Ring in the New Year with one or all of these food traditions said to bring good luck in the coming year. Try some black-eyed peas for prosperity, grapes for good fortune or long noodles for luck Some families are likely to incorporate Christian beliefs into their Buddhist funeral rites and traditions, while others may choose to adhere close to strictly Buddhist funeral traditions. Nevertheless, the general protocol for Buddhist funerals is a simple ceremony that takes place at the family home, a funeral home, or a Buddhist temple. Tadalafil As-Needed Prices In January 2020, the average price of 5 mg Cialis daily rose to $13.89, a 0.9 percent increase from its price of $13.76 in January. Another reason men consider buying ED drugs Online If you're looking for a reliable ED erectile dysfunction viagra treatment would simultaneously be Casanova's greatest challenge and his The freedom of beliefs itself is a value that people uphold. The suppression of any belief is considered to be unfair and cruel. People are encouraged to practice their religions without facing any discriminations. However, atheism is still forbidden and strongly frowned upon in society. 3. Being Respectful to Live in Harmony Origin of Tay Ethnic Group. Tay ethnic group presented in Vietnam people an early day (from last from first millennium BC). With more than 1.6 million of the population, this is the second-largest ethnic group in Vietnam. They inhabit northern Vietnam such as Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, and some of the regions in Bac This core American belief is found in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, which states that "all men are created equal" and that people are endowed with the unalienable rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Americans endorse the intrinsic equal worth of all people. ReLcLz. Vietnam is officially declared as an state. While government policies seek to legally protect the freedom to practice any religion, the Vietnamese Communist Party and State maintain control over the organisation of religious groups. All religious institutions must register themselves to the government and are restricted from . Furthermore, it is illegal for foreigners to perform religious services without government of the Vietnamese population identified with a registered religion in the 2009 national census, while identified as non-religious. Of those that did identify with a religion in the census, affiliated with Buddhist and identified as Roman Catholic or Protestant Christian. A further and identified with Hòa Hảo and Cao Đài, respectively. These relatively new religious movements of the 20th century are and have a strong political character. There was also a minority of Vietnamese that identified as Muslim – commonly Cham Vietnamese despite the census figures indicating otherwise, the Pew Research Centre estimates that of Vietnamese people practise folk religions. Other organisations have published similar statistics that show roughly half the population following a religious amalgamation of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. The beliefs of these faiths are often considered to complement and coincide with one another, referred to as Tam Giáo’ “triple religion” or the Three Teachings. The unique mix perhaps explains why some Vietnamese find it difficult to identify with one religion, per se, and instead classify themselves as non-religious. Many Vietnamese may also not consider their traditional worship to be a religion’ necessarily, but rather a philosophy’ or way of life. Folk religions are commonly based on this mixture of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism as well as local beliefs that have been intertwined and incorporated over centuries. There are also deep superstitious foundations to many Vietnamese people’s in VietnamVietnam typically follows Mahāyāna Buddhism, which differs from the earliest known formulation originating in India known as Theravāda Buddhism. Mahāyāna Buddhism emphasises the Bodhisattva’ ideal of seeking full awakening through attaining perfection in morality and knowledge whilst endeavouring to assist others on their path towards enlightenment. Central to its teaching is the acceptance that suffering underpins all existence. As a Buddhist phrase elicits “Suffering is as inescapable as a baby’s first tears”. However, one may be liberated from this suffering by practising the Noble Eightfold Path’. By the Buddhist way of thinking, the way forward is to be respectful, dutiful and tenets of Buddhism have had a notable effect on Vietnamese society. As the teachings seek to fundamentally provide followers a method of processing the pain inherent in life, the Buddhist worldview has offered many Vietnamese a way of understanding and dealing with the hardships and atrocities experienced in the American in VietnamAs an influence of Chinese rule and the resulting of Vietnam, Confucianism plays a significant role in the faith and personal beliefs of some Vietnamese. This is a body of traditional practices rather than a religion. The foundations of Confucianism are derived from the teachings of Confucius, who emphasised the importance of healthy relationships. It promotes the idea that relationships between people are unequal and that everyone has defined hierarchical roles for example, ruler and subject, husband and wife, father and son. When this natural inequality is accepted and respected, it becomes easier to maintain harmonious, stable relations between individuals and, therefore, in society as a whole. These core values are reflected in respect and a sense of duty towards others, as well as maintaining loyalty and honour for oneself and their family. A major part of daily life for Vietnamese is ancestor worship, as well as respecting their elders filial piety.Taoism in VietnamTaoism or Đạoism’ in Vietnamese is rooted in the philosophical teachings of Laozi – a great thinker from China of the 6th century BCE. The tradition is based on the perception that the universe is a reality in which everything that exists is connected and emphasises a deep connection with nature and self-development. While it is difficult to accurately convey in English, the central tenet of Taoism is that of Tao’ the Way’. The essence of Tao is the One’, namely the notion of unification and . A tenet of Taoism perhaps most familiar to Westerners is the concept of Yin and Yang. This explains the world as full of opposites working in , unified in how they complement one another light and dark, high and low, etc.. Taoist beliefs related to seeking with nature, spiritual immortality and the cultivation of virtues’ manifest through practices of meditation and in phong thủy’ Vietnamese for feng shui’.Folk Religions and Traditional BeliefsThe folk religions of Vietnam have been particularly suppressed over the last century in different ways. Nevertheless, traditions such as shamanism and soothsaying have revived despite government disapproval. There are many indigenous traditions common to the people of Southeast Asia that may also be practised in rural areas, such as totemism, animism, tattooing, teeth blackening and marriage rituals. Generally, folk religions and beliefs vary between regions and . Some minorities in North Vietnam practise a form of worship that honours all living things. This philosophy holds reverence for the ecosystem, believing that anything with a lifecycle plant, animal, person has a soul or traditional beliefs of Vietnam are not institutionalised or systemised. They are usually structured around the worship of thần’ spirits, gods or deities. These thần can be represented in nature or objects. They may also often be guardians or protectors of specific places, people, lineages and occupations. It is believed that thần have generative powers that can return to a person positively or negatively depending on how they are respected and belief common throughout Vietnam is that people are indebted to those that bore their bloodline and that the deceased can be contacted and honoured. In this way, thần often represent ancestors. Some people believe that dishonouring one’s ancestors will result in their ancestor’s spirits interfering with their life, and so many Vietnamese people practise ancestor worship, no matter their religious orientation. For example, almost all Vietnamese households have an altar honouring previous generations where incense is burned and offerings are made. Christian Vietnamese families may worship a Catholic or Protestant saint that has particular importance to them, instead of their ancestors. AbstractIn this chapter we shall describe the way in which some Vietnamese people cope with death and dying. The beliefs, fears and rituals of people in the north of Vietnam are investigated. Despite some cultural differences, they are quite similar to people in other parts of the and dyingBeliefFearRitualAttitude ReferencesDieu Hien, T., & Hoang, R. N. 2000. Death rituals in Vietnamese society. Seattle University of Washington. Google Scholar Gruenewald, D. A., & White, E. J. 2006. The illness experience of older adults near the end of life A systematic review. Anesthesiology Clinics, 24, 16380. Google Scholar Hanh, T. N. 2003. No death, no fear Comforting wisdom for life Reissue edition. New York Riverhead. Google Scholar Owens, C. O., & Lundgren, K. 2002. Medical examiner dialogue Vietnamese Buddhist. Seattle University of Washington. Google Scholar Rao, J. K., Anderson, L. A., & Smith, S. M. 2002. End of life is a public health issue. