Cô Ký Giỏi

Mrs. Ky Gioi, whose real name was Trieu The Vang, was born in 1897 (Dinh Dau). She was the second child of Mr. Triệu Vạng Tượng (born 1863, died 1925), a Vietnamese of Chinese descent in Bac Lieu. She had a tall stature and elegant long limbs. Her husband was Mr. Vo Van Gioi, a former secretary of the Nam Ky Head Ofifce in Chau Thanh, Bac Lieu, so she was often called Miss. Ky Gioi or Mrs. Ky Gioi. After her father had a dream instructing her to seek refuge in Buddhism, she traveled from Bac Lieu to Hoa Hao Foundation House in 1939 to take refuge with the Venerable Master. Later, He gave her the special nickname Dieu Giac. She passed away on October 27, 1987 (Fire Cat), at the age of 96.

1/. The reason The Master stayed at Mrs. Ky Gioi’s house:

In Sa Dec, after a period of questioning and being impressed by The Master’s virtue, labor recruiter Bazin said: “Now there’s an order from the French government prohibiting Mr. Fourth Tao Preacher and also not allowing Him to return to the Hoa Hao sanctuary, so he must find a familiar place to stay in Can Tho province.”

On the morning of April 18 in the year of Canh Thin, Mr. Ho Viet Long took his Renault car with license plate CL 609 painted in the color dark red, take Master Duc to Mr. Huong, Vo Mau Thanh’s house (In Rạch Sua Dua, Xa -No canal…Can Tho).

After being there for over two months, the authorities in Can Tho demanded his presence. Upon arrival, he was detained and sent to the Can Tho Hospital for examination on June 29th, 1940 (the year of Canh Thin). 

To test his abilities, the director of the Can Tho hospital (Dr. Favot) asked Him to speak about Taoism. The Master then explained fluently for about half an hour. It’s unclear how Doctor Chi (an Indochinese stream physician working there) interpreted it, but later, when meeting Mr. Do Van Vien (a veterinarian in Can Tho, now residing in Chau Doc), The Master said: “Doctor Chi… interpretation is incorrect!” 

With the intention of keeping Him under house arrest, on July 4th, 1940 (the year of the Dragon), they took The Master directly from Can Tho to Cho Quan Hospital (Saigon) to “treat his mental illness.” This was the largest hospital in Saigon during the French colonial period, specializing in infectious diseases, leprosy, and mental disorders. 

Initially, they assigned guards to strictly watch over Him and forbade visits. Later, lawyer Mai Van Dau, through his connections, found a way to visit The Master. During that time, Mr. Dau tried every means to secure The Master’s release from the hospital. Because the French authorities believed he was gathering people to oppose the French government, they required anyone who wanted to bail Him out to take their property for security deposit. Mr. Mai Van Dau agreed to all these requirements, however, the authorities still declined to release The Master.

Later, because of the respect for The Master’s virtue, Dr. Trần Văn Tâm – the director of Chợ Quán Hospital at the time – loosened the controls, so followers and relatives were then able to visit The Master.

After nearly ten months and seven days, despite many trials (giving Him acid, injecting poison), seeing that He showed no unusual symptom, coupled with Dr. Tam’s positive reports, on May 11 in the year Tân Ty (1941), the French authorities summoned those who had made the guarantee (including Mr. Mai Van Dau) to complete the procedure to release The Master.

During the procedure, they asked The Master where He intended to stay.

He replied that He would go to Councilor Dieu’s house at Bac Lieu.

They immediately forced Councilor Diều to make a pledge just like Mr. Mai Van Dau did (declaring property and making a guarantee form), so Councilor Dieu was too scared to act as a guarantor.

At that time, Mr. Vo Van Gioi immediately spoke up and agreed to carry out the pledge procedures to guarantee The Master lodging at his house (by then he had retired after working as a secretary for the Nam Kỳ Governor’s office).

After completing all the procedures, the French authorities took Ngài to the French Police station (Catina station) for an additional 8 days of investigation before finally releasing Him.

On May 19th, the year Tân Tỵ (1941), The Master was escorted home to Mrs. Ky Gioi by the followers. The Master stayed at Mrs. Ky Gioi’s house for about 485 days (i.e., 1 year, 2 months, and 11 days). Mrs. Ky had become a disciple of The Master when He was still in Hoa Hao village, so when The Master stayed at her house, she was very happy to be close to Him to further learn about morality. Naturally, the concern and help she provided for The Master were very important to her.

During the time Master stayed at Mr. Ky Giai’s house, the French authorities guarded very strictly, not allowing anyone to visit Master, and every beginning of the week, soldiers would come to summon Him to report in, rain or shine. 

Impressed by Master’s virtue and after witnessing Master extinguishing a fire at a gas station kilometers away and making an electric fan spin automatically, Mr. Ky Gioi and three Western-educated friends asked to be initiated in the refuge ceremony with Master. 

Mr. Ky Gioi was a devoted follower, believing that ‘taking refuge means following properly,’ and from then on diligently practiced the faith. He created a private room in the house where he maintained silence to cultivate his mind and character. He rarely left the room, and because he practiced regularly, he always wore a long robe; even when unexpected visitors came, he was solemnly dressed in his religious attire.

