Top 7 Best Essays Analyzing the First Stanza of 'Phu Song Bach Dang' by Truong Han Sieu (Literature 10)

'Phu Song Bach Dang' is one of the most outstanding poems in the classical Vietnamese literary tradition. Through this poem, the author Truong Han Sieu not only praises the nation's heroic and resilient spirit but also expresses his pride in the beauty of his homeland. In the opening lines, the poet glorifies the historical Bach Dang River, a place with profound significance to the nation. The river’s natural beauty is depicted through the eyes of the character 'the guest,' who can be interpreted as the poet himself. From the very first lines, the poet introduces the guest as someone who loves to explore, free-spirited and open-minded:

'The guest who... sails across the waves, lost in the moonlight.'

The 'guest' character lists various famous locations from their travels, including well-known sites from China, such as the Yuan River, the Xiang River, Wuyue, Nine Rivers, and Five Lakes. The guest’s knowledge is vast and detailed, expressing a desire for adventure:

'By the early morning, I knock on the boat at the Yuan, the Xiang...'

The guest firmly declares, 'Wherever people go, there's nothing unknown,' showing off their extensive knowledge and broad experiences, even expressing a sense of wanderlust and ambition. Beyond China, the guest mentions Vietnamese landmarks like the Đại Than Gate, Đông Triều Port, and Bach Dang River. From these references, we can see that the guest is someone with a deep love for nature and a profound understanding of its beauty. With this appreciation for nature, the guest brings to life the stunning scenery of Bach Dang River with vivid, authentic imagery:

'On Bach Dang River, boats glide gracefully...'

Bach Dang appears with its majestic, dangerous waves, 'endless waves stretching for miles,' but it is also described as poetic and serene, 'with the gentle curve of a pheasant’s tail.' Amidst the fierce waves, boats glide quietly, mimicking the tail of a pheasant as they drift over the tumultuous water. The beauty of the river merges with the sky, creating a harmonious landscape, 'water and sky, one color,' reflecting a tranquil and poetic atmosphere. However, the scene is also tinged with sadness, as the poet speaks of lonely shores, abandoned piers, and desolate scenes, using words like 'lonely' and 'dreary' to emphasize the sadness and desolation of the place. Despite its somber mood, the river is also a historical battlefield, where countless lives were lost, and the river was stained with blood. The remnants of weapons and bones serve as painful reminders of the past. These traces highlight the nation’s glorious history but also evoke deep sorrow for the lives lost.

'The sorrow for the scene, standing in silence for a long time...'

The guest's reflection on the battlefield brings a deep sense of melancholy as they mourn the dead and lament the fading historical significance over time. The use of words like 'sorrow,' 'grief,' and 'regret' powerfully captures the guest’s emotions as they stand before Bach Dang River.

Through the opening stanza of 'Phu Song Bach Dang,' Truong Han Sieu takes the reader on an emotional journey, from pride in the nation's heroic history to sorrow over the erosion of historical memory. The reader is also prompted to consider the importance of preserving history and honoring the sacrifices of previous generations that laid the foundation for Vietnam's independence and peace.

The history of Vietnamese literature and art is rich with topics inspired by the nation's famous landmarks. Each location is linked to significant victories, such as Chi Lang, Ham Tu, and Dong Da. However, the place that has inspired the most writers is the historic Bach Dang River—famous for its intense and decisive battles against northern invaders.

Throughout medieval Vietnamese literature, numerous authors have written about Bach Dang, including Tran Minh Tong, Nguyen Trai, Truong Han Sieu, and Nguyen Mong Tuan. Of these works, the most celebrated is Truong Han Sieu's "Phu Song Bach Dang". This masterpiece is highly regarded as one of the most famous poems from the Tran dynasty and is considered a pinnacle of medieval Vietnamese literature.

The inspiration for this work comes from the Bach Dang River, a site of many glorious victories. The poem was composed about fifty years after the Mongol invasion, during which the poet sailed along the river. The genre of the piece is called 'Phu', a form used to describe scenery or narrate events, and it is a classical style of Vietnamese literature.

In classical literature, nature is frequently described. Authors often turn to nature to express various emotions. For example, Cao Ba Quat uses nature to reveal his frustration, while Nguyen Binh Khiem seeks solace in nature's wisdom amidst life's turmoil.

