W.N.Minh Tuan

Prologue

There have been quite a lot of books written about Vietnamese History, but the most valuable are the two books Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu- Complete History of Dai Viet, by Mr. Le Van Huu, 13th century, and A Brief History of Vietnam, 20th century by Mr. Tran Trong Kim.

The Complete History of Dai Viet, written by Mr. Le Van Huu during the Tran Dynasty, more than 700 years ago, is the oldest historical book of our country, Vietnam. This book was later supplemented, corrected, added or removed by Mr. Phan Phu Tien, Ngo Sy Lien, etc. during the Le Dynasty.

The book A Brief History of Vietnam by Mr. Tran Trong Kim, the first former Prime Minister of independent Vietnam, before the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was first published in 1921.

Mr. Le Van Huu was not a professional historian. He was a former Minister of War during the Tran Dynasty. He was then assigned by King Tran to write the book Dai Viet Su Ky ToanThu, completed in 1272, engraved and printed in 1272. there.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim is not a professional historian, he was a former teacher, taught and translated French, then was the Chief Inspector of Education during the French period. In 1945, the Japanese and French lost the war and had to leave Vietnam. Mr. Tran Trong Kim was assigned by King Bao Dai to establish the first Government of independent Vietnam in early 1945.

Then, when the August Revolution broke out, Mr. Tran Trong Kim and the first Vietnamese Government resigned, leaving the government empty for the Viet Minh to replace.

Although not professional historians, both Le Van Huu and Tran Trong Kim wrote two truly great, talented, and eternally valuable sets of Vietnamese history books.

I am like Mr. Le Van Huu and Tran Trong Kim, I am not a professional historian, I am a former journalist, a reporter for Dai Doan Ket newspaper, and now, a Vietnamese language teacher at the University. Tokyo Foreign Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan.

But with my passion for the country of Vietnam, I would also like to boldly write the history book Thinking About Vietnam, to discuss some historical issues, and propose ideas to develop the country.

This little book intends to answer these three big questions:

-What kind of country was Vietnam in the past?

-What kind of country is Vietnam today?

-And what kind of country will our Vietnam be in the future?

General Tran Hung Dao of Vietnam once said two famous sayings:

-“We must spare the people’s strength to make a deep-rooted plan that will last.”

And:

-“Consider everything in the world as light as falling rain.”

And US President Bill Clinton, when visiting Vietnam in 2000, said the famous sentence:

-“We cannot change the past, but we can change the future.”

I wrote this little book Thinking About Vietnam in the spirit of the above sayings.

W.N. Minh Tuan

Former reporter for Dai Doan Ket newspaper,

Former Delegate of the People’s Council of Hanoi, self-nominated, term 1994-1999,

Currently a lecturer in the Department of Vietnamese Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies – Japan

Table of contents

Part 1: Period of 18 Hung King.

Part 2: The Khoa Dau script of the ancient Vietnamese people.

Part 3: 9 famous legends of the Hung King period.

Part 4: The period of 1000 years of Northern domination.

Part 5: Humanity during the Ly Dynasty.

Part 6: Humanity during the Tran Dynasty.

Part 7: Humanity during the Le Dynasty.

Part 8: The unjust case of Mr. Nguyen Trai during the Le Dynasty.

Part 9: The Trinh-Nguyen conflict period, and the Mac Dynasty.

Part 10: The Nguyen Dynasty and French Vietnam.

Part 11: President Ho Chi Minh, and our country today under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Part 12: Our Vietnam in the near and far future.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Part 1: The period of the 18 Hung Kings

A-The name of our country Vietnam.

We are Vietnamese, the current name of our country is Vietnam, that’s right. But the name of our country Vietnam from ancient times to present, how many names there were, and what that name is, not everyone can answer.

1-Van Lang (2879 BC-258 BC).

The name of Vietnam from ancient times, from the time of Hong Bang and 18 Hung Kings more than 4,000 years ago, was called Van Lang country, of the Lac Viet ethnic group. That name Van Lang lasted for 2622 years, from the year Nham Tuat 2879 BC (BC-before Christ), which was the year of the first king of the Lac Viet people, named King Kinh Duong Vuong, to the year Quy Mao, 258 BC, was the last year of the 18th King Hung Vuong, ending the Hung King period, transitioning to the period of King An Duong Vuong, who built a citadel in Co Loa, Dong Anh, Hanoi.

2-Au Lac (257 BC-207 BC).

