Impressions on Pham Ngũ Lão's poem 'Revealing the Heart'

'Revealing the Heart' is a poem that delves into the Confucian concept of the noble duty of a man. The poem beautifully portrays the image of a heroic figure in turbulent times: a valiant warrior, boldly wielding a spear, fighting in the East and suppressing the North to achieve glory. The poem brings to mind a folk verse:

To be a man, one must act as a man should

Phu Xuan has experienced, Dong Nai has seen

That is the ideal standard of a man in any era. In times of chaos, such spirit becomes even more essential. Pham Ngũ Lão has personified the Confucian belief in the worthiness of a true man. This is a righteous and noble ideology. As human beings, whether male or female, young or old, everyone has a responsibility to the country, the homeland, the community, especially those born as warriors in turbulent times. They must use their strength and intellect to assist the people, serve the country, and protect the stability of society. For ancient gentlemen, repaying the debt to the nation and showing gratitude to the king were their ideals and life purposes. As Nguyen Cong Tru once said:

Born into this world under heaven and earth

What reputation do we have with mountains and rivers?

If they cannot achieve this path of success, they will feel ashamed in front of everyone. The entire life of a virtuous person has only one ideal to pursue, and that is to establish a reputation. The path that Confucianism has laid out for all young men is to 'cultivate oneself, govern the country, bring peace to the world.' This ideology has become a driving force motivating Confucian scholars to use their talents to assist the nation. The progressive Confucian of the 20th century - Phan Boi Chau - also demonstrated with spirit and passion the heroic ethos of those in turbulent times:

To be a man, one must be extraordinary in the world

Perhaps to seek wisdom and move forward on its own

In a span of a hundred years, there must be a servant

Will there be anyone daring in the future?
 

Essay: Impressions on the Best 'Revealing the Heart' Poem

That ideology has created a beautiful image expressing the aspiration for national salvation in Vietnamese literature:

Desiring to cross the Eastern Sea on the wings of the wind

Countless silver waves bid farewell to the open sea

Throughout thousands of years of history, our country has undergone numerous wars for national defense. A small nation always faces the threat of invasion, making the consciousness of safeguarding the nation an instinctive awareness for every citizen. Therefore, the most beautiful image of a hero is always the hero of turbulent times. Among them, the image of the warrior in 'Revealing the Heart' is an ideal and beautiful representation. In that historical period, the Trần dynasty, with three victories over the Mongol invaders, wrote brilliant pages in our nation's history of resisting foreign aggression. After those warriors, there are many other admirable figures, including the soldiers of Uncle Ho, the national defense forces in the resistance against the French, and the liberating soldiers - the Thach Sanh of the 20th century - in the resistance against the Americans...

The heroic figure with lofty ideals, who once fought in the East and suppressed the North, creating the formidable momentum of 'swallowing the stars,' still reflects on their career with lingering concerns:

The fame and duty of a man still linger

Blushing with shame, he listened to the tale of Vũ Hầu

This is the shame of a noble character. Even with achievements, the virtuous person never stops in their career pursuits. Pham Ngũ Lão, through 'Revealing the Heart,' showcased the noble character of a military leader, a person throughout their life longing to establish a reputation, desiring to use their strength and intellect to aid the nation. The poem is our pride in the ethical tradition and patriotic spirit of our ancestors.

Pham Ngũ Lão is a renowned military general of the Tran dynasty, excelling in both literary and martial arts. In the resistance against the Mongol invaders, under the command of Hung Dao Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan, Pham Ngũ Lão achieved many outstanding feats, significantly contributing to the majestic atmosphere of East Asia in that era. However, when Pham Ngũ Lão is mentioned, people not only remember him as a military strategist but also recognize him as a poet. Among his works, 'Art of Waiting' ('Revealing the Heart') stands out as one of Pham Ngũ Lão's most famous pieces.

The poem 'Art of Waiting' is written in the form of a four-line poem with seven-word verses. Through the poem, Pham Ngũ Lão expressed the aspirations of the youth in the contemporary feudal society, the desire to contribute to the country, the heroic patriotism, and the spirit of the people of the Tran dynasty at that time.

Riding through the vast land for ages

Three armies echo the tiger's courage in the countryside

Southern men willingly sacrifice their reputations for duty

He lectures on virtue to the common people, narrating the tale of Vũ Hầu.

In the first two lines, the author focuses on describing the beauty of the warriors of East Asia:

Riding through the vast land for ages

Three armies echo the tiger's courage in the countryside.

By direct portrayal, Pham Ngũ Lão has constructed individuals embodying the beauty of the era: robust, intense, brimming with the vitality of these young warriors - soldiers sacrificing themselves for the nation.

'Riding through the vast land for ages' translates to 'holding the spear horizontally guarding the mountains and rivers for many autumns.' Compared to the poetic translation 'Dancing with the spear, embracing the mountains and rivers for countless autumns,' the translation hasn't fully captured the heroic stance of the soldiers standing in battle to defend the Motherland. The posture of holding the spear horizontally creates a sturdy and dignified stance, like a bronze statue, imposing and unyielding. On the other hand, 'dancing with the spear' brings a lively, dynamic element. The poem's idea of 'holding the spear horizontally guarding the mountains and rivers' sketches the image of the brave warriors standing proudly alongside the universe, emerging on the mountains and rivers, steadfast for decades. It can be said that the first verse successfully depicts the monument of the soldiers defending the country, an exemplary upright beauty representing the spirit of the Tran era.

Expressing impressions after studying the poem 'Revealing the Heart'

Moving on, the second verse 'Three armies echo the tiger's courage in the countryside,' here the author uses the idiom 'tiger's courage in the countryside' to illustrate the unstoppable fighting spirit of the Tran people. The author employs the technique of personification to elevate the strength of our people, shining even beyond the power of the universe, surpassing the bright stars in the sky. The verse uses personification to highlight the beauty of the Tran warriors, elevating that beauty to the level of the universe.

Born as an experienced military leader, later becoming a prominent general while still very young. Pham Ngũ Lão, like many other brave young men, carries lofty ideals within him, aiming to defend the country, practicing 'loyalty to the army, love for the nation,' and aspiring to etch his name in history as 'leaving a lasting reputation for future generations.' The noble aspiration of Pham Ngũ Lão aligns with the prevalent ideals found in ancient literature, as seen in Nguyen Cong Tru's poem 'The Duty of a Man': 'Being a man, standing in the heavens and earth, what reputation can one have with the mountains and rivers?' Due to such grand aspirations, not fulfilling one's duty becomes a source of shame: 

Southern men willingly sacrifice their reputations for duty

He lectures on virtue to the common people, narrating the tale of Vũ Hầu.

Poetry translation: 

The reputation of a man endures, debts of honor linger

Blushing, listening to the tale of Vũ Hầu's exploits.

Vũ Hầu, also known as Khổng Minh, a brilliant military figure during the Three Kingdoms period, achieved significant victories that resounded through the annals of history.

Pham Ngũ Lão looked upon the great heroes, illustrious generals of history, reflecting upon them to strive forward. Using the word 'blushing' as motivation to continue advancing, looking at the examples set by those who came before. The verse expresses the author's aspirations, and those of the young men of that time in general, the desire to contribute, to play a part in safeguarding the precious land and rivers. It is this very aspiration that created the resplendent spirit of East Asia in history.