The other day, he said that Amitabha Buddha appeared to him and confirmed his rebirth in the Pure Land, then he shared the news with his family and suggested them to follow his practice. While his health showed no signs of illness, on the afternoon of the 5th day of the September of the Quy Ty year, 1953, he bathed and cleaned himself, and by the night of the 26th, Amitabha Buddha guided him to the Western Pure Land. He lived to 61 years old. 

In 1953, Mr. Ky passed away, he was buried in the spacious family grave of the Trieu clan. Right next to his grave, there is a square plot built with a fence made ready for Mrs. Ky to come here to rest when she would pass in turn. Though her family had prepared a place for her lying next to her husband, she did not follow this plan.  Thus when she  passed away in 1987, at the age of 90, she was buried in Bình Dương province where  her grave is! 

2/. The poem “For Mrs. Ky Gioi” 

On September 2nd, 1942 (the Year of the Nham-Ngu), the French authorities decided to send The Master to Laos. Some loyal followers, upon hearing the news, organized a surprise to bring Him back to Saigon, to Lefebvre Street – Nguyen Cong Tru. 

On one occasion, some landowners (in Bac Lieu), friends of Mrs. Ky Gioi, were chatting with each other (around 1944 – after The Master had returned to Saigon). They discussed that they had vast estates, never knowing when their end time would come, afraid that when the end time comes, dying and leaving behind much wealth would be a waste. Mrs. Ky then promised she would go to Saigon to ask The Master when the tend time would be as according to her, only The Master could answer this question.

Later, she visited The Master. Even though she stayed for seven days, she still didn’t get a chance to ask Him. It was time to leave for Bac Lieu, and she didn’t know how to answer her friends since she had promised to tell them. Understanding her feelings, The Master gifted her the poem “For Mrs. Ky Gioi” as we know. During the time The Master stayed at 168, 150, 38 Lefèbre Street, office number 8 at the corner of Sohier-Miche Street, Saigon (moving around frequently), Mrs. Ky often came and went, handling meals and taking care of The Master and His disciples from the Mekong Delta who stayed with Him at the office.

In 1946, The Master went to the Eastern war zone and by April 7, 1947, he traveled by boat from Phu Thanh village, Cho Moi district, Long Xuyen province (now Thanh Binh district, Dong Thap province). He borrowed the house of the head of the Ministry to set up an office, and Mrs. Ky always stayed by The Master’s side. 

On the afternoon of the 23rd of the lunar February of the year of Đinh Hoi (April 16, 1947), The Master and some disciples planned to travel along the Ba Rang rivulet toward An Phong to attend the conference on the invitation of Mr. Tran Van Nguyen. Followers at the Phu Thanh office went down to the pier to see off The Master, including Mr. Nguyen Giac Ngo, Mr. Mai Van Dau, Mrs. Ky Gioi, and a few others. 

Mrs. Ky said, ‘Master, let me go with You.’ The Master smiled and said, ‘Sister Diệu, what good would it do for you to follow me! I didn’t give birth to you just to return you to Mr. Ky.’ Mr. Dau saw she was reluctant, so he took her hand and helped her up back onto the shore. 

3/. The Master instructed Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nhan to assist Mrs. Ky Gioi: 

When The Master was moved by the French to live at Mrs. Ky Gioi’s house, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nhan from Saigon sneaked into Mrs. Ky Gioi’s house to pay respects to The Master. After the visit, she asked about learning the teachings from The Master. Later, The Master told Mrs. Nhan, ‘In the future, I’ll need your help to take care of Mrs. Ky.’

She replied immediately: “Master, I intended to come here to visit You, not being part of the family here but you asked me to take care of Mrs. Ky.”

“I know about that,” The Master affirmed to Mrs. Sau.

The Master didn’t explain, but in the mystical sense, His words to Mrs. Sau Nhan was a command that had to be carried out. Indeed, later on, Mrs. Ky Gioi, in her final years, had to depend on Mrs. Sau Nhan for care, and she so passed away there.

After April 1975, Mr. and Mrs. Vo Van Gioi’ s house was confiscated by the authorities and converted to the Bac Lieu Provincial Library (now, Bac Lieu province has built a new library, so this house is arranged as a tourist spot in the Western Street area of Bac Lieu),  Their children fled abroad and became scattered.

Mrs. Ky had to live a homeless life, but while she was still able to walk steadily, she went around spreading kindness. When she became sick, all the heavenly forces worked to bring her to the place The Master had predetermined, allowing Mrs. Sau Nhan to carry out The Master’s command correctly.

The Master’s prophecy instructed Mrs. Sau Nhan to help and care for Mrs. Ky. Even though Mrs. Sau Nhan didn’t believe it was true at first, in the final years, with Mrs. Ky who was old and sick and no longer able to serve the faith, she went to live with Mrs. Sau in Binh Duong because there was a command to take care of Mrs. Ky from above. Mrs Sau had to wait until Mrs. Ky had been blessed for four years and her grave was properly cared for before Mrs. Sau could find peace on April 22, 1991. 

At the grave, on the epitah holding her portrait, on both sides are four lines of poetry from the poem 

“For Mrs. Ky Who Lived Well in Bac Lieu” as follows: