Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ | harmonybuddhism.org

NGƯU LANG CHỨC NỮ

COWHERD AND WEAVER GIRL

Lord Master meant by this legend that those who have a previous good relationship between themselves will sooner or later meet each other again due to their faithfulness and perseverance to achieve this goal, no matter how hard this is. Through this folklore, He alludes to the magpie which He is in repeated efforts to assist the devotees with the path to the Paradise where they can meet the virtuous fellows, as if the black crows annually flock to the Milky Way to build the bridge for the fairy couple and children to reunite with each other, though He is aware that this is an extremely arduous task.

Ngưu Lang và Chức Nữ (Truyền Thuyết Trung Hoa)

Lịch sử cổ đại Trung Hoa nổi tiếng với bốn truyền thuyết dân gian, đó là:

-Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ

-Mạnh Khương Nữ khóc Trường Thành

-Lương Sơn Bá Chúc Anh Đài

-Bạch Xà Thanh Xà

Trong khi tất cả bốn đều là câu chuyện lãng mạn, chỉ có “Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ” trở thành ngày lễ hằng năm, tức là Lễ Song Thất, rơi vào ngày 7 tháng 7 âm lịch.

Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ là hai vì sao có tên là Altair và Vega.

Câu chuyện này có thể đi ngược thời gian vào thế kỷ thứ sáu trước công nguyên, bắt nguồn từ việc người bình dân nhân cách hóa các hiện tượng trên trời. Chức nữ nói về vì sao Vega và Ngưu Lang nói về chòm sao Altair, vì hình thể của chúng, giống như cặp tình nhân luôn quấn quít bên nhau. Theo truyền thuyết của người Trung Hoa cổ xưa, luật Trời không cho phép hai ngôi sao này họp chung lại như thể sự phối hợp lãng mạn của họ sẽ gây phiền phức cho thiên giới. Sao Chức Nữ, trong câu chuyện, là cháu của Thiên Hoàng Hậu, vốn không muốn Chức Nữ kết hôn với Ngưu Lang, vì không môn đăng hộ đối. Hơn nữa sự gần gủi của họ sẽ khiến cho Chức Nữ không còn siêng năng để làm việc nữa như trách nhiệm của nàng là dệt mây ngũ sắc. Khi tin này vang đến tai Thiên Hậu, thì bà rất giận dữ và lập tức sai thiên tướng bắt Ngưu Lang đày xuống trần gian làm người trần. Còn Chức Nữ thì bị phạt phải ngày đêm gánh vác công việc dệt nặng nhọc. Theo truyền thuyết, các mây trời đều do nàng dệt với một cổ máy dệt lụa thần bí. Các tầng mây khác nhau đều được sáng tạo cho mỗi thời gian trong ngày và theo mùa khác nhau.

Vào một ngày no, một đàn tiên nữ xin Thiên Hậu cho phép họ được xuống trần tắm hồ gọi là Hồ Bích Liên. Bà đồng ý. Thương cảm cho Chức Nữ làm việc cực nhọc, họ cũng xin cho nàng được tháp tùng. Sau một chập lưỡng lự, bà sau cùng chuẩn y.

Ở trần gian, khi Sao Ngưu Lang đầu tiên bị đày xuống trần thì tái sanh vào một gia đình nông dân tên là Ngưu Lang. Sau khi song thân đều qua đời, cậu bé sống chung với anh và chị dâu, người này đối xử vô cùng tàn nhẫn. Sau cùng cậu bị đuổi ra khỏi nhà và tài sản võn vẹn là con Ngưu đực già và một cộ xe hư hỏng. Ngưu Lang và con ngưu già nương nhau mà sống bằng cách cật lực làm việc. Sau một vài năm họ tạo dựng được một ngôi nhà trờ nên khá hơn.

