Today’s Enlightening
Entertainment
will be presented in
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
with subtitles in Arabic,
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Hungarian, Indonesian,
Japanese, Korean,
Malay, Persian,
Portuguese, Russian,
Spanish, and Thai.
Âu Lạc (Vietnam)
is a nation that has
a long-standing
traditional culture.
Aulacese music
is very rich;
since ancient times,
there have been
many musical instruments
that move the soul with
a wide variety of sounds
like those
of the copper drum,
gong, lithophone,
bamboo xylophone,
cymbals and panpipe.
In 2003, Elegant Music, a
form of Huế royal music,
was recognized
by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
as an intangible cultural
heritage of the world.
Âu Lạc’s music represents
the unique features of
each region, for example,
Quan Họ folksongs
in the North,
Huế tunes in the Central,
and cải lương
(modern folk opera)
in the South.
In addition, there are many
other forms of music,
including hò
(work songs),
lý (village songs),
ceremonial songs,
Aulacese classical opera,
chèo traditional opera,
Hồ Quảng opera,
and so on.
Indeed, music has been
deeply instilled
in the hearts of people
in this beautiful country,
and has been cultivated
until this day.
Northern Âu Lạc
has a folk art
called xẩm singing
that is very popular
in the northern plains
and midland.
This genre, in the old time,
was performed
by minstrel bands.
In a gathering
with a small group of
our Association members
some years past,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
was inspired to
spontaneously compose
and sing in the xẩm style
a poem she had written in
her late 20s in Germany.
The poem was originally
written in English which
the poet herself
translated into Aulacese.
We now invite you
to enjoy an excerpt
of the xẩm singing
“We Don't Live More
Than One Hundred Years!”
composed and sung
by Supreme Master
Ching Hai.
I mean tonight I was nuts!
But so what:
Aren’t the rest of us!...
Otherwise how could we
carry on living,
For life isn’t worth a thing!?
You know that I am still
in love with you!
But that has nothing to do...
I cannot please everybody,
So I will please me!
That doesn’t mean
you are not right;
We all have only one life!
On Enlightening
Entertainment,
Supreme Master
Television is pleased
to introduce different
forms of arts
from Âu Lạc (Vietnam),
as well as from other
countries in the world,
in order to share the beauty
and cultures
of the peoples
on our planet.
Chèo traditional opera
is a folk theater art
which originated
from the regions
near the mountains
and from the plains of
northern Âu Lạc.
There are varied opinions
about the beginning
of chèo traditional opera:
the earliest time
is believed to be
in 4th century BCE
and the most recent
is 14th century, at the end
of the Trần dynasty.
Chèo is a narrative genre
of folk theater,
recounting stories
through a combination of
music, singing and dance.
One of the unique
features of chèo
is a skillful portrayal
of subtle gestures
and movements.
During festivals,
people in the plains of
northern Âu Lạc often
look forward to watching
chèo traditional opera.
The lyrics are infused
with folk poetry and
proverbs; tragedies are
usually counter-balanced
with satires.
Chèo is replete with
the pure simplicity of the
common folk, yet equally
profound in meaning.
“The Third Princess”
is an Aulacese chèo
traditional opera based on
the legend of
the One-thousand-Eye
One-Thousand-Hand
Mother Buddha
in the treasure
of Buddhist folklore.
“The Third Princess”
recounts the merit
and virtue of King
Trang Vương’s
Third Princess,
who exhibited piety,
compassion,
and a boundless spirit
of sacrifice.
This tale is also
a wakening bell about the
dire retribution of actions
that harm virtuous and
true spiritual practitioners.
King Trang Vương
and his queen
had three princesses,
but only Diệu Thiện,
also known as
the Third Princess,
was still single.
On his birthday,
King Trang Vương
decided to marry the
Third Princess to General
Ngưu Mã, a man with
perfect talents in both
literature and martial arts,
in order to have
a successor to the throne.
At the royal court,
the Third Princess
expressed her wish
to become a renunciate,
and if she must be married,
she would like to marry
someone who knew how
to save people's lives,
namely, physician
Triệu Chấn. Enraged,
the King dismissed
Triệu Chấn from his post
and expelled
the Third Princess
from the royal palace.
The Third Princes went
to Bạch Tước Pagoda
to practice spiritually
with the Abbot,
but the King sent
General Ngưu Mã there
to force her to return
to secular life.
