For other definitions, see Kiều. Truyện KiềuTruyện thơBản Đoạn trường tân thanh (斷腸新聲) was published in 1902 and Kim Vân Kiều tân tập (金雲翌新集) in 1906. Work information: Original title: Đoàn trường tân thanh Author: Nguyễn Du Time of creation: Before 1814 or from 1814 to 1820 Dynasty: Late Lê dynasty - early Tây Sơn dynasty or Nguyễn dynasty Country: Vietnam Language: Vietnamese (Chữ Nôm) Genre: Truyện thơ Truyện Kiều is a famous poem by Nguyễn Du, considered one of the most renowned works in Vietnamese literature. The poem consists of 3,254 lines and was written in Chữ Nôm, with a lục bát rhyme scheme. There are different theories about when Nguyễn Du wrote Truyện Kiều. Some say he wrote it after his trip to China (1814-1820), while others believe he wrote it before the trip, possibly around the end of the Lê dynasty and the beginning of the Tây Sơn dynasty. The latter theory is more widely accepted. After its publication, Truyện Kiều was widely printed and disseminated. Two of the earliest known editions are from 1871 (Liễu Văn Đường edition) and 1872 (Duy Minh Thị edition), both published during the reign of Emperor Tự Đức. The story is based on the original narrative Kim Vân Kiều truyện by Thanh Tâm Tài Nhân, set in China during the Ming dynasty. The first printed edition was published in 1902 under the title Đoàn trường tân thanh, which means "new voice about a broken heart". Nguyễn Du's poem explores the theme of "tài mệnh tương đố" (talent and fate are enemies), as seen in the opening six lines of Truyện Kiều. In the story, there are three siblings: Thuý Kiều, Thuý Vân, and Vương Quan. The two sisters, Thuý Kiều and Thuý Vân, have different personalities and characteristics, but their brother Vương Quan is more talented than them. The poem describes how Kiều visits a tomb on Thanh minh day and feels pity for the "kiếp hồng nhan" (a beautiful woman), which makes him reflect on his own fate and that of women in general. He also meets Kim Trọng, who has been secretly in love with Thuý Kiều. The poem explores themes of love, fate, and relationships between men and women. Kim Trọng was so infatuated with Kiều that he forgot all about his daily pleasures and tried to move closer to her house. After several weeks, they finally met, and Kiều accepted Kim Trọng's advances. They exchanged gifts, but Kiều was cautious and persuaded Kim Trọng to wait until their wedding day. However, disaster struck when a wine seller falsely accused Kiều's father of smuggling wine. The authorities arrested Kiều's father and brother, and Kiều had no choice but to sell herself to save them. Before leaving, she asked her sister Thuý Vân to convey her promise to Kim Trọng. Kiều was bought by Mã giám sinh, a wealthy man who ran a brothel. He claimed he wanted to marry her, but after taking her virginity, he sold her to the brothel, where she was forced to entertain clients. Kiều refused and tried to kill herself, but failed. Tú bà, the madam of the brothel, pretended to be kind and offered to let Kiều leave if she felt ashamed of her profession. Kiều was heartbroken and missed her loved ones dearly. She wrote poetry to express her sadness, longing for Kim Trọng and lamenting her fate. One day, she met Sở Khanh, a kind-hearted man who... Note: I've tried to preserve the poetic and lyrical tone of the original text in my paraphrase. Kiều was trapped in a precarious situation, trying to escape from Sở Khanh's deceitful words. She was desperate and didn't realize she was falling into Tú Bà's trap. When Tú Bà appeared, Kiều finally understood Sở Khanh's true nature: someone who was known for their beauty but also had a dark past. Kiều was forced to surrender and eventually felt sorry for herself, thinking about her own predicament. Meanwhile, Thúc Sinh (also known as Thủ Sinh), a character in the story, was a man who had his own wife, Hoàn Thư, but still had feelings for Kiều. He was portrayed as a person with deep emotions and thoughts, unlike other characters in the story. Thúc Sinh's world was one of passion and sexual desire. He admired Kiều's beauty and took her away from Lầu Xanh. However, his father (Thúc Ông) did