Ngưu Lang và con Ngưu già của mình

Con Ngưu già, quả thật, xưa kia vốn là ngôi Sao Kim Ngưu. Ngày nọ, nó bổng nhiên nói với Ngưu Lang trong sự kinh ngạc của mình. Lão Ngưu nói: “Hãy đi đến hồ Bích Liên hôm nay. Thì cậu sẽ bắt gặp các trang phục của các tiên nữ để bên mõm đá trong lúc họ đang tắm. Hãy lấy xiêm y màu đỏ và nàng tiên phải mặc bộ đồ đó sẽ trở nên vợ của cậu đấy.” Quá sửng sờ pha lẫn thích chí, chàng chăn trâu nhận lời khuyên vì hiện nay chàng đang đơn thân nên cần một người bạn đời. Như đã định, chàng đến rình bên hồ và, đúng như lời lão Ngưu nói, các tiên bay xuống trần từ trên trời. Họ để xiêm y trên một mõm đá rồi vội vả lội xuống hồ. Bắt lấy cơ hội, Ngưu Lang chạy ra và chộp lấy bộ đồ màu đỏ. Các tiên cuống cuồng lên khi thấy một chàng trai lẩn quất. Vội vả mặc đồ vào, họ bay về trời. Chỉ còn một nàng tiên ở lại trong hồ vì Ngưu Lang đang giữ bộ đồ của nàng. Nàng ấy không ai khác hơn là Chức Nữ. Ngưu Lang bước ngay đến và xin hỏi cưới nàng làm vợ, để đổi lấy xiêm y. Vào lúc ấy, Chức Nữ cũng nhận ra đó là Ngưu Lang, người mà nàng đã và đang yêu thắm thiết. Mắc cở nhưng mừng rở, nàng chấp nhận lời cầu hôn, và trở thành vợ của chàng.

Cuộc sống của họ trên thế gian thật tuyệt vời. Họ có sinh hai con một trai một gái và sống cuộc sống gia đình hạnh phúc. Tuy nhiên, niềm vui và hạnh phúc của họ không tồn tại vĩnh viễn. Vì một khi hay tin này, Thiên Hậu nổi trận lôi đình, lập tức truyền lịnh bắt Chức Nữ triệu hồi Thiên Cung trị tội.

Trở lại thế gian, Ngưu Lang vội vả về nhà bỏ lỡ công việc cày cấy thì nghe hung tin Lão Ngưu đã qua đời. Chàng cho Chức Nữ biết những gì Lão Ngưu đã dặn dò trước khi chết. Lão nói chàng phải giữ kỷ bộ da của mình. Vì có ngày, chàng có thể sử dụng nó để bay lên trời. Nghe kể xong, Chức Nữ nhận ra rằng Lão Ngưu ngày xưa là Ngôi Sao Kim Ngưu, vì bênh vực cho Sao Ngưu Lang ở lại trên trời, mà cũng phải bị đày xuống thế gian. Một cách buồn bả, họ lột da và chôn cất Lão Ngưu.

Thiên Binh bắt Chức Nữ

Ngay vừa xong việc chôn cất, thì các thiên binh xuất hiện! Lập tức họ bắt giữ Chức Nữ và bay đi. Mặc dù áo não, Chức Nữ không biết làm sao được. Bất lực, nàng bay với các thiên binh hộ vệ đến Thiên Đình. “Chức Nữ, hãy chờ anh!” Chức Nữ nghe giọng nói của Ngưu Lang. Nhìn lại, nàng thấy chàng bay phía sau, mặc trên mình tấm da của Lão Ngưu, tay này ôm cái giỏ và tay kia cặp hai đứa con của họ. Khoảng cách giữa họ càng lúc càng nhỏ dần. Không lâu sau, nàng nhìn thấy hai đứa nhỏ với gương mặt yêu thương và nghe tiếng gọi thống thiết của chúng. Ngay khi cả nhóm sắp đoàn tựu thì Thiên Hậu xuất hiện và, với động tác quơ cây cài tóc, tạo thành một dãy Ngân Hà (Milky Way) ngăn cách họ, tạo thành một bức ngăn không thể nào vượt qua. Cả hai vợ chồng và các con nhìn trừng qua Dãy Ngân Hà một cách tuyệt vọng. Quá đau khổ, họ kêu gào một cách thảm thiết. Chư tiên chư thần nghe tiếng gào thét đều động lòng khi thấy cái gia đình đầy yêu thương đó sắp sửa vĩnh viễn chia phôi. Rồi trong phút chốc, Thiên Hậu cầm lòng không đậu. Bà cho khép gia đình cũng hai con được ở lại trên thiên giới và thành ngôi sao, cho phép họ gặp nhau mỗi năm một lần, và ngày Mùng Bảy Tháng Bảy, Âm Lịch.

