Top 5 best lesson plans for "Old Stories in the Trinh Lord's Palace"

I. Author and Work:

1. Author (refer to the introduction of the author Pham Dinh Ho in Literature Textbook 9, Volume 1).

2. Work:

* Origin: "Old Stories in the Trinh Lord's Palace" is an excerpt from Vu Trung Tùy Bút, a remarkable work by Pham Dinh Ho consisting of 88 small stories.

* Genre: "Old Stories in the Trinh Lord's Palace" is written in the genre of tùy bút (casual writing, scattered and unsystematic).

* Structure: The text can be divided into 2 parts.

Part 1: from the beginning to "this is a bad omen": Describes the excessive luxury of Trinh Sam, the lord of the Trinh family.
Part 2: The remaining portion: The harassment by the courtiers.

II. Lesson Guide:

Question 1:

* The extravagant lifestyle of Trinh Lord and his courtiers is described through details like:

Building endless palaces.
Inner officials creating lavish, wasteful displays: organizing trade games, setting up musical ensembles everywhere.
Their luxurious travels and taking precious resources from the people.
* The author's writing is objective and does not over-explain, as the events described are enough to expose the social reality and reveal the author's perspective.

* At the end of this description, the author says: “...the wise man knows this is a bad omen,” which foreshadows the disaster that will come if society remains in such chaos.

Question 2:

* The courtiers in the Trinh Lord’s palace exploited the people using tactics like stealing and then loudly announcing it, forcing the people to either suffer two thefts or destroy their valuables themselves – a completely illogical and unjust situation.

* The meaning of the conclusion: “My house is in the Ha Khau district… and that is why,” is a personal recount of an event in the author's own family, strengthening the credibility of his accounts. This also shows the author's anger and frustration.

Question 3: What do you think is the difference between the tùy bút genre and the narrative genre?

The narrative genre: usually requires a storyline and characters, which can either be real or fictional. Characters are built through their appearance, personality, and psychology. Narratives often reflect reality through an expansive portrayal of life, focusing on events or turning points in a character’s life.
The tùy bút genre: involves spontaneous, scattered notes on real events, without following a specific storyline. The writer focuses on expressing their attitudes, emotions, thoughts, reflections, and evaluations of people and life.

Exercise:
Vietnam’s reality during the reign of King Le and Lord Trinh in the late 13th century was one of a decaying and corrupt feudal system. The rulers and officials indulged in pleasure, plundering the people's wealth, neglecting the economy and the affairs of the state. The people’s lives were chaotic, impoverished, and extremely difficult.

Structure:

The text, Stories from the Trịnh Lord's Palace, is divided into two parts as follows:

Part 1: From the beginning... a strange omen

Content: Describes the extravagant lifestyle within the palace of the Trịnh Lord, highlighting his lavish indulgences.

Part 2: The remainder

Content: Illustrates the corruption of the officials within the royal court.

Question 1 (Page 63 of 9th Grade Language Arts Textbook, Volume 1):

The luxurious lifestyle of Trịnh Lord and his officials is depicted through the following details:

- Continuous construction of grand palaces

- The courtiers engaging in extravagant and wasteful activities: hosting lavish events, setting up orchestras everywhere

- Their indulgence in travel and exploitation of the nation's resources

- The author's tone is neutral and objective, highlighting the reality of the society without excessive bias. The recorded events already expose the true nature of the society, and the author's attitude becomes evident through these portrayals.

- "The wise know that an ominous sign is imminent": The author predicted the impending downfall, offering a warning about the unstable social conditions of the time. If no change is made, disastrous consequences will follow.

Question 2 (Page 63 of 9th Grade Language Arts Textbook, Volume 1):

The officials in the Trịnh Lord's palace exploited the common people using tactics such as: stealing and loudly accusing others, leaving the citizens with two choices—being robbed twice or destroying their own wealth. This is utterly unjust and unreasonable.

- Meaning of the final paragraph: “Our family lives in Hà Khẩu... and that’s why,” here the author refers to a personal event at his own home to reinforce the authenticity of his descriptions. It also reveals the author's feelings of anger, outrage, and injustice.

Question 3 (Page 63 of 9th Grade Language Arts Textbook, Volume 1):

Distinguishing between the essay genre and the narrative genre:

- Narrative: Must include characters, who may be based on real people or fictional creations, and is typically connected to a plot. The characters are developed through appearance, personality, and psychology, and the narrative often reflects real-life events through the story arcs of the characters.

- Essay: A literary form that tends to be more reflective and spontaneous, without necessarily having characters or a plot. It primarily expresses the author's personal feelings, views, and reflections on the topics being discussed.

Summary:

The text highlights the following key themes:

- The extravagant, excessive, and opulent lifestyle of the Trịnh Lord's court

- The corruption and exploitation by the officials

- The harsh and impoverished lives of the common people, in stark contrast to the luxurious life of the ruling class

- The portrayal of a disordered and chaotic society

Structure:

- Part 1 (from the beginning to 'it signals an omen'): The extravagant and excessive lifestyle within the Lord's palace.

- Part 2 (the rest): The malicious and disruptive actions of the officials under the Lord's rule towards the people.

Guidelines for writing the essay:

Question 1: The extravagant, unrestrained behavior of Lord Trinh and his courtiers is described through specific scenes and actions:

- The construction of grand structures and excessive indulgence in travel.

- Detailed descriptions of the Lord's leisure activities.

- The collection of rare goods; the ostentatious decorations within the palace causing distress and waste.

