Trọng Thủy


Trọng Thủy or Zhong Shi, full name Triệu Trọng Thủy or Zhao Zhongshi, was a prince of Nanyue.
He was a son of the Chinese mandarin Zhao Tuo, was sent as an emissary to the king of Vietnam, and was given the hand in marriage of Mỵ Châu, the only daughter of An Dương Vương. But she betrayed her father to her husband's father, leading to the fall of Cổ Loa fortress to Triệu Đà. In legend An Dương Vương fled with his daughter, not knowing she was the traitor, but having ridden to a river a giant golden turtle, told him “The enemy is sitting right behind you!” - and he killed her. Prince Trọng Thủy arrives immediately afterward, and finding the body of his beloved wife and his father-in-law nowhere to be seen, drew his sword and killed himself, in order to be with his wife forever in eternity.

Trọng Thủy and Mỵ Châu in literature

Trọng Thủy and Mỵ Châu are a Romeo and Juliet motif in Vietnam's literature.