Insights on character and lifestyle drawn from the tales of Vice Minister To Hien Thanh and Court Advisor Tran Thu Do

Prompt: Insights on character and lifestyle drawn from the tales of Vice Minister To Hien Thanh and Court Advisor Tran Thu Do

Lessons on character and lifestyle drawn from the stories of Vice Minister To Hien Thanh and Court Advisor Tran Thu Do

I. Outline Lessons on character and lifestyle drawn from the stories of Vice Minister To Hien Thanh and Court Advisor Tran Thu Do

1. Introduction

Brief overview of To Hien Thanh and Tran Thu Do.
 

2. Body:

a. Vice Minister To Hien Thanh:

* To Hien Thanh's character amidst the Queen's schemes:
- Regarding the Queen's attempt to bribe his wife, he straightforwardly stated, 'As the Prime Minister, if I were to accept bribes now, how would I face the King under the golden stream?'
=> The lesson on princely conduct is absolute loyalty, determined not to betray the entrusted word of the king. Additionally, it's a lesson on the ethics of being human, maintaining integrity not only with the living but also with the departed.

- When the Queen tempted To Hien Thanh with wealth and luxury, he outrightly refused, even citing Confucian teachings and traditional respect for the deceased to rebut the Queen's words.
=> The lesson here is about forthrightness, integrity, fearlessness against authority, and steadfastness, not swayed by fame, materialism, or the allure of wealth, and maintaining loyalty and integrity even to the departed.

- In the event of the Queen's conspiracy to usurp the throne, Tô Hiến Thành did not hesitate to command his officials to wholeheartedly support the new king, determined to use the law to suppress the Queen.
=> The lesson here is about steadfastness, resolutely upholding the country's laws, fearing no authority, wholeheartedly supporting the new king, and loyalty to the nation, demonstrating Tô Hiến Thành's vision and foresight in determining the nation's destiny.

* When choosing the person to hold the position of Prime Minister, also serving as Thái úy:
- Tô Hiến Thành was torn between Vũ Tán Đường and Trần Trung Tá. While logically, Vũ Tán Đường held a higher position and was attentive to Tô Hiến Thành when he was seriously ill, ultimately Tô Hiến Thành chose Trần Trung Tá.
- When the Queen mentioned Vũ Tán Đường's affection for Tô Hiến Thành, he humorously retorted, 'The Queen asked the spirit's replacement, so the spirit mentioned Trung Tá. If she asked the attendant who took care of the spirit, then who else but Tán Đường?'
=> The lesson is about choosing talent wisely, fairly, and wholeheartedly for the country, and also learning the nuanced interpersonal skills of Tô Hiến Thành in dealing with the Queen.

b. Royal Mentor Trần Thủ Độ:
- Trần Thủ Độ calmly admitted to accusations of 'excessive control', even rewarding the accuser with gold, silver, and silk when questioned by the king.
=> The lesson is about severity, straightforwardness in Trần Thủ Độ's way of life, showing his personal trust in the sovereign Trần Thánh Tông - Trần Hoảng, encouraging loyalty, courage, and straightforwardness in accusing those who make mistakes.
- When his wife Linh Từ Quốc Mẫu was detained by royal guards, she hinted to Trần Thủ Độ, and upon learning the details, he rewarded her.

- When the king wanted to appoint his brother as a general, Trần Thủ Độ opposed.
=> It is clear that Trần Thủ Độ is a selfless, straightforward, insightful person, seeing far and wide, opposing the appointment of siblings to avoid factionalism and pressure on the court.
 

3. Conclusion

Provide general impressions.
 

II. Sample Essay Lessons on character and lifestyle drawn from stories about Vice Marshal Tô Hiến Thành and Royal Mentor Trần Thủ Độ

Vice Marshal Tô Hiến Thành and Royal Mentor Trần Thủ Độ, one was a prominent court minister of the Lý dynasty, the other was the foremost court minister of the Trần dynasty. They both shared commonalities in holding significant responsibilities, playing pivotal roles, and even determining the fate of each dynasty during turbulent historical periods. However, their excellence extended beyond political acumen. Both Vice Marshal Tô Hiến Thành and Royal Mentor Trần Thủ Độ were exemplary models of character and noble lifestyles, virtues evident through excerpts from the Đại Việt sử lược and Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư.

