Story 3. Cong Uan Ly moved the capital

In days of spring, 1010 Thai To Ly king and some courtiers went to his hometown on a ship. They went from Hoa Lu capital (Ninh Binh province) to Co Phap (now, Bac ninh province) on a ship. The king had delight as he saw the country seemed to change better. Fields were green and were going to give great harvests. Whenever, the ship arrived to a port, the king stopped to go on ground and had sightseeing and asked people about their lives. When the ship came to “Đông Bộ Đầu” port which was outside of Dai La citadel, the ship stopped, the king went on and realized Dai La was crowded place with convenient transportation. Dai La had been headquater of government when the country had been dominated by another country. Its name had been Tong Binh, had been rebuilt and repaired many times. Especially, it was repaired carefully when Cao Bien was the manager (See more about CaoBien here). The visit gave the king a deep thinking. Though the king had left Dai La and came to his hometown, he still couldn’t relax his mind.

vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com

When the travel finished, the king came back Hoa Lu. That time, he and some courtiers spent few days climbing up to the tops of highest mountains and observed around. Meanwhile, the king observed the country with another position; he now was not a general but he was a leader who would lead the country on right way.

Hoa Lu was place which was surrounded by high mountains. It was the best place if he wanted a defensive fortress but now it was unnecessary for a country which was developing. On other side, Dai La was a city which had developed for many years while the country was being dominated. Dai La had become the center of politic, economy and culture. He spent nights thinking then had a decision that moving the capital.

Thai To Ly ordered his courtiers to invited Van Hanh (his teacher) coming to discuss. They discussed until midnight. Van Hanh left the room to take a rest while the king was still in the room to write a decree. When the decree had been written that also was the next morning. In the decree the king confirmed that:

“Dai La is old castle of Cao Bien. It stands in the center of of heaven and earth. One side abuts with mountain and one side abuts with river it is too convenient for trade. Besides, it is a broad and high area that people living in which have never known what is flooding. After considering over Dai viet, I think no where can become the new capital but Da La.

I want to move the capital to the place. What do you think?”

All mandarins agreed and said that: “My king, you because of people make this plan. It will help our country develop, help many people be rich and have great lives. That is good thing. We will follow you, my king”.

The king was satisfied, he ordered people to start.

The king asked people to come to Dai La and measured. They drew an architecture map of Dai La which expressed each house, each road, each port… Then the king ordered soldiers to go and started to prepare all thing. They built a baked brick factory and wood factory, then the works, leveling, cleaning rivers, canals, and building were done inturn.

The new capital was built three layers. The outermost layer was called “Kinh thành” (or “La thành”), the next layer was “Hoàng thành” (or “Thăng Long thành”), and the last layer was “Cấm thành” (or “Long thành”) where the king would lived.

“Kinh thành” (Kinh thanh) was very large and was surrounded by three rivers that were Tô, Nhị (now it is called Hong) and Kim Nguu. They became natural trenchs protecting Kinh thanh. Kinh thanh had four main gates. Those were Trieu Dong (Triều Đông) in the north, Tay Duong (Tây Dương) in the west, Truong Quang (Trường Quảng) in the south,Van Xuan (Vạn Xuân) in the east. That outmost area was where focused normal people, traders and craftsmans. They came there to live and trade and made the area become the the most prosperous area in the country.

Hoang thanh the next layer was built by baked bricks and was cladded by marbles. Kinh thành was surrounded by deep moat and people could get in by the way go on bridges. The east of Hoang thanh was place Nhi river went past and flowed into Dam Dam lake (now West lake) and To Lich river and that had Tuong Phu (Tường Phủ) gate. The other gates were Quang Phuc (Quảng Phúc) in the west, Dai Hung (Đại Hưng) in the south, Duc Dieu (Đức Diệu) in the north. That area was place royals and powerful mandarin’s families lived. Besides, it placed headquarters of the army.

Long thanh, the last layer which the king and his family lived in. There built a complex castle with many halls and rooms as Can Nguyen (Càn Nguyên) where was the place the king and mandarins, generals discussed country’s problems; Tap Hien (Tập Hiền), the place mandarins had meetings and Giang Vo (Giảng Võ), the place general focussed. Of course, the castle had many rooms which were place the king, the queen and maids lived. The castle had circular roof architecture which was stood on big wooden pillars and were decorated by carved with patterns as dragon, fox, turtle and phoenix…

The building of capital was conducted in urgency and meticulousness. The baked brick factory had never stopped along the time the capital was built. Marbles, wood and lime stones were carried to by ships. Builders, carpenters, carvers in whole contry were grouped into there to work. Whatever construction which was complete it almost was used immediately. Therefore, in July, 1010 the king and courtiers went to a ship and started going to new capital. The ship followed rivers named Hoang Long (Hoàng Long), Day (Đáy), Chau Giang (Châu Giang) then went in Nhi (now Hong) to arrive to the capital. The travel took them three days. As the ship landed at the port that time was early morning.

The king went out apartment. He observed and enjoyed scenery. Then the king saw a cloud which looked like as a flying dragon. The king thought that was good sign so he decided named the new capital Thang Long (flying dragon).

The old capital was changed Truong Yen ( Trường Yên) and his hometown also changed Thien Duc (Thiên Đức).

Next kings of Ly dynasty continued building and repairing Thang Long and made it be more magnificent. They made Thang Long became the pride of country that time and a cultural heritage now.

