Thạch Sanh is one of the most famous folk tales in Vietnam. It exists as a canon in Vietnamese culture, and its protagonist is considered a symbol of the traditions of bravery, resilience, indomitability, kindness, and peace-loving of the Vietnamese people. This essay traces the evolution of the tale Thạch Sanh in Vietnamese culture and explores the differences in the reception and interpretation of the tale at different historical periods. It cites how Vietnamese Marxist intellectuals appropriated and transformed folklore material to serve their nation-building strategy. Thus, it argues that the symbolic meaning of the character Thạch Sanh and the canonical status of his life story are the result of a historical process that began in 1955 with the tools of printing, publishing, performing arts, and general education.