The Bach Ddang River

(Kinh) Tran Minh Tong

 

Blue peaks are swords and lances thrust at clouds.

The dragon swallow waves and spews white spray.

After spring rain, flowers deck the earth like gems-

in chilly winds, pines hum and stir the sky.

Open your eyes, admire your timeless land:

bew and recall the strife of Viets and Hums.

Down goes the sun-the river's flowing red:

is that the blood, undried, of those war killed?

Note: The Bach ddang River flows to sea throught the districkt of Yen Hung in Quang-yen Province (Northern Vietnam). It was the theater of decisive Vietnamese victories over Chinese invaders: in 838 Ngo Quyen killed the Han general Liu Huang-ts'ao, in 980 Le Ddai Hanh killed the Sung general Hou Jen-pao, and in 1288 Tran Quoc Tuan captured the Mongol general Omar alive. The Vietnamese used the tactic of secretly planting sharp, heavy stakes and spikes in the bed of the river and luring Chinese war boats into pursuit of fleeing Vietnamese vessels at high tide. When the tide receded, the invading boats were trapped and wrecked by the stakes.