人生不满百，才命两相妨。沧桑多变幻，触目事堪伤。彼啬斯丰，原无足异。红颜天妒，事亦寻常。只见《风情古录》，青史流芳。Quite a long break since my last article post in italki. I read a book on Vietnamese literary classic last month. The author introduces a masterpiece—Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu/金雲翹傳) by Nguyen Du(1765-1820). Truyen Kieu is an epic poem narrating the life and destiny of Kieu, a noble young lady who was force to be a prostitute after engaging with a gentleman from a humble family. The masterpiece was inspired by a Chinese fiction but adapted, or more precisely, rewrote into verse according to Vietnamese oral tradition. It is the first few lines in the beginning that have spellbound me (English version below, translated by Le Xuan Thuy): “Within the span of hundred years of human existence, What a bitter struggle is waged between genius and destiny! How many harrowing events have occurred while mulberries cover the conquered sea! Rich in beauty, unlucky in life! Strange indeed, but little wonder. Since casting hatred upon rosy cheeks is a habit of the Blue Sky.” Or the English translation by Michael Counsell: “What tragedies take place, within each circling space of years! ‘Rich in good looks’ appears, to mean poor luck and tears of woe.” Such lines are quite shocking to me, who has been thinking about the meaning of death for individuals and the history of human being. I understand the word “inherit” better after reading these lines. Life is short for individuals but culture can be inherited from generation to generation. So does the great literary works in human history, which still kindle us long after its birth.

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