We now invite you
to enjoy part 2 of
the Aulacese chèo
traditional opera titled
“The Third Princess” by
playwright Trần Trí Trắc,
with performances
by Ms. Vân Quyền
as Third Princess,
Mr. Hải Điệp as King,
Ms. Hồng Minh as Queen,
Mr. Quốc Anh
as General Ngưu Mã,
Mr. Ngọc Kình
as Physician Triệu Chấn,
Ms. Huyền Thanh
as Princess Diệu Âm,
Ms. Thanh Mạn
as Princess Diệu Thanh,
Mr. Vũ Ngọc as Clown,
Mr. Đoàn Vinh
as First Prince Consort,
Mr. Trần Hải as
Second Prince Consort,
Mr. Xuân Vượng as Abbot,
Ms. Thu Biên as Elder Nun,
and other artists.
Please tune in
for the conclusion
next Thursday
on Supreme Master
Television.
Thank you for watching
today’s
Enlightening Entertainment.
Please stay tuned to
Supreme Master
Television.
Coming up is
Words of Wisdom.
We bid you farewell.
Amitabha Buddha
be praised!
May I see the royal decree,
Your Excellency?
Abbot,
you’re really hardheaded!
All right, I will please you.
All kneel down to receive
the royal decree!
“I, Trang Vương,
ruler of the kingdom,
hereby order
that all be informed:
The youngest princess,
called Third Princess,
evaded her parents
to practice spiritually
at Bạch Tước Pagoda.
She is not to take refuge
in the Buddha
and must return
to the court right away.
If the temple hides her,
have it demolished.”
Amitabha Buddha
be praised!
Bạch Tước Pagoda
is a remote place
in a poor village.
We lead a pure
and simple life of true
spiritual practitioners.
Why should a high-class
young lady come to this
temple for us to hide her?
Soldiers! (Yes.)
Tie up the Abbot!
Buddha be praised!
Amitabha Buddha
be praised!
Please take pity on us
spiritual practitioners
who would never report
falsely.
If he must be put
to the torture
from ill retribution,
let us bear it for him.
We wish to take the
punishment on his behalf.
All brethrens,
please stand up!
I’m guilty, so I alone
must take on the charge.
Why should I get
the renunciates involved?
Buddha taught:
“Saving a person’s life
procures infinite merit.”
I vow to firmly follow
Buddha’s teaching.
So you said,
“Saving a person’s life
is of infinite merit,”
meaning you intend to
hide the Third Princess.
Just give him
a hundred whips,
he’ll tell all.
Soldiers! (Yes.)
Thrash him!
Hold it!
The compassionate
Buddha’s gate won’t
tolerate vicious acts.
O fellow practitioners,
listen to me!
If the Third Princess
indeed comes
to this temple
to practice spiritually,
that’s an honor for
Buddhist renunciates.
Let’s burn the incense,
praying to Buddha:
We live and die
for the Truth.
O fellow practitioners,
use your blood
to cleanse earthly stains.
Are you striving
against me, me, Abbot?
Soldiers! (Yes.)
Set the temple on fire
so the Third Princess has
no more place to hide.
Set it on fire!
We offer a prayer
to Heaven.
We offer ourselves to You.
O Buddha,
I’m choked with tears,
looking at my brethrens.
May Buddha witness
our sincerity.
A body made of dust
will return to dust.
I turn my gaze
toward the infinite realm.
May I depart from
this suffering world.
In calamities,
the noble deeds
of spiritual practitioners
are seen.
May I offer my respect
to immortal souls.
We use our
physical bodies
to repay your kindness.
Amitabha Buddha
be praised!
Amitabha Buddha!
O God!
Bạch Tước Pagoda!
Bạch Tước Pagoda is
immersed in red flames.
Third Princess!
Where are you?
O Third Princess!
Go to the underworld to
find the Third Princess!
Ngưu Mã!
Third Princess!
Third Princess!
My God! How come?
Who burned down
my temple? Who?
Who harmed my
fellow practitioners?
O God!
Master! O Master!
You were ruined
because of me.
In great anguish,
my tears pour.
Master lay here;
your tranquil soul
has left the body,
just like in contemplation
during worship.
Could that be
the honorable Triệu Chấn
over there?
You lay motionless
in an eternal death.
A wound on your body
is still trickling blood.
Amitabha Buddha
be praised!
The world is still
replete with pain.
Mundane dust can’t fill
up the sea of suffering.
O Buddha, I pray to you
to save the renunciates
whose souls are now
confined in the underworld.
Where have their souls
taken refuge
amid the silver cloud?
O Third Princess!
Wickedness spreads
like the dark night,
while goodness still
awaits worldly people.
I’ll take you beyond
the physical realm
to the underworld to
save the souls of those
that met untimely death.
Since we left
the mountain pagoda,
since that tearful,
unjust death,
since the tragedy
that burnt down
Bạch Tước Pagoda,
our spirits of unjust death
departed the physical realm.
