Chử Đồng Tử (

Chữ Hán ( , ) are the Chinese characters that were used to write Literary Chinese in Vietnam, Literary Chinese (; ) and Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary in Vietnamese language, Vietnamese. They were officially used in Vietnam after the Red River Delta region ...

: 褚童子) is the name of a famous Vietnamese divine being, one of " The Four Immortals" "Tứ bất tử" in traditional

Vietnamese mythology Vietnamese mythology () comprises folklore, national myths, legends, or fairy tales from the Vietnamese people with aspects of folk religion in Vietnam. Vietnamese folklore and oral traditions may have also been influenced by historical conta ...

. In legends, Chử Đồng Tử appeared on a yellow or golden dragon to Triệu Quang Phục the sixth-century resistance leader against the Chinese

Liang dynasty The Liang dynasty (), alternatively known as the Southern Liang () or Xiao Liang () in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the third of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It was pre ...

.Keith Weller Taylor ''The Birth of Vietnam'' - Page 152 1991"According to tradition, Quang Phuc raised an altar in the marsh, lit incense, and prayed to the spirits; his faith was answered by the appearance of Chu Dong Tu descending from heaven astride a yellow dragon. The immortal said to Quang Phuc: "Although I long ago ascended into heaven, spiritual power still remains in this place; since you have prayed with sincerity, ."

Mythology

Chử was born in an extremely poor fishing family. He and his father possessed nothing but a single loincloth. When his father died, Chử Đồng Tử did not want to bury his father while naked. Afraid of being seen bare by others, Chử retreated to a marsh where few people would approach. One day, Princess Tiên Dung (仙容) passed by the marsh. She ordered her servant to put up curtains while she took a bath. Coincidentally, the spot she chose to bathe in was exactly where Chử was hiding himself. Upon discovering the youth, the Princess reckoned that this meeting must be fate, and proposed to Chử. The king was enraged by his daughter's marriage to a poor commoner. He disowned Princess Tiên Dung and her husband. They were forced to wander and work to feed themselves. Chử Đồng Tử took up trading as his occupation. Whilst on a caravan or business trip, he docked at an island on the sea where he met a sage named Phật Quang (佛光). Chử remained behind to become his disciple. Upon completing his study, his master gave him a stick and a hat. Upon returning to his wife and wandering lifestyle, one day the couple found themselves in a vast field with no shelter under the pouring hail. Chử drove the stick into the ground and used the hat to shield his wife. To their amazement, the stick and the hat transformed into a grand palace with many servants. People from nearby villages came and pledged their allegiance to the princess and her husband. Assuming that his daughter was rebelling against him, the king led a force to subjugate her. The princess and her husband refused to fight him, so with their castle and servants, they ascended into heaven. The spot where the castle once stood is now called Nhất Dạ (meaning One Night).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chu Dong Tu Vietnamese mythology Vietnamese gods Vietnamese deities Vietnamese culture heroes