Transform into An Dương Vương and recount the Tale of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thủy

Transform into An Dương Vương and recount the Tale of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thủy 

1.  Transform into An Dương Vương and recount the Tale of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thủy, sample number 1:

The story unfolds during the nation's infancy, amidst its construction and defense. I am An Dương Vương, driven by the desire to fortify the nation, ensure the welfare of its people, and thwart foreign invaders. I initiated the construction of Co Loa Citadel, but strangely, it remained unfinished. With the assistance of envoy Thanh Giang, it swiftly reached completion. The Golden Turtle Deity bestowed upon us its claw, crafting the Divine Crossbow capable of swiftly defeating enemies, thus averting the threat posed by the forces of Triệu Đà. Henceforth, the land would dwell in peace, its people prosperous and content.

The enemy's machinations ran deep and insidious, knowing they couldn't defeat the forces of Âu Lạc head-on, they resorted to delaying tactics. Sending his son, Trọng Thủy, as a suitor, they sought peace. Recognizing Mị Châu's affection for Trọng Thủy, I consented to their union, envisioning harmony.

Essay: Transforming into An Dương Vương to recount the Tale of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thủy, in brief

Previously, Trọng Thủy had schemed to swap out the Divine Crossbow and used the pretext of visiting his father. Shortly after, Triệu Đà led his army in invasion. Despite possessing the Divine Crossbow, it mysteriously failed to function. Realizing the deception and the imminent danger, I hastily fled southward with Mị Châu.

Cornered, I cried out:
- Envoy Thanh Giang, come swiftly to my rescue.
The Turtle emerged and replied:
- The enemy lurks right behind the king's palace.

Noticing the goose feathers that Mị Châu had scattered along the path aiding the enemy's advance, I realized that it was her misplaced trust that led to the theft of the Divine Crossbow. I screamed in anguish, wielding my sword to slay my beloved daughter. With our homeland lost and in despair, I attempted suicide, but the Golden Turtle Deity intervened, redirecting the waters to save me from drowning in the sea.

Throughout life, excessive trust and negligence towards enemies have swiftly led to devastation. This is a profound lesson that I and future generations must deeply engrave.

""""END OF CHAPTER 1""""-

In the curriculum of Literature 9, discussing My thoughts on the character Mr. Six in the story The Ivory Comb by Nguyen Quang Sang is a crucial aspect for students to prepare.

In addition to the aforementioned, students can delve into the section Understanding father-son relationships through the short story The Ivory Comb to prepare for this lesson.

2. Portraying oneself as An Duong Vuong narrating The Tale of An Duong Vuong and Mi Chau, Trong Thuy, issue 2:

- My dear father, are you feeling well?
- I am well. Why haven't you visited Mị Châu? I whispered.
- Our beloved wife has been taken care of by the maid! He replied softly.
I continued:
- Alright, you should go visit your wife.
He bowed respectfully:
- With your permission, father, I shall go.

The tales of An Dương Vương's transformation recount the stories of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thuỷ, and more.

All my doubts have vanished completely. Living in peace, the sudden return of Trọng Thủy has left Mị Châu deeply saddened. Just a few days later, Triệu Đà's massive army began to advance. I was taken aback, but relying on the divine crossbow, I remained calm, playing chess while waiting for the enemy to approach the city walls and then shooting them down. Unexpectedly, the divine crossbow lost its effectiveness while the enemy troops were entering the city. Filled with panic and confusion, I couldn't understand why the crossbow failed. Finally, faced with imminent danger, I and Mị Châu mounted our horses and fled eastward. But no matter where we ran, we could hear the enemy's cries of pursuit. Along the way, I looked towards the open sea and called upon the god Kim Quy for help. Suddenly, the god appeared and emphatically said: 'The enemy is behind the king's palace!'.

As I turned back, all I saw was Mị Châu in a goose feather coat, completely shedding its feathers. I suddenly understood everything. It turned out that the enemy had tracked us using the goose feathers to reach this place. And it was Mị Nương, my innocent daughter, who unintentionally revealed the nation's secrets to the spy Trọng Thủy, hence leading to this day. In utter despair, with no other way out, I drew my sword and killed Mị Châu before taking my own life. But Kim Quy turned the waters aside, allowing me to descend into the sea.

This is the true story of my life, of King An Dương Vương, who failed to anticipate the enemy and thus saw his empire crumble. I hope that future successors will see this as a harsh lesson to heed.