How heart-rending
it is already for us
to be in the black cloud
to further endure the torture!
Whose voice is that?
Is that the voice of
my brethrens’ spirits
being tortured in Hades?
O God! Are these they?
Skeletons in the yellow
monk robes.
My brethrens died
because of me.
Oh! I feel as if aloewood
scent is wafting about;
the sounds of
Bạch Tước Pagoda’s bell
and scripture recitals
are reverberating.
This form here,
is it of the pure, upright
and gentle Triệu Chấn?
He’s still serene like a
precious medicinal plant.
O beloved Triệu Chấn!
My heart is still deeply
pained for humankind.
For whom do
sentient beings quietly
bear the ordeals?
Tears of torment shed
in pitying for others.
O high Heaven,
know You not?
Is human existence
nothing but misery?
Palms together, I pray to
the miraculous Buddha.
Where are the souls
of my brethrens?
Listen to the sound
of scripture reciting
for your liberation.
Respectful greetings,
Third Princess!
My respectful greetings,
Warden of Hades!
Please take pity
on the beings
that perished
in wrongful deaths.
It’s my king father’s
unkindness that brought
about the temple’s ruin.
Spirits of the renunciates
are still lost.
Please allow them to
return to the physical world.
O virtuous Third Princess!
The law of Hades
can’t be bypassed easily.
You must take
on the physical torture
for your fellow beings
to be released.
You must endure the
burning of skin and flesh.
O demon officials! (Yes.)
Bring the cauldron of oil
here for me!
Amitabha Buddha
be praised.
In sympathy with
sentient beings suffering
hardship, hunger, poverty
and endless wars,
I, Third Princess, wish to
bear the physical torture
so that the spirits of
wrongful deaths may return
to the blessed realm.
Though I must bear
great pain of crushed
bone and flesh,
I’ll gladly accept it
out of compassion.
If you wish Buddha
to accept your request,
there is the cauldron of oil,
step into it!
Now, step into it!
O Third Princess!
Your great virtue
and great compassion
have moved the heart
of the wise Buddha.
You didn’t mind
the red flames
under your feet.
I, King of Hades,
also admire you deeply.
Respected greetings,
King of Hades.
I now agree for physician
Triệu Chấn to return
to the physical realm
to find cures to
save sentient beings.
Since he’s not a true
spiritual practitioner,
he’ll be transformed
to be a 90-year-old man
living in a remote
thatched hut.
As for your
Buddhist brethrens
who died unjustly,
they’ll return
to their spiritual path.
Buddha be praised.
According to
Buddha’s order,
they’ll stay at
Hương Tích Temple.
I’m grateful to Buddha.
My king suddenly
contracts a serious ailment
and is tormented
by pain day and night.
The throne is deserted,
the palace gloomy,
the royal veranda desolate.
The two daughters
don’t bother to feel sad
but indulge in pleasure
with Ngưu Mã.
They party, sing and
dance morning and night
and even cuckold the
King’s two sons-in-law.
So it is said
in Buddhist scriptures
about the law
of cause and effect.
In this world,
one reaps what one sows.
The King is awake
and senseless by turn,
while in the palace,
some are playing around,
worry-free.
Why am I in so much pain
like this?
Everyone has left me?
Where is the Queen?
Where are my daughters?
Your Majesty!
The court officials are
afraid of getting infected
with your leprosy,
so all hide away.
Only the Queen is
weeping all day long.
Your two princesses
follow General Ngưu Mã
to party all day.
So the officials are scared
of getting infected
with my leprosy.
And the girls are
rejoicing because
their father is soon to die.
Your Majesty! O God!
O Clown! (Yes.)
I only feel sorry
for the Queen.
She has suffered her
entire life because of me.
Oh, no! Your Majesty!
Where are the First and
Second Prince consorts?
Come in here to entertain
His Majesty!
O Clown,
what’s the matter?
What’s going on?
His Majesty is in pain.
Please come in
to entertain him.
Come in! Come!
You don’t want
to come in?
All right, I’ll report
to the princesses.
Wait, wait, Clown!
I’ll come in.
Then come in! Come on!
Respected Royal Father,
we’re always by your side.
My wife is busy
having fun,
so I must come here
on her behalf
to take care of you.
Beloved Royal Father,
so am I.
My wife is
a very filial daughter.
She’s delegated me
the important task
of always staying
by your side and keeping
you in good spirit.
I must always find a way
to entertain you.
And now, Royal Father,
we’ll sing for you a poem
about the woe
of an old goat.
The woe of an old goat.
The young goats
must suck milk
from the old goat.
