Top 6 Best Analyses of Lang Liêu Character in the Legend of 'Bánh chưng, bánh giầy'

In fairy tales and folklore, there are often appearances of fantastical elements that aid the protagonist in overcoming difficulties and challenges to find happiness. These may be a deity, a fairy, or some other supernatural entity that helps the character and punishes the wicked. Therefore, some argue that these supernatural forces are the decisive factor in helping characters in folktales achieve a happy ending. However, this overlooks a crucial element, which is the characters themselves. It is the effort and talent of the characters that ultimately determine their happiness. The character Lang Liêu in the legend of 'Bánh chưng, bánh giầy' will help us understand that.

Lang Liêu is the eighteenth prince – the sixth son of Hung Vuong. When thinking of a prince, we often imagine someone living luxuriously in castles and palaces, but Lang Liêu is different. He lives outside the palace, surrounded by fields. He is always diligent, hardworking, and passionate about labor. Compared to other princes who live in luxury, Lang Liêu is just a poor prince. All he has around the house are rice, corn, sweet potatoes, and cassava. Then one day, Hung Vuong became old and wanted to pass the throne to a deserving person.

Among his 20 sons, Hung Vuong didn't know who to pass the throne to. The king gathered all the princes and set a condition: 'On the day of the Fairy King festival, whoever cooks to my satisfaction will be the one I pass the throne to.' Each prince wanted the precious throne, so they sent people into the forests and down to the sea to find rare and delicious things, hoping to please their father on the Fairy King festival. As a poor prince, Lang Liêu was very sad because he couldn't find those rare and precious things.

Then one night, Lang Liêu dreamed and was told by a deity: 'In the heavens and earth, nothing is as precious as rice. Only rice can sustain people and never make them bored. Other things may be delicious, but they are rare and cannot be produced by humans. Rice, on the other hand, can be cultivated and harvested in abundance. Make rice cakes for the Fairy King festival.' Here, Lang Liêu was helped by the deity because he was the prince who suffered the most hardships. However, the main reason the deity helped Lang Liêu was because he loved labor, spending all year in the fields. Therefore, Lang Liêu is the most familiar and closest person to rice – the precious thing that nothing else can compare to in nature.

Furthermore, Lang Liêu is also a diligent and intelligent prince. With just a hint from the deity, he came up with a way to make two types of cakes: 'He chose fragrant sticky rice, pure white, cleaned thoroughly, used green beans and pork as fillings, wrapped them in garden leaves to form a square shape, and cooked them for a whole day and night. With the same rice, he ground it, kneaded it into a round shape.' Lang Liêu's two cakes were made from natural ingredients: rice, pork, green beans, garden leaves, ... – all of which are the results of agricultural labor. As King Hung commented, Lang Liêu's cakes, though simple, contained beautiful meanings: 'The round cake symbolizes the sky, while the square cake symbolizes the Earth.

Meat, fat, green beans, garden leaves are symbols of animals, plants of all kinds. The leaves wrap the delicious inside, implying mutual protection.' 'Bánh chưng' and 'bánh giầy' not only express the meaning of the harmony between Heaven and Earth but also remind us of unity and mutual protection. This spirit of solidarity helps people and all creatures in nature harmonize and support each other to make life balanced. Therefore, Lang Liêu is fully deserving of being chosen by King Hung to be the heir. Lang Liêu has won a part of the treasure thanks to the help of the deity, but the treasure he gained is mainly due to diligence, compassion, hard work, and the intelligence of a person who loves labor, is attached to the fields.

Thus, the character image of Lang Liêu in the legend of 'Bánh chưng, bánh giầy' has left a beautiful impression on me because of the qualities of labor love, diligence, intelligence, and quick wit. I promise myself to always strive diligently in labor and study, so that in the future, I can become a talented person like Lang Liêu.