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 233, Google Scholar Scherer, Y., Jezewski, M. A., Graves, B., Wu, Y. W. B., & Bu, X. 2006. Advance directives and end-of-life decision making survey of critical care nurses knowledge, attitude, and experience. Critical Care Nurse, 264, 30– Google Scholar Vietnamese Cultural Profile. 2009. Diversicare, PO Box 5199. Google Scholar Wright, A. A., et al. 2008. Associations between end-of-life discussions, patient mental health, medical care near death, and caregiver bereavement adjustment. JAMA, 30014, Google Scholar Download referencesAuthor informationAuthors and AffiliationsHanoi National University of Education, Hanoi, VietnamNguyen Duc Son & Giap Binh NgaAuthorsNguyen Duc SonYou can also search for this author in PubMed Google ScholarGiap Binh NgaYou can also search for this author in PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorCorrespondence to Nguyen Duc Son .Editor informationEditors and AffiliationsHampshire College Retired, Amherst, MA, USAHelaine SelinEmeritus Professor of Politics and Environmental Studies, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, USARobert M. RakoffRights and permissionsCopyright information© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AGAbout this chapterCite this chapterSon, Nga, 2019. Death and Dying Belief, Fear and Ritual in Vietnamese Culture. In Selin, H., Rakoff, eds Death Across Cultures. Science Across Cultures The History of Non-Western Science, vol 9. Springer, Cham. 02 July 2019 Publisher Name Springer, Cham Print ISBN 978-3-030-18825-2 Online ISBN 978-3-030-18826-9eBook Packages Social SciencesSocial Sciences R0 Vietnam is a country of contrasts and cultural overlaps. This is also evident when you look at the diverse Vietnamese traditions. Below you will find a brief overview of these traditions and customs VIETNAM VISA ONLINE has researched for you. Don’t be surprised if you see people burning coloured paper on your Vietnam vacation or if the locals do not celebrate New Year until the end of January! About us We are your trusted partner when it comes to applying for a Vietnam Visa online. If you are interested in Vietnam Visa Requirements, Vietnam Visa Costs or Government Policies, you will find the answers here. In our blog you will find many exciting topics about the beautiful country in South East Asia. Vietnamese traditions – not without grandma and grandpa! Vietnamese believe that their deceased ancestors live on in another universe. They see it as their duty to meet the ancestors’ needs. In return, the Vietnamese tradition says, the descendants receive advice from the deceased and they are filled with happiness. And that is precisely why there is a small, usually colourful altar in almost every house in the country. This serves as communication for the deceased relatives the family sacrifices fruit and other dishes as well as wine. In addition, incense sticks and candles are lit on the altar before a prayer begins. Votive paper is also sacrificed, which leads us to the next point … Handicrafts in a different way This Vietnamese tradition is often astonished by visitors coloured paper so-called votive paper is folded into houses, cars, clothing and many other forms and then burned. After the cremation, the faithful pour some wine on the ashes so that the spirits can ascend to the sky and give the presents to the ancestors. Good to know The Vietnamese tradition with the votive paper takes place on certain days like New and Full Moon days or annual ancestors anniversaries. So that the universe stays in balance In Vietnam, animistic popular religions have partly mixed with “established” religions, such as Buddhism or Hinduism. Animists believe that souls exist in humans as well as in non–human “living beings”. At the same time, the popular religion says that the souls and spirits of the dead control all phenomena and forces in the universe. Thus, the deceased have a significant influence on the environment world and the fate of the individual. Since the souls can be anchored in trees, rivers and other waters as well as in mountains, the sun and the moon, the corresponding gods must be honoured in order to offer protection to the living from harm. This Vietnamese tradition or animism is particularly common among the people in the highlands. The communities often live a life that is all about agriculture. It is all the more important that the gods give their blessings to plants and crops. Vietnamese traditions and money In the Vietnamese belief there is a god of wealth. This is understood as a kind of benefactor who “boosts” the business and own restaurant, hotel or similar. Brings happiness. In order not to be left out of luck, according to the Vietnamese tradition, you should set up an altar in your shop. In front of the entrance or in a well-ventilated corner of the premises. Inward Especially when spring approaches, many locals follow the Vietnamese tradition and go to temples and pagodas to pray for happiness, health and peace. People come together and gather in a spiritual place to leave the difficulties of everyday life behind and to experience the harmony between earth and sky. Happiness and prosperity for the new year The Tet festival is the New Year festival and a particularly beautiful Vietnamese tradition. It takes place from day one of the first month of the lunar calendar = around the end of January and extends over three or more days. In the context of this custom, one comes together with the family to express the wish for happiness, kindness and prosperity for the new year; they laugh, sing and dance together. Vietnamese traditions and modernity are not mutually exclusive As you can see, Vietnam does not only inspire its visitors with beautiful beaches, majestic mountains and imposing rainforests. There are also numerous Vietnamese traditions that stand out clearly from those in other cultures and continue to shape the country’s identity to this day. These customs are a fascinating cultural heritage that has survived many generations and will survive many more generations. It is the amalgamation of the Vietnamese traditions with the modern values, which makes the attraction of the Southeast Asian country for many holidaymakers. Entrance gate to the The Temple of Literature in Hanoi, northern Vietnam. Vietnam is the sole Southeast Asian nation with its indigenous religion as the dominant belief system. About of the inhabitants of the state adhere to the beliefs of the ethnic religion. Numerous similarities have been pointed out between Vietnamese folk religion and the southern Chinese folk religion. Vietnam's ethnic religion is often identified with Confucianism as it features values that were promoted by Confucius. The religion is characterized by a group of local worship traditions venerating the thần, a word that can be taken to mean "spirits" or "gods. Development of the Religion The period between 1945 to 1980s was characterized by the suppression of the Vietnamese folk region. The temples in Northern Vietnam especially underwent extensive damage and neglect in the course of the land reform from 1953 to 1955 and in the period of collectivization between 1975 to 1986 in a reunified Vietnam. The cultural destruction prompted criticism and debate in the 1960s. The climax of the anti-religion campaigns, as well as the devastation of the temples, occurred in 1975 to 1979. The country committed itself to a policy of preservation of the religious culture from 1985, and the religion is celebrated as an element of the country's identity. The state and the local population enjoy a dialogical and flexible relationship in the journey towards religion renewal, and the two actors play an important part in the recent revival of the religion. Deities of the Vietnamese Folk Religion Vietnamese gods can be grouped into four categories. Heavenly gods, for instance thiên thần, and nature gods, like nhién thần, are associated with natural phenomena including oceans, lightning, trees, grottoes, rocks, and rain, and also with the regenerative or generative powers of a locality or of the cosmos. Deified ancestors or tutelary gods represent the gods installed by Chinese or Vietnamese rulers or those consecrated by villagers including founding patriarchs and founding figures of arts and crafts. This group can also feature impure spirits. Various court-like or hierarchical pantheons passed down from the Taoist patterns and headed by the Heavenly Emperors in addition to the immortals, and the holy sages form a separate category. Another category is the deities of Khmer and Cham as well as other Southeast Asian native origin. Forms and Places of Worship The concept of self-cultivation is prominent in the religion. The self-empowering action is expressed in several Vietnamese words including tu which means "to correct." The process of self-cultivation knits together a person and the social scene in an orientation of both action and discourse. Vietnamese temples go by the name miếu which translates to temple in the Vietnamese language. Miếu temples host the "primary worship" of a deity in the northern regions, and they are often built in secluded areas while other temples are constructed in proximity to habitation areas for "secondary worship." The two categories often blur in the