Personal reflection on the Scene of Spring Day excerpt

Prompt: Personal reflection on the Scene of Spring Day excerpt

Exploring the Essence of Spring in 'The Tale of Kieu': A Student's Reflection

1. A Student's Reflection on the Excerpt 'Scene of a Spring Day', Sample 1:

Nguyen Du's masterpiece 'The Tale of Kieu' not only carries profound societal values but also captivates readers with its exquisite descriptions of nature, particularly in the verses depicting scenic beauty. One such instance is the excerpt 'Scene of a Spring Day' (from 'The Tale of Kieu,' Grade 9 Literature Textbook, Volume One - Education Publishing House, 2008).

The excerpt occurs at the beginning of the work. On the occasion of the Qingming Festival, Thuy Kieu and her sisters visit the graves. The springtime nature and people appear fresh, beautiful, and lively under the gaze of the 'azure youthful eyes' of the young men and women.

Capturing the Freshness of Spring in Four Poetic Lines:

'Spring day, the swallow gently swings,
Noble officials beyond sixty.
Lush green grass spans the horizon,
Pear blossoms dotting a few blooms'...

The spring ambiance is evoked by images of swallows gracefully gliding, symbolizing vitality and the peak of springtime. Indeed, 'Noble officials beyond sixty' implies that sixty days of beautiful spring have passed, indicating the current time is in March.

The natural backdrop is painted with vibrant green hues, as depicted in the expansive carpet of fresh grass: 'Lush green grass spans the horizon.' The verdant grass exudes a soft, smooth texture, extending as far as the eye can see, resembling a picturesque green sea. The pristine white blossoms of pear trees adorn this lush green canvas. Described as 'a few blooms,' these pear blossoms are yet to fully bloom, akin to young maidens awaiting the full bloom of spring. The term 'dotting' adds vivacity and harmony. Here, the author employs Eastern painting techniques, utilizing the technique of pointillism.

Nguyen Du's depiction of spring nature in two verses may evoke ancient Chinese poetry: the fragrance of fresh grass, lush green merging with the azure sky, pear blossoms spotted here and there. Yet, the scenery in these verses is serene. The backdrop for the spring portrait in Nguyen Du's verses is an expansive carpet of fresh grass extending to the horizon. Adorning the green grass are a few white pear blossoms (ancient Chinese poetry does not mention the color of pear blossoms). The harmony between the white hue of pear blossoms and the lush green of the grass is the distinctive feature of Nguyen Du's verses, evoking a deeper sense of spring: both fresh and lively yet serene, pure, gentle, and pristine.

The pristine, vibrant nature and lively people contribute to the marvelous changes of the land and sky.

The next six verses of the poem depict the customs of tomb sweeping and spring outings during the Qingming Festival. The festive atmosphere of spring is evoked by a series of compound words, adjectives, nouns, and verbs: relatives and friends, preparations, bustling, near and far. They are placed side by side, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere. It not only reflects the festival atmosphere but also exudes the vibrant, youthful colors of spring:

'Relatives and friends bustling near and far,
Preparing for the spring outing with excitement,
Gallant men and graceful ladies bustling about,
Horses and carriages like flowing water, clothes and caps like floating clouds.'

However, gatherings must eventually disperse. After moments of excitement, Thuy Kieu and her sisters had to leave the spring outing:

'Slowly shadows tilt toward the west,
Sisters, lost in thought, reluctantly depart.
Following the little stream's meandering,
Admiring the scenery, serene and clear.
Flowing gently around bends,
A small bridge at the end of the winding path'...

Besides the elegance and gentleness of spring as in the previous verses, the spring scene here takes on a different hue from the bustling, lively festival picture. The landscape exudes a lingering atmosphere as the spring outing comes to an end. The words 'slowly,' 'lost in thought,' 'serene and clear,' 'flowing gently,' 'small,' not only describe the landscape but also evoke human emotions. There seems to be something vague encroaching, tinting the landscape with a sense of lingering melancholy. Here, Nguyen Du employs the technique of depicting nature to convey subtle emotional nuances in the hearts of people, particularly young women. The words used in the poem are gentle in nature. 'Slowly' describes the setting sun gradually tilting; 'lost in thought' portrays a vague, gentle melancholy without clear cause (reminiscent of the melancholy 'I am sad for no reason' of Xuân Diệu later). 'Serene and clear' conveys both the meaning of gentle green and the notion of tranquility; 'flowing gently' in the poem describes the flowing of water but also conveys a melancholic mood, and 'small' suggests a petite, delicate figure, fitting both the scene and the sentiment. The natural scenery also diminishes to match the human emotions: 'little stream' - a small stream, a serene landscape, a 'small' bridge located at the 'end of the cliff' far away,... The scene and the people seem to have a connection to harmonize in an atmosphere of melancholy, nostalgia, and subtle sorrow. Perhaps one can vaguely sense that the landscape is creating a premonition about impending events.

