In February 2024 I was travelling in Hanoi, Vietnam. One memorable evening, I visited Hoan Kiem Lake with a friend. We grabbed ice cream from a nearby vendor and started walking along the serene pathways that encircle the lake. My friend, incredibly knowledgeable about her country’s history, began to share the legends and stories that make Hoan Kiem Lake such an enchanting place.
As we walked around the lake, she explained that Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as the “Lake of the Returned Sword,” is deeply rooted in Vietnamese folklore. The legend that gives the lake its name dates back to the 15th century, during the reign of Emperor Le Loi. According to the tale, Le Loi received a magical sword from a divine turtle to help him overthrow the Chinese Ming Dynasty and reclaim Vietnam’s independence.
The Legend of the Returned Sword
The story begins with Le Loi, a national hero, who was struggling to liberate Vietman from Chinese rule. One day, while fishing in the lake, he discovered a sword blade caught in his net. The blade had mysterious inscriptions and seemed to possess extraordinary power. Later, Le Loi found the sword’s hilt in a banyan tree, and when he combined the two pieces, the sword glowed with a radiant light.
With this magical sword, Le Loi led his forces to numerous victories against the Ming army. The…