southern territories. Nhà thờ họ are found in middle and northern Vietnam as family shrines equivalent to the ancestral shrines present in China. Distinct Branches of the Vietnamese Folk Religion Caodaism was formally created in 1926 in the southern Vietnamese city of Tây Ninh. Adherents of Caodaism venerate a deity called Cao Ɖài which translates to Highest Power or Highest Lord, and is the equivalent of the Jade Emperor attributed with the creation of the universe. The veneration of Cao Ɖài is undertaken in the main temple, and Caodaists worship the Mother Goddess too. The Left Eye of God represents the symbol of the tradition's faith, and it signifies the masculine actions of the male creator balanced by the yin actions of the feminine. Another religious tradition is Ɖao Bửu Son Ký Hurong which contains Buddhist elements. It was promoted by the mystic Ɖoàn Minh Huyên. The religion's name represents the Thầt Son range situated on the Vietnamese-Cambodian border, and it is where Huyên identified as a living Buddha. Huyên was rumored to possess supernatural powers to heal the sick and the insane during an 1849 cholera epidemic. The tradition has about 15,000 adherents residing in provinces such as Bến Tre, An Giang, and Long An. Ɖao Mẫu translates to Way of the Mother, and it features the worship of the Mother Goddess called the Mẫu in addition to the various mother goddesses making up a central part of Vietnamese folk religion. The tradition was promoted in North Vietnam in the 1970s and then in the unified country. It consists its priesthood, rituals, and temples. The Jade Emperor is regarded as the originating god, although he is rarely worshipped. The supreme goddess is named Thánh Mẫu Liễu Hanh. The Ɖao Hiề Nghĩa tradition was established in the 1880s and has about 80,000 adherents residing in southern Vietnam, particularly in Tri Tôn District. The Minh Ɖao consists of five religions that share Tiên Thiên Ɖao roots with Caodaism. The religion's name translates to the "Way of Light." The five religions spread in the southern part of Vietnam in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Queen Mother of the West and the Jade Emperor serve as the primary deities. Confucianism and Taoism The Vietnamese folk religion has Confucian elements, and it is often considered as Confucianism. The Temples of Literature are used for the veneration of Confucius, and they served as academies during the Imperial dynasties time. The introduction of Taoism in the country is traced back to the first Chinese domination of Vietnam. The Vietnamese folk religion has adopted elements of Taoism's doctrines. Taoist influence is also visible in the Ɖao Mẫu and Caodaist belief systems. Practices of the Vietnamese Folk Religion Adherents of the Vietnamese folk religion carry out numerous practices in observance of their faith. One of these practices is the ritual of len dong' meaning "to go into a trance" or "to mount the medium." Practitioners of this ritual become mediums for different deities who possess their bodies and execute actions in the human world. The main ritual may stretch for seven hours through which a practitioner incarnates a series of various spirits and deities and which changes into a different set of clothes for every incarnation. After the deity has possessed the body of the practitioner, one may stage a dance or try some dangerous stunts including walking on embers. The process also includes singers who use invocation songs to trigger a trance in the ritualist. The audience approaches the possessed practitioner after the dance and makes offerings and petitions to the deity. Home Society Vietnamese Folk Religion Beliefs Cao Dai temple in Tay Ninh, Vietnam. The majority religions in Vietnam are unique to the country and include Vietnamese folk religion, Buddhism, Roman Catholicism, Caodaism, and Christian Protestantism. An overview of these religions is available below. Vietnamese Folk Religion - Vietnamese folk religion is the dominant religion in Vietnam. Some of these most common folk religions include Đạo Bửu Sơn Kỳ Hương Đạo Bửu Sơn Kỳ Hương is an organized folk religion in Vietnam that takes some of its religious traditions from elements of Buddhism. That religion was started by a Vietnamese mystic named Đoàn Minh Huyên 1807–1856 who while living in the Thất Sơn mountains claimed to be a living embodiment of Buddha. Currently, there are around 15,000 followers of the religion throughout Vietnam. Minh Đạo Minh Đạo is a religion that has its roots from the Xiantiandao Tiên Thiên Đạo religion of China. That religion started to emerge in Vietnam around the city of Saigon in the 17th Century just as the Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 of China declined and lost influence in Vietnam. For most of its history the religion focused in literature, helping the poor and worship but took on a more nationalistic tone at the beginning of the 20th Century. Đạo Tứ Ân Hiếu Nghĩa Đạo Tứ Ân Hiếu Nghĩa is an organized folk religion in Vietnam that was founded at some point towards the end of the 19th Century. The religion currently has around 80,000 practitioners, mostly farmers throughout out the south of Vietnam, with most of them located in the Tri Tôn district of the country. Đạo Mẫu This Vietnamese folk religion worships the various mother goddesses of Vietnam, a practice that has gone on in Vietnam since its prehistory. These include, but are not limited to, the worshiping of such goddesses as Bà Chúa Xứ The Lady of the Realm and Bà Chúa Kho The Lady of the Storehouse, as well as actual people, including the female warrior Lady Triệu 225-248 AD and the Trung Sisters, who were female military leaders. Buddhism - Buddhism is believed to have arrived in Vietnam from China at some point starting in the 2nd Century. Buddhism in Vietnam does not have any institutional structures, hierarchy, or sanghas that most traditional Buddhists follow, since it has grown in isolation in a symbiotic way with Taoism and other native religions in Vietnam. Catholicism - Roman Catholic Christianity first came into contact with Vietnam in the 16th Century via Portuguese Catholic missionaries who first came to the country shortly after the Portuguese made contact and starting trading. The Portuguese had mild success, but it was not until Vietnam became a French colony French Indochina 1887-1954 that Catholicism made a definitive dent in the country. In 1933 John Baptist Nguyễn Bá Tòng was made the first Vietnamese bishop and by 1976 the first Vietnamese cardinal, Archbishop Joseph Mary Trịnh Như Khuê was ordained. Caodaism - Caodaism, also known as the Cao Đài faith, is an organized monotheistic folk religion that is unique to Vietnam. That religion started was officially established in 1926 in the the city of Tây Ninh where the Declaration of the Founding of the Cao Đài Religion was signed and shown to the French Governor for approval. The religion quickly grew rapidly popular with its appeal towards nationalist spirit, message of universal salvation and its ability to bring together underground sects in Vietnam. Protestantism - Protestant Christianity first came to Vietnam in the early 20th Century when the Canadian Christian and Missionary Alliance C&MA missionary Robert A. Jaffray 1873-1954 visited the city of Da Nang in 1911. In 1963 the Evangelical Church of Vietnam North ECVN was officially recognized by the government. However, it was not until 2001 that another Protestant church, the Southern Evangelical Church of Vietnam SECV, was officially recognized. Since then more Protestant churches have been recognized by the government. Hoahaoism - Hoa Hao is a religious based on Buddhism that was established in 1939 by Huỳnh Phú Sổ 1920-47. Followers of Hoa Hao consider Huỳnh Phú Sổ to be a prophet and that the religion is the continuation of the Đạo Bửu Sơn Kỳ Hương folk religion foundered by Đoàn Minh Huyên. Both Sổ and Huyên are also believed to have been living Buddhas and that they are destined to protect the country. The religion places a strong emphasis on temple worship, ordination and stress aid to the poor and helping peasant farmers. Both Buddhism and Hoa Hao are is recognized as one of the six state religions of Vietnam. Other - Other religions in Vietnam include Taoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Orthodox Christianity, and irreligion. Religious Beliefs In Vietnam RankReligionPopulation Percentage 1Vietnamese folk Home Society Major Religions in Vietnam Confucian writers and fantasy short stories in contextFrom the 10th century AD under the Ly Dynasty 1009–1225, the Vietnamese gained their independence after a millennium of Chinese domination 207 BC 938 Dao, 2016; Ngo et al., 2009. From this point in time, a model of totalitarian monarchy and centralized government from the Chinese pattern was chosen to address the country’s urgent problems. Despite promoting Buddhism, Confucianism with the objective of “rule the country” in its doctrine was a perfect governing instrument for the state and completely adapted to government to create a world with a closed mainstream model in the vision of the Ly court at that began to flourish in Vietnam in the feudal era in the early Le Dynasty Ngo et al., 2009; Nguyen, 1992, and the Vietnamese state had an urgent need for organization and management of the country according to a strict model. By the second half of the 15th century, the monopoly of Confucianism