Which envoy of our country had a shocking couplet that made King Qianlong admire?

He was Nhu Trong Thai (year of birth and death unknown), from Hoach Trach village, Duong An district, Thuong Hong prefecture, Hai Duong town (now Binh Giang district, Hai Duong).

According to history books, Nhu Trong Thai was born into a famous family of scholars. After passing the imperial examinations under King Le Thuan Tong, he became an official for the Later Le Dynasty. Once, when he led troops to suppress a rebellion and failed, he was stripped of all his positions and had to return to his hometown.

When King Quang Trung led his troops to Bac Ha, responding to the king's call, Nhu Trong Thai joined the Tay Son army, from then on he became a powerful man of King Quang Trung.

In the beginning of the year of Ky Dau (1789), after driving out 290,000 Manchu invaders, implementing a flexible foreign policy, to avoid "losing face to the Celestial Dynasty", King Quang Trung proactively asked to establish relations. The Qing Emperor at that time, Can Long, also heard of the reputation of the brave and talented king of Vietnam, so he agreed and invited Quang Trung to visit on the occasion of his 80th birthday celebration.

In the beginning of the year Canh Tuat (1790), the Tay Son dynasty chose military general Nguyen Quang Thuc, who looked like King Quang Trung, to pretend to be the king of the South, leading a delegation of 150 people to the Qing dynasty, among them was Nhu Trong Thai.

Vietnamese envoy Nhu Trong Thai has a famous parallel sentence hanging in Tiananmen Square (China). (Illustration photo)

According to the book Vietnamese Ambassador, our delegation went to the Qing Dynasty on the occasion of the Emperor Qianlong's 80th birthday celebration and 55 years on the throne, so everywhere were decorated with flags, flowers, and candles, sparkling with all colors. The gate of the Tiananmen citadel hung a congratulatory couplet, written on a large pink silk, with the meaning of congratulations: "Long phi cuu ngu, 505 nien, five numbers in harmony with heaven, five numbers in harmony with earth, five virtues cultivated, five elements used, five blessings sparkling with phoenix and willow".

This couplet means: "On the throne, reigning for 55 years, the number of years is in accordance with heaven, the number of years is in accordance with earth, correcting oneself according to the five virtues, governing the country according to the five elements, five blessings attend the willow and phoenix".

After the working day and ceremony, the Qing Dynasty's Ministry of Rites led a number of high-ranking officials in the Vietnamese delegation to sightsee and arrive in front of Tiananmen. The Qing high-ranking official pointed to the couplet, meaning to invite our side to respond.

Nhu Trong Thai asked for the date of birth of King Can Long and then borrowed pen and paper to write the couplet: "The saint lived to be eighty years old, eight years met eight months, eight thousand was spring, eight thousand was autumn, eight yuan advanced, eight lanterns were opened, eight immortals encouraged him to wear the royal dress."

The opposite side means: "The Saint lived to be 80 years old, born on the 8th day of the 8th month, eight thousand springs, eight thousand autumns, eight wise men came, eight talented men returned, eight fairies danced and performed to celebrate his longevity."

The parallel sentences praise a king who lives a long life and has many talented people to assist him, which will surely make the world prosperous, life peaceful and stable , making the gods in heaven dance and sing with joy.

The couplet of Nhu Trong Thai shows his profound intelligence, profound learning and broad knowledge, which made everyone in the Qing Dynasty praise him.

Emperor Qianlong liked it so much that he ordered someone to write Nhu Trong Thai's parallel sentences on a piece of pink silk and hang it on one side of the Tiananmen Gate on his birthday, announcing it to the world.

Kim Nha

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/su-than-nao-cua-nuoc-ta-co-cau-doi-chan-dong-khien-vua-can-long-ne-phuc-ar913008.html