not accept Kiều, considering her to be a woman from the wrong side of the tracks. Kiều decided to compromise and live with Thúc Sinh, but without being fully accepted by him or his family. She continued to write poetry and was eventually recognized for her talents. However, she soon found herself in trouble again, this time due to Hoàn Thư's schemes. When Kiều got caught up in the situation, Thúc Sinh realized that Hoàn Thư had sent someone to capture Kiều and bring her back to answer questions. After a fire, Thuý Kiều (Kiều) became a slave at Hoàn Thư's house and was forced to serve her. When her husband, Thúc Sinh, returned home, he found Kiều being treated harshly by Hoàn Thư and realized that she had been deceived into becoming his wife. Kiều was heartbroken and began playing the flute with a sorrowful melody, moving everyone in attendance to tears. Hoàn Thư eventually allowed Kiều to go to Quan Âm Các (a Buddhist temple) to copy scriptures. However, Hoàn Thư continued to mistreat Kiều, manipulating her into becoming a pawn in their game. Kiều was forced to flee and met Vãi Giác Duyên (Awareness), who recommended that she take refuge with Bà Bạc (Thin Lady), a Buddhist nun. Kiều became embroiled in another complicated situation when she fell in love with Từ Hải ( Xu Hai), a famous hero of the time. They got married, but Kiều soon found herself abandoned by Từ Hải, who left to go off to war. Kiều was left behind, feeling lost and alone. When Từ Hải returned from battle, he took Kiều back as his wife. However, he soon became restless again and decided to leave for another adventure, leaving Kiều once more. This time, Kiều realized that she had been foolish to follow him again and vowed to take care of herself. In the end, Kiều met with Vãi Giác Duyên again, who prophesied that Kiều would reunite with her family in five years' time after overcoming many challenges. Hồ Tôn Hiến convinced Thuý Kiều to marry him and abandon her life. He promised a peaceful life, but she was hesitant because it would mean giving up her freedom. Eventually, she agreed, but later regretted her decision when she realized that Hồ Tôn Hiến only wanted her for himself. She tried to escape, but he caught her and forced her to submit. After her death, Kim Trọng grieved deeply and decided to give up his life of luxury to follow his heart. He searched for Thuý Kiều everywhere, determined to find her and make amends. Eventually, he discovered that she had drowned herself in the Tiền Đường River. The news of Thuý Kiều's death shocked everyone, including Thuý Vân, who was devastated by the loss of her sister. The family reunited after many years apart, but Thuý Kiều was hesitant to rejoin them, fearing that they would not accept her again. In this reunion, Thuý Vân played a crucial role in helping her sister heal and find closure. However, Thuý Kiều's heart remained heavy with regret and longing for Kim Trọng, the man she had loved deeply. She eventually realized that she was no longer worthy of his love and decided to move on. Throughout this story, Nguyễn Du conveyed his views on society during the feudal era, highlighting the struggles of women in a patriarchal society. The life story of Thuy Kieu: In this world, there are countless things. We have to face fate and become a person with a strong will. Only then can we pursue the path of a gentleman. The character's name is Wang Gong, also known as Zizheng. He is the father of Thuy Kieu, Thuy Van, and Quan. In "Kim Van Kieu Story", it is mentioned that he has been named Wang Lian Song since ancient times. Wang Yazi, his wife, was originally from Beijing. She is also mentioned as Jing in "Kim Van Kieu Story". Thuy Kieu is the eldest daughter of Wang Gong and Wang Yazi, younger sister of Thuy Van and Quan. When she becomes a female official in the court, she is given the name Hua Nai by the consort. Later, when she enters the Buddhist temple, she takes on the name Trac Tuyen. Wang Tuyun is the second daughter of Wang Gong and Wang Yazi, younger brother of Thuy Kieu and Quan. In "Kim Van Kieu Story", it is mentioned that she was named Wang Guan by her father. The third