A Comparative Study of Nguyễn Trãi’s Precious Mirror for Moral Self-Cultivation (No. 43) and Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm’s Leisure
- Nguyen Le Phuong Thao
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17015498
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UKR Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (UKRJAHSS)
The article focuses on clarifying the thematic and artistic values of two representative works of Đường luật poetry in the Nôm script. This is a foreign literary form that was localized in Vietnam, reflecting both cultural interplay and creative transformation between Chinese regulated verse and indigenous Nôm elements. The content of both poems celebrates the beauty of nature and is associated with the image of the reclusive Confucian scholar. However, Nguyễn Trãi inclines toward an engaged spirit, patriotism, and the aspiration for peace, whereas Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm advocates a life of composure, leisure, and withdrawal from officialdom. Artistically, both poets combine Sino-Vietnamese and vernacular language, making use of familiar literary allusions while infusing them with originality and a distinct national character. Nguyễn Trãi is remarkable for incorporating six-syllable lines into the seven-syllable regulated verse, while Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm breaks the conventional structure of “introduction–elaboration–discussion–conclusion,” thereby expressing a freer poetic style. These similarities and differences stem from their respective historical–social contexts as well as the individuality of each poet’s creativity. The study thus reaffirms the distinctive value of Đường luật poetry in Nôm script and contributes to enhancing students’ competence in reading and interpreting medieval Vietnamese literature.