INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale to the study
1.1. Vietnamese literature is composed of Kinh people’s literature and
minority peoples’ literatures. Some aspects of this component are still open for
discussion and need to be studied further.
1.2. Learning about the logic behind minority people’s works of art in
relationship with these of Kinh people is of great importance to developing Vietnam
economy as well as enriching Vietnamese cultural life.
1.3. Thai literature has its own evolution process, at the same time is a
product of the combination between endogenous and exogenous factors. This
literary component shares some similar aspects with Kinh literature but still has
its own values.
1.4. In Thai cultural system, narrative poems are considered as a rather
unique genre.
1.5. The common characteristics between Nôm narrative poems and Thai
narrative poems are the core, which is the story and the form of expression, which
is through a poem. This is the main reason why we choose the topic "A study of
narrative poems of the Thai people in Vietnam with the same subject of Kinh
people’s Nom poems"
2. The history
2.1. Narrative poems of minority peoples and that of Thai people
2.1.1. Narrative poems
Narrative poems draw much attention from researchers. In overall, the author
can draw on important conclusions of researchers such as Dinh Gia Khanh, Vo
Quang Nhon, Dang Nghiem Van, Phan Dang Nhat, Le Truong Phat, Nguyen Xuan
Kinh, Cam Cuong, Nong Quoc Chan, Vu Anh Tuan, etc.
Vo Quang Nhon points out that narrative poems of minority people do not
come along separately. In contrast, they are considered a phenomenon when they
come out. Phan Dang Nhat concludes that “if Kinh people have Nom narrative
poems, minority peoples also have an equivalance, which is narrative poems”.
Nong Quoc Chan on his overview of Tay Nung’s narrative poems puts narrative

comparison with ancient stories and folk songs, Thai narrative poems have a larger
scale in terms of volume, social problems mentioned and the art of building literary
figures.
There is a shortage of scholars specializing in Thai literature with a modest
success. The 1st literature book on Thai narrative poems is called “Studies on Thai
narrative poems in Vietnam” written by Cam Cuong. He points out that narrative
poems and poems in genaral is the quintessence of Thai written literature.
In combination of the opinions of Vu Tien Quynh, Dang Nghiem Van and
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Cam Cuong, we need to reconsider whether categorizing narrative poems into
folklore is correct or not.
Lê Trường Phát emphasizes that many of Thai works borrow the plots from
these of other minority peoples.
Based on those Thai stories which were translated into Vietnamese, researches
have also covered contents and art structure (even in the abridged form) of some
stories relating to the topic such as Trang nguyen, Y Noi - Nang Xua, Ú Them, Trang
Tu, Luu Vinh (Ngu háu)… After analyzing, Cam Cuong has catagorized Thai stories-
the subject of the thesis research into two kinds. The first one is stories with ethnic
origin, including 2 files: Y Noi - Nang Xua, U Them. The second is poem originated
from foreign nations, including 3 files: Trang nguyen, Trang Tu, Ngu hau. These are
valuable orientation for us to conduct our research topic.
2.2. Interaction between Thai narrative poems to Kinh’s Nôm poems
During the past few decades, studies about the differences between Kinh’s
Nôm poems and minorities’ poems have drawn attention from researchers.
"Narrative poems at mountainous areas and lowland Nôm stories have similarities
in terms of: mainstream ideology, character building, structural work and the
popular use of art." Kieu Thu Hoach concurs with the opinion above, if seen from
the perspective of art, "the Nom stories of the Vietnamese gradually entered the
poetry genre of Tay, Nung, Thai people to create the poems appearing as Nom
stories, more exactly, those poems could be influenced at both the ideology

