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Prompt: The Majestic Beauty of Nature in Celestial Harmony
The Majestic Beauty of Nature in Celestial Harmony
Task:
In our nation's history, King Tran Nhan Tong stands out as a truly remarkable figure: he was a patriotic monarch, possessed heroic qualities, and played a significant role in resisting the invasion of the Mongol - Yuan aggressors, creating an indomitable spirit in East Asia, which continues to inspire national pride to this day; he was also a person with a compassionate heart for humanity and a love for beauty, with a refined artistic soul reflected in his outstanding poetic works. The poem 'Celestial Harmony' is a quatrain composed by him during a visit to his hometown in the Thiên Trường palace (now part of Nam Dinh province). The beauty of nature in the poem evokes subtle and profound emotions:
Before the hamlet behind the village, smoke resembles a cage
The evening shadow seems endless
The flute echoes as the buffalo returns home
The stork, white, descends in pairs to the field.
(Translated by Ngo Tat To)
Perhaps, every time the evening shadow descends, in every corner of the Vietnamese countryside, there is a serene beauty. And in the Thiên Trường palace, it is no different, with the evening mist or the smoke from household kitchens beginning to linger on the branches and grass, prompting the poet to gaze beyond the hamlet, then behind the village, and remark:
Before the hamlet behind the village, smoke resembles a cage
The verse evokes a scene of tranquil villages: the houses, and the silent gardens in the mist and smoke. A vast and serene space, where we see the everyday joy of rural life, only possible in an era of peace and prosperity, under the reign of an enlightened monarch. Perhaps the king's mood, as he admires the scene at the Thiên Trường palace, is also filled with a gentle yet profound joy before this peaceful sight. The poet continues to write:
The evening shadow seems endless
The following sentence complements the previous one, amidst the 'smoke cage' scene of the village, the evening shadow descending is also too elusive, sometimes present, sometimes not, making the soul restless and melancholic. Describing mist and evening shadows is a familiar theme in ancient poetry. Poet Thôi Hiệu, of the Tang dynasty, also depicted the evening scene in his poem 'Hoàng Hạc Lâu' as follows:
'The sun sets over the palace, the capital's fragrance lingers
The Yen River mourns the fate of men'
But the sentiment in Thôi Hiệu's poetry is too melancholic, perhaps because he was far from home, while the poetry of author Tran Nhan Tong hides joy, as the poet senses the peaceful life of nature and people blending in a cozy space, a time rich in emotions, in the gentle light of dusk and the subtle colors of 'tranquility'.
The beauty of nature and the landscape at Thiên Trường palace is further beautifully described in the last two lines:
The echo of flutes as the buffalo return home
The white storks descend in pairs to the field.
The beauty of the evening scene is now felt through the echoing sound of the flutes played by the children herding the buffalo back to the pen before nightfall. The verse evokes the distant yet approaching sound of the flute, resonating with the innocent joy of childhood. The diligent buffalo plodding across the field in the soft glow of evening is indeed a beautiful and tranquil detail. The people's lives are warm and prosperous, so the evening scene fills them with great joy.
And with the final strokes in the succinct quatrain, the poet paints a familiar image of 'white storks descending in pairs to the field.' This verse is rich in pictorial imagery, as amidst the green backdrop of the rice field, the beautiful white storks diligently seek food in the fields. It easily evokes a beautiful scene from folk poetry: 'The stork flies gracefully, from the palace gate to the fields.' In the position of the highest authority in the country, the king is still moved by the sound of flutes and the sight of storks in the green fields, which must be the mark of a patriotic king, caring for his people, living a simple life, and possessing a soul that loves nature and cherishes humanity.
Thus, the quatrain 'Celestial Harmony' has contributed a beautiful landscape painting to the Vietnamese literary garden, with familiar, simple images, elegant hues, and gentle, melodious sounds. Through this, author Tran Nhan Tong helps us, the people of later generations, to imagine and feel the beauty of nature and the peaceful, prosperous life of that era.