The excerpt 'Scene of a Spring Day' has a balanced and reasonable structure. Although not explicitly clear, one can also mention a three-part structure: introduction, development, and conclusion. Nguyen Du has demonstrated exquisite and sophisticated natural description techniques. In the excerpt, although primarily depicting the scene of a spring day, there is still a combination with expressions and self-reflections (the development of the tomb-sweeping and spring outing of Thuy Kieu and her sisters, the foreshadowing of impending events).

'Scene of a Spring Day' is one of the finest poetic descriptions in Nguyen Du's 'The Tale of Kieu.' Reading the excerpt, one not only marvels at the endlessly pristine natural landscape but also senses the beauty of a meaningful traditional festival: the Qingming Festival. Through this, Nguyen Du also demonstrates his talent in creating a sophisticated allegorical scene,... With these elements, 'Scene of a Spring Day' will always resonate in the hearts of poetry lovers every New Year when spring returns to earth and sky.

2. My Impression of the Excerpt 'Scene of a Spring Day,' Sample 2:

Nguyen Du is not only a master of language in portraying character psychology but also an 'artist' painting with words. The excerpt 'Scene of a Spring Day' from The Tale of Kieu is a prime example. Readers must admire and marvel at Nguyen Du's keen observation and artistic strokes. The spring scene emerges with renewed beauty, brimming with vitality.

It can be said that spring is an inexhaustible theme in poetry, inspiring countless artists. Each person has their own perception of spring. For Nguyen Du, spring is associated with landscapes and people, with the traditional festivals of the Vietnamese people. Enveloping this entire passage is a beautiful, nostalgic natural landscape, tinged with sadness as the day fades into the evening.

The opening verses are crafted with language as beautiful as a painting, the smoothness of the words creating the smoothness of the spring scenery:

Spring day, the swallow gently swings,
Noble officials beyond sixty.
Lush green grass spans the horizon,
Pear blossoms dotting a few blooms

A space filled with poetic essence, flavor, and affection abound. The vastness of the land and sky as spring arrives is delicately depicted, overflowing with joy. The swallows herald the arrival of spring, a season evoking warmth, vitality, and complete joy. With the phrase 'swallow gently swings,' it evokes a sky filled with swallows while also conveying the fleeting nature of time. Perhaps Nguyen Du's concept of time is somewhat similar to Xuân Diệu's, where time passes quickly, and spring and youth become more fleeting. Along with the passage of time, youth slips away, and life suddenly seems shorter.

In that moment, with just a few strokes, Nguyen Du paints a magnificent spring landscape on the page. The art of embellishment has been used to perfection, making the verses softer and brimming with vitality. The green of the grass creates the freshness and purity of the earth and sky. The word 'span' depicts both distance and the vastness of spring, of the scenery when spring arrives. It makes the verse seem to stretch out, bursting with vibrant life. Against the backdrop of green grass and sky, 'a few blossoms' of pure white are sprinkled. It is this embellishment that ignites the poem with intense vitality, difficult to extinguish.

With just these 4 verses, Nguyen Du appears as a talented painter, creating a magnificent natural landscape, blending the earth and sky seamlessly. The atmosphere, scent, and essence of spring overflow in each verse so beautifully.

The atmosphere of spring is even more beautiful with the Qingming Festival in March:

Qingming in the March season,
The festival, tomb sweeping, the gathering, clear and bright

Perhaps the joyful, exuberant atmosphere of people during tomb-sweeping truly makes the reader feel as if they are reliving the freshest spring days. People also appear as embellishments to that beautiful, vibrant spring landscape.

