Summary of the play 'Quan Âm Thị Kính' (Grade 7 Literature) in six key points.

The character Thiện Sĩ, son of Sùng, married Thị Kính, daughter of a poor farmer named Mãng. One day, while his wife was sewing, Thiện Sĩ fell asleep beside her. When Thị Kính noticed a hair growing in the wrong direction on his chin, she tried to trim it with a knife. Thiện Sĩ woke up startled and yelled, leading his parents-in-law to accuse her of attempting to kill him. They sent her back to her father’s house.

Innocent yet unable to defend herself, Thị Kính disguised as a man and entered the Vân Tự temple, adopting the religious name Kính Tâm. Thị Mầu, the daughter of a wealthy man, was infatuated with Kính Tâm. When her attempts to win Kính Tâm's affection failed, she slept with a servant named Nô and got pregnant. To avoid punishment, Thị Mầu blamed Kính Tâm. Kính Tâm, bearing the false accusation, was forced to leave the temple. Thị Mầu abandoned her child at Kính Tâm's care.

After three years of nursing the child, Kính Tâm ascended to become the Buddhist figure Quan Âm (Avalokiteshvara), revered for her compassion and patience. Before her transformation, she wrote a letter to the child, revealing her true identity as a woman. It was then that the villagers understood the depth of Kính Tâm’s virtues.

The origin and author of the story 'Quan Âm Thị Kính' are unclear. Initially, the story was part of a traditional chèo (a type of Vietnamese opera) song, with simple and natural language, reflecting the folk style of the common people. The story revolves around Thị Kính, the daughter of Mãng Ông, who marries Thiện Sĩ. One night, after her husband falls asleep, Thị Kính notices a hair growing in the wrong direction on his face and decides to trim it. Suddenly, Thiện Sĩ wakes up, and she is wrongfully accused of trying to kill him. She returns to her parents' house, disguises herself as a man, and joins the Vân Tự temple to become a monk. Thị Mầu, the flirtatious daughter of a wealthy man, becomes infatuated with Kính Tâm, Thị Kính's male disguise. Despite her advances, Kính Tâm remains uninterested. Thị Mầu, desperate, becomes pregnant by a servant named Nô. To escape punishment, she accuses Kính Tâm. Kính Tâm is expelled from the temple, and Thị Mầu leaves her child for Kính Tâm to raise. For three years, Kính Tâm suffers in silence. Through her devotion, Kính Tâm, who is also Thị Kính, fulfills her duties to her parents and benefits society. Upon her passing, a radiant, five-colored halo appears in the sky, with a lotus throne carrying the image of Bodhisattva Kính Tâm. The story embodies Buddhist philosophy, particularly the virtues of compassion and self-sacrifice.

Thị Kính was a beautiful young woman, the daughter of a poor man named Mãng. She married Thiện Sĩ, a somewhat simple-minded scholar, the son of the wealthy Sùng family. One late evening, after reading a book, Thiện Sĩ laid down and fell into a light sleep. Thị Kính, fanning him, noticed a stray hair growing in the wrong direction on his chin. She decided to trim it with a sewing knife. Suddenly, Thiện Sĩ awoke, startled, grabbed the knife, and cried out in alarm: 'Father! Mother! The night is strange!' Thị Kính was accused by Sùng bà of attempting to harm her husband. She was harshly scolded and sent back to her parents' home.

In despair, Thị Kính cut her hair and disguised herself as a man, entering the Vân Tự temple to become a monk. Thị Mầu, the flirtatious daughter of a wealthy man, became infatuated with Kính Tâm, Thị Kính's male alter ego, but her advances were rejected. Thị Mầu then became pregnant by Nô, a servant. The village punished her, and she blamed Kính Tâm. Kính Tâm was expelled from the temple, and Thị Mầu left her child in her care.

For three years, Kính Tâm endured hardship, secretly caring for the child. With the blessings of heaven and Buddha, Kính Tâm transformed into the Bodhisattva Quan Âm, ascending to a lotus throne in the Buddhist realm. It was then revealed that Kính Tâm was actually Thị Kính, and everyone came to understand her great patience, sacrifice, and selflessness.

Thị Kính, the daughter of Mãng Ông, was of humble origins. When she came of age, she married Thiện Sĩ, the son of Sùng Ông and Sùng Bà, a learned scholar from a prestigious family. While Thiện Sĩ diligently studied the classics, Thị Kính worked tirelessly at home, sewing and managing household chores. One night, Thiện Sĩ, exhausted from his studies, fell into a light sleep. Thị Kính, sitting beside him, noticed a stray hair growing the wrong way on his chin and, believing it to be unlucky, decided to trim it with a knife. However, Thiện Sĩ awoke suddenly, misunderstood the situation, and screamed in alarm. Sùng Ông and Sùng Bà, who already looked down on Thị Kính for her humble background, accused her of trying to harm her husband. Despite her pleas, Sùng Ông called for Mãng Ông to take her away. The two families left, leaving the parents of Thị Kính heartbroken, hugging and crying together before parting ways.

The excerpt 'The Unjust Accusation of Killing Her Husband' comes from the beginning of the play 'Quan Âm Thị Kính' and depicts the wrongful accusation against Thị Kính for attempting to kill her husband. One evening, after studying, Thiện Sĩ fell into a light sleep. As he rested, Thị Kính, sitting beside him, noticed a stray hair growing in the wrong direction on his chin and decided to trim it with a knife. Thiện Sĩ awoke suddenly and, fearing for his life, thought that Thị Kính had malicious intent and cried out for help. The entire family accused Thị Kính of attempting to murder her husband. They summoned Mãng Ông, her father, to take her back, ignoring her desperate explanations. On the way home with her father, Thị Kính decided to leave her family behind, disguise herself as a man, and embark on a religious life.

Mãng Ông had a daughter named Thị Kính, who had reached marriageable age but had not yet been married. Thiện Sĩ, a scholar from a well-educated family, came to ask for her hand in marriage, and Mãng Ông agreed to their union. At home, Thiện Sĩ diligently studied, while Thị Kính worked tirelessly, sewing and tending to household chores. One night, after a long day of studying, Thiện Sĩ fell into a light sleep. Thị Kính noticed a hair growing the wrong way on his chin and, with a sharp knife in hand, decided to trim it. Unexpectedly, Thiện Sĩ woke up, brushed his wife’s hand away, and panicked, shouting out in fear. His mother rushed in, and upon hearing his story, she assumed Thị Kính intended to harm him, leading her to angrily send Thị Kính back to her parents' house. Feeling hopeless, Thị Kính disguised herself as a man, left her home, and entered a temple to become a monk, where she was accepted and given the name Kính Tâm.

In the village, there was Thị Mầu, the daughter of a wealthy man, who admired Kính Tâm’s beauty and virtues. She tried to seduce Kính Tâm but was rejected. Thị Mầu, known for her promiscuity, had an affair with Nô, a servant, and became pregnant. The village elders punished her, but she blamed Kính Tâm for the situation. Kính Tâm, unjustly accused, was expelled from the temple. Thị Mầu then left her child in Kính Tâm’s care.

For three years, Kính Tâm endured the hardship of raising the child. Eventually, she transcended her earthly form and ascended to become the Bodhisattva Quan Âm, sitting upon a lotus flower in the heavens.