In "Phu Song Bach Dang", Truong Han Sieu approaches nature from a different perspective. The poem opens with the poet leading the reader through the vast landscapes of Cuu Giang, Ngo Ho, Tam Ngo, and Bach Viet, places the 'guest' character has visited. This guest figure, embodying a free-spirited soul who enjoys exploring and observing the world, expresses a sense of freedom:

“Hoist the sail and glide with the wind

Sail the sea and play under the moonlight

In the morning, I row through Nguyên and Tương rivers”

The guest reveals a thirst for knowledge and adventure, listing a series of famous places that demonstrate their vast experience and ambition:

“The Van Mong lake holds hundreds, many more inside my heart

But the ambition to travel the world still burns within me”

The guest's grand ambitions are depicted through a list of famous Chinese places, suggesting a character with an open heart, capable of appreciating the vastness of the world. These places are imagined, representing the poet's dreamlike journey, reflecting his love for travel and intellectual pursuits, as shown in his wish to explore the world freely:

“Hoist the sail and glide with the wind”

Next, the poet describes the beauty of Bach Dang River. The boat carries the guest to the river, where the landscape unfolds as both majestic and poetic:

“Endless waves roar for thousands of miles

Graceful as the tail of a pheasant, shimmering in a single color”

Using metaphors, the poet compares the waves to great whales and the boat sails to the tails of pheasants. The beauty of the river, blending the sky and water, evokes both awe and tranquility. However, as the boat passes, the poet feels a melancholic nostalgia:

“The riverbanks are lined with reeds, silent and empty”

The echoes of past battles resonate in the stillness of the river, as the poet reflects on the valorous yet tragic history of the riverbank. The waves and the empty land now speak of loss, symbolizing the sacrifices of past heroes:

“The river is filled with broken spears, the mounds covered with dry bones”

Time has slowly eroded the once-glorious marks of battle, leaving only traces of sorrow and remembrance:

“Sad because of the forgotten battlefield, I stand silent for a long time”

The poet mourns the fading marks of a once-proud past, invoking the spirits of fallen heroes:

“Alas, where have the brave gone?

How tragic that the traces of their valor are fading”

Set in the context of the declining Tran dynasty, the poet’s nostalgic feelings reflect the sorrow of a golden age now passed. The poem conveys both the greatness of past victories and the poet's deep emotions of loss, all while inspiring readers to cherish and protect their country's history and achievements.

Trương Hán Siêu was an intellectually gifted figure who held numerous important positions in the imperial court and made significant contributions to two major wars against the Mongol Yuan dynasty. In ancient Vietnamese literature, there are a few works that focus on the Bạch Đằng River, but Trương Hán Siêu's 'Phú sông Bạch Đằng' is considered a masterpiece. 'Phú sông Bạch Đằng' is a work that reflects a deep love for one's homeland and national pride.

This work was originally written in classical Chinese and later translated by several different authors. The following passage is based on the translation by Professor Bùi Văn Nguyên. The poem begins with a magnificent scene, describing vast landscapes such as the Nine Rivers, Five Lakes, Three Kingdoms, and Hundred Viet, with a free-spirited traveler’s soul:

Setting sail, catching the wind, drifting aimlessly,

Gliding over the waves, lost in the moonlight.

The character “guest” in this context is none other than Trương Hán Siêu himself. With his free-spirited nature, the poet appears as a wandering scholar carrying a pouch of wine and a bag of poetry, traveling wherever his heart leads. Yet, his yearning for adventure is still unfulfilled:

The Vân Mộng swamp holds hundreds in my heart,

But my ambition still reaches out to the four corners of the world.

