Famous generals drink wine with their nose, best at foreign languages ​​in Vietnamese history

Drinking wine with your nose, eating with your hands, being good at foreign languages, making ambassadors from other countries bow their heads in admiration - these are little-known anecdotes about the famous general Tran Nhat Duat.

Chieu Van Vuong Tran Nhat Duat (1255-1330) was the 6th son of King Tran Thai Tong.

According to Dai Viet history book , he was born on April 10, year At Mao (1255). When he was born with an unusual appearance, his father named him Tran Nhat Duat, and gave him the title Chieu Van Vuong.

Drink through your nose to subdue the rebels

In 1280, in the Da Giang religion, in the Northwest mountainous region, Trinh Giac Mat gathered his people to rebel against the imperial court, the Nguyen Dynasty was also preparing a large army to fight Dai Viet, the country was facing the threat of enemies inside and outside.

In order to focus his mind and energy on dealing with the Nguyen army, King Tran Nhan Tong sent Tran Nhat Duat as an envoy of Da Giang to urgently deal with this serious incident. Under the banner of " Force Da Giang" , Tran Nhat Duat held a ceremony to depart for the Northwest.

Knowing that the imperial army was coming, Trinh Giac Mat was determined to assassinate, so he sent a messenger to persuade Tran Nhat Duat that: "Giac Mat does not dare to disobey the imperial order. If the benefactor alone comes to see him, Giac Mat would like to surrender immediately. ".

Despite the generals' dissuade, the 27-year-old general came alone to meet Trinh Giac Mat, bringing only a few small comrades to steal caskets to serve. Arriving at Giac Mat military camp, he calmly walked among the forest of swords and spears and the strange uniformed soldiers deliberately flaunted to threaten.

When continuing to talk, Tran Nhat Duat said to Giac Mat in his own language and in accordance with the customs of the people of Da Giang: "My little dongs on the road are hot in their left ear, when they come here, their right ear is hot, and their right ear is hot when they come here. Because Chief Trinh treats me too seriously."

Statue of Tran Nhat Duat.

Trinh Giac Mat and the columnists were amazed at Tran Nhat Duat's understanding of the language and customs. When the tray of wine was brought up, Trinh Giac Mat extended his hand to challenge. He did not hesitate to take the meat and eat it while chewing while facing up, holding the ladle of gourd wine slowly pouring it into his nose as proficiently as a local. Trinh Giac Mat exclaimed: "Chieu Van Vuong is my brother".

Tran Nhat Duat replied, "we have always been brothers", and then ordered the small dong to open the casket to take out the silver rings and give it to each of the heads of Da Giang. The leaders of the Da Giang religion gladly accepted the gift of twinning in accordance with their custom from the hands of Tran Nhat Duat, whom they had just accepted as a brother. Da Giang has been surrendered like that: Not a drop of blood is shed, not an arrow is lost.

The most famous general in foreign languages ​​in Vietnamese history

From an early age, Tran Nhat Duat was famous for his intelligence, studious, deep understanding, wide knowledge, great devotion to Taoism, profound Taoist scriptures, fluent in many foreign languages ​​and customs and practices of other countries. neighbor.

Learning Song and Champa, Nhat Duat not only fluently uses those languages, but also understands many aspects of those countries, including their customs.

He also often hangs out and visits the Chiem and Song people in the country. Therefore, when he was only 20 years old, he was assigned by the court to be in charge of related ethnic affairs.

Dai Viet historical records toan Thu recorded that once the ambassador of Sach Ma Tich (ancient name of Singapore) went to the tribute, but the court could not find an interpreter. Tran Nhat Duat knew the matter immediately went to meet the ambassador and spoke fluently in a strange language in the admiration of those present.

After this, someone asked him why he knew the language of the Book of Ma Tich, he replied: "During the reign of King Thai Tong, the envoys of that country came to visit, people who interacted with them should understand a little of their language".

At that time, according to the custom, when the Northern envoy came, the court had to send an interpreter to act as an intermediary, the prime minister was not allowed to be the one to directly communicate, in case something went wrong, it could still be blamed on the enemy. interpreters.

But Prime Minister Tran Nhat Duat, when he received the Nguyen Dynasty envoys, he often talked directly with them, when the envoys returned to the resting place, he took his hand and went in, drinking happily as you know. It was his fluency in Chinese and his understanding of Han culture that made the Nguyen Dynasty ambassador think Tran Nhat Duat was a Han Chinese who immigrated to Dai Viet.

King Tran Nhan Tong also once told him: "Uncle Chieu Van is probably the next life of a translator, so he is good at the languages ​​of those countries".

Attacks the Yuan army more than most

In addition to his outstanding talent of rich foreign language knowledge, Chieu Van Vuong Tran Nhat Duat was also a great military man, a distinguished diplomat, and a scholar of culture in the nation's history.

He was the one who commanded the Tran army to defeat Toa Do's army at the Ham Tu gate at the end of April 1285. The book Dai Viet History of the Toan Thu used to say that: "In fighting against the Nguyen invaders, Nhat Duat established many achievements. above all".

Tran Nhat Duat in the resistance war against Nguyen - Mong.

During the reign of King Tran Minh Tong, Tran Nhat Duat was promoted to Ta Thanh Thai monk. During the reign of King Tran Hien Tong, he was given the title Chieu Van Dai Vuong.

Although holding the position of prime minister of the Tran dynasty, serving as a mandarin through 4 dynasties, having great merits in fighting the enemy, Tran Nhat Duat always kept his noble and courteous manner. With everything he considers carefully, thoroughly, does not rely on the title in his hand to threaten others.

Devoted to water

Tran Nhat Duat is a gentle and generous person, happy and angry without showing his face. Although talented and liberal, he is very honest and straightforward in his affairs. His wife Trinh Tuc once had a private request to talk to him at home, he pretended to nod. When he went to the government, the secretary brought the matter to him, he did not allow it.

In his house, he did not contain whips to beat the servants. If he did beat him, he always clearly pointed out the crime before hitting him. Once someone sued his family member with the patriarch Tran Quoc Chan, Quoc Chan sent someone to arrest him.

The servant ran into the palace. People chased to the middle of the house, caught and tied up loudly. The lady cried and said : "You are the prime minister and Binh Chuong is also the prime minister, only because of the benevolence of the Lord, people despise this country."

He was still natural, said nothing, sent someone to tell the servant that: "You go out, everywhere there is a country's permission".

In 1330, Chieu Van Vuong Tran Nhat Duat died at the age of 75. His name and career were associated with the most glorious period of the Tran Dynasty with the high communal house being the three-time feat of defeating the Mongol - Nguyen invaders.

Tran Nhat Duat deserves to be a talented martial arts celebrity, an exemplary diplomat in Vietnamese history.