked the mother excitedly.
The son produced the key, opened the trunk, took out the frame, and handed it to his mother. She accepted it without a word and then hung it on the wall in its old place.
"Call your brothers!" she ordered.
When the mother's three sons were there with her, she spoke to them in heartrending words.
"I can no longer remain with you, my sons," she said. "I no longer belong to the world of mankind. Say farewell for me to your father, thank him for the good life he has given me, and love each other."
Having said these words, she dried her tears and stepped into the frame.
"Mother," cried the three sons, "come back!"
But the mother looked at them emotionlessly from the portrait and paid no attention to their pleas.
That evening, when the husband returned home and learned of the misfortune that had befallen his family, he wanted to hang himself from grief. But then, thinking of his sons, he reconsidered. He placed a cloth over the picture, removed it from the wall, carried it from the house, and sold it to an art dealer.
Several years later, the man married again. His second wife was of this world and cared for his children as if they were her own. She grew old naturally and finally died.
=== Note: The theme of "the secret housewife" is a recurrent one in Oriental folklore. In the story presented here, the young woman is obviously a "fairy" or immortal (tien) and comes to earth through the medium of a picture. Sometimes, she is a shape-changing fox (a fallen deity) or a celestial maiden who loses her special garment and is bound to earth until it is returned to her.
There is a long poem in Vietnamese, written by an anonymous author, entitled "Bich-Cau Ky-Ngo (The Strange Meeting at Bich-Cau)" that also makes use of this theme. The young man's name is Tu Uyen and the tien who steps out of the picture to do his housework and then to become his wife is named Giang Kieu. The poem is much elaborate than the rather simple version given here.