The Tale of Từ Thức Marrying a Goddess

In the era of the Trần dynasty, when poetry, music, and scholarship flourished across the ancient Vietnamese kingdom, there lived a young mandarin named Từ Thức. He was known not only for his learning but also for his gentle nature and deep appreciation of beauty. Though he served faithfully at court, his heart longed for the harmony of nature more than the noise of politics.

One spring, when the countryside was in bloom and people gathered to celebrate the Flower Festival, Từ Thức rode to a mountain temple to enjoy the blossoms. The air was filled with laughter and the fragrance of apricot flowers. Amid the joyful crowd, a commotion broke out a young maiden had accidentally broken a flowering branch while admiring it. The temple guards seized her harshly and demanded payment for the damage.

The maiden’s eyes filled with tears. Her voice trembled as she pleaded that it was an accident. But the guards would not listen. Watching from nearby, Từ Thức felt a stir of compassion. He stepped forward, paid the fine himself, and gently said, “Let her go; no beauty should be punished for loving beauty.” The maiden bowed deeply, thanking him before disappearing into the crowd.

Discover more East Asian Folktales from the lands of dragons, cherry blossoms, and mountain spirits.

A year passed. Từ Thức grew restless and weary of worldly affairs. One day, he left his post and traveled aimlessly through forests and rivers, searching for peace. His journey led him to Yên Tử Mountain, a place shrouded in mist and mystery. There, he discovered a cave covered with orchids. From within came a light so bright it seemed like dawn itself.

Curious, he entered and found himself in another world. Before him lay a vast, radiant garden filled with colors unseen on earth. Palaces of jade and crystal rose above silver ponds where celestial maidens floated like clouds. Music drifted through the air, both haunting and serene.

As he wandered in awe, a familiar figure approached the very maiden he had once rescued at the temple. She smiled and said softly, “I am Giáng Hương, a fairy from the heavenly realm. That day at the festival, your kindness touched my heart. I brought you here so we may share our lives in peace.”

Overcome with wonder, Từ Thức bowed deeply. Their love blossomed swiftly, and a great celebration was held in the celestial court. The couple lived happily in a palace among the clouds. Each day they shared poetry, played music on jade flutes, and wandered through gardens that never faded. Time flowed gently, like a dream without end.

But one day, while gazing down from the clouds, Từ Thức remembered his home the green fields of his youth, his aging parents, and the village festivals of long ago. A deep longing filled his heart. He turned to Giáng Hương and said, “My beloved, though I dwell among the blessed, I cannot forget the world below. I must see my home once more.”

Giáng Hương’s eyes dimmed with sadness. “The mortal world changes with every breath of time. You may not find it as you remember,” she warned. Yet she loved him too dearly to refuse. She gave him a farewell robe woven from cloud and a shell that could summon her name. “When your heart longs for me again, call my name with this shell,” she said softly.

Từ Thức promised to return soon and descended the mountain. But when he reached the valley below, everything had changed. The fields had turned into wild forests. The river had shifted its course. His family’s home was gone, and no one recognized his name. Confused, he asked a passing scholar about the Trần dynasty only to learn that it had fallen centuries before.

The world he knew had vanished. His heart filled with sorrow. Realizing that time in heaven flowed differently from that on earth, he wandered back to Yên Tử Mountain and blew the shell his wife had given him. The wind carried his voice through the clouds, but no answer came. He waited and called again, yet the sky remained silent.

At last, he walked into the mist, still wearing the robe of cloud, and was never seen again. Some say he returned to heaven. Others believe he became one with the mountains he so loved. To this day, villagers near Yên Tử speak of a gentle mandarin who vanished into legend, a man who belonged neither fully to earth nor to the heavens.

Journey through enchanted forests and islands in our Southeast Asian Folktales collection.

Moral Lesson

The tale of Từ Thức teaches that beauty, love, and life are all fleeting. Even divine joy cannot erase the longing for one’s roots, and mortal hearts remain bound by time and memory. It reminds us to cherish the present moment, for paradise and sorrow often dwell side by side.

Knowledge Check

Who was Từ Thức and what was he known for?
He was a scholar and mandarin of the Trần dynasty, admired for his kindness and love of beauty.
How did Từ Thức first meet Giáng Hương?
He rescued her at a temple festival by paying her fine when she accidentally broke a flower branch.
Where did Từ Thức meet her again?
He met her in a heavenly realm after entering a magical cave on Yên Tử Mountain.
Why did Từ Thức decide to leave heaven?
He missed his homeland and wanted to visit his family and village again.
What did Giáng Hương give him before he left?
She gave him a robe of cloud and a shell that could call her name.
What happened when he returned to earth?
Centuries had passed, his world was gone, and he disappeared into the mist never to return.