as the dominant ideology was strong during the reign of Le Thanh Tong 1460–1497 Tran, 1999; Dao, 2016. The deliberate selection of Confucianism was intended to increase and consolidate the status of the ruling dynasty, which caused Taoism and Buddhism, which had come to Vietnam before the Common Era Ngo et al., 2009 and had a considerable influence on the cultural figure of Vietnam, to gradually extend beyond the central area and become peripheral voices. To this time, Confucianism had surpassed the social components used in the past by Buddhist clergy who had become the monopolizing elites of the Vietnamese feudal dynasties pursued nationalism and resolutely fought against the expansion of Chinese feudal powers, the choice of the Confucian intellectual model to dominate ambassadors’ political paradigms and the use of Han characters as the official language created intricately dualistic cultural discourses in the history of Vietnamese thought. Literature from the 10th century to the end of the 19th century as the creative genre mainly of Confucian writers also reflected the conflict and this tacit complexity. In the new period of literary formation from the 10th to the 15th centuries, the writings of Confucian authors in terms of themes and content all mentioned political culture with ideal social models based on a policy called “ruled by virtue” đức trị Nguyen, 2000; Bui, 1999. However, in the period of violent and bloody wars and the rapid change in Vietnamese dynasties in the 16th and 17th centuries, Confucianism in Confucian writing presented a clear contradiction helplessness before the breakdown of the political battle. The creation and integration of folk cultural materials and Taoist thought in the writings of Confucians, especially in mainstream prose narratives, with the typical genre called “fantasy short story” truyen ky, showed a hidden link with the authors’ attitudes of defying authority in the turbulent context of this historical context in which truyen ky writers lived was an era of many wars among feudal groups mixed with a war against aggression. After the reign of King Tran Thanh Tong 1258–1278, the Le dynasty 1428–1527 fell into turmoil when six Le kings were successively killed or were otherwise incapable of ruling. The Le dynasty’s weakness and crisis led to the rise of and usurpation by the Mac dynasty 1594–1677. However, the Trinh Feudal Lord supported the Le dynasty, defeating the Mac dynasty and ascending to the throne. Later, this family overwhelmed the power and turned King Le into a puppet. All events of these internal conflicts, division of territories and conflicts between the ruling class and the people that lasted throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. In particular, peasant rebellions broke out continuously in many places, Than Duy Nhac stirred up troops in Kinh Bac 1511, Nguyen Nghiem rebelled in Hung Hoa 1512, and the Tran Dao uprising occurred in 1516 Ngo et al., 2009; Le, 2013; Dao, 2016.Thus, political turmoil and war between feudal and enemy groups within foreign enemies became a part of Vietnamese medieval history. All these events eventually engendered clear changes in the spiritual life of the society. Faced with such a reality, Confucianism—a theory useful in peacetime—displayed powerlessness and was no longer attractive. In addition, from this important pivotal period, the fantasy short stories of Confucians appeared to be symbols of a tendency to return to the core values of a national in the 14th century, Vietnamese fantasy short stories in medieval times, also known as truyen ky stories, originated from the Chinese chuanqi genre Tran, 1995; Tran, 2000. This genre often borrows stories from folk narratives, exploits pre-existing motifs, themes and plots from the world of traditional storytelling, and uses fantasy as an artistic means to convey problems with deep content relating to contemporary socio-cultural life. Therefore, the connotation of truyen ky is often emphasized in the phrase “phi ky bat truyen” implying the preference for the transmission of strange stories in the human world. These stories are often characterized by coincidence, grandiose and sublime events reflecting the chaos and dissolution in real life Lu, 1993. One of the genre’s other key artistic features is that,despite being geared towards exposing political and social messages, the wording of fantasy short stories is sumptuous and elegant, with expressive ideas and romantic and rich details to create a mixture of prose and poetry. In particular, with the author’s own ethical commentary at the end of the story, this genre often creates harmony and tension among strange events through genuine emotions and gives the reader a sense of ambiguity and insecurity about the metaphysical elements dominating his or her stage of birth of the fantasy story and its rapid development in the 16th and 17th centuries was the result of the perfect artistic fusion of an exotic literary genre and endogenous flow of folk narratives. The materials of traditional folk stories in this genre seemed to have a quality that was easily recognized by readers. In the most famous collection including 19 fantasy short stories that are “reaching to the paradigmatic level”, Nguyen Du’s Excursive Notes on Weird Stories, many plots and motifs in the first folk narrative collections reappear. These folk narratives collections such as Spiritual Powers in the Viet Realm Viet dien u linh by Ly Te Xuyen and Strange Stories Gathered from the Linh Nam Realm Linh Nam chich quai by Tran The Phap in the 14th century were written in Chinese characters by Confucian mandarins who recorded folk narratives at the request of the Notes on Weird Stories, which is the only work of the famous Confucian Nguyen Du a writer living in the 16th century; his exact birth and death dates are unknown, is considered the brilliant climax of Vietnamese fantasy short stories. Le Quy Don, a famous 17th century scientist, stated in Accounts on Things Learnt Kien Van Tieu Luc that “Du from a young age was famous for learning widely, remembered a lot, and could use literature to make a great career. Many times, Nguyen Du won contests to pass the Confucian examination and was appointed chief of the Thanh Tuyen district, but only a year later, he used the excuse of working far away and being asked to take care of his parents. After the Mac Family took the throne, he vowed not to work as a mandarin anymore. The contemporaries of the continental record have four volumes, poetic language, and contemporary people extensively praise them Le, 2013. The titles of the 19 stories in Excursive Notes on Weird Stories contain the words “ky”, “truyen”, or “luc”. These words all have the common meaning of “records” ghi chep. From the perspective of Confucius’ humble language and artistic manner, these words indicate that the author regards his work as a collection of tales derived from the aim of discovering the cultural identity of Vietnamese narratives with sociohistorical approaches and discussing the archetype grounded in specific contexts, this research focuses on journey motifs to the upper and lower world in collections of folk narratives written in Han characters in the 13th century and relates historical and cultural documents. At the same time, by analyzing the fantasy short stories in Nguyen Du’s Excursive Notes on Weird Stories, this paper aims to discover the process of acculturation and creation of materials and motifs from folk narratives and discusses how the motifs are adapted, thereby revealing specific messages about the history, culture, era, voice and true identity of the Vietnamese of the archetypal journey comparative analysis of Vietnamese folk narratives and literatureAs a country with a long-standing wet rice agricultural civilization more than 4000 years ago Tran, 2006; Dao, 2016, animism and polytheism strongly influence the minds of Vietnamese communities, including a strong belief in the power of sacred mountains and the mountain gods living on top of host mountains. The belief in worshiping mountain gods is evident along the Red River delta and extends to neighboring plains in the North of Vietnam, where residents have suffered from the devastating impacts of flood disasters for thousands of generations Vo and Ngo, 1990; Ta, 2006. This belief partly reflects the desire of people in wet rice farming to overcome and tame floods. Therefore, in the minds of the Vietnamese people, images of mountain deities together with sacred territories on the high mountains are both vividly present in traditional stories such as the series of Tan Vien Son Thanh, Chu Dong Tu, and have a strong presence in ritual practices in the temples of mountain gods around sacred mountains such as Ba Vi, Tam Diep, and Hoanh from this cultural feature, by researching the Vietnamese folk narratives in Spiritual Powers in the Viet Realm, Strange Stories Gathered from Linh Nam Realm and related historical documents, it can be seen that the journeys to paradise and hell are associated with the character setting foot on a sacred mountain and having strange encounters with the mountain god. Therefore, the symbol of the mountain is envisaged as a magical realm where the convergence of the sacred air of heaven and earth is the gateway to the magical heavenly world of the Legend of Tu Thuc Cave Su tich dong Tu Thuc is the title of a folk narrative widely circulated in