The Legend of Mị Châu and Trọng Thủy

The story of Mị Châu and Trọng Thủy is a well-known Vietnamese legend about love, betrayal, and tragedy. It tells of Mị Châu, a princess who falls deeply in love with Trọng Thủy, a man whose deception leads to heartbreaking consequences. Their tale symbolizes the devastating impact of deceit and explains the origin of precious pearls in Vietnamese culture.

After ascending the throne, King An Dương Vương renamed his kingdom Âu Lạc and began building a massive spiral-shaped citadel called Cổ Loa to protect his people. However, every time the construction neared completion, mysterious forces caused the walls to collapse. One day, a divine creature known as the Golden Turtle Spirit (Thần Kim Quy) appeared to the king and revealed that evil spirits were sabotaging the work. The spirit advised the king to hold a sacred ritual, and after following these instructions, the walls finally stood firm. Impressed by the king's determination, the Golden Turtle Spirit gifted him one of its claws. Using this gift, the king ordered his general, Cao Lỗ, to craft a magical crossbow, a weapon so powerful that it could destroy thousands of enemies with a single shot.

At the same time, a neighboring ruler named Triệu Đà sought to conquer Âu Lạc but was repeatedly defeated by the magic crossbow’s overwhelming power. Frustrated, Triệu Đà devised a cunning plan to deceive rather than fight. Knowing that King An Dương Vương had a beautiful daughter named Mị Châu, he proposed a peace treaty and sent his son, Trọng Thủy, to marry her. However, Trọng Thủy’s real mission was to uncover the secret of the crossbow. Mị Châu, innocent and deeply in love, trusted Trọng Thủy completely. Gaining her trust, he persuaded her to reveal the secret location of the crossbow. Naively, she allowed him to inspect it. Trọng Thủy then secretly sabotaged the weapon by replacing its magical trigger with a fake one and returned home. Before leaving, he asked Mị Châu, “If war breaks out, how will I find you?” Trusting him, she replied, “I will scatter goose feathers along my path so you can follow me.”

Soon after, Triệu Đà launched a surprise attack. Confident in their defense, King An Dương Vương ordered the magic crossbow to be used but was shocked to discover that it had been rendered useless. With no defense left, Âu Lạc fell. The king fled south with Mị Châu, while Triệu Đà’s forces easily followed the trail of goose feathers she had left behind.

At the coast, King An Dương Vương prayed desperately for help. The Golden Turtle Spirit appeared once more and sternly warned, “The traitor is right behind you!” Realizing his daughter’s unintentional betrayal, the king was heartbroken but sorrowfully executed Mị Châu on the spot. Before dying, Mị Châu wept and prayed, “If I have knowingly betrayed my father and my country, let my body turn to dust. But if I have been deceived, let me become a pearl to clear my innocence.” According to legend, her blood seeped into the sea, and clams that consumed it transformed into beautiful pearls known as ngọc minh châu.

As for King An Dương Vương, he disappeared into the ocean with the Golden Turtle Spirit, marking the end of the Âu Lạc reign. Trọng Thủy finally caught up only to find Mị Châu dead. Overcome with grief and guilt, he took her body back to Cổ Loa Citadel and buried her. Consumed by sorrow, he later threw himself into a well and drowned. Legend says that the well where Trọng Thủy died held magical water, and pearls washed in its water would shine brighter. This well and its shining pearls symbolize the tragic love story that forever shaped Vietnamese folklore.