son of Wang Gong and Wang Yazi is Wang Quan. Dam Tien is a beautiful woman with a name that matches the country's perfume. She is the owner of the tomb that Thuy Kieu has visited and written a poem about, appearing in Kiều's dream, predicting future difficulties and hardships. Kim Trọng is someone who has pledged to marry Thuy Kieu. The person who sells silk is the one who falsely accuses Kiều's father. Ma Jiangsheng buys Kiều for Tuba. Tuba is the owner of the green mansion where Kiều was first sold. So Khanh is a wicked man who betrays women. Ma Ke is a woman in the green mansion who has helped Thuy Kieu many times. The name "Thuc Sinh" can also be read as "chàng Thúc", "Thuc Sinh student", or "Thuc Lang". In "Kim Van Kieu Story", it is mentioned that Thuc Sinh was born into a family of scholars and took on the alias Zizhi. He redeemed Kiều from the green mansion (the first time) and married her as his concubine. Thuc Gong is the father of Thuc Sinh. Hoang sister is the wife of Thuc Sinh, also known as Hoang small skirt or Hoang lady. "Kim Van Kieu Story" and "Story" do not mention the name of this character. Hoang phu nhân is the mother of Hoang sister. Khuyen is mentioned in "Kim Van Kieu Story". !!! Hoạn Khuyển, a character from the Kim Vân Kiều novel, is also known as Hoạn Uưng. Giác Duyên is a monk who helps Kiều and later rescues her from Bạc Bà, a woman who buys her. From Hải is a pirate leader who is an enemy of the Ming dynasty. He helps Kiều and eventually marries her. The novel has been adapted into various forms, including music, painting, theater, and film. It has also become a cultural phenomenon in Vietnam, with many people familiar with the story. The characters in the novel have become archetypes, representing different aspects of human nature. For example, Sở Khanh represents unfaithful men, Tú Bà represents women who use their bodies to gain wealth, and Hoạn Thư represents women with excessive jealousy. The Kim Vân Kiều novel has been translated into many languages and has been studied in Vietnamese literature classes. It is considered a classic of Vietnamese literature and continues to be popular today. There are several different versions of the novel, including the original version published in 1759, as well as later adaptations and translations. These include the "Kim Vân Kiều truyện tường chú" (a detailed annotation of the novel), which was published in 1852, and the "Poème Kim Vân Kiều truyện", which was translated into French by Abel des Michels and published in Paris in 1884-85. Kim Vân Kiều is a famous Vietnamese novel written by Nguyễn Du in the 18th century. The story has been translated into many languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Czech, French, English, German, Swedish, and Polish. The translations were published in various countries and dates. In 2017, the novel was selected to be featured on a calendar, with each day's entry featuring a passage from the book along with explanatory notes. The calendar also included illustrations by artist Hữu Hiếu. The text also mentions various scholarly works about Kim Vân Kiều, including dictionaries, research papers, and studies on the novel's style, characters, and themes. In addition, there have been several film adaptations of Kim Vân Kiều, including a 1924 movie and a more recent music video by Trịnh Thăng Bình in 2020. The music video tells the story of a scholar who gets lost in time while reading the novel. Overall, Kim Vân Kiều is considered one of Vietnam's most important literary works, and its translations and adaptations have been widely recognized around the world. Nguyễn Thạch Giang published his study on 18th-century literature in 2004 by the Social Science Publishing House. Thanh Lãng created an upper volume of a Vietnamese literary chart in 1967 by the Presentation Publishing House in Saigon. Nguyễn Du's Truyện Kiều has various related works on Wikisource, including those written about or by him. The classic Vietnamese verse novel is also featured on Encyclopædia Britannica in English and BBC's recent translation of Truyện Kiều, with Lê Văn Hòe providing a 1953 commentary.
