The Tale of Ba Cong

In a bustling town during the time of the ancient Vietnamese kings, there lived a man known to everyone simply as Ba Cong. He was neither wealthy nor powerful, holding no official position or noble title, but he possessed something far more valuable than gold or status: an exceptionally sharp wit and an uncanny ability to see through pretense and corruption with perfect clarity.

Ba Cong was a man of the people, understanding their struggles and sharing their burdens. He worked various humble jobs to support himself – sometimes as a market vendor, sometimes as a craftsman, sometimes as a teacher of village children – but his true calling seemed to be serving as an unofficial champion of justice for ordinary folk who had no other recourse against unfair treatment.

What made Ba Cong truly remarkable was his unique approach to fighting injustice. Instead of confronting corrupt officials with anger or violence, he used humor, cleverness, and careful reasoning to expose their wrongdoing and force them to correct their behavior. His methods were so creative and entertaining that his encounters with authority figures became legendary stories that people would retell with great delight.

The town where Ba Cong lived was governed by a district mandarin who had grown corrupt and greedy over the years. This official, Mandarin Duc, had forgotten his duty to serve the people and instead used his position to enrich himself at their expense. He imposed unfair taxes, accepted bribes from merchants, and generally made life difficult for honest citizens who could not afford to pay for his favor.

The first famous encounter between Ba Cong and Mandarin Duc occurred during a particularly harsh winter when the official announced a new tax on firewood, claiming it was necessary for “administrative expenses.” This tax fell most heavily on the poor families who could barely afford to heat their homes, while wealthy households who could pay the bribes were mysteriously exempted from the requirement.

Ba Cong decided that this injustice could not stand unchallenged. He appeared at the mandarin’s court one morning, carrying a large bundle of firewood on his back and requesting an audience with the official. When brought before Mandarin Duc, Ba Cong bowed respectfully and addressed him with elaborate courtesy.

“Honorable Mandarin,” Ba Cong said, “I have come to pay the new firewood tax that you have so wisely instituted. However, I am a simple man and do not understand all the complexities of government administration. Could you please explain to me exactly how this tax helps our community?”

Mandarin Duc, pleased by Ba Cong’s apparent compliance and respect, began to elaborate on the supposed benefits of the tax, making up various official-sounding justifications for his policy. As he spoke, Ba Cong listened carefully and asked increasingly specific questions about how the money would be used.

“I see,” Ba Cong said thoughtfully, “so this tax will be used to improve roads, maintain public buildings, and help the poor during times of hardship. That is indeed very wise. But I am curious – I noticed that the wealthy merchant Ly did not seem to be paying this tax on the large amount of firewood delivered to his mansion yesterday. Is there a special exemption for people who are already well-off?”

Mandarin Duc began to stammer, realizing that he had been caught in his inconsistent enforcement of the tax. Ba Cong continued innocently, “And I was wondering if you could show me the official records of how the tax money from last month was spent on public improvements. As a concerned citizen, I would like to see the tangible benefits of my contribution.”

The mandarin, of course, had no such records because the tax money had gone directly into his personal coffers. As he struggled to provide explanations, Ba Cong asked more and more detailed questions, each one exposing another aspect of the official’s corrupt scheme. Soon, a crowd of citizens had gathered to listen to this remarkable conversation.

Finally, Ba Cong delivered his masterstroke: “Honorable Mandarin, I have a proposal. Since you have explained that this tax is for the benefit of the community, and since I am a member of this community, I would like to suggest that instead of paying the tax in money, I contribute my services directly to these public improvement projects. I am skilled in carpentry and can help repair public buildings. When shall I begin this work?”

Trapped by his own lies and unable to provide actual public projects for Ba Cong to work on, Mandarin Duc had no choice but to quietly abandon the firewood tax altogether. The crowd dispersed, laughing and talking excitedly about how cleverly Ba Cong had used the official’s own words to expose and defeat his corrupt scheme.

Word of this encounter spread quickly throughout the region, and Ba Cong’s reputation as a champion of clever justice began to grow. People would come to him with their problems, and he would devise ingenious solutions that used wit and wisdom rather than force or confrontation.

Another famous story involved a corrupt court clerk who was demanding bribes from people seeking to register births, deaths, and marriages – basic services that should have been provided freely. Poor families were being forced to go without official documentation because they could not afford the clerk’s illegal fees.

Ba Cong appeared at the clerk’s office with a request to register the birth of his “nephew.” He presented elaborate documentation and spoke at length about the importance of proper record-keeping for the stability of society. The clerk, seeing that Ba Cong appeared to be well-prepared and possibly wealthy, demanded an especially high bribe for the service.