Trong truyện cổ dân gian, sự xuất hiện của Thần, Tiên, Bụt, Phật … đã tạo nên yếu tố hoang đường, yếu tố kì diệu. Những nhân vật siêu nhiên ấy nhằm giúp đỡ, độ trì người nghèo, bênh vực kẻ yếu, ban phép lạ cho người tốt, trừng phạt bọn xấu xa, gian ác trong cuộc đời. Truyền thuyết Bánh chưng, bánh giầy cũng có nhân vật Thần. Thần xuất hiện trong giấc mộng, mách bảo cho Lang Liêu mới được nối ngôi Vua “tuy đúng, nhưng chưa thật đầy đủ. Chưa thật đầy đủ ở điểm nào? Vì ý kiến ấy chưa đề cập đến yếu tố con người, van trò con người. Đó là Lang Liêu.

Lang Liêu là một ông hoàng “chỉ chăm lo việc đồng áng, trồng lúa, trồng khoai …”. Đó là một ông hoàng giàu nhân đức, rất cần cù, sống gần dân, biết trọng nghề nông là nghề căn bản của dân tộc. Anh mồ côi mẹ, là một ông hoàng bị “lép vế” trong hoàng tộc nên mới được Thần hiến kế và độ trì. Việc Lang Liêu gặp Thần trong giấc mộng có ý nghĩa là Lang Liêu được lòng dân, bởi lẽ “thần bảo như dân bảo”.

Lang Liêu là một con người rất sáng tạo. Thần chỉ nói về giá trị của gạo, và mách bảo Lang Liêu nên lấy gạo để làm bánh, chứ không chỉ về cách thức cụ thể làm bánh ra sao. Thế nhưng Lang Liêu đã biết lấy gạo nếp đem vo sạch, lấy đõ xanh và thịt lợn làm nhân, lấy lá dong gói thành bánh hình vuông đem nấu chín; biết đồ gạo nếp, giã nhuyễn, nặn thành hình tròn. Lang Liêu đã sử dụng nguyên liệu sẵn có của nhà nông, của quê hương xú sở, sáng tạo thành hai thứ bánh rất ngon. Anh rất xứng đáng nhận mọi phân thưởng cao quý.

Bánh của Lang Liêu sáng tạo nên không chỉ ngon mà còn mang nhiều ý nghĩa sâu xa, tốt đẹp. Bánh giầy tượng trung cho Trời, bánh chưng tượng trưng cho Đất. Thịt mỡ, đậu xanh, lá dong là tượng cầm thú, cây cỏ muôn loài. Có thể nói đó là sự hòa hợp giữa con người với đất trời, thiên nhiên tạo vật. Lá dong bọc ngoài, mĩ vị để trong là ngụ ý đùm bọc nhau. Vua Hùng qua chiếc bánh chưng xanh gói bằng lá dong mà nêu cao bài học thương yêu đoàn kết. Nhà vua ngẫm nhắc các hoàng tử và quân thần bài học giữ nước. Bánh chưng, bánh giầy với biểu tượng cao quý ấy đã thể hiện cái tâm cái tài, nhất là lòng trung hiếu của Lang Liêu. Lang Liêu đã làm vừa ý vua cha, xứng đáng được vua Hùng truyền ngôi báu, có Tiên vương chứng giám.

Truyền thuyết này đã giải thích nguồn gốc và tính nhân văn của bánh chưng, bánh giầy. Truyện bộc lộ niềm tự hào về một nét đẹp truyền thống của đất nước ta với hương vị Tết cổ truyền rất đậm đà. Và đó chính là bản sắc tốt đẹp của nền văn hóa, nền văn hóa Việt Nam. Sâu xa hơn nữa, truyền thuyết Bánh chưng, bánh giầy còn thể hiện ý thức lấy nước, lấy dân làm gốc, coi trọng nghề nông, quý hạt gạo, biết ơn tổ tiên, kính Trời Đất với tất cả tấm lòng hồn hậu, chân thành của con người Việt Nam chúng ta.

Folklore is a popular genre in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people, with many familiar tales such as Saint Giong, Dragon Grandchild, Mountain Deity, Water Deity, and more. The content often mixes elements of fantasy and mystery to deify characters, enhancing the appeal of the work. The characters in folklore typically follow the classic archetype of individuals with kind hearts, talents, or those facing difficulties but fortunate enough to receive divine assistance, ultimately achieving a happy ending. The character of Lang Lieu in the legend of Banh Chung and Banh Day exemplifies this archetype.

