The legend that follows is one of the
oldest of Vietnam, reputedly going back to the early years of the
semi-legendary Hong Bang dynasty. It is probably of Taoist inspiration
and affirms a belief in genie and immortals.
The third King
Hung Vuong had a beautiful daughter named Tien-Dung (Divine Beauty),
who, although of fairy-like loveliness, was endowed with a whimsical
nature. Despite her father's entreaties, she rejected every offer of
marriage, preferring, as she said, to remain single in order to satisfy
her passion for visiting the many beautiful sites of her father's
kingdom, known as Van Lang. As the king loved his daughter tenderly, he
tried to please her in every way possible, even placing at her disposal
a number of vessels including the royal barge, so that she could
navigate the rivers of the realm.
At that time, in the village of Chu Xa (Hung Yen province), lived
Chu Cu-Van and his son Chu Dong-Tu (Marsh Boy). They were poor
fishermen whose home had been ruined by fire. They had lost all their
clothing except a single loincloth, which they took turns wearing. When
Chu Cu-Van fell seriously ill and felt death approaching, he called his
son to the side of his mat.
"After my death," he said, "keep this loincloth for thyself."
But Chu Dong-Tu was a pious son and could not let his old father be
buried without shroud. He attended the funeral in borrowed clothes and
then found himself without a garment of any kind. The poor young
fisherman was obliged to do his fishing at night. During the day he
would attempt to sell his catch to the people in the boats passing
along the river, remaining immersed in the water up to his waist. One
day, Princess Tien Dung, then in her twentieth year, accompanied by a
brilliant suite, happened to approach the very place where Chu Dong-Tu
was standing in the water. When the young fisherman heard the sound of
gongs and bells and perceived the wonderful array of parasols and
banners, he became frightened and took cover behind some bulrushes.
Then he quickly dug a hole in the sand and covered himself so
completely that only his nose was exposed.
Taking a liking to the picturesque surroundings, the princess
expressed a desire to bathe there. A tent was set up on the shore. The
princess entered, disrobed, and began to pour water over her head and
shoulders. As the water trickled to the ground, it washed away some of
the sand, exposing Chu Dong-Tu in all his nakedness.
"Who are you?" asked the princess. "What are you doing here?"
"Your Royal Highness," replied the frightened youth, not daring to
raise his eyes, "I am only a poor fisherman. Having no garment with
which to clothe myself, I was forced to hide in the sand at the
approach of the royal barge. Will you not pardon my error?"
Princess Tien Dung dressed in haste and threw a remnant of cloth to
the young man so that he could cover himself. Then she questioned him
in great detail about his past life. Hardship had not marred Chu
Dong-Tu's handsome features, and the princess was not displeased with
his demeanor. After some deliberation, she reached a decision.
"I had not expected to marry," she said with a sigh, "but Heaven has
ordained this meeting. I cannot oppose Heaven's Will." She immediately
ordered all her officers and ladies to come forward. When they had
assembled, she told them of the extraordinary adventure that had just
befallen her. Then she announced that it was her intention to marry the
young man.
"But Your Royal Highness," cried Chu Dong-Tu on hearing
these words, "how can I, a penniless fisherman, be the husband of a
royal princess?"
"It has been predestined," replied the young woman; "therefore, there can be no reservations about the matter."
"Long live Their Royal Highnesses." cried the officers and ladies in chorus.
Chu Dong-Tu was properly clothed and groomed and the royal wedding
took place that same evening with great pomp. But when King Hung-Vuong
learned of it, he became furious and shouted angrily at his courtiers.
"In marrying a vagabond," he said, "Tien Dung has dishonored her
rank of royal princess. She is to be disinherited and forever banned
from my court." The princess had no desire to face her father's wrath.
In order to provide for her husband and herself, she decided to go into
business. She sold her junks and her jewels, bought some land at a
crossroads near the village of Chu Xa, and established a trading post.
Visited by merchant vessels from the entire kingdom of Van Lang and
from countries overseas as well, the village prospered and in time
became a great emporium.
One day, a foreign merchant advised the princess to send an agent
across the sea to purchase some rare merchandise that could then be
sold at a tenfold profit. Chu Dong-Tu was charged with this mission and
together with the foreign merchant left by sea. On reaching the island
of Quynh Vien, they met a Taoist priest who immediately recognized the
sign of immortality on Chu Dong-Tu's forehead. The former fisherman
then entrusted his gold to the foreign merchant and remained on the
island for one year in order to be initiated into the secrets of the
Way (Dao).
On the day of Chu Dong-Tu's departure, the priest gave his disciple
a pilgrim's staff and a conical hat made of palm leaves. He advised him
never to be without them.
"This staff will give you support," he said, "but it is worth much
more. The hat will protect you from the rain and also from harm. Both
have supernatural power."
On returning to Chu Xa, Chu Dong-Tu converted his wife to Taoism.
They repented their earthly sins, abandoned their possessions, and left
in search of a deserted place, where they would be able to devote
themselves entirely to a study of the True Doctrine.
All day they stumbled on through the wilds and at last fell to the
earth exhausted. But before lying down to sleep, Chu Dong-Tu planted
his staff in the ground and on it hung the conical hat.
The couple had been asleep only a few moments before being awakened
by a crash of thunder. They sat up between flashes of lightning and saw
a magic citadel suddenly rise from the earth. It was complete with
jade-and-emerald palaces, public buildings, and houses for the
inhabitants. Mandarins, both civil and military, courtiers, soldiers,
and servants came forward to welcome them to the city, begging them to
rule over the new kingdom. Chu Dong-Tu and his wife entered their
palace and began a reign of peace and prosperity.
When King Hung-Vuong learned of the existence of the magic citadel,
he thought that his daughter had rebelled against his authority and was
desirous of founding a new dynasty. He assembled an army and ordered
his generals to destroy the rival kingdom. The people of the citadel
urged the princess to give them weapons so that they might defend her
territory.
"No," she said, "I do not intend to defend this citadel by force of
arms. Heaven created it and Heaven has sent my father's army against
it. In any case, how can a daughter oppose her father's will? I must
submit to the inevitable."
That evening King Hung-Vuong's army camped on the bank of the river
opposite the magic citadel. His generals planned to attack the
following morning. But at midnight a terrible storm arose and the
entire citadel with all its inhabitants was seen to rise into the air
and disappear. The next morning the royal army found only a marshy pond
and a sandy beach at its former sight. The pond received the name of
Dam Nhat Da, which means "Pond Formed in One Night", the beach was
called "Spontaneous Beach", or Bai Tu-Nhien