Ba Cong expressed shock and confusion at this request. “A fee for birth registration?” he said loudly, ensuring that other people in the office could hear. “But surely this is a free service provided by our benevolent government. Are you suggesting that our king requires payment for a citizen to be officially recognized as existing?”

The clerk tried to explain that the fee was “standard practice,” but Ba Cong continued to express confusion and concern. “This is very troubling,” he said, “because it suggests that only wealthy people can afford to officially exist in our kingdom. What happens to poor babies who cannot pay this fee? Do they become non-persons? This seems like a very serious policy that should be discussed with higher authorities.”

As Ba Cong continued to speak loudly about the implications of charging fees for basic government services, more and more people gathered to listen. The clerk realized that he was being publicly exposed and tried to quietly offer to waive the fee for Ba Cong’s case, but Ba Cong insisted on continuing the discussion.

“No, no,” Ba Cong said, “this is too important a matter to handle quietly. If there is indeed a royal decree requiring payment for birth registration, then I need to see this official document. And if there is no such decree, then I am very concerned about unauthorized officials creating their own illegal taxes.”

Faced with this public challenge and unable to produce any official authorization for his bribe-taking, the clerk was forced to admit that birth registration was indeed a free service. From that day forward, he stopped demanding illegal payments, knowing that Ba Cong had effectively ended his corrupt practice.

Ba Cong’s methods became a model for other citizens who wanted to challenge unfair treatment without resorting to violence or rebellion. He showed that careful reasoning, public exposure, and clever questions could be more effective than anger or force in fighting corruption and injustice.

His reputation eventually reached the ears of the provincial governor, who was curious about this man who seemed to be able to reform corrupt officials through wit alone. The governor invited Ba Cong to visit him, hoping to learn more about his methods and perhaps employ him in some official capacity.

During their meeting, the governor asked Ba Cong to explain his philosophy of justice and reform. Ba Cong replied, “Honorable Governor, I believe that most corruption thrives in darkness and confusion. When corrupt officials can operate in secret and create fear in people’s minds, they can get away with almost anything. But when their actions are brought into the light and examined carefully, their wrongdoing becomes obvious to everyone.”

“The key,” Ba Cong continued, “is to use the corrupt official’s own words and claimed principles against them. If a mandarin claims to be serving the people, ask him to show exactly how his actions serve the people. If a clerk claims that fees are required by law, ask to see the specific law. Most corrupt officials rely on people being too intimidated or ignorant to challenge their claims.”

The governor was impressed by Ba Cong’s wisdom and offered him a position in the provincial administration. However, Ba Cong politely declined, explaining that his effectiveness came from his independence and his connection to common people. “If I become an official,” he said, “I will lose the trust of the people and the freedom to speak truth without regard for political consequences.”

Instead, the governor established an unofficial arrangement where Ba Cong would serve as a roving investigator, traveling throughout the province and using his methods to identify and reform corrupt officials. This arrangement allowed Ba Cong to continue his work while giving him the governor’s tacit protection and support.

Over the years, Ba Cong’s interventions led to significant improvements in local government throughout the region. Officials became more careful about their behavior, knowing that they might face his clever interrogation at any time. Citizens became more confident about challenging unfair treatment, having learned from Ba Cong’s example that wit and persistence could overcome corruption.

The stories of Ba Cong’s clever victories became an important part of Vietnamese folk culture, passed down through generations as both entertainment and instruction. Parents would tell their children Ba Cong stories to teach them that intelligence and moral courage were more powerful than wealth or position, and that ordinary people could fight injustice through wisdom and determination.

Ba Cong’s tales also reinforced important Vietnamese values such as respect for education, appreciation for cleverness, and the belief that humor and wit were appropriate tools for social reform. His stories showed that it was possible to challenge authority respectfully while still being effective in promoting justice.

In Vietnamese literature and popular culture, Ba Cong became a symbol of the common person’s ability to outwit corrupt authority figures through intelligence and moral clarity. His character represented the ideal of using one’s mind rather than one’s fists to solve problems and the belief that truth and justice would ultimately prevail when exposed to public scrutiny.

Today, the tales of Ba Cong continue to resonate with Vietnamese people who face bureaucratic corruption or unfair treatment. His methods of careful questioning, public exposure, and using officials’ own words against them remain relevant tools for citizens seeking justice in modern times.

The legacy of Ba Cong teaches us that ordinary people possess the power to create positive change through intelligence, courage, and persistence. His stories remind us that corruption often depends on people’s fear and ignorance, and that these can be overcome through knowledge, confidence, and the willingness to ask difficult questions in public settings.