Story 11: King Nhan Tong Ly

His mother was a beautiful woman but Crown Prince Can Duc seemed not to inherit her beauty. People described that he had protruding eyes, a convex forehead and especially, his hands could reach over his knees as he stood straight. Though, people said that was shape of person who had rare talents. They might be right because Crown Prince matured sooner than children who had same age with him. When he was six, his father died, he had no choice but becoming the next king. Sat on the throne with Empress Dowager Linh Nhan staying in a veil behind him, he (now was King Nhan Tong Ly) solved national’s problems clearly front of mandarins and generals though his voice was still thin and weak. He used to have good ideas which none could think about.

When he was 9 years old, he felt that his teacher could not teach him anymore. Though his mother had broad knowledge, couldn’t meet his learning desire. Therefore, he thought about competitions which used to find out the people who could teach him and besides, the people could help the country develop. Empress Dowager Linh Nhan thought that was exactly good idea, she called powerful mandarins coming and discussing. Later, each person was responsible for a part of the work. Some were responsible for extending Temple of Literature, some were responsible for compiling rules and tests, some were appointed to be examiners…

In 1075, the first contest in history was opened which attracted many people who came to participate in, see and talk about it, the strange thing they had never seen or known. The contest had three exams and difficulty level was increased. Though people who participated in the contest were crowded but it was very difficult to have a point. Therefore, only ten people got pass the contest and Van Thinh Le was person who had the highest score (later, people who passed contests as the contest were given titles; Trang Nguyen for the people who had highest score, Bang Nhan for the second and Tham Hoa for the third.). Van Thinh immediately was appointmented to be the teacher of King Nhan Tong Ly. That moment, Imperial Academy was building so that one teacher taught a student in Temple of Literature. The contest was also a precedent which later dynasties used to find out talents who devoted for the development of the country later.

The next year, 1076, Imperial Academy was built inside Temple of Literature. They, now, were called Temple of Literature - Imperial Academy. The young king was the first person who studied at the place.

Indition to needing people who helped the young king to solve national problems, the country also needed people who participated in management apparatus at province level, district level and lower level. Therefore, 1077 February on lunar calendar, the king one more time organized another contest to find people who would participate in management apparatus at all levels. This contest was rather comprehensive with exams about math, literature and law.

King Nhan Tong Ly himself was also an example of hard learning he reached broad knowledge and understanding deeply dogmas. He was also a person who established “Bi thu cac”, the large national library. Besides, he ordered servants to come to China (that moment, it was Tong) and collected rare books and brought them back the country to help people in learning.

In there years, the country also tried its best to fight against Tong. General Thuong Kiet Ly was leader of soldiers who was in battlefield. In the end of 1076, soldiers of Tong went to the country. Because, people had preparation in advance, their enemies was attacked everywhere, they felt in dilemma and later, they were rounded in the shore of River Nhu Nguyet. Then, they were not supplied food and drinks and many of them had diseases. General Thuong Kiet Ly launched an overall attack at the time the enemies became weakest. Therefore, invaders were broken. Though, the king and generals gave them their kindness that they let alive invaders came back their country in peace.

Though they had won, losses of the war were serious. Immediately, the king had to mobilize people to rebuild the country. Especially, Nhu Nguyet shore where the battle took place. They repaired and rebuilt the shore. Further, King Nhan Tong Ly ordered people to built others shore to avoid the flood which used to engulf the capital whenever flood season came. In 1108, King Nhan Tong Ly ordered people to build Co Xa dike which was the first dike along River Hong. Agriculture is the thing King Nhan Tong Ly was most interested in. He had many policies to support people expanding agricultural land. Therefore, wild lands around Thang Long capital were reclaimed to be agricultural lands which supplied copious food source for people.

Peace was a important condition to develop cultural. In the time King Nhan Tong Ly reigned, many cultural events were organized and many types of art were developed as art of puppet-showing, Vietnamese popular opera (hát Chèo), boat racing…

King Nhan Tong Ly had never given birth to any child though he had three wives and 36 concubines. He chose Duong Hoan, a son of his brother, who was only enough 1 years old that time, to be crown prince.

In 1127, King Nhan Tong Ly died when he was 61 years old and had reigned the country for 55 years old, the longest time in the history of Vietnam.

In the time King Nhan Tong Ly reigned, the country reached to pinnacle of prosperity because of king’s insight. We were also undeniable merits of people as Empress Dowager Linh Nhan, powerful mandarin Dao Thanh Ly and General Thuong Kiet Ly who had helped him complete his historic mission.

THE END

"Translated by Hung Nguyen"

Read more:

Historical stories

Story 9: Royal Concubine Y Lan

Story 10: Temple of Literature - Imperial Academy

Story 11: King Nhan Tong Ly

Story 12: General Thuong Kiet Ly

Story 13: Van Thinh Le

Story 14: King Than Tong Ly

-----

Truyện cổ tích Việt Nam

Vietnamese fairy tales

Comments

BÀI ĐĂNG ĐƯỢC XEM NHIỀU

List of Vietnamese fairy tales

Vietnamese fairy tales includes many stories as Tam and Cam; So Dua; Hundred – knot- bamboo tree... which were spread in folk. Each stories has its own meaning. I think I can not translate exactly each word into english but I will try my best to convey its meaning to you. Hope you like them!

Thuong Luong

Thuong Luong was common name of creatures which are in people’s imagines. They are distant relatives of dragons. While dragons are worshiped as gods, the gods ruled rivers and sea and the gods can make rains, Thuong Luong is not respected as dragons that the creatures are too amorous, combative, wild, and have bad behaviors. All most of them like to harm people.