differences in terms of storyline between Nom Kinh stories and narrative stories of
ethnic minorities (including Thai poems). None of the scholars study thoroughly
and no specific public works deeply survey, analyze, compare stories of specific
groups to find legitimate scientific conclusions. Therefore, on the basis of opinion-
oriented nature of some researchers and critics, we consider previous findings as
inheritance achievements and also serve as valuable suggestions for us to conduct
"A study of narrative poems of the Thai people in Vietnam with the same subject
of Kinh people’s Nom poems".
3. Objectives and scope of the research
3.1. Objectives of the research
The research focuses on 5 Thai poems which are: Trang Tu, Trang nguyen, Ý
Noi - Nang Xua, Ngu hau, U Them, in comparison with 5 Nom poems: Hoang
Truu, Tong Tran - Cuc Hoa, Cái Tam - Cai Cam, Thach Sanh, Truyen Tu Thuc…
3.2. Scope of the research
We study 5 ethnic Thai poems in the same topics with Kinh people’s Nom
poems and find out the contents and artistic angle of these poems.
4. Duties and limitations of the research
4.1. The duties of the research
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•Study the common problems relating to narrative poems and Thai poems
•Learn about the contents and art structure of some Thai poems
•Compare, explain reasons about the similarities and differences between Thai
poems and Nom Kinh poems
4.2. Limitations of the research
The research covers only 5 books of Thai poetry and five books of Kinh
people’s Nom poetry. Other works are not mentioned.
5. Research Methodology
5.1. Systematic Method
5.2. Interdisciplinary Method
5.3. Comparison Method

thing, which no other category has: reflect not only the objective world but also
directly express human subjectivity. Story pays attention to the details. Poetry,
however, depicts inner focus.
1.1.2. Theme and plot
Theme is the term used to refer to the range of events forming the basis of the
artwork. More generally, theme highlights the direct descriptions of that artwork.
In literature, theme is the surface area of explicit words, phenomena described
and reflected in literary texts. Theme is the objective aspect of the content of the
work. We can identify themes in literature according to limits the scale of reality
reflected in the work.
Narrative poems of the ethnic minorities have three main themes: love, family,
society. These themes have both external and internal links and show the scale of
reality reflected. Three themes penetrate each other and make us difficult to
separate.
Theme always comes along with the structural content of the work. With the
narrative work, structure content always includes three main aspects: storyline (or
plot), character, form of expression. Each aspect has its own internal function in
particular.
The plot is a system of events which are carefully selected and arranged. It
creates an environment to convey the value of content and art. The structure of the
poem is often in the major forms: linear order; sequencing, assembly; circle.
1.2. The Kinh People’s Nom poems
Nom poem is a genre of special interest in Vietnam’s medieval literature. Nom
poem was born in the historical- social conditions in the late fifteenth century to the
eighteenth century.
The introduction of Nom poem associated with the cultural and art premise.
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Folk types as traditional theater, folk sculptures, folklore were featured.
In terms of plot, it is closely related to the democratic winds, folk narrative
genres available – fairy tales became the source of the Nom story script.

cuong nhoc. The holdings of profits all over the district were all in their hands,
which was clearly defined in the constitutions.
c. Marriage
About marriage in the phia tao society, the marchiarchy system required every
marriage to be allowed by both families based on two sets of criteria: both have to
be financially equivocal and the husband has to stay with his wife’s family.
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d. Beliefs
Regarding beliefs, the Thai group associates authority with supernatural
powers. They also observe a multipower lifestyle in which everything in life is
believed to be under the guard of a supernatural force.
1.3.1.3. Language and literary works
Due to limited historical documentations, the root of the Thai language is still
in controversy. The Thai language might appear during the time the Nom was first
introduced but bear no resemblance to the pictographic form. There are currently 7
forms of written Thai, all of them share the same structure.
Thai’s literary works are diverse in categories. Those like mythologies, fairy
tales and traditional rhymed works have been translated to Vietnamese. Tale poetry
has been considered to play an important role marking the significant development
of Thai literature in terms of both paperwork and artwork. Các thể loại hoàn toàn
dân gian như thần thoại, cổ tích, lời có vần cha ông truyền.
1.3.2. Current situation of Thai tale poetry
Tale poetry is one of the most long-lasting categories in Thai literature with the
greatest number of works.
Compared to other ethnic minorities, Thai tale poems are of larger number
(about 300), only 6 of which have been translated to Vietnamese. Like the tale
poems written in the Nom language systems, those in Thai still remain anonymous.
Thai tale poetry bears strong connection with khap (a type of singing). When it
comes to performing, the poems are sung in the khap xu melody.
As for the plots, Thai tale poems have their roots from these 2 basic sources:

conducted according to time order with happy endings.
Both Nom and Thai tale poems exist in the form of either word of mouth and
written documentations, which can be considered as a special occasion in
Vietnamese literature. Some studies even suppose this to be the median between
folklore and modern literature.
Literature always forms in certain conditions. Thai tale poetry is composed
based on historical, natural and cultural situations, bringing to the tales an air of
myterious colors. Besides, the formation of Nom tale poems also bears some
similarities and differences, both intermingling and distingushing the 2 cultures.
Chapter 2
THE VALUE IN CONTENTS OF SOME THAI TALE POEMS WITH
SIMILAR CONTENT TO KING’S
2.1. Value
2.1.1. Conquest of nature
2.1.1.1. Nature conquering as Thai people’s long-lasting desire
As mentioned above, some Thai tale poems under this theme are Ngu hau,
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Trang nguyên, U Them.
Ngu hau focuses on buildin the image of the hero Luu Vinh in an epic battle.
Lưu Vinh wins the rocks, controls the rocks and turns them to his own tools and
weapons in the battle against a Basilik to rescue the princess and protect the country
with his talents. This exposes the time when humans were taking steps to control
the nature, also indirectly defeated the superpowers.
Meanwhile, the character Thach Sanh in the Thach Sanh Nom tale poem also
won the Basilik as arranged by the God. Thach Sanh was originally son of god sent
to the world and raised by ordinary people. Humans at that time were supposed to
rely on superpowers in solving their problems and Thach Sanh’s origin somehow
reflected the incapability of people in the past. Unlike Thach Sanh, Luu Vinh was
born normal with skills learned from his father and practice. He killed the beast with
his own powers, reigning over the nature. Moreoever, the story shows people’s

2.2. The expess one’s thought
2.2.1. The beauty of the human nature
Thai tale poetry directs itself to the value of the human goodwill and the dream
of “one good turn” will be granted with “another good turn”. In Ngu hau, the beauty
of a laborer is represented in Lưu Vinh. Through his valiant act of killing the beast
with an impartial soul, the writer constructed an image of an ideal character with a
pure soul that only wants to do good for the community. Lưu Vinh does not look for
remuneration in that he is the center of moral, physical and intellectual powers and
values. In Thai tale poetry there appears a type of hero matured from practice,
which is a familiar and attainable to everyone, it praises the thorough beauty of
laborers with skills, morals in whom the writer trusts with his dream of a equal
society led by a talented, deserving leader.
Images of women in literature are slightly different each ethnic, but they all
share these qualities: beautiful and practical, dutiful, faithful
We can point out some of the characters in this poem which is built according
to Thai standards. In the poem, Kham In is not just a beautiful woman, but also
extraordinary woman with intense love, closeness, loyalty, a wise sage daughter, a
loving mother. In the poem Trang Nguyen, praising the work, faithful love, the
determination of the main character Cuc Hoa and two supporting characters: the
princess Peng and Cao Vuong. Speaking of Trang Tu, the heroine in the story, she
is also built according to the standards of idealism. Princess Annam is a wonderful
woman and faithful in love. The princess of Thailand poem has also a wise sense of
happiness or marriage.
Most works about love or marriage are praised for fidelity of women. Most of
the female characters have to go through a series of life-challenging events. They all
more or less suffer the hardship in order to affirm their loyalty and faithfulness.
2.2.2. The belief of “one good turn deserves another”
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This concept can be found both in Kinh and Thai tale poetry.
Through the characters in Thach Sanh and Ngu hau, the concept of good