Lang Lieu was fortunate to be born into a royal family, but unlike other princes who led lives of luxury, he faced neglect from his father, the king, due to his mother's fall from grace and early demise. As a result, his life revolved around farming, which allowed him to empathize with the hardships of the common people in their labor. In Lang Lieu, we see many noble qualities, foremost among them simplicity, diligence, industriousness, and the use of his labor to sustain himself. Additionally, through hard work and skilled hands, Lang Lieu produced various agricultural products, treasuring the fruits of his labor, such as potatoes and yams. While these may seem ordinary to the nobility, they represent happiness and pride for honest farmers. Lang Lieu also deeply respected his parents and ancestors; despite his father's coldness, when ordered to prepare offerings, he dutifully complied, reflecting his kindness and tolerance as the youngest prince. He meticulously pondered how to prepare the offerings to honor his ancestors, even though he was saddened by the meager offerings of potatoes and yams in his home.

Good people are often blessed and helped by divine intervention. In a dream, a deity pointed Lang Lieu to use the products he cultivated to create various cakes for offerings. The deity's assistance was merely a small suggestion; he provided the ingredients, but the challenge was how to combine them to create delicious cakes. This was indeed a puzzle that Lang Lieu had to solve. However, through intelligence, creativity, and diligence, Lang Lieu created two delicious cakes, blending the flavors of heaven and earth with profound meanings that pleased King Hung and prompted him to pass the throne to Lang Lieu.

Summing up the story, in observing the character of Lang Lieu, we see that he possesses all the qualities to become an exemplary leader: talent, integrity, diligence, and kindness. He also lives among the people, participating in production labor, enduring all hardships. Above all, he is the one who understands the agricultural customs and labor of the people most deeply. In conclusion, Lang Lieu is a leader who emerges from the ordinary difficulties of life, fully understanding human nature and the world. The legend not only explains the origin of Banh Chung and Banh Day but also serves as a valuable moral lesson about the virtues of humanity, about overcoming adversity towards goodness, where good deeds are always rewarded with sweetness.

In the story of Banh Chung and Banh Day, there is a character named Lang Lieu. He is the 18th son of King Hung. At that time, the king was old and weak, so he sought one of his 20 sons to succeed him, not necessarily the eldest. Upon hearing the news of the day his father would pass on the throne, the princes went to the forests and the seas to find rare and precious items to offer to their father, hoping to be the one to succeed him. Only Lang Lieu, who was very intelligent and diligent but unfortunately came from a poor family, unlike his siblings. His mother had passed away early, and their home consisted only of a rice field and a herd of pigs. One night, as he pondered deeply, Lang Lieu encountered a deity in his dream. The deity showed him what he could offer to his father. Upon waking up, Lang Lieu joyfully took the finest glutinous rice grains and ground them into round shapes; some he shaped into squares, filled with green beans and pork. During the offering ceremony to the Deity King, many rare and precious items were presented to the king, but none satisfied him. When it was Lang Lieu's turn, the king began to be astonished by the cakes Lang Lieu made. He asked, and Lang Lieu recounted his story to the king. Finding it reasonable, the king offered them to the ancestors, then invited the court officials to eat, and everyone praised the deliciousness. Seeing this, the king named the round cake symbolizing the sky and the square cake symbolizing the earth, so the king named the two cakes Banh Chung and Banh Day. Since then, every Tet holiday, every family has offered these cakes to their ancestors. Without these cakes, the taste of Tet would be incomplete.

In the treasury of Vietnamese folklore literature, there were many captivating fairy tales, legends, and myths. They explain the origin of our nation and teach us to live virtuously because in the battle between good and evil, evil will always be defeated.

In the world of fairy tales, myths, and legends, good-hearted people who endure many hardships in life are often helped by some invisible supernatural force to fulfill their dreams. Meanwhile, the wicked and treacherous will face divine retribution or meet a tragic fate. It's a just punishment for the crimes they commit.

In the legendary story of 'Banh Chung, Banh Giay,' the character Lang Lieu represents a prince who symbolizes the unfortunate plight of poor peasants, as he lost his mother early. The king, on the other hand, had many wives and numerous sons, so paying special attention to one particular child was impossible.

Lang Lieu's life was closely tied to the fields, rice paddies, and nature. In other words, he embodied the essence of poor, hardworking farmers. Lang Lieu diligently worked day in and day out, planting rice, corn, peanuts... He was a kind-hearted, industrious individual who lived independently, closely connected to the common people, appreciating the fruits of his labor. Instead of scheming and bullying his subjects, he understood the toils of the laboring class. Being orphaned at an early age, Lang Lieu was looked down upon by his half-siblings in the palace. However, this upbringing molded Lang Lieu into a courageous, hardworking individual who did not rely on his royal status.

One year, the king, old and frail, wanted to pass on his throne to the most deserving son. Therefore, he summoned all his sons and said, 'I want to pass on my throne to the one who can find a gift that pleases me on my upcoming birthday.' While other princes searched for many rare treasures to offer their father, Lang Lieu, a simple farmer, had nothing extraordinary to present. He only had rice, flowers, and other common items.

Lang Lieu pondered deeply, unsure of what to do. Good people are often aided by the divine, and one day, Lang Lieu dreamed of a deity advising him to make two types of cakes from the rice he had. One cake was square-shaped, while the other was round, symbolizing the earth and the sky.

Upon waking, Lang Lieu was surprised but decided to follow the deity's instructions from his dream. He took the finest rice grains, ground them into a paste, added mung beans and pork for the square cake, and filled the round cake with mashed rice, symbolizing the sun. He then wrapped them tightly in banana leaves and cooked them. These cakes were not only delicious but also carried profound symbolism: the square cake representing the earth and the round cake symbolizing the sun.

On the king's birthday, Lang Lieu presented these cakes to his father, who was highly impressed. The court officials were also amazed by these new types of cakes. Consequently, Lang Lieu was chosen to inherit the throne, becoming the new king.

The cakes, Banh Chung and Banh Giay, became a familiar dish during festivals and significant ceremonies in our country. They have become a traditional food deeply associated with our homeland, Vietnam.

Through the character of Lang Lieu, ancient people wanted to praise hardworking farmers, emphasizing that diligence and creativity will yield good results. Moreover, the legend aims to explain the origin of Banh Chung and Banh Giay in our country.

In Vietnamese folklore, legends often play an important role, showcasing the mystical and mysterious aspects of Vietnam's spiritual life with stories like Saint Giong, Dragon Prince, Mountain God, Water God, etc. It's not just a blend of reality and fantasy but also a sacred portrayal of characters, creating a special allure for the work. Lang Lieu, a character in the legend of Banh Chung and Banh Giay, is a living example of such characters.

Lang Lieu, despite being born into a royal family, didn't enjoy the wealth like other princes. Due to his mother's fall from favor and early demise, he was neglected by his stern father. Through a life tied to the fields, Lang Lieu understood the hardships of the working people. He possessed qualities of simplicity, diligence, and industriousness, using labor to sustain himself. Despite having only cassava, Lang Lieu, through talent and diligence, produced many valuable agricultural products.

Lang Lieu respected his parents and ancestors, despite his father's coldness. When his father ordered offerings, he obeyed, showing filial piety. In his mind, preparing the offering was the best way to express respect. Despite having only cassava, Lang Lieu showed concern and took responsibility when he felt it wasn't beautiful enough to offer to the ancestral altar.

Lang Lieu received divine assistance, aided by a fairy in a dream. This assistance was merely a small hint for him to find a solution. Through creativity and diligence, Lang Lieu created two delicious cakes, representing the harmony between heaven and earth and carrying profound meanings. King Hung was very pleased and decided to pass the throne to Lang Lieu.

In conclusion, Lang Lieu is evidence of the essential qualities of an outstanding individual, with talent, kindness, and profound understanding of people's lives. The legend of Banh Chung and Banh Giay not only explains the origin of the cakes but also serves as a moral lesson about compassion, overcoming difficulties towards goodness, where good people always receive deserving rewards.