Chatter of scholars and beauties,
Horses and carriages bustling like flowing water and flowing garments like scattered seasoning

Spring is a time for scholars and beauties to enjoy themselves, express their feelings to each other. It seems like spring is the perfect time for love to bloom, for lingering affections to burst forth. The imagery of 'horses and carriages,' 'flowing garments' evokes hustle, bustle, and liveliness. Nguyen Du was skillful in using a series of images that evoke vivid scenes, making readers feel like they are stepping into the atmosphere of spring.

Crooked roads winding upwards,
Golden silks and satin spread like scattered ash, banknotes fluttering

The customs and traditions when spring arrives, when visiting graves, depicted by Nguyen Du, are genuine, simple, evocative, and poignant. It is the heartfelt reverence towards the past with the deepest gratitude. These two verses truly evoke emotion in readers when remembering the departed, those who have shaped our present lives.

However, the final verses seem to depict the landscape and people as more melancholy and desolate:

Silently, shadows incline towards the west,
Sisters absentmindedly extend their hands to return.
Slowly stepping along the small creek,
Gazing at the landscape with a sense of tranquility.

The poetic rhythm becomes gentle, solemn, making the human mood heavier and sadder. The phrase 'silently' somewhat describes the approaching dusk and the space seems still and gloomy. Each step also becomes heavier as night falls, and people feel a certain sadness creeping into their hearts. Human emotions seem to blend into the natural scenery, making it more subdued and withered.

It can be said that whether the scene in Nguyen Du's poetry is sad or happy, it still carries the poet's unique flavor. The excerpt 'Spring Scene' is a typical example. The lively, bustling, and somewhat melancholic spring picture was successfully depicted by Nguyen Du with delicate perception and skillful use of language.

3. My impression of the excerpt 'Spring Scene,' sample number 3:

Nguyen Du is a genius artist. Not only does he depict deep emotions, but his penmanship in describing scenes is also extremely skillful. With the excerpt 'Spring Scene,' he not only paints a bright, beautiful spring picture but also evokes the lively and festive atmosphere of the festival.

The poem has a chronological structure, which is very suitable for depicting the emotional progression of people during the spring outing: the first four lines describe the spring scenery, the next eight lines depict the festival atmosphere of the Thanh Minh festival, and the final six lines depict the scene of Kieu and her sisters returning home.

At the beginning of the poem, the poet has brought us a vivid, beautiful, and full of spring nature painting.

'Spring day, the swallow swings by,
Ninety days gone, sixty plus ten, it flies high.'

The poet has masterfully employed the artistic technique of suggesting and describing. The first two lines speak of time while evoking the springtime ambiance. Spring swiftly passes through January, February, stepping into March. The opening lines of the poem depict the scene of a spring day with swallows fluttering amidst the azure sky like kites in flight. While in the poem 'Ripe Spring' by poet Han Mac Tu, it's said; 'The green grass waves up to the sky,' Nguyen Du chooses a different approach: 'The green grass stretches to the horizon.' Here, the poet wants to convey the lushness of the grass, both green and tender, spreading to the horizon, further affirming Nguyen Du's profound influence on poet Han Mac Tu. Just two lines:

'The green grass stretches to the horizon,
The pear branches dotted with a few flowers.'

In addition to the beauty of the flowers, Nguyen Du also senses the softness, the meandering, the delicacy of the water stream. The stream, the bridge tinted by the golden-red hue of the late afternoon sunlight. But it's the scene of people going to the festival, bustling amidst the thick incense smoke, that brings vibrancy to the painting. The gentle rhythm of the poem, the serene harmony of imagery, the melodious resonance of each line also make us feel the freshness, the purity of spring.

This is a spring painting woven from delicate, elegant colors, harmoniously blending between shades of green and white; between yellow and red, creating warmth without glare. The lines and shapes chosen by the poet are delicate from every angle. The swaying swallows, the festival-goers make the painting warm; making the scenery 'half real, half dreamlike.'

'Near and far, swarming with swifts,
Sisters and brothers eagerly embark on their spring journey,
Gently escorting the graceful and the beautiful,
Horses trot like water, attire as soft as silk.'

In the next four lines, Nguyen Du focuses on describing Kieu's spring outing. Kieu sisters immerse themselves amidst the bustling crowd like swifts to attend the grave-visiting ritual in the countryside. While walking, they leisurely admire the peaceful countryside scenery before scattering paper money in the wind. Using a series of compound words and idiomatic expressions such as: near and far, swarming, gracefully and beautifully, Nguyen Du has depicted Kieu sisters' spring outing in the lively, bustling festival atmosphere. Through Kieu sisters' spring outing, Nguyen Du has portrayed an ancient cultural tradition. Although spring is late, we still see the bustling spring scene, the lively young men and women, the elegant and the beautiful, the crowds bustling like swallows, chirping happily.

