Top 12 Most Beautiful Love Stories in Vietnamese Literature

Lotus far from lake, lotus withered, lake dried,
Willow far from peach, willow fell, peach leaned.
You're as far from me as the shore from the boat,
As Thúy Kiều from Kim Trọng, who knows how many years to meet again!

The folk verse speaks of one of the most beautiful love stories in Vietnamese literature: the love of Kim Kiều (The Tale of Kiều - Nguyễn Du). Kim Trọng, Thúy Kiều met on a clear spring day, those talented and beautiful individuals admired each other from the first moments 'Love within, hesitance without'. In love with Kiều, Kim moved to live behind Thúy's garden. That spring, Kiều's work of arranging flowers in the peach garden sparked their love, and that memorable moment was the night of oath under the moon. Facing family hardship, Kiều sold herself to save her father, handing her fate to Vân in pain and despair.

A hundred thousand offered to the love of the soldier,
The thread of fate so short, just that much.

Throughout fifteen years of wandering, the moonlight oath endured Kiều's life, and in that time, Kim Trọng suffered greatly, determined to seek his beloved of past years.

In agony, I lose consciousness;
When I wake, I cry, then cry until I swoon again.
....Without a bed, yet we're a couple;
How could one give up love?
So much of our property, how many days have passed?
Only when I meet her again, I can stop!

At the story's end, Kim Kiều reunites but wishes for a spiritual bond 'Exchanging the love of flesh for the love of spirit'. The love of Kim Trọng and Thúy Kiều is a hymn to love that transcends societal norms, to the longing for passionate and faithful love of humanity.

Nguyễn Trãi - the great poet, national hero - once as a student, happened to meet Nguyễn Thị Lộ. At that time, the beautiful girl was selling mats on the way to Thang Long to support her mother and siblings. Admiring the girl, Nguyễn Trãi teased her with a poem:

Where do you sell your mats, fair maid?
Is the demand for them high or low?
Guessing your age, you seem quite young,
Do you already have a husband, or kids to show?
(Teasing the mat seller)

The girl quietly continued washing the mats, only turning back when leaving to reply:

I sell my mats by West Lake’s fair side,
Why ask if they’re in high or low tide?
As for my age, like the full moon I glow,
No husband yet, do children even abide!

This playful banter marked the beginning of a love story, both tender and tragic, between the two. After becoming Nguyễn Trãi's concubine, thanks to her exceptional talent, Nguyễn Thị Lộ was appointed as a court lady serving the king. Despite many jests, she sent poems to her husband to express her love and loyalty. However, due to the dark machinations of power struggles within the royal court of the Lê dynasty, Nguyễn Trãi and Nguyễn Thị Lộ fell victim to the cruel fate in the case of Lệ Chi Viên.

Whoever utters a word of jade,
Whoever reads lines of gold,
The lotus withers, its petals fade,
I, like Nguyệt Nga, my honor uphold.

A folk verse praises the steadfast love known to many Vietnamese, especially those in the southern region: Lục Vân Tiên - Kiều Nguyệt Nga. When Lục Vân Tiên repelled the Phong Lai bandits to save his own life while visiting his father, Nguyệt Nga was moved by the heroic and righteous figure, thinking, 'Kindness should be repaid.' Silently nurturing her love, she poured all her feelings into a statue resembling Vân Tiên.

Vân Tiên replied to her parting,
Nguyệt Nga lamented, 'Oh, love, what fate doth bind!
Weary of self, I must now confide,
Debt unpaid, love still entwined.'

In the future, for refusing Bùi Kiệm and the son of the current royal advisor, she was offered as a sacrifice to the Ô Qua invaders. On her way, Nguyệt Nga hugged the statue of Vân Tiên and leaped into the river to end her life. The story concludes with a happy ending when, after defeating the Ô Qua invaders and getting lost on his way back, Lục Vân Tiên encountered the old woman who wove fabric. The two met again in joy.

