Reading Notes W9: The Tale of Kieu by Ngyuen Du, Part A

• The first stanza of the poem talks about balance. "Talent and Destiny are apt to feud," "You must go through a play of ebb and flow," "Losses balance gains" (550)
• Beijing was the capital of the north during the Ming dynasty and Nanjing was the capital of the south. (550)
• Vuong Quan is the last born son of a burgher in the Vuong clan (550)
• Thuy Kieu is the oldest daughter and her younger sister is Thuy Van (550)
• Both sisters are described as being perfect in their own way (550)
• Kieu possessed a keener, deeper charm, surpassing Van in talents and in looks. (550)
• The Feast of Light is a chinese spring festival when people tend the graves of the dead and make offerings to them (551)
• Kieu asks why no one is burning incense for the grave of a famous singer named Dam Tien (551)
• "Harsh is the fate that has kept us apart! Since in this life we are not meant to meet" (551)
• The stranger who came oversees to meet her purchased a coffin and hearse for her when he found her dead. (551)
• Kieu cried out of pity for Dam Tien (552)
• Van says Kieu should be laughed at for crying about someone long gone (552)
• "Harsh fate has cursed all women, sparing none." Definitely feels like it from everything we read in this class (552)
• Quan says Kieu made a fine speech (552)
• "Transcending life and death, soul sisters meet." "Dam Tien had cared to manifest herself." Tien made an appearance because of Kieu (553)
• Kim Trong is a scion of nobility and is both wealthy and talented. (553)
• Dam Tien told Kieu how she's doomed to grief by fate (555)
• Kieu's mother asks her to reconsider whether she should really be freaking out over a dream (555)
• Young Kim came across a golden hairpin and took it home since he felt it must belong to a woman and that fate has bound them together (556)
• Kieu thanked him for not keeping the golden hairpin which was referred to as a jewel (556)
• Kieu says she's too young for love. Kim says ignoring his desperate love will hurt him and not profit her (556)
• Kim seems entitled for feeling that he is owed something as thanks for returning the jewel. It's also manipulative to guilt trip her into showing affection towards him.
• "How can my heart resist your heart's behest?" "I'm bound to you for life" Seriously? (557)
• They traded. Golden hairpin for sunflower-figured fan. "An oath to seal their pact (558)
• Kim gets his feelings hurt because Kieu took longer than 3 seconds to meet with him again. I don't like Kim. (558)
• Kieu wants to make amends because he feels hurt (558)
• They keep making pledges to each other (560)
• "Why do you choose to play those plaintative strains which grieve your heart" Thank God, Kieu is finally using her head. (561)
• "Who'll bear the guilt? / Why force your wish on your shy flower so soon? / While I'm alive, you'll sometime get your due." (561)
• The above excerpt makes me think Kieu is growing tiresome of Kim's needless whining.
• Kim's uncle died (562)
• A mob of bailiffs interrupted the birthday feast. The were armed and placed collars on the old man and son to show they are punished criminals (563)
• Kieu decided a child should pay the debts of their parents birth and care. She put aside her vows of love. She sold herself to redeem her father. (563)
• An elderly scrivener named Chung witnessed this and decided to take pity. She has to collect 300 liang within 3 days to free her kinsmen. (563)
• It's like Du Tenth all over again
• "She's worth her weight in gold" (564)
• The father asks Heaven why it would inflict such woes on them. Why must his daughter be put in a position where she can't wed a worthy mate as he had wishes for her. Why must she be in this position where she has to give up great parts of her life to save him? He'd rather die than deal with this pain. (564)
• Kieu asks what a daugher is worth "who's not repaid one whit a daughter's debt" (564)
• "Old Chung did all he could and gave help: / gifts once presented, charges were dismissed" (565)
• Kieu says "If only I had known I'd sink so low / I should have let my true love pluck my bud" (565)
• Kieu wonders "If I indeed was born to float and drift, / how can a woman live with such a fate?" (566)
• She takes a knife because she thinks it might help decide her life later (566)
• Kieu woke from a nightmare and questioned her worth. She contemplates killing herself (567)
• Once Kieu paid homage to her household god, her aunt Dame Tu appeared and told Kieu to kneel before her and her uncle (569)
• Dame Tu became enraged from Kieu's story and was about to whip her (569)
• Kieu pulled out her knife and asks what is left of her life. (569)
• Kieu was carried out and nursed. A doctor was there too. A girl whispered "Your Karma"s still undone: / how could you shirk your debt of grief to life?" "You're still to bear the fortune of a rose: / you wish to quit, but Heaven won't allow." (570)
• Dame Tu seems to be the voice Kieu heard. "Why lose your life and hurt me? What's the good?" This sounds a lot like Kim's question (570)
• Kieu is recaptured and forced to work as a prostitute in a brothel. Then she is kidnapped and works as a slave. She's then put in the care of a neighbor who sells her into prostitution. Her life sucks. (570)
• Between Heaven and Earth is Tu Hai. He speaks with Kieu (571)
• "He paid some hundred liang for Kieu's release" (571)
• "The hero chose a phoenix as his mate: / the beauty found a dragon for her mount" (572)
• "She pined and mourned for her old love" (572) Kim? Why Kim?
