The Legend of Son Tinh – Thuy Tinh
Legend has it that the 18th Hung King had a daughter with an incredibly beautiful appearance, often referred to as Mi Nuong. The king loved her very much and wanted to find a worthy husband for her, someone who was both gentle and talented.
King Hung organized a bridegroom selection ceremony. Handsome men from all over the place flocked to the capital to show off their skills. Several days passed, many young men with good looks, elegance, and excellent martial arts displayed their talents, but the king had not found anyone suitable. This made King Hung somewhat disappointed. Suddenly, two young men arrived at the same time and asked to compete. One was Son Tinh, and the other was Thuy Tinh.
Son Tinh came from the Ba Vi mountains, he was outstanding and talented. He could point his finger to the East, and the East would turn into green fields of rice; pointing his finger to the West, high mountains would sprout.
Thuy Tinh came from the East Sea and was equally talented. He could call for the wind to blow, and rain would follow his command.
Seeing that both of them were deserving candidates, King Hung didn’t know whom to choose or whom to reject. Therefore, the king called the officials to discuss but still couldn’t find a solution. Finally, King Hung set a condition: the next day, anyone who brought a hundred servings of sticky rice, two hundred pyramid-shaped rice cakes, ivory from a nine-tusk elephant, nine-tailed rooster, and nine red-maned horses would be allowed to marry Mi Nuong.
Early the next morning, Son Tinh brought all the offerings and took Mi Nuong to the mountains. Thuy Tinh arrived later, but he couldn’t get the wife, so he became angry, gathered his troops, and fought against Son Tinh, wanting to take Mi Nuong by force. As much as Thuy Tinh poured water, Son Tinh raised mountains, raising tall rocks and dirt. Both sides battled fiercely for months. In the end, Thuy Tinh exhausted his strength and had to retreat. Son Tinh emerged victorious and lived happily with Mi Nuong.
So, what is the real name of Son Tinh’s wife?
The 18th Hung King had two daughters. Among them, one is mentioned in the legend of Son Tinh – Thuy Tinh as mentioned above. When talking about this story, many people will immediately think that the daughter of King Hung’s name is Mi Nuong. In fact, Mi Nuong is not her real name. Mi Nuong is just a title used to refer to the daughters of the Hung Kings. Therefore, Mi Nuong is not the name of Son Tinh’s wife. According to some genealogies and fictional folklore, her real name is Ngoc Hoa. However, this name is rarely mentioned.
According to the legend, the 18th Hung King had two daughters named Tien Dung and Ngoc Hoa. Among them, Tien Dung is the older sister and is a character in the story of Chu Dong Tu.
The Origin and Meaning of Traditional Tet Sticky Rice Cakes
Banh chung and banh giay are two indispensable dishes during Tet holiday in Vietnam. These types of cakes carry significant meanings that few people know about during Tet holiday. Let’s explore the meanings and origins of banh chung and banh giay below.