She then confessed her intentions,
Quickly, Vân Tiên knelt in reply,
Saying, 'Blessed to see you today,
Three bows to repay, my debt I cannot deny.
To fulfill a promise, mountain-high,
Gratitude first, then repaying a favor is right.
I am truly myself, without a lie,
Meeting today, dreams come to light.'

Phạm Thái was a nobleman living in the 17th - 18th centuries, embodying the spirit of loyalty to the Lê dynasty and resistance against the Tây Sơn. Despite his noble intentions, after a period of hiding in a temple, he was 'bailed out' by an official and became a tutor for a noble family. During this time, he became acquainted with the younger sister of his friend, Trương Quỳnh Như - a woman of complete beauty and virtue. Although deeply in love, their relationship was thwarted by their families. Trương Quỳnh Như was forced into marriage with another man when Phạm Thái returned to his hometown to seek a matchmaker. Out of despair, she took her own life while still in her prime.

Devastated by her death, Phạm Thái wrote An Eulogy for Trương Quỳnh Như to honor his beloved with words of heartfelt emotion and poignancy:

Oh, my beloved! What cause for these obstacles? What injustice led to these tragedies? Even until the flowers wither and the moon hides in autumn!
Yet, there is further pain. While other families may have five or seven daughters, you alone bear the burden of fate, so when the fire cools and the water recedes, perhaps there will be nothing left.
Alas! A flower with only one branch, snow with only one point, the moon with only one halo, a cloud with only one petal: such a rare existence, how could one waste twenty years of life and ignore the mortal realm!
....I openly lament fate, as I awaited the opportune moment to fulfill our destiny: I, a man of honor, was tossed about by circumstances, and you, a willowy maiden, angered by your fate, let go of life.
Until the flowers fall and the leaves drop, the pearls shatter and the beads sink: why such bitterness?

The Eulogy is a poetic ode to a love left unfulfilled, a voice of grievance for a deeply cherished yet obstructed relationship. Later, out of intense longing and sorrow for the unfulfilled love, Phạm Thái also wrote the poetic tale A New Tribute to the Beloved, recounting the love story between Phạm Kim and Quỳnh Như, but with a happy ending: After her suicide, Quỳnh Như was reborn as Thụy Chậu to continue her bond with her beloved.

The love story between two great poets of the nation has brought much fascination to later generations. At that time, Nguyễn Du was still the youthful Chiêu Bảy, the favorite of the noble Nguyễn Nghiễm, orphaned early in life, living in the house of his older brother, the official Tham Tụng Nguyễn Khản. Hồ Xuân Hương, still in her youth, renowned for her talent, lived near West Lake in the Cổ Nguyệt Đường area. Two poems 'Dream of picking lotuses' (Dream of picking lotuses) are believed to have been written by Nguyễn Du for Hồ Xuân Hương:
I
Butterflies fluttering around
In a boat, picking lotuses
The lake water shimmering
Reflecting the figure on the water's surface
II
Picking, picking, lotuses of West Lake
The boat covered in floral mirrors
Flowers offered to the one I cherish
Mirrors presented to the one I'm captivated by

But as fate would have it, their love story remained unfinished. Later in life, Nguyễn Du lived a stagnant existence, while Hồ Xuân Hương found herself in the lamentable state of being 'beautiful yet fated to solitude,' alone and single. Her poem to her old flame upon hearing news of his promotion to an official position was filled with bitter reminiscence and sorrow:

Thousands of miles separate us, longing fills my heart,
Sending my last regards along with whoever can reach you.
Three years have passed since our love was whole,
But dreams vanish in the blink of an eye.
His horse gallops happily on a journey of fortune,
While I, adorned in makeup, lament my fate.
Even if there are only traces of dew remaining,
The moon's rays cast shadows for five night watches.

Princess Ngoc Han was the daughter of King Lê Hiển Tông of the Later Lê Dynasty. The hero in simple clothes, Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue, raised the flag of rebellion, advancing northward with the title 'Phù Lê eliminates Trịnh.' According to the political alliance policy, Ngoc Han obeyed her father's command and married Nguyen Hue when she was only 16 years old, later being bestowed the title of Northern Palace Queen.