The Tale of the Hundred - knot Bamboo tree

Once upon a time, there had a boy who was poor, had no field. Therefore, he found the way to work for a landlord. He was healthy, worked hard and great in working so the landlord wanted him to work for him long time without any pay. One day, he called the boy to come. "You are honest and healthy. If you agree to work for me in three years without pay, I will let you marry with my only daughter after that." The boy agreed. He believed completely. He worked very hard, help the landlord turn richer that he could build more houses, buy more fields and cattles. Then, time passed. Three years nearly crossed, the boy always remembered his master's promise while his master, the landlord didn't want to do his promise. He in secret had found another boy for his daughter, a son of another landlord in that area. Therefore, what he need was a reason to refuse the boy. One day, he called the boy to come. "You have worked very hard for three years, waken early, slept late....

The tale of watermelon

Once upon a time, a young man whose name was Mai An Tiem was a slave. He was sold to a King named Hung Vuong . Mai An Tiem was clever, he learned vietnamese language very fast. Futher , he knew so many stories, places and could do everything so good so he was liked by Hung Vuong very much that wherever Hung Vuong had come he also came with him. Three years later, he was Hung Vuong let to become a noble and was stayed in a building near the castle. Besides, Hung Vuong made his daughter become his wife. Mai An Tiem now had wife, a five-year-old son, servants and assets. He seemed to lack nothing. Although he had never been arrogant people still were jealous with his his luck. vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com One day, people who were participating in a party complimented as much as they could but he only said: “That because of ...

The way to become a fairy

A farm stood on highland area. Its owners were a wealthy couple who inherited big fortune from their family. The owners of the farm had happy life by their five-year-old son. Thought that only peace days passed over them, the master, his wife and their son but, One day, an old friend of the master made his way to their home. Two men no see for long time were happy. “I had heard that you moved to here for long time but have no chance to meet you”, said the guest, gifting them two geese. “It‘s very long time I don’t hear from you. What are you doing?” said the master. “Nothing. I am practising to become a fairy”, said the guest, “Five year I have practised for in a private place and must set off, go to here to do something.” “Do what?” asked the master. “Find precious tree,” said the guest, “when you fire wood taken from the tree, it will spread out scent and bring your wishes to the castle on sky that fairies can know and help you to get the wishes”. ...

Bài 1.5: Cách sử dụng at, on, in cho thời gian, ngày, tháng, năm, mùa.

Chào các bạn! Bởi vì mình có hay dich truyện và một vài thứ linh tinh khác nên thường bắt gặp ngày, tháng năm. Thật ra khôngkhó để sử dụng đúng nhưng mỗi lần cần đến mình lại phải tra lại tra cứu. Điều đó rất mất thời gian nên hôm nay mình viết một bài liên quan đến at, on, in + thời gian để giúp bạn nào chưa biết và giúp chính mình nhớ được cách sử dụng của các giới từ at, on, in và dạng thời gian được theo sau giới từ đó.

Wishing pearl

De was a young boy. His parent was servants of a landlord. Every morning, De led landlord’s cattle to meadow and brought them back at nightfall. De used to be excited in playing with his fellows and when he was in his game he didn’t care anything. Many times the cattle he herded ate rice on field and the owners used to beat him pained but he still left cattle and joined in his fellows. One normal day, he and his fellows had a swimming competition. An award was given to the winner that he couldn’t refuse. Therefore, he participated in the competition and left his cattle on a wild hill. They swam and dived in water until noon and when they walked on ground, a cow had disappeared. The cow belonged to no one but his master. Children separated to find the cow but the cow seemed to vanish they couldn’t find it. Sun was going to down, children made their ways to home they left De staying at there. Day stayed at there alone crying. After that, he fell in sleep. Latter, he was woken up b...

So dua - Coconut boy

Once upon a time, there in a village had a couple who worked as servants for a landlord. Although they were over fifty years old, they had ever not had a child. They were sad about that, but they had never given up to dream about a child. One day, it's a very hot day, when the wife was working in the field and felt very thirsty. She seeked for water, but she didn't see any but a little water in a skull which was in a hole beside an ancient tree. She had no choice but to drink it. Right the moment she drank, the feeling of cold water running from her throat to her stomach made her felt very comfortable. As a magic, she was pregnant after that short time. Then, the husband died before he got the happiness looking his child be born. After nine months and ten days, the wife gave birth a son but he didn't look like any child on the world. He had no feet, no leg, and even no body. He just had a head with full of eyes, nose, ear, hair and mouth on it. He didn't ugly but was ...

Bài 14: Danh từ đếm được số ít và số nhiều và quy tắc thêm chuyển từ danh từ đếm được số ít sang số nhiều.

Như chúng ta đã biết danh từ thường phân thành nhiều loại nhưng về mặt ngữ pháp bạn chỉ cần biết danh từ gồm hai loại: danh từ đếm được và danh từ không đếm được. Về cơ bản mình sẽ nói qua một chút về danh từ đếm được và danh từ không đếm được vì bài này chủ yếu xoay quanh danh từ đếm được. Về bản chất danh từ đếm được là những từ bạn có thể kiểm soát nó bằng mặt số lượng tức là bạn có thể đếm 1, 2, 3 cái gì đó và nó có sự phân biệt giữa số ít (một) và số nhiều (hơn một) của loại từ này trong ngữ pháp của câu. Ví dụ: I have bananas và I have a banana có sự khác biệt rõ ràng, bạn có nhận thất mạo từ “a” ở trước banana không? Thêm nữa Bananas are yellow và a banana is yellow bạn có nhận thấy động từ đi kèm có sự khác biệt không; danh từ số nhiều sẽ tương đương vói ư chỉ ngữ they và danh từ số ít sẽ tương đương vói it. Cơ bản là thế. Còn về danh không đếm được thì bạn phải cân, đo, đong như những...

Vietnamese fairy tales

Search This Blog