Blue Bridge

Due to the word “Lam Kieu”, the bridge spans the Blue River, in Lam Dien district, Shaanxi province (China).

According to the legend, Bui Hang met Van Anh and later became a Fairy: During the Tang Dynasty (China), there was Bui Hang. On the way to take a boat to Tuong Han, he suddenly happened to be on the same boat with Van Kieu, a beauty of national standard. Hang asked Van Kieu’s maid to deliver the letter for him, so he was able to talk to Van Kieu and she gave him a poem.

After Bui Hang arrived at the Blue Bridge, as instructed in the poem, Hang stopped at the inn on the roadside where an old woman lives to quench his thirst. The old woman’s daughter brought out the water. Hang saw that she was very beautiful and asked her name. It turned out to be Van Anh, Van Kieu’s younger sister. Hang asked the old woman to let her marry him. The old lady told Hang to find a jade mortar and pestle and bring it back, and she would marry Van Anh, without needing any gold or silver.

Thanks to his enthusiasm, Hang received help from the gods and married Van Anh. The old lady immediately showed Hang how to diligently practice and told Hang to use that mortar and pestle to disperse the elixir for three whole months. When the medicine was finished, all three people drank it together, and they all became Immortals.

Because of the above story, ancient scriptures and writers often use the words Cau Lam, or Lam Kieu, to refer to the path leading to the Immortal realm.

There is an ancient poem that says:

“If you swear for a hundred years, you will not have a mortal heart.

The river will bring you, and the Lam bridge will bring you.”

The Master also said: “Lam Kieu has a road, but it is deserted,

The prison gate has no door, so let’s go together.”

(Northern Journey)

LAM KIỀU – harmonybuddhism.org