Legend has it that when Nguyen Hue ascended the throne as Quang Trung and led the army to repel the Qing invaders in the spring of 1789, he sent someone to Phú Xuân to present Ngoc Han with a branch of cherry blossoms. The two lived happily and had two children together, a son and a daughter. However, the love story of 'Heroic man, gentle boatwoman' was indeed short-lived. The sudden death of the king left her deeply saddened, expressing her grief in Văn tế Quang Trung and Ai tư vãn - famous works:

Drifting like a bit of cloud,
But fate has it this way, where can this body seek solace!
Tossing and turning through the long nights, dark days,
Who can I rely on to soothe this pain?
Longing for those blurry dreams,
Dreams as hazy as drunkenness, bewildering as intoxication.

Quang Trung passed away early, and Ngoc Han left the capital with her two children, seeking refuge in a Buddhist temple, living quietly to care for her husband's memory and raise her children. She reluctantly lived until the age of 29 before passing away.

Highly Revered Physician Lê Hữu Trác was the renowned traditional medicine practitioner in our Vietnamese history, living during the reign of the Trịnh Lords. Born into a scholarly family, amidst turbulent times, he diverged from his father's path of becoming an official to focus on studying medicine and treating the people. In his youth, he was betrothed to a daughter of a noble family, and they even had an engagement ceremony. However, after his father's sudden passing, he had to leave Hưng Yên and go to Hương Sơn (Hà Tĩnh) to care for his elderly mother. Fearing to burden the noblewoman with his circumstances, he proactively returned the betrothal gifts. As time passed, Lê Hữu Trác came to peace with the thought that she had forgotten him and moved on to marry someone else, finding her own happiness.

At the age of 60, he was summoned to the capital by Lord Trịnh Sâm to treat an illness. The book Thượng kinh ký sự recorded his days in the capital, including a passage that reads:

'One day, two old monks came to where I was staying, saying: Huê Cầu Pagoda has cast a large bell, but the ritual has not yet been completed, so we have come here to ask for assistance. Then, an old monk introduced himself as the abbot of An Tử Mountain Pagoda, and the other monk introduced herself as the daughter of a minister from Sơn Nam, who hailed from Huê Cầu. I was startled to hear that, as if waking from a dream.'

So many emotions of turmoil rushed back upon meeting his old acquaintance. When he asked the reason why she had become a nun at the temple gate, she - the woman betrothed to him in the past - simply said: 'Someone asked me to be his wife, so I considered myself married, but it was futile as my husband left me.'

He asked if she had any wishes or desires, and she only asked him for a set of clothes to take care of her affairs after her passing. Touched and heartbroken, Lê Hữu Trác wrote the poem To My Former Love. The poem was translated as follows:

Unintentional actions led to resentment,
Startled to see the smile of the past,
Now we are forever entangled,
The withered spring unexpectedly met the green eyes.
This life bound us together, you and I,
Sharing dreams under the same blanket in this lifetime,
Who betrays whom?
Our love, we understand each other - it's too late…!

The famous poem Purple Sim Flowers is a special piece by Hữu Loan, not only because it was later sold for 100 million VND, not just for its poignant, heartbreaking love portrayed by the author but also because it has a whole past when it was considered bourgeois, romantic petit bourgeois, deviating from the revolutionary literature.

I wear military clothes
wearing nailed shoes
covered in mud
You smile so beautifully
beside your unique husband
I return from the unit
After getting married, we part
From the distant battlefield
Thinking about love and worries
Married as a soldier
Few return
What if I don't return
then I'd miss
my waiting wife in the countryside...

Teacher Hữu Loan fell in love with his young student. The most profound memory is the times spent on the hill of purple sim flowers, is the purple sim flower-colored shirt of his beloved. They got married, but happiness didn't last long, Hữu Loan had to return to his military unit. But one horrifying afternoon, the terrible news struck: His young wife was swept away by the flood. Young soldier Hữu Loan wrote Purple Sim Flowers with all his sorrow, regret, and pain. Purple here emerges as a symbol of longing, loyalty, and that dreamy youthful love.