Cầu Ô Thước

Vào ngày này mỗi năm, vô số chim quạ đen tạo thành một cây cầu để cho Ngưu Lang và Chức Nữa và hai con được đoàn tựu. Ngày này được cử hành bởi quần chúng như ngày Lễ Mùng Bảy.

http://cultureofchinese.com/traditions/folklore/folklore-cowherd-and-the-weaver-girl/

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Đại Ý: Đức Thầy mượn câu chuyện Chức Nữ Ngưu Lang để nói lên những người có duyên kiếp trước hay hiện tại sớm muộn gì cũng gặp nhau. Ngài là người tạo cơ hội cho các bên gặp nhau như con chim ô thước, không quản gian truân để chu toàn sứ mạng do Đức Thượng Đế giao phó. Những người có thiện duyên sẽ gặp gở các hiền nhân, chư Thánh Tiên, để phỉ lòng nguyện ước.

Xuất xứ: Kinh Thi

Các phiên bản về câu chuyện qua thời gian và không gian, từ quốc gia này sang quốc gia nọ, ở Đông Nam Á, cốt truyện giống nhau, nhưng tình tiết có chút thay đổi, chung quy đều nói lên quan niệm phổ biến ngày xưa về tục lệ môn đăng hộ đối, nhưng đồng thời cũng nhấn mạnh đến lòng chung thủy và nhân cách của con người sau cùng thắng nghịch cảnh. Đó là bài học luân lý cho những ai có ý chí và muốn đạt được nguyện vọng đó. "Hữu chí cánh thành".

Tuy nhiên, cốt truyện cũng phản ảnh bối cảnh xã hội nặng về nông nghiệp, thời đại mà con người sống hoàn toàn lệ thuộc vào thiên nhiên, nên mỗi khi có thắc mắc đều chi về các hiện tượng thiên nhiên hay liên can đến con người thì quần chúng thường nhìn lên các vì sao để hy vọng tìm câu giải đáp. Mỗi năm vào ngày Mùng, tháng Bảy, Âm Lịch, mưa như trút nước, thì họ lại cho đó là các giọt lệ của Ngưu Lang Chức Nữ than khóc mỗi khi hai người phải chia tay nhau qua dãy Ngân Hà ngăn cách họ. Các chòm sao Ngưu. Altair, giống hình con trâu và sao Vega, giống một thiếu nữ, mọc gần nhau, nhưng không bao giờ giao nhau cho đến một ngày vào tháng Bảy thì bổng nhiên chúng cùng sáng hẳn lên như mừng rở, như là điềm hai người yêu sắp gặp nhau.

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There are ‘Four Classic Chinese Folklore’ of the ancient Chinese mythological history.

-Cowherd and the Weaver Girl

-Lady Meng Jiang’s Bitter Weeping

-Butterfly Lovers

-Legend of Lady White Snake

While all the four are the great classics of love stories, only ‘The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl’ was commemorated as a yearly festival, falling on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Lunar Calendar.

Cowherd Star and Weaving Girl Star are Altair and Vega respectively.

This tale, which traces as far back as to the 6th century BC, took its origins in the personification of stellar phenomena. The Weaver Girl Star refers to Vega and the Cowherd refers to the Altair Star, given their configurative characteristics, look like two lovers who always entwine with each other. In the mythology of China's old traditional societies, it is deemed against the heavenly rule that these join together as if entering a romantic relationship would adversely affect the heaven. The Weaver Girl Star is the grand daughter of the Heavenly Empress, who did not allow her to marry the Cowherd who holds a lower social status, and she should be distracted from her weaving work. When news of their forbidden love reached the ears of the powerful Heavenly Empress, she became furious and had the Cowherd Star exiled down to the Earth as a mortal. The Weaver Girl was punished to arduous tasks. In the legend, clouds in skies were weaved by her with a magical silk weaving machine. Different colours were created according to different times of the day and seasons.