Firstly, let's talk about Vice Marshal Tô Hiến Thành, who was the principal official of the Lý dynasty court, serving as a prominent court minister through two reigns, with significant contributions to the nation. In the excerpt from Đại Việt sử lược, Tô Hiến Thành's character and noble lifestyle are revealed through two major historical events: the appointment of the crown prince in 1175 after the death of King Lý Anh Tông, and the succession issue when he was nearing the end of his life.

Speaking of the appointment of the crown prince, when King Lý Anh Tông passed away, Prince Long Cán was only two years old. All matters regarding Prince Long Cán's ascent to the throne, as well as the affairs of the court, relied solely on Tô Hiến Thành. It must be said that everything was extremely difficult because appointing a new heir was a matter of paramount importance affecting the survival of the nation and had to be handled with great care. At this time, the Queen Mother wanted to install her son, Long Xưởng, on the throne, even though Long Xưởng had previously been deposed from the position of crown prince due to his misconduct and debauchery. She was a cunning and ambitious woman who, while the king was alive, sought to harm favored concubines and, upon his death, conspired to seize the throne for her son. The Queen Mother gradually tried to sway Tô Hiến Thành's loyalty, first by sending someone with a golden tray to bribe his wife, hoping that Tô Hiến Thành's wife would commit adultery to persuade Tô Hiến Thành to make Long Xưởng king. Later, she directly enticed Tô Hiến Thành with promises of fame and wealth for life. Ultimately, when Tô Hiến Thành did not agree, she decided to act against the law, regardless of making Long Xưởng king.

Faced with the cunning and terrifying schemes of the Queen Mother, Tô Hiến Thành demonstrated himself as a person of integrity and rectitude, dedicated to the welfare of the people. Regarding the Queen Mother's attempt to bribe his wife, he straightforwardly stated, 'As the Prime Minister, if I accept gifts from the Queen Mother to favor her son, what would people say when I speak with the king under the golden stream now?' From Tô Hiến Thành's words to his wife, we learn a lesson about absolute loyalty and the commitment to uphold the trust of the king. It also serves as a moral lesson that one must maintain integrity not only with the living but also with the deceased. Tô Hiến Thành's intelligence and skillful use of ethical reasoning, the responsibilities of the Prime Minister, and the national beliefs made his wife understand clearly, thereby initially thwarting the Queen Mother's plot.

When the Queen Mother found that soft tactics were ineffective, she resorted to coercion, enticing Tô Hiến Thành with honors, wealth, and a comfortable life, making every word seem beneficial to him. However, contrary to the Queen Mother's expectations, Tô Hiến Thành firmly refused, even citing the teachings of Confucius on ethical conduct and the traditional way of treating the deceased to rebuff the Queen Mother's words. He even left in disdain, showing his disapproval of this approach. This demonstrates a lesson about forthrightness, integrity, fearlessness against authority, and steadfastness in loyalty, as well as maintaining faith with the deceased.

In the final event where the Queen Mother conspired to usurp the throne, Tô Hiến Thành did not hesitate to order all officials to support the new king wholeheartedly. He was determined to use the law to suppress the Queen Mother's ambitions, preventing her from succeeding in deposing Long Xưởng. This teaches us about steadfastness, upholding the law, fearlessness against tyranny, wholehearted support for the new king, and dedication to the nation by Tô Hiến Thành. Additionally, the decision to appoint Long Cán instead of Long Xưởng demonstrates Tô Hiến Thành's vision and wisdom in determining the nation's destiny. He understood that Long Xưởng was unfit to rule, while Long Cán, though young, could be educated and potentially become a wise ruler. This was a prudent choice given the circumstances.

