Vietnamese girl inspired by one of the stories from

Giáng Hương

This painting is inspired by one of the stories from "Truyền Kỳ Mạn Lục" (A Collection of Strange Tales) titled "Từ Thức Meets the Fairy" by Nguyễn Dữ.

"Từ Thức Meets the Fairy" is a beautiful yet haunting melody that explores the eternal conflict between Dream and Reality, between Illusion and the Present.

The story opens a celestial gateway where a romantic love blooms between the free-spirited Từ Thức and the ethereal lady, Giáng Hương. The realm of Quỳnh Hư embodies the longing for absolute freedom—a place where time seems to stand still to preserve eternal happiness.

However, a lingering nostalgia for the mortal world eventually drew Từ Thức back, only for him to face a harsh reality: three years in the celestial realm were equivalent to three hundred years on Earth. His return was not a reunion, but a permanent parting.

As the cloud carriage vanished and the sealed letter revealed a final farewell, Từ Thức stood amidst a transformed world, a stranger in his own homeland. The tale ends like a bittersweet sigh—a poignant lament for beautiful dreams that cannot withstand the impermanence of life.