(…continued from The Trưng Sisters (Part 3)) The Beauty During the three-year reign of Trắc and Nhị Trưng, people saw them everywhere. They never stayed in one place for long—always on their elephants and always on the road. Their swords were never sheathed, they were constantly keeping the troops trained and motivated, maintaining connections with all the generals, and maintaining the goodwill of the population. … Continue reading The Trưng Sisters (Part 4)
(…continued from The Trauma of Being Different) Back in 2007, I went back to Việt Nam to visit the northern areas and to see the sights. During my three-week sojourn, I wandered through more temples and ancient structures and caves than I can remember off the top of my head, but I do remember wandering through the main gates of this temple. Sadly, my photos are … Continue reading The Temple of an Immortal
(…continued from Damn Stubborn Water Buffalo) This is my firm conviction. We Vietnamese should not claim folks as our people if they refuse the claim, meaning if they insist that they are not Vietnamese, we should not place that honorific on them…even if it’s true. I remember when I was younger, much younger, I dyed my hair blonde and pretended that I didn’t know Vietnamese … Continue reading The Trauma of Being Different
I feel like a child who has inadvertently wandered into an old dilapidated castle where nothing but shadows of ghosts still haunt. The glorious grandeur of the place is still evident—the large halls and high ceilings adorned still, with the remains of what must have been magnificent furnishings and fixtures, their colors faded and aged to various shades of greys and browns. The walls are … Continue reading Enigma of Lao Tzu
(…continued fromThe Trưng Sisters Part 2) And so it was, hidden in the mists of the jungles, within the dark dank caves of the mountainous region of Mê Linh that Trưng Trắc and her sister, Trưng Nhị, along with an entire regiment of rebels began their year-long preparation to go up against General Tô Định. To understand the scope of what the sisters were dealing with, the geography has to … Continue reading The Trưng Sisters (Part 3)
Hey you! Nôm na là cha mách qué! Say what??? Whatever dude. Your Momma too. Dumb ass. I would have this attitude because this sooo sounds like such an insult. This sentence cannot be said without it sounding like an insult. Nobody knows why. At least, nobody in the modern world knows why. Well, I do—now. Back in the old days, (and I mean … Continue reading Nôm Na Là Cha Mách Qué
(…continued from Part 1) His name was Dương Thi. He was barely 20 years old when he married the headstrong, talented, intelligent, and beautiful Trưng Trắc, princess of the Mê Linh region, a province north of present-day Hà Nội. His father, Dương Thái Bình, who was the king’s physician and also part of the royal family, ascended to the throne after the king’s death. He ruled over the Châu Diên region which … Continue reading The Trưng Sisters (Part 2)