affirmed, Vietnam has national patriots, many talented and righteous and virtue
compared to China.
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When taking the exams and travelling abroad, Tung Tan danced through two
challenges. Over ten years abroad, Tung Tan made King Tan compliment him for
his excellent strategies. Painful time passed, despite the fact that the king of Qin
spoiled all levels, Tung Tan proved to be danced with the iron will, no desire of
wealth to wealth, beauty not care. With a determined soul, he only had his wife in
mind and also the elderly mother in faraway homeland.
If Tung Tan represents ingenuity of macho, Cuc Hoa represented the beautiful
virtue of Thai women. Ingenious indispensable virtue, virtue is ingenious new
integrity. It is not random that People's Thai built two qualities beside each other.
Intelligence and great personalities of two main characters have collected made
people admire. Cuc Hoa’s beautiful personality made the king want to meet her and
promoted the beauty to “the queen of the empire”. During the reunion scene, the
interior divided house, she had a higher throne than Banh Hoa - Chinese princess
and Cao Vuong, King Shui Qi daughter.
2.2.3.2. Sense of self-esteem, ethnic equality
If the Poinsettias works in two highly autonomous spirit of the nation, the
poem Trang Tu refers to diplomatic relations between Vietnam and China.
In the last century, the two countries Vietnam - China usually are in war.
Therefore, tense conflicts are obvious in the diplomatic relationship. The Chinese
group took turns to invade Vietnam. In relational learning culture, ethnic Thais
came to Vietnam from the seventh century by trapping of the Han ethnic minority
people in Vietnam to the east and north, so they gradually migrated southward. By
the nineteenth century, many ethnic Thais experienced disputes with the border
ethnic Chinese.
2.2.4. The concept of religious beliefs
Kinh poem reflects cultural beliefs of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism
Unlike the conception of the world, the universe of Kinh, the Thai group poems

nature and society. Heaven, where the Supreme Muong Then, most sacred, where
he is the crowning glory of the human reach. As pictured in God, the old man can
be reborn by molting and not die. The desire of immortality, escaping from the time
universe and age of human being are the dream of any ethnic people. Details of the
sun danced just press exaggerated account of the character, just to show the concept
of the Thai beliefs. The beauty of Tung Tan is ideal realms of human life, deserving
to live in Muong Nong Pha, Muong Then.
CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 2
1. Poetry is typical of the kind of King literature and Thai ethnic. Same
category, composed of two parts with the subject phenomenon.
2. Contents of Thai poem with the same theme poem Nom Kinh are pretty plentiful.
Due to mainly Thais living on high mountains, steep terrain, activities
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dependent on natural, so natural desire to become conquering different content
covering most of the work. The main character of the composition is the mortal
hero origin, may conquer the rocks, kill python, flood control, water conquer
Through this content, Thais expressed fervent belief in the power of the human
inner life.
Thai poems mainly reflect social reality and families. This is also common
concern of narrative poems Nom. From Ngu hau to Trang Nguyen, Roles of the
family change, matriarchy moves to patriarchy. Predetermined marriges have not
ended so Thai people have championed for love self due, for family democratic.
Thai society in the poem volatile pretty complex. King is not intelligent, inhumane,
and always seeks to destroy talents,
Social turmoil, human destiny is threatened. From dark reality, Thai society
find the beauty ideal standards such as intellect, virtue, altruism, wealth and
nobility. Trang Nguyen work, U Them, Ngu Hau voracious exudes this content.
They dream of the military people who have outstanding intelligence to lead
virtuous society, hence the beautiful people appear.
In particular, all the Thai poem surveyed promoting, praising the father and