3. Transforming into An Dương Vương, recounting the tales of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thuỷ, issue number 3:

I am An Dương Vương, the king of Âu Lạc. Right now, I am beneath the sea, aided by the Golden Turtle. Even now, I remember vividly how I lost our kingdom to our enemies. Now, I shall recount the heart-wrenching tale that I may never forget.

After struggling to build the fortress, every effort seemed in vain. One day, I encountered the Golden Turtle, who offered me assistance. Finally, I succeeded in constructing a sturdy citadel named Loa Thành or Cổ Loa.

Golden Turtle has stayed for three years before returning. Before leaving, it handed me its claw and said: 'Take this claw to forge a divine crossbow to fight against the enemy.' I thanked Golden Turtle and bid farewell. Later, I entrusted Cao Lỗ with the task of crafting the crossbow. Thus, I acquired a divine crossbow that could shoot a hundred arrows, killing hundreds of enemies.

When Triệu Đà invaded Âu Lạc, thanks to the divine crossbow, I defeated him. Later, Triệu Đà requested a marriage alliance between his son, Trọng Thủy, and my beloved daughter, Mị Châu. Despite my concerns, I agreed due to the friendship between our nations and my confidence in the divine crossbow.

Transforming into An Dương Vương, recounting the tales of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thuỷ

Looking at Trọng Thủy, I saw a handsome young man. He didn't seem evil, so I agreed to give him my daughter, hoping for Mị Châu's happiness. However, out of love for my daughter and fear of her unhappiness in a foreign land, I proposed to Triệu Đà for Trọng Thủy to stay rooted. Little did I know, Triệu Đà agreed immediately, hiding his true intentions. It wasn't until later that I realized I unwittingly aided his plans.

During his stay, Trọng Thủy always appeared to be a good person, so I didn't suspect anything and let my guard down. Little did I know, he took advantage of my naive daughter. He persuaded Mị Châu to reveal the hiding place of the divine crossbow and switched it. After achieving his goal, he requested to return home to visit his father. Although saddened, Mị Châu agreed.

Shortly after, Triệu Đà indeed brought his army to attack. Relying on the divine crossbow, I remained calm while playing chess. It wasn't until the enemy approached the city gates that I ordered to use the crossbow. At this moment, I discovered the crossbow was missing and realized that Trọng Thủy, my son-in-law, was the culprit. Seeing the difficult situation, I mounted my horse with Mị Châu behind me, riding southward. Despite the enemy's pursuit, I shouted: 'Golden Turtle, come quickly to rescue us.' Golden Turtle appeared and said: 'The enemy is right behind you.' This statement surprised me because behind me was only my beloved daughter. But when I saw her goose feather coat become tattered, I woke up and understood everything.

Despite my reluctance, when I thought about the lost country, the ruined home, and the harm to countless innocent people, I reluctantly drew my sword and killed my own flesh and blood. Then, with the help of Golden Turtle, I descended into the sea and stayed until today. Later, I learned that Mị Châu had realized her mistakes. Mị Châu said: 'If my filial heart was deceived by others, I'm willing to turn into a precious gem.' After death, Mị Châu's body turned into a gemstone, and the blood eaten by the oyster turned into a pearl. This demonstrates Mị Châu's filial piety towards the country. Later, Trọng Thủy also died of heartbreak.

Through this valuable lesson, I want to advise everyone not to be complacent, despise enemies, easily trust others, and prioritize personal interests over the interests of others to avoid regrets like mine.

4. Transforming into An Dương Vương, recounting the tales of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thuỷ, issue number 4:

I am An Dương Vương, the king of Âu Lạc, once upon a time. Sitting in the underwater palace, watching the fish swim, listening to the fairy singing, my heart still harbors endless sadness. Remembering the past, building and losing the country, the pain is immense.

That year, after ascending the throne, I thought about building a fortress. But unfortunately, every attempt to build the fortress in Việt Thường land ended in failure. It is said that the lingering souls of defeated generals in this land hindered me from successfully constructing the fortress. I organized a male-only banquet, seeking the intervention of the gods. On the seventh day of the eighth month, an old man suddenly appeared from the East, lamenting: 'When will this fortress be completed?' Delighted, I welcomed him into the palace, inquired about the reason for the perpetual construction delay, and the old man replied: 'Only with the help of Thanh Giang's people can the king successfully build a new fortress.' Then he bid farewell and left.

Upon hearing that, the next day, I stood outside the eastern gate, waiting, and to my surprise, I saw a Golden Turtle emerge from the water's surface, speaking human language, claiming to be an envoy from Thanh Giang. Overjoyed, I hastily used a royal carriage to welcome and escort the Golden Turtle into the city. With the help of the Golden Turtle, the fortress was completed in half a month. Admiring the new fortress, my heart was filled with joy. The fortress, spanning a thousand trượng and spiraling like a snail, I named it Loa Thành.

Golden Turtle has been with our fortress for three years and is now departing. Before leaving, I expressed my gratitude and asked for advice on how to defend our land if enemies come. Golden Turtle responded by offering its claw, advising: 'Use this as the bow's handle, shoot at the enemy, and you'll have nothing to worry about.'

Transforming into An Dương Vương, recounting the tales of An Dương Vương and Mị Châu, Trọng Thuỷ, selected literary works

Following the deity's advice, I instructed Cao Lỗ to make the bow, using the turtle's claw as the handle, and named it 'Divine Golden Turtle Bow.' Later, when Triệu Đà's army invaded our land, I used the divine bow, causing the enemy to fear and retreat, seeking peace at Trâu Sơn.

Not long after, Đà proposed marriage. I married my beautiful daughter, Mị Châu, to Đà's son, Trọng Thuỷ, and allowed him to stay in the palace. However, it was a grave mistake. I never imagined that my son-in-law would deceive the naive Mị Châu, exchange the divine bow, and take it to the North.

Armed with the divine bow, Triệu Đà led his army into battle. Unaware of the truth, I remained calm, playing chess confidently as long as I held the divine bow. Unfortunately, when I discovered the bow was not divine, it was too late. With the enemy nearing the fortress, I had to flee southward with Mị Châu.

However, the pursuers persisted as we fled. Reaching the coastline, I realized we had reached a dead end. I cried out, 'Heaven help us, Thanh Giang envoy, come quickly and save us!' Golden Turtle emerged from the water, shouting loudly: 'The one riding behind the horse is the enemy!' I turned in surprise to see the path strewn with goose feathers, my daughter Mị Châu holding a goose-feather coat. Understanding the betrayal, I was filled with rage. Despite my heartache, as a traitor to the nation, I could not forgive the high treason committed against the head of state.

Following Golden Turtle, I descended into the sea. My daughter Mị Châu perished on the coastline, her blood flowing into the water, pearls forming from the consumed shellfish. Upon arrival, Trọng Thuỷ found our daughter deceased, embracing her remains and burying her at Loa Thành, where her body transformed into a gemstone. Overwhelmed with grief, Trọng Thuỷ also took his own life at the well. The water from that well washed pearls into the East Sea, radiating with unparalleled brilliance and beauty.

The tale passed down through generations haunts me incessantly. It was the lapse of vigilance that led to the loss of our nation. A painful and blood-curdling lesson for me.

Reflecting on the legend of 'Me and Mị Châu - Trọng Thủy', it stands as a poignant tale deeply ingrained in Vietnamese folklore. While history aims for accuracy, legend delves into the emotional resonance and belief stirred within its audience. This tragic narrative has drawn tears and indignation from its readers, serving as a cautionary tale against arrogance and underestimating adversaries.

In the early days of nation-building, my efforts were dedicated to the welfare of our people. Despite the initial struggles in constructing Co Loa Citadel, my unwavering dedication to the well-being of our populace remained steadfast. With divine assistance and a patriotic heart, the citadel was completed in a mere half-month, a testament to my commitment to our nation's prosperity. Yet, even in our success, the looming threat of Đà's invasion and the mystical Golden Turtle lingered, reminding me of the precariousness of our nation's fate.

However, this success bred a sense of complacency within me. Agreeing to my daughter's marriage to Đà's son, Trọng Thủy, proved to be a harbinger of future strife, forewarning of impending dangers between our nations.

As the legend unfolds, it underscores the complexities of leadership and the consequences of hubris, serving as a timeless reminder of the perils of arrogance and the importance of humility in governance.

'Two Vietnamese, one Chinese,
Half love, half resentment.'

Transformed into An Dương Vương recounting the story of nation-building and defense

'Two Vietnamese, one Chinese' marrying each other was a perilous gamble. Yet, I paid no heed to the danger it posed. Perhaps I only hoped for swift reconciliation between the two nations through this marriage, sparing our people from suffering. Unbeknownst to me, our adversaries, even when kneeling at our feet, remained exceedingly dangerous. I considered the immediate gains for our people but failed to anticipate the impending perils. Thus, I led us into the abyss.

