Kim Quy

Kim Quy (meaning "Gold Turtle," also spelled Kim Qui) or Thanh Giang sứ giả is a significant golden turtle deity in Vietnamese mythology who appears in several important legends. In one tale, Kim Quy aids the early Vietnamese ruler An Dương Vương by providing a magical golden claw that serves as a trigger for an extraordinary crossbow capable of killing 300 enemies with a single shot. This powerful weapon protects the kingdom until An Dương Vương's daughter betrays its secret to her husband, the son of An Dương Vương's enemy. When the magic is compromised and the kingdom attacked, the ruler flees with his daughter, only to have Kim Quy reveal her treachery, leading An Dương Vương to execute her before taking his own life by drowning. In another famous legend, Kim Quy emerges from what is now known as Hoàn Kiếm Lake ("The Lake of the Returned Sword") in Hanoi to reclaim a magical sword called Heavens' Will from Emperor Lê Lợi. This sword, originally provided by the Dragon King, had helped Lê Lợi successfully drive out Chinese occupiers and establish the Later Lê dynasty in the 15th century. Today, Hoàn Kiếm Lake features the Turtle Tower commemorating this legend, though the rare Hoan Kiem turtle species that once inhabited the lake became extinct when the last specimen died around 2015-2016.