In the second event, four years after the crown prince was appointed, when Tô Hiến Thành was gravely ill and near death, he urgently needed to choose someone to replace him as Marshal, concurrently holding the position of Chief Minister. The Marshal commanded all officials, while the Chief Minister led the military, making this an extremely critical decision. With the young prince still in need of a capable and virtuous advisor, Tô Hiến Thành faced a choice between the influential Vũ Tán Đường and the talented Trần Trung Tá. Although Vũ Tán Đường held a higher position and had shown great care for Tô Hiến Thành during his illness, Tô Hiến Thành ultimately chose Trần Trung Tá. When the Queen Mother mentioned Vũ Tán Đường's affection for Tô Hiến Thành, he humorously retorted, 'If Your Majesty asks about a replacement, the answer is Trung Tá. If you ask about a loyal servant, who else but Tán Đường?' This teaches us about the wise and fair selection of talent by Tô Hiến Thành, as well as his diplomatic response to the Queen Mother. Instead of explaining why he chose Trần Trung Tá, he cleverly posed a humorous question, subtly expressing his discontent with the Queen Mother's schemes.

Regarding Prime Minister Trần Thủ Độ, an excerpt from Ngô Sĩ Liên's Complete Annals of Đại Việt selects four significant events to illustrate four aspects of his character and lifestyle. The first event is when Trần Thủ Độ was accused of 'usurping royal authority,' a power greater than the king's. When the king questioned him, he calmly responded, 'As they say.' He even rewarded the accuser with gold, silver, and silk. This shows us a lesson about severity and straightforwardness in Trần Thủ Độ's life. There was no intention to conceal or sugarcoat his crucial role in the court. It was the truth, as the entire Trần family's career was built upon Thủ Độ's strategies, despite him lacking formal education but excelling in tactics. His admission before the king also demonstrates his trust in King Trần Thánh Tông - Trần Hoảng, believing that Trần Thánh Tông understood the situation and needed his help to maintain the newly won territory, while the king was inexperienced and weak, relying on him to bear the burden. Additionally, rewarding the accuser shows encouragement for loyalty, courage, and straightforwardly accusing those who make mistakes, even if they are superiors.

The second event is about Linh Từ Quốc Mẫu, his wife, who was detained by a military officer while passing through a forbidden threshold. She went to inform Trần Thủ Độ, and when he learned the full story, he rewarded her. This reflects his treatment of family members, ready to encourage and support those who uphold the nation's laws, even if it may affect the family's interests and reputation. It reveals his straightforwardness, integrity, not using power to coerce, or acting against the nation's laws.

The third incident involves a distant relative of Linh Từ Quốc Mẫu seeking a title from Trần Thủ Độ. He agreed but instructed the person to chop off a toe to distinguish himself from others, causing the individual to retreat in fear. This teaches us about tactful behavior that preserves the dignity of one's spouse while revealing a nature of integrity, not appointing incompetent relatives to positions of authority. It also subtly warns Linh Từ Quốc Mẫu not to abuse her position for mischief.

Finally, in selecting individuals to assist the nation, the king wanted to appoint Trần Thủ Độ's brother as a general, but he refused. He asked the king, 'What would happen if siblings held positions in the court?' This brings us back to the event where Trần Thủ Độ was accused. If he alone faced such challenges, adding siblings to the court would likely cause further chaos, factionalism, and challenges that the young court could not withstand. This clearly shows Trần Thủ Độ's selfless dedication, straightforwardness, and unwavering commitment to the nation.

Tô Hiến Thành and Trần Thủ Độ were both exceptional talents of the nation, making significant contributions to the prosperity of each dynasty. They not only excelled in governing the country, military strategy, or politics but what truly distinguished them as eminent statesmen was their noble character and admirable lifestyle, dedicated solely to the nation and its people. They were all honest, wise, and responsible for the nation, not swayed by petty fame or material interests. Thus, they became revered sages, leaving profound moral lessons and a lasting legacy for generations to come.

To further explore the admirable qualities and personalities of Thái phó Tô Hiến Thành and Thái sư Trần Thủ Độ, in addition to the article Bài học về nhân cách và lối sống rút ra từ các câu chuyện về Thái phó Tô Hiến Thành và Thái sư Trần Thủ Độ above, you can refer to: The Biography of Trần Thủ Độ (by Ngô Sĩ Liên) and My Impressions After Reading about Thái sư Trần Thủ Độ excerpted from the Complete Annals of Đại Việt.