Hịch Tướng Sĩ
Trần Quốc Tuấn
roll down my cheeks and my heart bleeds as if it were being cut to shreds. I tremble with anger
because I cannot eat our enemy s flesh, lie down in his skin, chew up his liver, and drink his blood. I
would gladly surrender my life a thousand times on the field of battle if I could do these things.
You have served in the army under my orders for a long time. When you needed clothing, I clothed
you; when you lacked rice, I fed you; when your rank was too low, I promoted you; when your pay
was insufficient, I increased it. If you had to travel by water, I supplied you with vessels; if you had
to travel by land, I supplied you with horses. In time of war, we shared the same dangers; at the
banquet table our laughter resounded in unison. Indeed, even Cong-Kien and Ngot-Lang did not
show more solicitude for their officers than I have displayed for you.
And now, you remain calm when your emperor is humiliated; you remain indifferent when your
country is threatened! You, officers, are forced to serve the barbarians and you feel no shame! You
hear the music played for their ambassadors and you do not leap up in anger. No, you amuse
yourselves at the cockfights, in gambling, in the possession of your gardens and rice fields, and in the
tranquility of family life. The exploitation of your personal affairs makes you forget your duties to
the State; the distractions of the fields and of the hunt make you neglect military exercises; you are
seduced by liquor and music. If the enemy comes, will your cocks spurs be able to pierce his armor?
Will the ruses you use in your games of chance be of use in repulsing him? Will the love of your
wives and children be of any use in the Army? Your money would neither suffice to buy the enemy s
death, your alcohol to besot him, nor your music to deafen him.
All of us, you and I together, would then be taken prisoner. What grief! And not only would I lose
my fief, but your property too would fall into enemy hands. It would not be my family alone that
would be driven out, but your wives and children would also be reduced to slavery. It would not be
only the graves of my ancestors that would be trampled under the invader s heel, but those of your
ancestors would also be violated. I would be humiliated in this life and in a hundred others to come,
and my name would be ignominiously tarnished. Your family s honor would also be sullied forever
with the shame of your defeat. Tell me: Could you then indulge yourselves in pleasures?
I say to you in all frankness: Take care as if you were piling wood by the fire or about to imbibe a
hot liquid. Exercise your soldiers in the skills of archery until they are the equals of Bang Mong and
Hau Nghe, those famous archers of olden times. Then we will display Tat-Liet s head at the gates of
the Imperial Palace and send the King of Yunnan to the gallows.
After that, not only my fief will be safe forever, but your privileges too will be assured for the future.
Not only my family will enjoy the comforts of life, but you too will be able to spend your old age
with your wives and children. Not only the memory of my ancestors will be venerated from
generation to generation, but yours too will be worshipped in the spring and autumn of every year.