Her hair, so green
not yet tied up
Oh dear, in those final moments
we couldn't hear each other speak
couldn't look at each other even once

The 'perfect match' love story between the peasant pushed to the brink of becoming a rogue, a monster of the Vũ Đại village, Chí Phèo and Thị Nở - the woman 'ugly as a demon', 'stupid like characters in fairy tales' is a particularly interesting highlight in Nam Cao's short story Chí Phèo. Coming together through the pure instinct of lineage in a drunken stupor of Chí Phèo, the unexpectedly comical yet deeply poetic love awakened in Chí a consciousness about life and a longing for goodness.

The bowl of onion porridge that Thị brought is an extremely effective 'remedy', not only relieving physical discomfort but also detoxifying Chí's soul, returning Chí to his original gentle nature:

He eats more, sweats more. Thị Nở looks at him, shaking her head in pity. He feels like a sincere child. He wants to act tenderly towards Thị as towards his mother. Oh, how kind he is, who would dare say he's that Chí Phèo who used to bash heads and slash faces? That's his nature, usually buried. Or has the sickness changed not only his physiology but also his mentality? Weak people are still kind. To be evil, one must be strong. He's not strong anymore. And sometimes he worries about himself. He used to live by theft and intimidation. If he no longer has the strength to steal or intimidate, then what? He's only strong through risk. But he vaguely sees that there will come a time when one can no longer take risks. That's when it's dangerous! Oh heavens! He longs for goodness, he wants to reconcile with everyone so much! Thị Nở will pave the way for him. If Thị can live peacefully with him, why can't others? They'll accept him back into a society of equality, friendliness of the kind-hearted...

Chí's dreams don't come true because of the cruel prejudices of society. Faced with Thị Nở's rejection, Chí Phèo resorts to drinking, the more he drinks the more sober he becomes. Sober, alas, sad! The alcohol doesn't surge. He just faintly smells the onion soup. The love between Chí Phèo and Thị Nở is pages filled with the deep-seated compassion of Nam Cao.

The love story of Tràng and his wife in Kim Lân's literary work Wife Nhặt begins not as a romantic love story but rather as a grander, more humanitarian love story. In the horrific famine of 1945, while people worried about their own survival, Tràng appeared with a naive, innocent appearance but full of hidden depth. Starting from playful banter, then willingly offering his sister-in-law a hearty meal and agreeing to take her home. The surprising yet entirely reasonable transformation reflects Tràng's psyche.

While neighbors call Nhặt a 'debtor to life,' within 'His heart now only holds affection for the woman walking beside him. Something new, strange, never seen before in that poor man, it envelops Tràng, tenderly caressing every inch of his being, as if a gentle hand is stroking his back. Nhặt returning home to live with Granny Tứ, with Tràng, seems natural, humble. Kim Lân is truly skilled in bringing precious scenes of Vietnamese families into the work. Mother stoops to pick grass, daughter-in-law sweeps the courtyard.

And witnessing that scene, Tràng begins to feel a sincere, profound emotion stirring within him. It's the emotion of a person realizing that happiness isn't something abstract, distant, but rather found in ordinary, everyday life. Happiness in peace, warmth. A Tràng who used to just play with children every day now seems truly changed, 'grown up' through these realizations with a caring mother, a diligent, obedient wife.

The simple family life and marital happiness have changed Tràng's perception, thinking. From a naive, awkward young man, Tràng has quickly transformed into a true son, a responsible husband from embracing family happiness. Tràng is no longer the old Tràng but has now become a filial son, a responsible husband. 'Suddenly he feels attached to his home strangely.' The phrase 'strangely attached' reflects a significant change in Tràng's thinking. His feelings for his family are no longer distant, vague, as they might have been before, but now they are flesh and blood, a strong bond within Tràng.