The author subtly reveals his personal attitude towards the Lord's lavish lifestyle through the depiction of the garden in the Lord's residence: 'Whenever the night is quiet and the sound of birds and monkeys echo through the surroundings, or in the dead of night when a storm rages as if everything is falling apart, the awake ones understand this is an ominous sign.' The author's interpretation of the 'ominous sign' serves as a critique, a warning against the reckless indulgence of the Lord, which ultimately leads to destruction and ruin upon the sweat and blood of the people.

Question 2:

The courtiers in the Lord's palace, arrogant and tyrannical, oppress the people. Their method is to steal while making a fuss, leaving the people to suffer robbery twice—either by having their valuables stolen or being forced to destroy their own possessions. This is utterly unreasonable and unjust.

The author recounts a personal incident that occurred in his own family to strengthen the credibility of the details presented and make the writing more dynamic. The author's emotions are subtly conveyed through the retelling of this event.

Question 3: The difference between an essay and a story is:

- An essay is a form of writing used to record real people and events, with the author focusing on expressing their attitude, emotions, thoughts, and evaluations about human beings and life. A story, on the other hand, reflects reality through a broader portrayal of life events and human experiences.

- A story usually includes a plot with a beginning, development, and conclusion, as well as characters with distinctive features and internal developments. An essay is more spontaneous, sometimes disjointed, without following a structured plot but primarily aiming to express the author's feelings and attitudes.

Practice:

Question (page 63 of the textbook): The state of our country during the late 18th century under King Le and Lord Trinh.

During the late 18th century, under King Le and Lord Trinh, the country fell into a state of chaos and disorder. The rulers lived in luxury, indulging in pleasures, while the Lord's palace was filled with exotic birds, rare animals, and ancient trees. The ruling officials, relying on this indulgence, acted arrogantly and extorted the people. Even the wealthy were not safe from their greed, having to pay bribes to escape accusations of hiding valuable gifts. Those with rare plants in their gardens were forced to cut them down. Meanwhile, the common people were suffering from extreme poverty, unable to afford rice even with gold. Those without money had to abandon their lands and resort to eating tree bark or rats. Amidst the turmoil, people even resorted to selling human flesh for food. It was an incredibly desperate situation!

Meaning - Value:

- Through this lesson, students gain an understanding of the country's situation during the reign of King Le and Lord Trinh.

- Students can also appreciate the distinctive features of Pham Dinh Ho's essay style, including his descriptive techniques, and the seamless integration of narrative, descriptive, and reflective approaches in his writing.

1. What details depict the luxurious lifestyle of Lord Trịnh and his courtiers? What is your assessment of the author's narrative style? Why does the author end the description with the phrase: 'Those who are perceptive know this is a bad omen'?

Answer:

- The construction of palaces and excessive indulgence in leisure;

- Detailed depictions of Lord Trịnh's recreational activities;

- The collection of rare goods; The extravagant decoration in the court that causes disruption and waste.

The author subtly expresses his subjective opinion about the excessive indulgence of Lord Trịnh when describing the palace garden: 'Whenever the night is calm and the sounds of birds and monkeys echo from all directions, or at midnight when it becomes noisy like a storm with crashing sounds, the perceptive know this is a bad omen.' The author's view of the 'bad omen' is a critique, a warning about the lavish lifestyle built on the sweat and blood of the people, leading to ruin and disaster.

Answer guide for the questions on page 63 of the 9th-grade Literature textbook, Volume 1:

1 - Page 63 of the textbook:

What details illustrate the extravagant lifestyle of Lord Trịnh and his courtiers? How do you evaluate the author's narrative style? Why does the author end this descriptive paragraph with the phrase: 'Those who are perceptive know this is an omen of misfortune'?

Answer:

Lord Trịnh commissioned the construction of numerous palaces and pavilions in various locations to indulge in leisure activities and enjoy scenic views: Li Palace on West Lake, Từ Trầm Mountain, Dũng Thủy Mountain. These constructions continued non-stop, draining the state's resources.

- The frequent gatherings at West Lake are described in great detail (occurring three to four times a month), with many attendants (soldiers, court officials, and other servants), and lavish entertainment (market-like activities by the lake, musicians performing for amusement).

- Lord Trịnh ordered the collection of rare items from around the world such as 'exotic birds, rare beasts, ancient trees, strange stones, potted plants, and decorative flowers' to decorate his palace.

The descriptions of the scenery and events are provided by the author in a concrete, authentic, and objective manner, thoroughly portraying the lavish indulgence of Lord Trịnh and his courtiers.

- At the end of the description, the author writes that those who are perceptive know this is an ominous sign. The scene, though set in a garden filled with rare birds, strange animals, ancient trees, and unusual rocks, creates a sense of eeriness: 'Whenever the night is peaceful and quiet, the sounds of birds and monkeys echo in all directions, or at midnight the noise is like a storm, crashing everything to pieces...'

This is no longer a peaceful, joyful scene. The author views it as a forewarning of the downfall of a dynasty that indulges in excess at the expense of the common people's blood, sweat, and tears.

2 - Page 63 of the textbook:

What methods did the courtiers use to harass the common people? What is the meaning of the final paragraph: 'My house is in Hà Khẩu ward...'?

Answer:

During Lord Trịnh Sâm's reign, the palace eunuchs were highly favored because they helped the Lord indulge in his excesses. They exploited their position to cause chaos, taking advantage of the common people. These courtiers, taking advantage of the Lord's power, harassed and extorted money from the people. Their tactics involved both theft and public threats, which left the villagers with nothing. If they did not give up their valuables, they would have to destroy them themselves. This was an illogical and unjust practice. These eunuchs filled their pockets while pretending to be diligent servants of the Lord.

- At the end of the passage describing the eunuchs' methods, the author recounts a personal story: the author's mother had to order the removal of a valuable pear tree and two pomegranate trees from their garden to avoid trouble. The inclusion of this real event increases the credibility of the narrative.