medieval Vietnam and is closely associated with the scenic Tu Thuc Cave located on the majestic Tam Diep mountain range bordering the Kim Son district in the Ninh Binh province. The place is known as the most beautiful mountain range and cave in Thanh Hoa land and is associated with the legend of the love of Tu Thuc and Giang Huong. In addition to the work of Tu Thu Married a Fairy Tu Thuc gap tien, which was re-created by Nguyen Du in Excursive Notes on Weird Stories, this story was also briefly recorded by the anonymous writer in Copying from Strange Things Heard Thinh van di luc in the 17th century Tran et al., 1997a and through the part of the Sage worshiping at Hoanh Son mountain in the Vietnamese-Han script titled Vietnamese Taoist Legend Hoi Chan Bien by Thanh Hoa Tu Chan et al., 1992. “Classic reference” Dien tich Tu Thuc Giang Huong is also widely popular in other famous 17th century collections of fantasy stories such as a Strange Meeting in Bich Cau Bich Cau ky ngo by Doan Thi Diem Tran et al., 1997a. The legend of this magnificent melancholic love is also the inspiration for the poem Du Phat Tich Ngau De Son by Pham Su Manh, who lived in the 14th century, and Le Quy Don’s poem De Tu Thuc Dong composed in the 18th century. The Legend of Tu Thuc Cave is a folk narrative that was popular and widely circulated in folklore before becoming the inspiration for medieval the story, Tu Thuc is mentioned as a famous Confucian who lived under the Tran dynasty 1225–1400 and as a mandarin in Bac Ninh. He is known as an intelligent, benevolent ruler who enjoys rambling about natural scenery and writing poetry. Adjacent to the district, there is a famous pagoda where flower-viewing festivals are held and where many horse-drawn carriages add to the bustle. Under the peony tree is a beautiful young woman with her hand resting on a branch. The flower suddenly breaks apart, and then, the girl is punished by the temple keeper. Tu Thuc passed by, and he took off the brocade cloak he was wearing to rescue her. After leaving his office early, Tu Thuc, who enjoyed traveling mountains and rivers, went on an excursion to Hoanh Son mountain, passed Nga Son, and finally arrived at Bich Dao cave where there are steep cliffs. Tu Thuc thought of a poem and wrote it on the wall when the cave door opened, and a page led Tu Thuc to enter the magical world on the mountain top. In the world of immortals, Tu Thuc married and lived happily with the fairy Giang Huong, who was the beautiful girl breaking the peony branch who he had helped during the annual flower festival. Soon, Tu Thuc also attained first enlightenment. However, after a year in the fairyland, Tu Thuc became disheartened and even wished to return to his own town. He was brought back to earth by his fairy wife in a mythical carriage. However, 100 years had passed since he had left his old place; only the rocky slot was the same, and everything else had changed completely. Then, Tu Thuc traveled to Hoanh Son Mountain again, and no one knew him anymore. Currently, people call him “Vu Khach Hoanh Son” Hoanh Son Taoist, and Bich Dao cave is known as Tu Thuc Cave Chan et al., 1992; VASS, 2004.In the Tu Thuc Cave story, the nature of the upper world is not clearly depicted, but the time of the journey has strange features. Time travel involves crossing disparate worlds to explore the space realms of the universe. The one-sided story shows the aspirations of the folk people in discovering the existence of many worlds expressing the dream of a love affair through time. On the other hand, the story conveys the contrast between foresight and earthly time, highlighting the fragile and fanciful feeling of an eternal world of which people addition to the legend of Tu Thuc Cave, the Chu Dong Tu story, another typical legend about one of the four important and immortal gods in the mind of the Vietnamese was recorded in the book Viet Dien U Linh in 1329 Ly, 1961. This story also features an archetypal journey with the motif of enlightenment into a God and magic on the high mountains. Therefore, the mountain in the folk belief of worshiping mountain gods becomes a symbol of the gate to heaven, the place of reincarnation, and the immortal for the gods in Taoism. In the spirit of seclusion, adventurousness, and the journey to the upper world of Tu Thuc, the Chu Dong Tu bears the Taoism color. Then, Taoism, especially Taoists, soon merged into the local folk beliefs and into the spiritual life bearing the metaphysical color of the Vietnamese people. Vu, 2017; Nguyen, 2018Re-created by Nguyen Du based on the widely circulated story about the legend of Tu Thuc Cave in folklife, the story of Tu Thu Married a Fairy in Nguyen Du’s Excursive Notes on Weird Stories is considered one of the most magnificent time travel stories in medieval Vietnamese literature. In the preface written in 1547 for Excursive Notes on Weird Stories, a famous Confucian who lived at the same time as Nguyen Du, Ha Thien Han, said that the author created this collection during a time when he resigned and returned the homeland by “taking care of the old mother” and then secluded himself in the forests of the Thanh Hoa realm Bui, 1999, which may be why the legends of the Sage, Taoist, and Gods, including Tu Thuc, were worshiped in the temples in this land and were the first stories rewritten by Nguyen Du. In Tu Thu Married a Fairy, Nguyen Du describes Tu Thuc as a typical Confucian who chose “the Wu-Wei principle” vô vi by becoming a hermit and being at one with the Tao.“Unable to force himself in fame, Tu wants to return his seal, leaves the mandarin to return. He loves the cave scene in Tong Son, so he built a house there to stay. Often using a page to bring a gourd of wine and a woodwind flute with him, he recites some poems by Dao Uyen Minh. Wherever he likes, he falls down to drink wine” Tran et al., 1997a p. 243The story also describes in great detail Tu Thuc’s journey to the fairyland on the top of the mountain, the meeting with the ruler god of Nam Nhac mountain, and the conversation mixed with poetic improvisations to express his open-mindedness and Tu Thuc’s aspiration to find a utopian society“Up to the mountain, it will be bright. All around the magnificent castles, red green clouds clinging to the railing, exotic flowers bloom in front of the door. Tu thinks that if it is not a magical temple of god, it is all the territory of sage, grotto paradises. Then suddenly he saw two fairies in blue said to each other- Our groom has just come!Right after that, they rushed inside to report the news, and after a while they went out and said- Our lady invited you to come followed them, circled around a brocade wall, entered a golden door and saw silver palaces standing in front of them with signs “The Delusional Temple”, “The Integrative Light Castle”. Upstairs he saw a fairy in white sitting on a bed where there was a small sandalwood guitar. She said that- Your curiosity has become experienced. The joy in this outing is also satisfying your aspiration. But do you still remember the predestined relationship?Tu said that- I am a recluse in Tong Son. I only have a wind sail, a bamboo boat, and travel to anywhere I like to live. However, I still do not understand what you meant, but dare to ask for clear fairy smiled and said- Well, it seems to be hard for you to understand. This is Phu Lai Mountain, the sixth of 36 caves floating in the clouds, wind and over the sea, like two La Phu Mountains dissolving in the wind and rain, like Elysium stretching with ripples. And I, the nymph of Nam Nhac Mountain, am Nguy’s Lord. Because I see you as a noble person willing to help people in need, so I dare to bother inviting you here” Tran N. et al., p. 245.Although almost re-using the plot of the legend of Tu Thuc Cave, the folk narratives express the idea of the coexistence of many worlds, emphasize the journey through time, and show the desire to freely seek love. The journey to the upper world in Nguyen Du’s Tu Thu Married a Fairy has political influences intertwined with the issue of ideological and religious conflict through a lyrical, beautiful, and poetic narrative language. The full description of the process of Confucian Tu Thuc when hanging the seal from the mandarin and the discourse about “escaping” to the utopian society on the high mountains to become a Taoist are implied to explain the cause of the transformation and the political doctrine of the contemporary Confucians and highlight the helpless tragedy in the midst of the vast world of Tu Thuc.