Definition

1. Proper Noun:
   • A figure from Vietnamese folklore: Chữ Đồng Tử is a legendary character from the time of the Hùng Kings, known for his extreme poverty and his marriage to a princess, after which they both ascended to immortality.
   • A symbol of destiny and transcendence: The story represents themes of fate, love beyond social class, and spiritual transformation from mortal to immortal.

Usage Examples

• Proper Noun:
  • Truyền thuyết Chữ Đồng Tử và Tiên Dung là một câu chuyện đẹp. (The legend of Chữ Đồng Tử and Tiên Dung is a beautiful story.)
  • Đền thờ Chữ Đồng Tử nằm ở Hưng Yên. (The temple worshipping Chữ Đồng Tử is located in Hưng Yên.)

Advanced Usage

• The name "Chữ Đồng Tử" is often invoked in cultural discussions about Vietnamese folk tales, origins of religious sites, and themes of love and destiny.
  • Hình tượng Chữ Đồng Tử đi vào thơ ca dân gian. (The image of Chữ Đồng Tử has entered folk poetry.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tiên Dung: Proper noun. The princess who married Chữ Đồng Tử.

  • Công chúa Tiên Dung đã gặp Chữ Đồng Tử trên bãi sông. (Princess Tiên Dung met Chữ Đồng Tử on the riverbank.)

• Đầm Nhất Dạ: Proper noun. A lagoon (in Hưng Yên province) said to be formed in one night, related to the legend.

  • Đầm Nhất Dạ gắn liền với truyền thuyết Chữ Đồng Tử. (Đầm Nhất Dạ is linked to the legend of Chữ Đồng Tử.)

Synonyms

• Folk hero: A key figure in popular legend.
• Immortal being: A transcendent figure in mythology.

Related Cultural Context

• The Legend: The core story tells of Chữ Đồng Tử, a poor man so destitute he owned no clothing. He met Princess Tiên Dung by a river, they married, and later achieved immortality together. The locations in the story, like Bãi Tự Nhiên and Đầm Nhất Dạ, are considered historical traces of the legend.
• Cultural Significance: The tale is a foundational myth explaining the origins of certain spiritual sites and is a classic example of a "love across social boundaries" narrative in Vietnamese culture.