Wherefrom does the old
goat get the sweet milk to
satisfy the young goats?
After eating,
the young goats
still crave for food.
O goats, after eating,
you still crave for food.
They suck non-stop.
The old goat feels
aches and pains.
How funny
the young goats are!
After eating,
the young goats
still crave for food.
Enough! You didn’t
come to entertain me.
Your wives aren’t
my filial daughters.
Get out!
Respected Royal Father!
Get out, all of you!
Respected Royal Father!
There you are,
sweetheart!
Oh, darling!
Sweetheart,
I’ve demonstrated
all my skills
but our Royal Father
still isn’t pleased.
Darling, I sang
so beautifully but
was still driven away
by our Royal Father.
You just think
you have much talent!
Well,
you two go home now.
Come only when
instructed, you hear?
Going home? (Go!)
Respected Royal Father,
I’ve really done you wrong
I’ve been busy boat
sailing on Kim Lăng.
Forgive me
for returning late.
O Royal Father!
Please take your medicine
to recover quickly.
Any day you’re still ill,
that day we can’t eat
or sleep well.
Get out, both of you!
I’d rather die.
O God! Royal Father!
How come you talked
so strange?
If you pass away,
what for
do we continue living?
Whom will we rely on?
O Royal Father,
please don’t die!
Other people
have children
and grandchildren,
while you gave birth
to only two daughters.
Why don’t you
love and cherish us?
Instead, you have
the heart to abandon us.
O Royal Father!
O Your Majesty!
Try to swallow
the soap nut as if sweet
and stomach
the hot pepper.
Don’t you see at all?
That bamboo leaf-shaped
knife is about
to slit your throat.
Clown! O Royal Father!
O Your Majesty!
Enough!
I’m not dead yet;
why are you wailing
like that?
We love you so much.
Don’t die, Royal Father.
Children,
you love me so much,
how can I have the heart
to leave you?
I just regret
that my gold throne...
I haven’t decided
to whom to pass it on.
I still want to reserve it
for General Ngưu Mã.
I think that’s
very appropriate
because my husband
isn’t worthy of your trust.
Respected Royal Father,
my husband is also
talentless, so he wouldn’t
dare compete
for a powerful position.
It’s the first time I hear
my daughters speaking
from the hearts.
O God! O Your Majesty!
You’re in pain again.
O goodness!
Your Majesty!
O Clown!
Help my Royal Father
to his chamber!
O Clown!
Diệu Thanh!
So our Royal Father
still intends to pass
the throne to Ngưu Mã.
I’m so mad
at our good-for-nothing
husbands!
They couldn’t do a thing
to help us.
O Diệu Thanh,
General Ngưu Mã seems
to like you very much.
I also find that he’s
very interested in you.
Men are greedy, anyhow.
The river will never
have enough water.
Or, perhaps
he likes both of us?
Possibly so!
Oh! Later when
he becomes an emperor,
what else could our fate be?
We sisters shouldn’t be
divided into ranks.
What’s the loss if one is
a little above the other.
Diệu Âm!
Diệu Thanh!
One is short, the other tall.
Let’s make us even
on the scale.
One is short, the other tall.
From now on, power falls
into our hands.
Greetings, Princesses!
What are you
so elated about?
His Majesty
is seriously ill;
don’t you feel any pain?
Your Excellency,
I’m in great anguish.
O General,
I’m so sad.
You’re lying!
You can’t fool my eyes.
Deep inside, you just
wish him dead soon
so that the throne
will go to one of
the Prince Consorts,
your husband.
Am I not right?
What you said
is only half correct.
Why?
Wishing
for the old man’s
early death is true.
As for that throne
how can our two good-
for-nothing husbands
possibly sit on it?
So that means...
That throne only befits
General Ngưu Mã.
Is that true, O Princesses?
Why not?
The King himself said
that just now.
His Majesty still intends
to pass the throne to me?
Oh, the golden throne!
Every night,
I dream of it and
the one and only majestic
emperor’s staff.
What about
the two Prince Consorts,
your husbands?
We’re so fed up
with those two geezers
anyway.
We only wish to humbly
wait by the royal court
to meet
the magnanimous one.
If you will confer on us
noble titles
and protect us, we’ll be
forever indebted to you.
King Trang Vương has
two charming princesses.
The golden palace
is permeated with
hyacinth fragrance.
Should something
go topsy-turvy later,
O Princesses,
depend on me,
the master of fencing.
So what should we do?
Must that be done?
Put poison
in the King’s medicine,
then let the two Prince
Consorts offer it up?
Only then
shall you two be free.
Oh! We’re so scared!