However, the traveler’s journey is not merely for sightseeing; it is an opportunity to learn more about life and oneself. When he arrives at the Bạch Đằng River, the traveler seeks to honor the place where his ancestors achieved great victories, to admire, celebrate, and reflect. In the poem, Bạch Đằng is first described as a river with majestic scenery: endless waves stretching across thousands of miles. Because of its vastness ('endless') and length ('thousands of miles'), Bạch Đằng is not only a mighty river but also a vast, continuous waterway filled with surging waves. Yet, beyond its awe-inspiring grandeur, Bạch Đằng also holds a graceful, poetic beauty: in the fall, the water is clear and green, and boats gently float along the river, creating a scene of tranquil beauty. Despite the picturesque view, the traveler feels a mixture of sorrow and joy. This is the place where many battles were fought, witnessing glorious victories but also the sacrifices and losses of war. The imagery of 'broken spears', 'dry bones', 'sky and water', and 'empty reed fields' evoke a deep sense of sorrow and mourning. Today, people cannot help but feel sadness for the heroes who have passed:

Sorrow for the absence of the heroes,

Regret that their marks have faded.

It can be said that 'Phú sông Bạch Đằng' is a patriotic song, overflowing with national pride. With its strict structure, dynamic rhythms, and concise yet passionate language, this work has inspired readers to take pride in the vast lands of the country and appreciate the sacrifices made by past generations to ensure the peace we enjoy today. This is the most precious value that has made the work one of the greatest poetic masterpieces of Vietnam’s medieval literature.

Professor Nguyễn Đình Chú once stated, "The value of the Phu lies not only in resurrecting the heroic spirit of the Battle of Bạch Đằng but also in shining a light on the timeless truth of our nation." This is indeed accurate, as behind the victorious grandeur of the naval battle on the Đằng River, the poem elevates national pride and reflects high humanistic ideals. The first stanza not only revives the victorious aura of the battle but also serves as a powerful anthem of national truth.

Analyzing the structure of the Phu, it follows a call-and-response form, with a dialogue between two main figures: the traveler and the host. The traveler is eager to explore, well-versed in many aspects, especially passionate about the nation's history. The traveler is drawn to Bạch Đằng River not just for its natural beauty but to pay homage to its heroic legacy and to delve into the depths of the nation's historical narrative, tracing the footsteps of the great historian Sima Qian (from the Han Dynasty). The host, an elderly figure encountered along the river, carries the heavy responsibility entrusted by the people. It is possible that the elder is a fictional character created to fulfill emotional needs and enhance the narrative's sentiment.

The poem begins with the image of the traveler—"sailing the boat with the wind, drifting aimlessly, gathering the moonlight on the sea." It is romantic and poetic. This character reverses time to relive past memories, visiting the landscapes that are revered as the "world's finest," speaking of an era long past and the natural world that is praised in all its simplicity.

From the mystical rivers of Yuan and Xiang,

To the ancient tombs in Wu Yue.

The Nine Rivers, Five Lakes, Three Wu, and Hundred Viet peoples.

His aspirations, although grand, remain unfulfilled.

The true talent of the poet is revealed in how he carefully chooses words and constructs lines. The names of these regions, when read aloud, have a rhythmic and musical quality:

Three > Wu > Hundred > Viet

Nine > Rivers > Five > Lakes

These regions, from the Yuan and Xiang rivers in Hunan, the Wu Yue tombs, to the Three Wu and Hundred Viet peoples, all beckon travelers, drawing them to explore, to leave their mark. Though far and remote, whether familiar or foreign, the footprints are left by the traveler who once journeyed here. Just when it seems the traveler’s grand aspirations have been fulfilled—"having traveled across the vast Vân Mộng, yet the ambition for the four corners of the world is still unquenched." The traveler’s longing is not satisfied, as even on the sacred soil of his homeland, where the ancestors fought and bled, the footprints of victory are yet to be left—"The glory of the Battle of Bạch Đằng!"

The first impression that Trương Hán Siêu imparts is the vastness and depth of the historic river, both geographically and in the sense of its historical significance. The Bạch Đằng River is not only a wide, expansive waterway, but it also carries the weight of history, its waves symbolic of the victories and sacrifices that shaped the nation. The river is both majestic and serene, its beauty reflected in the gentle ripples that carry boats across its surface. The poet skillfully blends the grandeur of nature with a sense of loss and reflection, evoking the melancholic emotions tied to the sacrifices made here. The echoes of ancient battles reverberate through the landscape, urging the reader to reflect on the past and honor the heroes who fought for the peace we enjoy today. The poem encapsulates a powerful sense of national pride, with a deep connection to the heroic past of the Vietnamese people.