LƯỠNG QUỐC TRẠNG NGUYÊN
The lotus in the jade well
Mac Dinh Chi (1272-1346), courtesy name Tiet Phu and literary name Tich Am, was a senior official and distinguished diplomat of the Tran dynasty. In 1304, he ranked first in both the metropolitan and palace examinations. In 1308, he traveled as an envoy to the Yuan court, where his intelligence, eloquence, and dignity as a representative of Dai Viet earned admiration and the celebrated title “First-ranked Scholar of Two Kingdoms.”
When Mac Dinh Chi appeared before Emperor Tran Anh Tong after the examination, the ruler judged him by his appearance and hesitated to grant him the highest rank. Mac Dinh Chi responded by composing Ngoc tinh lien phu, the Ode to the Lotus in the Jade Well, using the image of a lotus in a jade well to express his noble character and inner worth. Recognizing his exceptional talent, the emperor formally named him Trang Nguyen, allowed him to return home in honor, and appointed him a scholar at the Imperial Academy.
PALADI CHARACTER DESIGN
Character design details
MO đứng giữa những đóa sen vươn lên từ giếng ngọc, hai tay cầm quạt. Hoa sen trở thành biểu tượng cho phẩm chất thanh cao, không để định kiến về vẻ ngoài che khuất tài năng bên trong.