image of Buddha. The incarnation of the character's mother signals that the
aesthetics of the work place. As shown in the indigenous cultural aspect - the
dominant matriarchal writing and thinking. The image of tiger is familiar with
people in the mountainous northwest past century.
Thai tales Ú Them texture with the other motifs revolve around two key
motifs kill demon warrior who saved enough people. Story has 6 main motifs:
Compared with Tong Tran- Cuc Hoa, Trang Nguyen story is larger than the
number of motifs, compositions resulting content is richer.
The memory is always available, the interactive process literature, the Thais
have additions circumstances, the religious power of words to put into writing the
aesthetic demands of social practices which it meets the mind of people.
Thus, the motif of textured material Thai poem works. The choice of
motifs are used in structural Thai poem is not a random phenomenon that
intentional creative. It is governed by the practical experience and ethnic
cultural psychology. So, we can say that the structural motifs Thai poem
reflects deep thinking ethnic culture.
3.1.3. Organization circumstances
Due to Thailand's poem category interference between folklore and
literature so well the organization in the information does not follow an
inconsistent order.
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In the poem we see two Thai poem contains three structures, including
Meet - events - reunions. Trang Nguyen poem has three floor structural model,
other Tong Tan - Cuc Hoa. Trang Nguyen tales have met 3 times, 2 times and 3
times wandering reunion. Tong Tran – Cuc Hoa has 2 meeting, 2 times
wandering and 2 times reunions. Trang Nguyen work with 10 different main
details, writer would just choose some more analysis typically as followed, in
order to point out the similarities and differences of these two works.
Thus, by inserting creative circumstances, the author has put into the Thai
works of new content over the initial range reflects. Adding this content

The introduction of the mortal characters that Thai poem beyond this point
has been gradually rid ties of folklore, people-center subjects to reflect. The
main character in the poem is not only different from Thai characters
transcribed in terms of quantity and origin but also in iconic character textures,
and bold colors.
Characters in the poem brings some character traits of the aforementioned
history. Characters in the poem brings a sense of community. This
characteristic is reflected in the ability to conquer nature and improvement of
human society represents the will power - the purpose of the national
community. In poem number 5 Thai survey, there are 3 characters including
Luu Vinh (Ngu Hau), Tung Tan (Trang Nguyen), Ú Them (Ú Them) meets
above expression.
Historical character in individual behavior is associated with ethnic and
historical issues. Characters in the poem generally have good stature, with
dimensions greater than itself, much like the characters in the history. The
character in the poem is the physical resonance of community standards. In any
community, personal hero appear in the beauty create shape according aesthetic
viewpoint and community’s standards.
As an ordinary person, Luu Vĩnh, Tung Tan and Ú Them bring superior
beauty, and magnificient, somehow reflecting spirit and holy. The first common
qualities in a hero's epic courage, the will and extraordinary. The hero must do
three things: water, rock conquer, glorious victories, conquering the sky Muong
represents Thai community’s own aesthetic. The characters in the poems being
surveyed have no naive innocence images, nor absolutize measures of beauty
by the exaggerated bombastic as the folk epic. The hero shows up with great
physique but more casual and everyday life.
3.3. Language
3.3.1. Monologue language
Language itself is expressed primarily in describing art. If Kinh poem
contains many classic problems, the poem of classic Thai style expression to be

not high. Therefore, we can say: language characters in Thai poem with the
same theme poem Nom mainly appears in the form of dialogue. This form of
organization is the basic language of the Thai group poem as image building
character.
For dialogue, Thai poem features compared with many songs poem are
exactly the two characters communicating often brief narrative with each of the
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events of their life, so the reader sense of story is repeated.
3.4. Means of artistic
Language of the poem describes the Thai people prefer the way the message,
message from, stressed, lists, compare. This phenomenon is repeated in the whole
5 files. The message is how many images used to describe an action, the same
mood as syntactic structure to portray deep need to express content.
The meaning of poetry allows paired styling which made it easy to
remember, catchy, and easy to preserve and contribute to flexibility, versatility,
vivid style of expression, consistent with the need to wording.
3.5. Resonance history
In terms of content, Nom poetry poem is about life, about people. Thai
poem, apart from the above issues are conveyed inter alia, in favor of the
community, such as the desire to conquer nature, animism concept These
characteristics make Thai poem characterized using competition, art texture like
a epic novel.
Thai poem reserve factors epic. The main character in the works U Them,
Ngu hau, apparently Trang Nguyen is built from the debris memories.
CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER 3
Thai-style poem has two main structures: the structural model met - events
- reunions and structural style motif. Using a motifs such as narrative poems
Nôm but Thai people have different purposes to achieve their very yourself and
status character. So, we can say that the structural motifs Thai poem reflects
deep thinking ethnic culture.