“He only walked for a moment and came home but saw things changed. In details, the world landscape was no longer the same, only the ravine scene did not change the blue color of the past. Tu Thuc then took his name to ask the old people and found a person who said that- In my childhood, I heard there was an old man in my village told that your name is similar with my great-grandfather’s surname. It has been nearly a hundred years since he entered the mountain, it was from that time of the 5th year 1458 of the Dien Ninh period, the third king’s life of the Le he felt like he wanted to get back on the cloud truck to return to the heavenly world, but the cloud carriage had turned into a bird flying away. Opening the letter of Giang Huong, there was a sentence The phoenix’s marriage promise is in the clouds, the old karma has ended; looking for a fairy mountain in the ocean that occasion no longer exists’. Tu Thuc did not realize a truth that his fairy wife had mentioned the last farewell to him before. Then, he wore a light sheepskin, a short conical hat, and went forever to Hoanh Son mountain” Tran et al., 1997b.Thus, the adaptation of the journey motif to the upper world in the fantasy shows that Confucian writers under the hidden influence of folklore and Taoism found “the Way and the Power of the Way” to create the transcendent connection between humans, the universe and Dao. This transformation had the effect of replenishing the lacking Confucianism metaphysical vision, a rational theory that Confucianism could not carry out. On the other hand, the need to revive the journey archetype in 16th and 17th century fantasy literature also symbolized the desire to find a utopian society, reflecting “rebellious” discourse and the need for liberation from the present deadlock of Confucianism. Therefore, despite recreating folk narratives, the complex political and religious implications interwoven in a nostalgic love story allowed the story of Tu Thu Married a Fairy to have a strong diffuse effect on the intellectual community and the folk at that time. Commenting on the wonderful impact that Tu Thu Married a Fairy had on the widespread circulation of folk narratives, with the legend of Tu Thuc Cave, Chinese researcher Tran Ich Nguyen stated that“It is possible that Tu Thuc and Giang Huong are legendary figures that existed in the Nguyen Du period. After being put in the story of Tu Thu Married a Fairy, it was even more widely spread and eventually deified by the Taoist clergy. Excursive Notes on Weird Stories, in terms of influencing folklore, has such a great influence. It is a surprise” Tran, 2000.The Woodcutter of Nua Mountain Nguoi tieu phu nui Nua is another story in Excursive Notes on Weird Stories and describes the typical journey to the upper world on the high mountains of folk narratives, but the motif references fully expressed the particular cultural and social problems and historical theme of Vietnam in the 16th and 17th centuries. This story was written in Han characters in the form of short prose mixed with poetry, and the story ended with the author’s own commentary. Similar to many other plots in the story collection of Nguyen Du, in the story the Woodcutter of Nua Mountain, the author also borrowed a character that was praised by the world in the traditional story and then reorganized the character structure, adding details and editing words to create a new Nua mountain forest area in Thanh Hoa, the context of the story of the Woodcutter of Nua Mountain, remains an Am Tien relic worshiping Taoist. Folk believe that this place has a yang and that all the aura of heaven and earth will be gathered at this holy point. Some historical bibliographies and important autobiographies such as Du Dia Chi in the 15th century by Nguyen Trai 2019 and Vietnamese Historical Geography Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi in the 19th century NHIND, 2006 mentioned the sacred mountain Na and the legend of the woodcutter hermit. These documents described that the old character of Mount Nua as a real person. His surname is Tran, his real name is Tu, and people contemporarily called him Uncle Tu Nua. Because of the turmoil of the Tran dynasty, he set up a thatched tent to stay hidden. Therefore, based on factors such as Nguyen Du’s hidden background in the sacred mountainous region of Thanh Hoa, the Am Tien relic of Taoist worship on Nua Mountain remains in the tradition of worshiping the mountain gods of folk beliefs, and the top of the mountain is the convergence of heaven and earth, as well as the residence of the gods. Nguyen Du can be said to have absorbed material folklore to write about contemporary semi-fictional Taoists and the motifs of the journey to the upper world of the traditional narrative and conveyed his important political messages.“On a hunting trip, Ho Han Thuong the last king of the Ho Dynasty 1400–1407 strayed into the fantasy world in Nua Mountain and met a strange hermit. Ho Han Thuong accidentally heard from this stranger hermit three poems with many different implications. The first poem is meant to express the thought of living outside the canonical rule of the social community to bind people and the desire to live completely with the wu-wei principle. The second one is entitled Fond of Sleeping Thich ngu and the third one titled Fond of Chess Thich co on the wall implying two dialectical conflicts of Living “static” in Fond of Sleeping and “dynamic” in Fond of Chess. Tran et al., 1997b.Truong Cong, an officer in the entourage, was ordered to accompany the hermit to meet Ho Han Thuong, but Truong Cong followed close to the place and saw that he entered the cave quickly; then, he called that person but received no answer, only “saw that person riding clouds, walking freely in a moment of pineapple branches”. Following the faint footsteps of the Taoist, Truong Cong plunged into magical space and time in the high mountains. All night long, the hermit was talking and listening to the main discussions, predicting the fortune of the strange woodcutter. Although Truong Cong tried to persuade the hermit to bring talent to serve the dynasty, the woodcutter hermit a while, the officer Truong Cong returned to the old mountain temple and hoped that the strange hermit would help the nation again. However, he only saw the scenery of “moss covering the cave entrance, thorns overgrown in the mountains with vines, and bushes filling the path”. He saw only two traces of verses written in tree sap on the cliff “Ky La seaport is where the spirit will be ruined. Cao Vong mountain is where a traveler’s sentiment reaches to upset”. The implication of these two verses is a prediction of the fall of the Ho Dynasty shortly after, which is why Ho Han Thuong angrily ordered the burning of the mountain upon hearing this predictive poem. The mountain was burned down, but a black crane was found flying in the air. Later, exactly as predicted in two verses, the Ho dynasty met disaster. Ho Quy Ly was captured at the Ky La seaport, and Ho Han Thuong was defeated at Cao Vong mountain by the Chinese Minh army. That time was also a mark of the decline of the Ho story of the Woodcutter of Nua Mountain created a typical allegory of medieval literature that clearly shows the tendency to prefer the mysticism and ideology of Confucian intellectuals in Tran Ho times and Vietnamese Taoist colors. This spirit reflects the fact that medieval Vietnamese Confucians and writers were the product of Confucian training, but in times of turmoil, most of them chose the hidden spirit of Taoism. This image of high mountain hermitages clearly reveals the pessimism and the inadequacy of not finding a way out on the writers’ journey to practice the spirit of the transformation from Confucianism to Taoism among reclusive Confucians such as the Woodcutter of Nua Mountain or Tu Thuc showed that in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Confucian orthodoxy captured the human heart. This peacetime doctrine has shown its powerlessness in the face of the breakdown of the political matrix and bloody violence. Confucians then sought out and expanded the system of thought as a necessary adjustment to reconcile with reality. Taoism is a religion that is closely intertwined with the Vietnamese folklore background chosen by the Confucians, which also shows that, in the fantasy story, although positively inheriting the materials from folk narratives, the motifs were clearly and completely used to convey cultural problems and typical the politics of contemporary the journey to the upper world was upright and full of light, the archetypal journey to hell was a symbol of the journey of regression, backsliding and deep into the world of darkness Aldridge et al., 1988; Garry and Hasan, 2005. Images of the hell world developed very early in the beliefs, customs, and folk festivals of Vietnam under the universal influence of the polytheism beliefs, the yin–yang doctrine of the wet rice agricultural civilization and the influence of Buddhism introduced into Vietnam before the Common Era Nguyen, 2018; Ta, 2006.In Vietnamese folk narratives, the most prominent journey to the underworld is described in the story titled Thu Huong with the typical motif of “going to the dead land to visit the dead” Thompson, 1958 and the Vietnamese motif of the yin–yang market. The story is about a man who lost his wife very early. When he was a mandarin, he leveraged extensive injustice for his own benefit. In the later years of his life, when he was alone without children, he decided to find the yin–yang market, which was a bizarre market that took place only once a year and was known as a place where transactions regularly occurred between the dead and the living, and for a few special moments of yin–yang harmony, he accidentally encountered his dead wife there. The wife took Thu Huong to visit the lower world where he met the god governing the nine layers of hell, saw countless small rooms that held prisoners, and witnessed his fierce punishment in the next life. Upon wakening, Thu Huong hurried back to earth and began to give away all his inheritance. Historical documents indicate that he made friends and provided rice and money to the poor who stopped and waited until the river tide reached the junction of Gia Dinh River. Today, a temple named