Arrogance is the companion of failure. With the divine crossbow in hand, victory seemed assured. The pinnacle was when Triệu Đà came to attack, and I 'sat calmly playing chess, laughing and saying, 'Isn't Đà afraid of the divine crossbow?'' I followed the footsteps of the ancients, only to find myself using the fake crossbow at the most critical moment, fleeing with my daughter to the South. In desperation, I only knew to flee, with no other means of resistance. When we reached the East Sea, I couldn't even recognize the enemy, merely looking up and crying 'heavens' without knowing what to do. It was only when the Golden Turtle Spirit appeared and said, 'The one riding behind you is the enemy!' that I drew my sword and struck my daughter. That decisive, unwavering action proved me to be a wise leader. I prioritized the nation over personal matters, ensuring no personal affair would sway my determination. Whether it was the Golden Turtle Spirit or the attitude of the laboring people, they supplemented all my shortcomings. When I couldn't build the citadel, the spirit appeared to help; when I worried about the nation's fate, the spirit guided me, and at the most critical moment, the spirit appeared to assist me. Perhaps that was the people's admiration, their forgiveness for a wise leader. The details of 'the king holds the horns, seven spans, Rùa Vàng turns the water to lead the king down to the sea' proved that. The ocean expanded its embrace to welcome me back. Do the waves washing ashore still remember the pitiful sight of the father and daughter?

If the legend of building Co Loa citadel was a glorious mythical victory, then my failure this time carries profound realism. And the tragic loss of the nation's homeland originates from the love story of Mị Châu and Trọng Thủy. Mị Châu is the daughter of An Dương Vương, the wife of Trọng Thủy, and the daughter-in-law of Triệu Đà. She was very naive, loving Trọng Thủy with the innocent love of a daughter. She gave Trọng Thủy her whole heart. The crux of the matter is when she showed the divine crossbow to Trọng Thủy. The divine crossbow is a national secret, a matter of great importance, yet she was 'carefree' enough to show it to Trọng Thủy. She was so infatuated, so foolish as to confuse between 'love between man and woman' and 'the duty of a king'. What could be more heartbreaking? If judged from the aspect of a wife, Mị Châu is an ideal model for the word 'loyalty' of that time. But not only a wife, Mị Châu is also a princess of Âu Lạc. After exchanging the divine crossbow, Trọng Thủy made an excuse to visit his father. Before leaving, he said to Mị Châu: 'The love between husband and wife cannot be forgotten, the filial piety cannot be abandoned. I am now returning to visit my father, if the two nations fall into discord again, separated between North and South, where will I find you, what will be the mark?' Trọng Thủy's cryptic words, yet Mị Châu did not realize. She loved Trọng Thủy so much that she didn't even bother to question why the two nations had to be at odds, why North and South had to be separated when we were already 'one family'. She only looked forward to the couple's happiness, longing for the day of reunion: 'I am a woman, if I encounter separation and sorrow, it will be extremely painful. I have a goose feather robe that I often wear, wherever I go, I will pluck feathers and scatter them at the crossroads to mark, so we can save each other.' Mị Châu's words are the words of a loving wife. But she didn't know that her actions led to Triệu Đà winning over his father, and Trọng Thủy chasing after and killing his own father.

'Goose feathers fall on the escape route
The feathers themselves don't know how to hide'

When pursued by the enemy, Mị Châu wore a goose feather robe. The disguised goose feather robe is the attire of ancient Vietnamese women during festivals. However, Mị Châu wore it in such a dire situation. It shows that she was no longer rational. All her actions were dominated by marital emotions. Before being beheaded by her father-in-law, she said: 'I am a woman, if I have a rebellious heart to harm my father, dying will turn me into dust. If I am loyal and betrayed, dying will turn me into a gem to cleanse the grudge.' She realized the truth of the matter, that the one she had loved, had trusted for so long was just a deceiver. Mị Châu's death is an incomplete transformation, her body turned into jade, her blood turned into pearls. It shows the sympathy of our people with Mị Châu, someone who 'inadvertently' led Vietnam into a thousand years of slavery.

Unlike fairy tales, the ending is not always happy for everyone. The legend forces us to reflect deeply afterward. We must prioritize the common over the individual, especially be vigilant, not like us 'raising bees in the sleeves, raising foxes at home'. And in love, one must always be clear-headed, not wander off the path only to pay too high a price like Mị Châu. The story carries philosophical implications and deeply imbues the taste of life, as Tố Hữu said in 'Confessions':