marked his transition from folklore to written literature. In the modern era, the
Kinh ethnic literature, stories Nom is considered one of the four important
categories, which acts as the backbone for literature.
2. Correlation study between Thai poem of the same subject with the Kinh
Nom poem is meaningful. Delta poem as well as minority poems are
connecting steps between folklore and written literature, and generally
characterized by both literary form above. The purpose of the study was to
find content, characteristic art of Thai poem in relation to the poem compared
with Nom.
3. Compared with ancient poem, poem Thai brought in surveys have 5
main content: Struggling to conquer nature, realistic family - social, beautiful
people, great national pride, religious notions of belief .
3.1. Family picture is the major concern of the Thai author. Mutant
complex nature of life expressed firstly in family disputes. In Thai society is
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beginning class, family culture influenced by matriarchy, all authority in the
hands of women, men do not acquire even in seats of authority. Social
contradictions reflect social conflicts. In centralized mode, the king only pays
attention to individual interests, talents destruction. The King is not smart, all
social disorder. Underclass catching the right, demons harassed, people fall into
poverty.
To escape this reality, people look to nature to hide. People have wanted to
get rid of reality but due to the natural reality distress the reality fled or were
driven away. Those characters such as Ngu Hau, U Them appeared in the
poems
3.2. From dark reality, Thai society to find a man with the beauty ideal
standards such as intellect, virtue, altruism rich, noble. The poinsettia work, Ú
addition, Ngu voracious exuding this content. They dream of the emperor
should be enough to lead virtuous society, hence the beautiful people. In
particular, all the Thai poem surveyed promoting, praising the father and son,

for adding this content as Thais wishing to reflect contemporary reality,
expresses peoples.
4.2. Unlike most ancient poem Kinh, Thai characters in the poem is usually
normal but background action and extraordinary willpower makes tinged epic
character. People with “plain image” of the folk are replaced with individuals
with emotional mood, and thoughts expressed past or think about the future. We
can say, with a poem, the first time in Thai literature, one man has come true in
literature.
4.3. Expression of Thai poem is message from popular forms, like the way
listed for pictures. This is a rare phenomenon in the ancient poem of Kinh.
Among 5 borrowed stories from Nom, the Thai author absolutes did not use any
anecdotes. In the integration process, the Thai language poem has reserved the
traditional singing throughout. Characters in the poem primarily use dialogue;
though monologue appeared, but not much. The usage of dialogue and
monologue is similar in same poem to poem from Kinh and Nom.
5. Thai poems and Nom poems are interactively having relationships with
one another. Thai tales and poetry transcribed poem to reflect a complex social
change, human agency, social ideal, praising love, faithfulness, praise the
beauty, people's dreams, also reflects the social conflicts through family
disputes, dreams. Similarities of Thai poem are influenced by some ancient
poem as identified by some researchers. However, the author is not passive
Thai "copy" or "transformation" that creative process and serious blow to the
idea that a new twist in accordance with the national culture. Creativity cannot
be negated by the basic difference between them that needs the basis of
authenticity to prove it.
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Thai and poem and Nom poem have similarities and differences in certain
aspects. Along with the plot structure model three meetings - events - reunions,
character system is divided into two main areas, clear villain. The similarity of
the art is also found when comparing the two narrative poems that have the