Thu Huong, which was built and worshiped by the people, is still standing at the confluence of this river VASS, 2004; Le, 2015.The Thu Huong story is considered a typical example of transitioning from the earth to hell through the yin–yang market. The ancient Vietnamese with a background of thinking that a static form of agricultural culture produced the negative/yin the feminine principle of the universe and positive/yang the masculine principle of the universe concept. These opposite ideas are considered to be two basic principles of the universe in mutual relation, thereby creating all dialectical phenomena in the universe, including the heaven and the hell world. In the story of Thu Huong, the details showing characteristic features of traditional Vietnamese culture include the gateway motif leading to hell and the motif of the yin–yang market where the living and the dead can meet and talk together. The yin–yang market is a long-standing cultural custom of indigenous people in the North from the Tran dynasty. These spiritual yin–yang markets are held only once a year at night and are also known as “the spiritual sessions”. Thus, the Thu Huong story is one of the typical folktales showing the influence of Buddhism with the philosophy of karma and the cycle of the law of cause and effect on Vietnamese people’s while depictions of the hell world have a strong presence in folk paintings such as Dong Ho, Trong and Sinh Village, in the practice of exorcisms, the July lunar month’s amnesty or in funeral rites Nguyen, 2018, otherworld journeys to the lower world in Vietnamese folk narratives collected in medieval times are quite limited. In contrast, this archetype thrived in medieval fantasy. In this archetype, we can easily realize that the journey to hell in the fantasy genre is much richer than the journey to heaven. Full depictions of hell with death and darkness related to karma have most likely appeared in Buddhist legends very early Nguyen, 2014, but in fact, this metaphysical journey was developed and expressed with all its levels of meaning in the literature first in the medieval narrative. Confucian writers chose the hell archetype to entrust their metaphysical experiences of life, emphasizing the discourse of “helplessness” in resisting stereotypes and the oppression of Confucianism. Therefore, through the development from folk beliefs combined with the development of a new level of metaphysical philosophical thinking, the displacement of space to the hell world has become a symbol of dramatic conflicts about ideology in fantasy the classical structural model of the heroic archetype and the motif of the journey down to the hell world in mythology and folk narratives are fully preserved in the mysterious cycle of death and resurrection Rank, 1914; Garry and Hasan, 2005 of characters in medieval fantasy short stories. However, this genre does not emphasize the strange fertility motifs. The fantasy characters do not even have a supernatural power such as the folk hero, but they have successfully completed the challenges and special tasks set out for the hero with the spirit of “the five constant virtues” of Confucianism. Therefore, when they die, they ascend to heaven and join the world of the gods. The story of the Chancellor at Tan Vien Temple Chuc phan su den Tan Vien is an example“Ngo Tu Van is from Yen Dung district, Lang Giang land. He was impatient, seeing the wickedness could not stand it, and there was a rumor from people in the North that he was a tough fellow. In the previous village there was a very spiritual shrine. At the end of the Ho dynasty, the Chinese army went to rob the area and became a battlefield. The Minister of Moc Thanh had an officer whose surname is Thoi, died in battle near the temple, and since then he has been a demon in folk. Tu Van was very angry, one day showered and washed, prayed to heaven and lit the temple. The people were all afraid for Tu Van, but Tu Van did not care” Tran et al., 1997b.Shortly after this “extravagant” act of Tu Van, a sudden illness struck. He was asked by the ghost of a Chinese officer who claimed to be a god of the temple to demand that the temple be returned. At night, his sickness became worse, and he saw two demons rushing to take and drag him out of the city to the east. Approximately one-half day was required to reach a large palace surrounded by a high iron wall with dozens of staff. Two demons reported to the ambassador of hell, and then, the ambassador came in for a time and commanded “The crime is very heavy, so the crime sentence is not reduced. Saying so, waving his hand to go north, that is the great river. On the north river there is a bridge estimated to be more than a thousand steps long, the wind is greyish and a bit cold. On the two sides of the bridge, there are tens of thousands of demons, both blue eyes and red hair, the shape looks very evil” Tran et al., 1997b.At night at the court of justice in hell, Tu Van clarified the truth about a defeated Chinese General turned into a helpless ghost in Vietnam who argued to occupy the temple and disguised the blessing body to disturb the villagers. Subsequently, he was granted permission and returned home safely by the king of hell. The story ends with the following detail “Tu Van returned to arrange housework, a few days later he was not sick but died. Behind this seemingly enigmatic death, it can be seen that there was a journey of Confucius following the call of the god, who invited him to carry out some lofty missions in the other realm and was ordained as the Chancellor at Tan Vien Temple. A worthy reward for the merits he has accumulated on earth”Tran et al., 1997b.Therefore, the seemingly sudden death, journey to the hell world, rebirth, and transformation into the god of Ngo Tu Van is a plot model to confer enjoyment from the life cycle of the hero in folklore. However, the color of the rite of sacrifices and the rite of passage in folk narratives have disappeared and completely replaced with the content of the new society based on the inspiration of “quan tu” honoring gentlemen and upholding the moral values according to the spirit of Confucianism. Importantly, all these new political, religious, socio-cultural contents readers do not seem to assume a story is strange from the title as the story has been associated with the temple of St. Tan Vien, which is the oldest temple in Vietnam built during Chinese domination Ly, 1961; NHIND, 2006. The temple is intended for worship of one of the four dark deities of the Vietnamese people, and the legend of Tan Vien is recorded in Spiritual Powers in the Viet Realm. In addition, in the commentary of the end of the story, Nguyen Du emphasized “Up to now, children and grandchildren still exist, they are said to be the Chancellors family” Tran et al., 1997b. These common room-style endings clearly show the author’s habit of recording old stories, tacitly emphasizing that the legend of the Tan Vien Temple is based on a local Nguyen Du purposely chose mainly historical contexts for his stories at the end of the Tran Mat, Le and Ho dynasties, which were full of chaos and turmoil. In that context, the ubiquitous demons and human emotional tragedies are intimately linked with the constant warfare and corrupt contemporary politics. Borrowing from the past to refer to the present such as in this manner is a familiar feature in the literature with political implications. Through charming stories, demons and journeys to other utopian worlds, Nguyen Du discreetly expressed his deep dissatisfaction with the late Ho dynasty, and Nguy Mac also wanted to be strictly a threat to the Minh enemy from China, which is the reason why the legend of Van Di Thanh, who helped in King Tran Trung Quang’s fight against Minh invaders in the early years of the 15th century, was borrowed by Nguyen Du to write the story of the Devil General Tuong Da XoaThe story is related to Voi Phuc temple built in 1420 in the Coi Son area. This temple worships Van Di Thanh 1380–1416 who recruited soldiers to organize insurgents against Minh invaders. Interestingly, the character Van Di Thanh hardly appeared in historical documents except at the Voi Phuc temple, and 40 King’s texts of ordinations from the Le Dynasty in 1620 to the Nguyen Dynasty in 1924 bestowed Van Di Thanh with noble titles such as “Vietnamese Supreme God” and “Vietnanese Hero”. Due to the complexity of this history, Van Di Thanh along with the Voi Phuc temple have become the favorite characters of many legends. In addition, when entering the artistic world of Nguyen Du, Van Di Thanh in the story Devil General became the typical hero who took on the task of taming and controlling the world of story describes that he was originally a scholar in Quoc Oai. At the end of Trung Quang’s times, demons were present everywhere, people often died, and helpless souls gathered in large groups, raging in the countryside without fear of anything, but when they saw Van Di Thanh, they all ran away. After a journey to hell at the invitation of messenger Minh Ty and the recommendation of demons to find people “to authorize the management of the lives of the public and human beings”, Van Di Thanh returned to earth and said “If a man is born in life, they should know how to save his name forever, there is no reason to bow in the mundane world and to have fear of death” Tran et al., 1997b. He arranged for the housework to be completed