What’s there to fear?
The old man will die
sooner or later.
If those two Prince
Consorts are still here,
they’ll hinder our work.
Well,
think carefully about it.
If you need my protection,
carry out
the clever scheme.
General, please
proceed with your
ingenious scheme.
Look!
Beautiful Princesses!
This time,
the golden palanquin,
purple parasol
and royal palace
are ours to relish.
I’ll have two thrones
on both sides.
In East and West palaces,
you will enjoy
lasting happiness.
Your offspring will be
conferred rank and title.
We’re grateful to you,
dear one.
You know, a flower
so fragrant can’t be left
to wither away!
My life’s dream shines
brilliantly now,
and by my sides
are the two princesses.
That golden throne
is still unoccupied;
as for us, we offer
ourselves to you.
O General!
Princesses!
It’s time to use the potion.
Please go inside to carry
out the wonderful plot.
Go! Go!
O Your Majesty!
I’d never expect this
to happen.
God and Buddha
have punished us.
We can’t pass on to our
offspring any blessing.
O Diệu Thiện, my child!
Your father
has done you wrong.
I wasn’t able to save you.
While you cultivate your
heart and do good deeds
to help the world,
your father committed
sinful acts.
As a result, he suffers
a pitiful plight.
Diệu Thiện, O child!
If you’re still living
and have already attained
full enlightenment,
please come back
to save your father,
a king who
languishes in illness.
The kingdom
is about to collapse.
O God! Your Majesty!
Please stay calm.
Don’t risk your life
like that.
I believe that
our youngest daughter
is still alive.
My child’s charitable
spirit will be able
to save her king father.
Palms together, I pray
to Amitabha Buddha.
I now repent and
turn toward goodness.
Please witness my sincerity.
Oh,
jewel and gold palace!
Oh, splendid and
luxurious castle!
The bell of retribution
still resounds in my ears,
reminding me of
my pain, O child.
Respected Royal Mother,
it’s time for Father
to take medicine.
Please allow
the two Prince Consorts
to personally offer
the medicine to him.
Respected Royal Father
and Mother!
This medicine bowl
contains all 100 types
of ginseng from
two remote islands.
I’ve brought it here
to present it
to Royal Father.
May you quickly recover.
Respected Royal Father!
And this is a bowl of
tonic for a better spleen,
lungs, and all limbs.
I’ve traveled night and day,
crossing forests
and streams
to bring it here for you.
May Royal Father
live long!
May Royal Father
live long!
Your Majesty,
your children
are offering the medicine.
Please take it
to make them happy.
Please take the medicine,
Royal Father!
Hold it! Your Majesty,
don’t hasten to take it!
Why?
The two Prince Consorts
plan to assassinate
the King.
How is such a thing
possible, Mr. Ngưu Mã?
That’s impossible!
Your Majesty!
There’s poison
in the medicine bowls.
Mr. Ngưu Mã,
you have no right
to suspect us like that.
Mr. Ngưu Mã,
you have no right
to suspect us like that.
If you claim
there’s no poison
in the medicine bowls,
will you please drink first?
Respected Royal Father!
O darling!
Why hesitate
to take the ginseng tonic?
Drink, honey!
Your Majesty!
Only then can they prove
the purity in the
King-subject relation.
You may drink.
Yes. For that reason,
we’ll drink it.
O Second Prince Consort,
I’m poisoned!
O First Prince Consort,
we were tricked.
You’re a wicked woman!
Ungrateful betrayer!
O Royal Father,
we’re wrongly accused.
What does this mean?
Children!
You intended to kill me,
didn’t you?
Royal Father!
I understand now.
Deep inside,
you all want me to die
soon so you can freely
indulge in pleasures.
O my young goats!
Soldiers, carry these
two corpses inside!
Your Majesty!
O God! You’ve really
lost your mind!
No. I haven’t.
O General Ngưu Mã,
thank you for stopping
the assassins in time.
O General Ngưu Mã,
I thank you.
Enough!
O old man
sick with leprosy!
Get up!
Stand up and listen
to what I have to say.
From this moment on,
I’ll replace you
to govern the kingdom.
No. When did I pass
the throne over to you?
Then you’re going
to do that now.
Here, the agreement
to pass on the throne.
It just needs
your fingerprint.
Ngưu Mã,
now I know what kind
of person you are.
No. I’ll never pass
the throne to a dishonest
and ruthless person.
No, never.
An old man sick
with leprosy!
What physical strength
and power
do you have left to
dare talk to me like that?
Here, the agreement
to pass the throne.
Sign it with your fingerprint.
No.
Sign it! Sign it here.
Sign here, Father.