It can be said that the love between Tràng and Nhặt stems from precious human feelings and then becomes genuine love for his wife, reflecting a longing for a family nest. He now has a family. He will have children with his wife there. The house is like a warm nest, sheltering from rain and sun. A source of sudden joy, excitement flooding his heart. Now he sees he should be someone, he feels he has a duty to worry about his wife and children in the future. And from then on, a spirit of renewal, a radiant revolutionary spirit, rises within Tràng.

The Moonlit Tale at the Edge of the Forest is a renowned revolutionary short story by Nguyễn Minh Châu during the years of anti-American resistance. The driver Lãm has a long-distance lover, the volunteer teacher named Nguyệt, introduced through matchmaking by Sister Tính from the same unit as Nguyệt. They exchanged letters for years but never met in person. During a trip driving to the battlefield, Lãm picks up a hitchhiker, a girl who he later discovers is also named Nguyệt and possesses 'a simple and refreshing beauty like mountain mist emanating from her face, words, and slender figure'.

They travel together on a moonlit night, each strand of the girl's hair beside him soaked with moonlight:
For some reason, at that moment, as if there was a groundless belief flooding my heart from the surrounding space. I was absolutely sure that the girl sitting beside me was Nguyệt, the very person my sister often mentioned. Occasionally, I glanced at Nguyệt and saw each strand of her hair shining. The fragrant, thick, and youthful hair! Surprisingly, Nguyệt turned to me and asked something. I couldn't hear clearly because my eyes were dazzled as if I were staring into a mirage. The moon shone directly on Nguyệt's face, making her fresh and beautiful face glow unusually!

Ascending the fire line, Nguyệt's courage in driving through the rain of bombs further captivates Lãm. Parting at dawn, Lãm promises to visit Nguyệt at her unit. However, their meeting is missed. Understanding more about Nguyệt, Lãm's heart is filled with admiration:

The broken bridge divides like a sweet cleaver. Three spans on this side collapsed, large green stones fell scattered under the river, leaving only two columns standing alone in the sky. I stood on the riverbank amidst the scene of a collapsed bridge and wondered: After so many years living amidst the scenes of bombs and the destruction of those precious things my own hands had built, how could Nguyệt still remember me? In the small soul of that girl, love and strong belief in life, that shiny thread, no matter how many bombs fall, it never breaks, it cannot be destroyed, right?

The Moonlit Tale at the Edge of the Forest is a truly beautiful story, imbued with the idealistic spirit of love and the resilience of the Vietnamese soul during wartime.

Xuân Quỳnh and Lưu Quang Vũ are both talented writers and poets who have become legendary not only for their talent but also for their deeply passionate yet poignant love story.

Both Xuân Quỳnh and Lưu Quang Vũ had experienced cracks and breakdowns in their marriages before finding each other, and their profound love story has since become an emblem of love for future generations.

To this day, Xuân Quỳnh's love poems retain their original value and are beloved by many readers. In her verses, she always expresses a longing and affectionate love, exemplified by famous works such as: 'Boat and Sea', 'Waves', 'Autumn Love Poem'. These verses with their gentle rhythm and profound metaphors naturally enter the hearts of readers:

Only the boat understands

The vast sea gives way

Only the sea understands

Where the boat goes, where it returns

Days without meeting

The sea is filled with longing

Days without meeting

The boat's heart is in pain - broken

If I have to leave the boat

The sea will only have storms

The poem has been set to music and the song 'Boat and Sea' has also received warm reception from the public.

Unfortunately, at the peak of their literary careers, the untimely departure of the couple Xuân Quỳnh and Lưu Quang Vũ in an accident in 1988, when they were still very young, left many regrets for life and for the literature of our country.

Every year, on stage, artists always express deep gratitude and tribute to Xuân Quỳnh and Lưu Quang Vũ, on the anniversary of the death of the two artists, dramatic works, poetic works set to music are all reproduced in an emotional and attractive manner, attracting audiences nationwide to come and watch.