and died without becoming sick. The reality behind his seemingly sudden death is deification, canonization and the journey to another world to carry out the mission of controlling life according to the call of the the structures of stories such as Devil General or Chancellor at Tan Vien Temple, the characters Ngo Tu Van and Van Di Thanh all left the real world and experienced strange adventures, including journeys to the hell world. The characters overcame challenges in the lower world, perceived great truths and completed the life cycle of the hero’s death and rebirth. The story has also inherited some of the conflicts and basic patterns of folk narratives, such as difficult quests and/or the battle between good and evil, but clearly, new historical social messages predominate Bottigheimer, 2009. By letting the characters adventure to the hell world, experience strange events, and practice the principle of “virtue”—a principle no longer applicable in the real world—writers built other world journeys to describe the conflicts of thought in the human mind, between good and evil, and between order and disorder in the most ideal form. At the same time, with frequent recurrences and adaptations in the literature in the 16th and 17th centuries, the journey to hell motif is the clearest representation of the tragedies of thought and the failure of the Confucians to deal with journey from folk narratives to medieval literature historical, political, cultural dynamics and creative artAlthough it was formed relatively late, the medieval literature of Vietnam still bears the same characteristics as the writing of other countries in the world started by recording folk literature. This process corresponds to the early period of medieval literature, which is the period from the 10th century to the 14th century. Authentic literature only truly appeared in the 15th century and made great advancements in the 16th and 17th centuries, the most prominent of which was the fantasy short story Tran, 2014. The writers of the elite, those who were strictly trained by Confucian ideology under the influence of long culture, belief, and folklore traditions of the nation and influenced by the common religions of the Sinicized region, created this genre. However, the feature that distinguishes medieval Vietnamese short stories from Chinese stories, giving them a unique face and nuance, is the inheritance of the motifs and plots from Vietnamese folk narratives Nguyen, 2000.This process of transforming and re-creating this traditional narrative of a fantasy story can be explained from many different perspectives. The first important factor comes from the biography and parallel position of Confucian writers, of which Nguyen Du is a typical example. On the one hand, Confucians were political intellectuals, and their unique life and social class were intimately attached to the feudal state. On the other hand, most Vietnamese Confucians were from a peasant lineage. They grew up in traditional villages where community education was built on the foundations of the metaphysical folk belief and narratives of the wet rice farmers. Consequently, despite the success, mandate and advancement of Confucian examination, Confucian writers never seemed to give up their village roots Tran, 2012. The ideology of the essence of Vietnamese folklore has been summarized through thousands of years flowing through the blood of writers. Thus, the Confucians’ resistance to the crisis of society in the period of fierce and volatile history in the 16th and 17th centuries was of the other important causes comes from the cultural, social and political characteristics of medieval Vietnam. At this stage, culture does not seem to be a field capable of becoming independent and distinct from politics. The Confucian, both a symbol of the political system and an intellectual, had the mission to “cultivate” people, and at the same time had the responsibility to expose political consciousness through the implied messages intertwined in the literature. Therefore, we are not at all surprised that political implications are always the first goal of the writers in the process of re-creating traditional folk cultural materials as literary works. The Confucians took advantage of all conditions of speech by composing literature to send messages to the emperor. The nineteen comments at the end of the story by author Nguyen Du in Excursive Notes on Weird Stories with the motto “raise the saint’s bow, pluck the king’s sword” and “encourage good to punish evil” are the most vivid proofs for this importantly, when discussing the borrowing of traditional narrative materials from traditional tales the cause of the conflict and ideological competition of the prevailing religions in Vietnam at that time should be mentioned. The essence of Confucianism is a moral religion that only shows its usefulness in unifying the nation and all classes of society with a peacetime unification. However, the 16th and 17th centuries were the most violent period in Vietnamese history. The authoritarian feudal social model proved powerless in self-control, crisis in the face of civil war, enemy invasion from China and turmoil in the face of peasant rebellion. Confucianism now must determine and expand its own system of thought by itself. Taoism, an ideology with a close connection to Vietnamese folklore from before the common era was chosen by the Confucians to make a compromise with implicit transition from Confucianism to Taoism of the writers has received strong support from the Vietnamese folklore background. In the context of losing its most important position, oppressed social status, and forced removal from dominant discourse, most Confucians chose to live in seclusion. They wrote the superficial tales that appeared to be out of this life, leaving the world Nguyen, 2017. Their truths inside are discreetly expressed as belief, revealing the thought of noncooperation and the resistance against social reality. They practised collecting, writing, and telling mysteries in the peripheral world as a method to challenge the Confucian cultural and political powers at the center. Thus, the utopia of social aspirations in the writings of the Confucian writers offers a mixture of Confucian political visions at the surface of the text and the desire to understand the transcendent nature of the relationship between human and nature of Taoism and the folk metaphysical elements from the wet rice agricultural civilization the tradition of the creation of Eastern art and esthetics has a strong impact on the phenomenon of “borrowing” folk narratives. The author is consciously educated and traditionally raised with ancient elements, faithful to the tradition and with admiration for the prestige of the previous Sages. “Classic reference” to the medieval writer always has a positive meaning, and what belongs to the “classical” era is an unattainable ideal standard. The main purpose of writers’ creations is to capture the crystallized values of the old era and to simulate the perfect creative patterns that have shaped over time and thereby create a very ancient spirit. “I transmit but do not create. Being fond of the truth, I am admired of antiquity” is the motto of not only behavior but also an artist’s composition. Since then, this approach to art has led to the importance of simulation over creativity and a preference for classical stories, preferring to borrow traditional plots rather than creating completely new archetypal journeys, the fantasy short stories of medieval Vietnam contributed to the successful construction of the metaphysical world at deeper levels in the literature and represented a breakthrough in the process of artistic transformation from the acquisition of religious ideas and the exploitation of the materials of folk narratives. The process of reconfiguring archetypes in Vietnamese medieval literature revealed complex issues related to the historical, social, and cultural context in the 16th and 17th centuries. Vietnamese medieval literature reflects the power and influence of the competition between Taoism and Confucianism and the conflict between the official Confucian discourse of dynasty and the unofficial, resistant discourse that strongly manifest in the Vietnamese culture with the unification of spiritual power between Folklore and Valk 2005 argues in Discursive Shifts in Legends from Demonization to Fictionalization “the complex relationship between often-fragmentary oral traditions and authorship as a synthesizing force in constructing neat and coherent narratives”. Through the fantasy story genre, medieval Vietnamese writers demonstrated the ability to adapt folk materials and allow them to reach the highest artistic level by using an endless amount of natural and cultural energy in the motifs of folklore. At the same time, they absorbed, transformed and reproduced archetypes from folk narratives into artistic texts. Traditional folk narratives in this circumstance provided archetypes such as the story’s nuclear narrative units and literature based on this archetype to present a new cultural, social and historical message. Hence, by exploring the rebirth of the archetypes, Vietnamese writers adapted to traditional folk narratives and harmoniously adapted the faiths and aspirations of their cultural background through special narrative techniques.

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