On a day, a group of fairies requested the Heavenly Empress for permission to descend to the world, to Bi Lian Lake. The Empress agreed. The fairy girls taking pity on the Weaver Girl for working so hard on her weaving, further requested for her to join the trip. The Heavenly Empress hesitated and ultimately gave in.

On Earth, when the Cowherd Star was first exiled to the world, he was reborn to a peasant family and named as Cowherd. After his parents passed away, he stayed with his brother and sister-in-law, who maltreated him. Eventually he was chased out of their home and with only an old Ox and a broken cart. The Cowherd and the old Ox lived through hardship together. They managed well by working hard and, after a few years, built a small house and became better off.

Cowherd and his old Ox

Unknown to the Cowherd, the old Ox, in fact, used to be the Golden Ox Star (金牛星 ; Jīn niú xīng). One day, the Ox suddenly spoke to the Cowherd to his surprise. The Ox said, “Go to Bi Lian Lake today. You will find the dresses of fairies left by the rocks, while they are bathing in the lake. Take the red dress and the fairy who is supposed to wear it will become your wife.” Shocked and thrilled, the cowherd took the advice, for he has been single and so lonely as to yearn for a companion. As planned, he came and hid near the lake and, true to the Ox’s words, fairies flew down from the sky. The fairies placed their dresses by the rock and waded into the Lake. Seeing his chance, the Cowherd ran out and grabbed the red dress. The fairies were frantic when seeing a man around. Wearing their dresses in haste, they flew back to heaven. Only one fairy was left in the lake, for the Cowherd was holding onto her dress. She was none other than the Weaver Girl Star. The Cowherd walked forward and asked the Weaver Girl to be his wife, in exchange for her dress. At this moment, the Weaver Girl recognized him as the Cowherd Star whom she was still deeply in love with. Shyly but happily, she accepted his marriage request and became his wife.

Life on earth for them was wonderful. They bore a son and a daughter and lived happily as a family. However, their joy and peace did not last forever. For when the Heavenly Empress knew of this matter, she went outraged! She immediately sent for the Weaver Girl to be summoned back for punishment.

Back on Earth, the Cowherd ran back home in the midst of his plowing day knowing the sad news that the old Ox has passed away. He told the Weaving Girl that the Ox spoke before it died. It asked him to keep his ox hide well. One day, he will be able to put it on and fly in the sky. Upon hearing this, the Weaving Girl realized that the Ox was once the Golden Ox Star, who was also exiled to the world when he tried to advocate for the Cowherd Star to stay back in heaven. Sadly, they peeled the hide and gave the Ox a burial.

Heavenly Guards and Soldiers Arrested Weaver Girl

Right at this moment, the heaven guards and soldiers came! In an instance, they grabbed the Weaving Girl and flew off. However sad she was, the Weaving Girl could do nothing about it. Helplessly, she flew accompanied by the guards to the Imperial Court. “Weaver Girl, wait for me!” The Weaver Girl heard the Cowherd’s voice. Looking back, she saw him flying behind them, wearing the magical Ox hide with each hand holding a basket and their two children in them. The gap between them became closer and closer. Soon, Weaver Girl could see the adoring faces of her children and hear their cries for her. Just when they were almost reunited, the Heavenly Empress appeared and with a wave of her hairpin, created a galaxy (the Milky Way) between them, forming an impenetrable barrier. The couple and their children gazed helplessly across the Milky Way at each other. Emotionally torn, they cried and cried. Fairies and gods who heard their cries all felt pity for them seeing the loving family about to be forever separated. Soon, even the Empress softened her heart. She allowed the family (including the two children) to stay in heaven and remain as stars, permitting them to meet once every year on the 7th day of the 7th month.

Magpie Bridge

On that day of the year, countless magpies (喜鹊 ; xǐ què) would form a bridge to reunite the Cowherd, the Weaving Girl and their two children in the sky. This day is then commemorated by the Chinese mass as a Qi Xi Festival.

http://cultureofchinese.com/traditions/folklore/folklore-cowherd-and-the-weaver-girl/

The story is part of the Sutra of Poems (Shi-Jing 诗经)

There are variations to the story between Chinese provincees and between different countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Indonesia.

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