Two Stories of Saint Giong

At the statue of Saint Giong atop Soc Son Mountain, after sitting with his disciples to reflect on history, the teacher began to tell an old yet strange story. The mountain wind blew gently, carrying the scent of fresh grass and the vastness of earth and sky.

"In ancient times, during the reign of the Hung Kings, the Yin dynasty in the North was destroyed by King Zhou’s cruelty at the hands of King Wen of Zhou. However, because old debts of gratitude remained, the Yin were granted a piece of land to the south and east. From there, they invaded our country to expand their territory. The enemy forces were incredibly strong, both in numbers and in magical powers, and their weapons had advanced to extremely refined alloys."

The teacher recounted that while the nation faced peril, heaven sent a celestial general to be reborn in Phu Dong village, waiting for the right moment. This boy grew up in a poor family, but what was special was that he never spoke. Everyone in the village loved him, yet also feared him, for his eyes shone brightly with power, containing a whole sky of contemplation, while his mouth remained resolutely silent.

"The entire village thought he was mute. But in reality, he knew everything; he simply did not bother to speak. And this is a great lesson: those who talk too much diminish the value of their words. Yet for the quiet person, every time they open their mouth, their words weigh as heavy as a thousand pounds."

This continued until the day the king’s envoy, traveling to find talented people to help the nation, passed through the village. As soon as the envoy stepped past, the child suddenly spoke, for the first time in many years: "Mother, call the envoy in here." That voice left the whole village stunned and buzzing with excitement. His mother, bewildered, hurriedly ran to call him. Neighbors gathered, stopping the envoy and insisting he meet the child. The pressure from the entire village compelled the envoy to obediently step inside.

Entering the small thatched house, the envoy saw the boy sitting there, his eyes blazing bright. The boy spoke again, only the second time in his life: "Go back and tell the king to forge me an iron horse and an iron whip so I can go save the country." The village erupted in excitement, everyone urging the envoy to report immediately because this was extraordinary. Although still skeptical, the envoy could do nothing else and hastily returned to the capital.

For his third sentence, the boy told the villagers: "Please ask the aunties and uncles to cook rice for me to eat, so I can go fight the invaders." The village trusted him instantly. Some lit the fires, others brought steaming bowls of rice. The boy ate pot after pot, filling himself completely, then suddenly stretched and stood up, his body growing tall and robust. He began practicing martial arts in the village yard with supernatural strength.

The iron horse and iron whip were forged and delivered. The boy put on iron armor, jumped onto the horse’s back, and held the iron whip. Strangely, that iron horse galloped swiftly as if by magic. He rode into battle, wielding his iron staff to crush the Yin army. When his iron rod broke, he pulled up bamboo clumps from the roadside and swung them fiercely at the enemies, scattering them in defeat. After this glorious victory, Saint Giong rode his horse up to the peak of Soc Son Mountain and vanished, returning to heaven.

The teacher paused, looking at his disciples. Then he continued: "But there is another version, edited by some historians to be more realistic: it was a taciturn young man skilled in martial arts from Phu Dong village who went to fight the invaders, won, and then retired to Soc Son Mountain to live in seclusion, founding a school to teach martial arts."

The teacher asked, "Which story do you believe? The legend or the realistic version?"

A disciple replied hesitantly, "Teacher, I do not know... The legendary story seems hard to believe, but the realistic version loses its mystery."

The teacher smiled. "I believe in the legend. Why? Because in ancient times, communication between humans and deities was easier. Our country has been protected since its founding by ancestors with divine powers, such as Kinh Duong Vuong, Lac Long Quan, and especially the Golden Turtle God. This is the spiritual tradition of our nation."

The story of Saint Giong, regardless of which version is told, carries a profound meaning: this country has a history sheltered by supernatural forces, and each generation of descendants must live worthily of that protection.

The Meaning of the Story

This narrative compares two versions of Saint Giong to emphasize the importance of faith in spiritual traditions and national legends. It reminds us that although modern science may seek pragmatic explanations for everything, the value of mystical stories lies in their power to connect people with their roots, with their ancestors, and with the spirit world. In doing so, they cultivate patriotism and national pride.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Most Venerable Thich Chan Quang