The excerpt 'Spring Scene' is a bright and beautiful spring painting, a 'poetry with painting.' Nature in Nguyen Du's poetry is truly beautiful, created from the sensitive soul and the talented pen of the national poet.

4. My Impression on the Excerpt 'Spring Scene,' Sample 4:

Nguyen Du is the national poet of Vietnam and a world cultural figure. 'The Tale of Kieu' is a masterpiece by the genius Nguyen Du. The excerpt 'Spring Scene' is one of the remarkable passages of 'The Tale of Kieu,' extracted from the first part where Kieu meets and gets engaged. Following the beautiful portrait of the Kieu sisters is a depiction of the spring scenery during the Qingming Festival and the spring outing of young men and women. The poem 'Spring Scene' consists of 18 lines from line 39 to 56 of 'The Tale of Kieu,' representing Nguyen Du's artistic technique in depicting scenes and emotions.

The author begins the poem by describing a spring painting:

Spring arrives, with swallows guiding the breeze,
Nine dozens of sunlight have passed sixty,
Green grass reaches the horizon's end,
Pear branches dotted with a few flowers.

An artistic space of vibrant colors, fragrances, and poetic sentiments unfolds. Amidst the vast and boundless sky are the swallows flitting to and fro, like messengers of spring, intimately conveying the passage of time as spring rushes by. The phrase 'swallows flitting' vividly depicts the swift passage of time as spring rushes by. Following the swallows is the 'Qingming' light of spring, marking the passing of sixty-nine or seventy springs. The poetic calculation of time and the depiction of spring's beauty are intriguing as the spring light turns warm pink in March. Then there's the lush greenery of tender grass stretching endlessly 'to the horizon.' And the pure white purity of pear blossoms. With just a few strokes and the skillful blending of colors, the spring scene appears truly beautiful, exuding freshness and vitality with the verdant green of grass and the pristine beauty of white pear blossoms, creating a vibrant picture, enlivened by action verbs.

The subsequent eight lines describe the scene of the spring gathering:

The Qingming festival involves grave-sweeping, the gathering is for spring outings,
Sisters adorn themselves for the spring stroll,
Noble men and beautiful women sway gracefully,
Horses and carriages glide like water, attire like silk,
Grassy mounds rise,
Horses and carriages glide like water, attire like silk.

The grave-sweeping festival involves visiting and tidying up the graves of loved ones, while the gathering is for enjoying springtime in the countryside. The phrase 'the festival is... the gathering is' evokes scenes of folk festivals that have been happening continuously for generations. The lively flow of the gathering is bustling and bustling. People stream in torrents on all the fields. Countless swallows flow in the gathering (a metaphorical image referring to young men and women). Amidst the joyful and jubilant atmosphere, there's wild excitement and desire. Countless noble men and beautiful women stroll together, linking arms and stepping in rhythm. The flowing crowd is bustling, horses and carriages rolling like water, attire adorned beautifully with vibrant colors, bustling with life on every country road like silk. Expressions like 'bustling and bustling' and imagery like 'like water, like silk' have depicted the vibrant and lively spring scenes throughout the countryside. Youthful, beautiful, and elegant in the midst of the gathering of noble men and beautiful women are the three Kieu sisters, bustling and lively as they prepare for the spring outing. The compound words 'swallows, sisters, noble men, and beautiful women, horses and carriages, attire like silk' (nouns). 'Near and far, bustling, adorned, bustling and lively,' verbs and adjectives used by the poet Nguyen Du to revive the spring atmosphere, a beautiful aspect of the ancient culture of the East and the life of the Kieu sisters.

'Jumbled heaps ascend
Golden threads and silver specks flutter as paper money flies'

Nguyen Du intertwines traditional folk customs with heartfelt empathy as people scatter gold and silver, lay out offerings, and light candles at graves to honor their departed loved ones, creating a harmonious space in the spiritual realm for each individual.

The final six lines depict the scene of Thuy Kieu and her sisters returning from the grave visit. The sun sets behind the mountains. The festive day has quickly passed:

'Sunset casts shadows to the west
The sisters, lost in thought, extend their hands homeward'