THE END

"Translated by Hung Nguyen"

Read more:

Historical stories

Story 1. Cong Uan Ly, the first king of Ly dynasty

Story 2. Vạn Hạnh, a monk and an adviser of kings

Story 3. Cong Uan Ly moved the capital

Story 4: Thai Tong Ly, the kindness king

Story 5: Ceremony Dong Co

-----

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!

Thach Sanh and Ly Thong Chapter 1

Chap 1: fight with huge snake Once upon a time, a woodcutter and his wife were over sixty years old but they had had not any children. Although they were sad, they still did good thing and hoped God would give them one child. At last, their kindness had come to King of heaven who requested his son to fly down and reincarnate to be the old couple’son. They had just enjoyed the happiness for a short time. Then, the old man died, before his son was born. Vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com After that, the woman gave birth to a beautiful, strength boy. She named him Thach Sach. The poor boy grew up with no father then his mother also left after few years living with him. They only left him an ax and a pair of shorts. Day by day, he went to forest, cut tree, split them then took to market to get money. When he was thirteen, king of heaven forced his servants down to teach him magic and martial arts. Then they was back heaven, Thach Sanh continued living alone in...

Thanh Giong

Once upon a time, a woman was old but she had not given birth a child. One day, when she went to her field, she saw a stranger footsore on the ground. The big footsore made her surprise and said: “omg, this footsore is so big” the she put her foot into the footsore. More 9 months later, she gave birth to a little boy named Giong. The boy was extraordinary that he was over three years old but had not spoken. He only knew lying and smiling. vietnamesefairytales.blogspot.com That year, the enemies they were known An planed to attack the country of the boy. They were merciless. Wherever they had gone, houses were ruined, fields were fired, people were killed. The sight behind them is mess of corpse and blood and ashes.The King was worry he forced his servants to look for person who could fight against the enemies. One day, a servent went to Giong’s village while the woman was holding the boy in her arms, she said sadly that: “Giong, I wonder that when you hav...

My Chau and Trong Thuy

Once upon a time, there had a king, named An Duong Vuong. After many years fighting, he get a large area. The king planed to build a castle but whenever it had been built as tall as a men’s height then it was ruined. The king was unhappy. Therefore, the king had made an altar to pray God for few days until an early morning, a old man from seaside went to talk him God Turtle was going come to help him. The king was very happy and forced soldiers to wait on the seaside. The next day, in the water appeared a big gold turles toward seaside. The soldiers invited God Turtle to set sat on a big gold platter and brought to the king. The God Turtle told the king that the castle couldn’t have finished because of demons. God Turtle helped the king to kill the demons so all demons was killed. Besides, the God Turtle help the king design a castle look like a seashell with many gate levels. Half a month later, the castle had been finished. The king was very pleased but a little worry. He a...

The love story of Chuc and Nguu

Deeply in forest where rarely people stepped on there had a pond which were filled by cool clear water. The pond had never dried so that was where fairies used to gather. They often took water from the pond and sometime they waded in it to bath. And while they were bathing they always left their clothes on shore. Though, they had never been discovered by anyone who lived on ground. He, a woodcutter, lived alone in a hut standing by edge of forest. His name was Nguu. Everyday, he went in forest, cut down tree then brought it to market to sell. One day, he went in forest to deeply that he didn’t remember the way to get out the forest. It’s random he headed to the pond at the middle of forest. That time, three fairies were romping in the pond. And of course they were the most beautiful girls Nguu had ever seen so he immediately was enchanted their beauty. Then, he caught a plan that he wanted a fairy to be his wife. He saw sets of white clothes which were left on grass n...

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 ...

Fairy Lieu Hanh

Ngoc Hoang, the king of gods in heaven, had a daughter, named Lieu Hanh. Lieu Hanh was fairy who was headstrong and usually didn’t obey rules in heaven. Ngoc Hoang had advised her many times but he still did what she wanted. Therefore, Ngoc Hoang decided to punish his daughter to teach her a lesson. One time, Lieu Hanh made a mistake, his father forced her to get down and lived on ground three years. Lieu Hanh transformed into a beautiful girl and built a hut, sold tea under Ngang pass after she landed on ground. The place was wild trees that grew up luxuriantly but the road leading from north to south crossed there so many travelers crossed there everyday. Besides, there had only a tea shop because others feared robbers and beasts around the place. Consequently, her tea shop was always crowded. Though Lieu Hanh was punishing, she was still arrogant and didn’t respect any rules. Therefore, people went in her hut, drank tea then went away without trouble, would have no harm...

Story 12: General Thuong Kiet Ly

His birth name is Tuan Ngo, an offspring of Quyen Ngo. He was borned in 1019 at Thai Hoa ward, Thang Long (now Hanoi). When he was child, he early showed brave and martial spirit what were inherited from his family who had been generals, dedicating to Ly dynasty. His father, An Ngu Ngo was also one of them he was a great general. When he was 13 years old, he lost his father and was taken care by his aunt and her husband. Tuan Ngo was taught by Cong An Ly, a royal great teacher at that time. His teacher complimented that he had talent but he headed to be a general instead of a mandarin. Therefore, he studied literature in daytime and research art of warfare in night time. When he was enough 18 years old, he opened a martial class. People coming and studying were crowded. The news came to the recent king who summoned him to castle and conferred him to be a low martial mandarin. Two years later, he became the king’s guard staying by the king entire day. That time, the king realize...

Vietnamese fairy tales

Search This Blog