• "The phoenix-coach held ready for a queen / her glittering diadem, her sparkling robe." (573)
• Lord Tu mustered men and captains after Kieu spoke about Wuxu and Linzi (where she had been mistreated) to track down the people who harmed and mistreated Kieu. They would be dragged to stand due trial. (573)
• The captives were brought in and Kieu said "I'll borrow your almighty power / to pay such dues as gratitude deems fit. / I'll render good, then make return for ill." (574)
• Kieu judges each captive and then says "High Heaven towers over all! / It's not my law that ill be paid with ill." (575)
• The executioner recieved his orders and blood flowed around the room as they were struck. (575)
• Kieu convinced Lord Tu to not leave an ill reputation. He dropped his schemes of war and sought peace. Imperial spies saw what was going on and attacked. Lord Tu gave a secret cue and gunfire ensued. A battle was fought and Lord Tu was killed. Kieu felt guilty since this was kind of her fault by convincing Lord Tu to let down his guard. She sits by his remains and grieves. (579)
• Lord Ho makes Kieu marry a tribal chief. She throws herself into a river and is found by Giac Duyen. Kim finds her family. (579)
• Kim asks where Kieu's husband is and they tell him about Tu Hai. Kim knows about Tu Hai, probably since Tu Hai is so powerful. Kim is still heartbroken about Kieu but still keeps incense. (579)
• Kim requested that Vuong help him look for Kieu after news broke out about the battle. They were told that Lord Tu was ambushed and fell in battle and that Kieu drowned herself. (580)
• They set her tablet up and installed an altar on the riverbank. (580)
• Giac Duyen coincidentally came by and read the name on the alter. She was surprised, asked if they were friends or family of Kieu's, and told them that Kieu is alive. (580)
• Giac Duyen tells about how she found Kieu in the river and brought her. The family follows Giac Duyen to meet Kieu. Kieu cries, uncertain of whether or not she's dreaming. (581)
• Kieu says she sought to end it in the river and didn't imagine seeing them all again. (581)
• Kieu explains that she doesn't deserve any of this. She claims that she'll stay with Giac Duyen for saving her since she owes her and can't just cut her bonds and leave. (582)
• Old Vuong says the gods and Buddhas will discharge her duties and let her keep lover's vows. They'll build a shrine and have their Reverend live near them. Kieu agreed and took her leave of Giac Duyen (582)
• "It's Heaven's own design that lovers meet, / so Kim and Kieu did meet and swear their troth" (582)
• Kieu still loves Kim but feels shameful about what's happened. Kim says "stars may shift their course, / sworn pledges must be kept in life or death" (583)
• Kim suddenly seems less annoying and somewhat likable to me now.
• Kieu tells Kim "You bear a constant love for me, I know-- / but where to hide my shame by bridal light?" (583)
• Kieu continues, "I'll live a nun. / If you still care for what we both once felt, / let's turn it into friendship--let's be friends." (583)
• Kim says "How skilled you are in spinning words!" (583)
• "Heaven grants us this hour: now from our gate / all mists have cleared; on high, clouds roll away." said Kim (583)
• "Outtalked, she could no longer disagree: / she hung her head and yielded, stifling sighs" (584)
• They got married but Kieu still has feelings of shame and guilt and says Kim can always have her sister instead. (584)
• Kim reminds her that "We loved each other, risked our lives, braved death-- / now we two meet again, still deep in love" (585)
• The poem ends with a stanza that points out how Heaven and Karma will correct all wrongdoings and "the heart outweighs all talents on this earth" (586)

Du, Ngyuen. "The Tale of Kieu." The Norton Anthology World Literature, edited by Martin Puchner, Third Edition, vol. E, W. W. Norton 2012, pp. 546-586