In the year Giap Thin 257 BC, King Thuc Phan replaced King Hung Vuong 18, became king, took the king’s name as An Duong Vuong, merged the two tribes of Lac Viet and Au Viet, changed the country’s name from Van Lang to Au Lac.

3-Giao Chi, Nam Viet (207 BC-544 AD).

The name Au Lac only existed for 50 years, from the year Giap Thin 257 BC, to the year Quy Ty 208 BC, because Trieu Da of the Han Dynasty used a trick to have his son Trong Thuy marry the king An Duong Vuong’s daughter My Chau. Then Trong Thuy stole the magic crossbow, brought this magic crossbow back to China to his father Trieu Da, so Trieu Da can defeat King An Duong Vuong. From the year Giap Ngo 207 BC, Trieu Da annexed Vietnam, starting the period of 1000 years of Northern domination. The Han Dynasty named our country as Giao Chi. The Han dynasty appointed Trieu Da the King of Nam Viet, so the country’s name at that time, under Trieu Da’s rule, was also called Nam Viet.

4-Van Xuan (544-602).

In 544 AD, King Ly Bi-Ly Nam De of our Vietnamese people defeated the Han army, won independence, became king, and named the country as Van Xuan.

5-An Nam Do Ho Phu, Tran Nam Do Ho Phu (603-968).

In 603, the Han Dynasty returned to colonize our country, naming our country as above. In 938, Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River, ending the 1000-year period of Northern domination, but probably still kept the country’s name as above.

6-Dai Co Viet (968-979).

In 968, King Dinh Tien Hoang put down the rebellion of 12 warlords, became king, and named the country as Dai Co Viet.

This name is mixed between Vietnamese and Chinese language, because Co is Vietnamese, meaning big, great. And Dai is Chinese, also meaning as big, great.

The scholar Nguyen Van To opinoned that this mixing means that during the period of 1000 years Northern Domination, Han studies was not really dominated all Vietnamese culture, and Vietnamese language was still strongly used in daily life of Vietnamse.

7-Dai Viet.

King Ly Thai Tong in 1054 named the country as Dai Viet. The name Dai Viet existed the longest, from 1054, until the Nguyen Dynasty in 1833, when it was changed to Vietnam.

8-Vietnam.

King Minh Menh of the Nguyen Dynasty once changed the country’s name from Dai Viet to Vietnam. Then, from September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, from then, in 1945, until now, our country’s official name is Vietnam.

The extention name after the country name Viet Nam has been changed. From 1945 to 1976, the country’s name was:

–Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

This country’s name was named by President Ho Chi Minh and approved by the 1st National Assembly.

Then, in 1976, the country’s name was changed to:

–The Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

President Ho Chi Minh did not name this country, nor did he know this name of The Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

B-About the two most valuable Vietnamese history books.

The history of our country has gone through more than 4,000 years, and there are two sets of most valuable historical books.

1-The first set of historical books, and the oldest that still exists today, is the book Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu written by Mr. Le Van Huu during the Tran Dynasty, completed in the year 1272 AD, written about the long history of Viet Nam from Hong Bang period, start from year 2879 BC of the Lac Viet people, to the year 1225 AD, the end of the Ly Dynasty, the period of more than 4000 years of Vietnam history.

Mr.Phan Phu Tien then continued writing the events from 1225, the end of the Ly Dynasty, and the beginning of the Tran Dynasty, to the year 1427, when King Le Loi defeated the Ming army.

Phan Phu Tien completed his writing in 1445.

After that, Mr. Ngo Si Lien continued to write, corrected, added and subtracted, finished, and presented it to King Le Thanh Tong in 1479.

After that, Mr. Vu Quynh, Pham Cong Tru, and Le Hy during the Le Dynasty continued writing. The last part, the events of 1656, is the end of the Complete History of Dai Viet.

Mr. Le Hi had it engraved in wood and published it in year 1697, during the reign of King Le Hi Tong, in the year of Chinh Hoa, which is the oldest printed copy remaining today.

This is the oldest Vietnamese history book still preserved today.

Older Vietnamese history books, if any, have been lost and cannot be found.

Some other historical books remain today, for example Viet Su Luoc, also known as Dai Viet Su Luoc, author unknown, published in China, during the Qing Dynasty, discovered  by historian Tran Quoc Vuong. Mr. Tran Quocs Vuong went to China to get it, then Mr. Vuong translated it himself, and published it for the first time in Hanoi in 1960.

Or the book An Nam Chi Luoc, by Le Tac, also known as Le Trac, a man who surrendered to the Mongol-Yuan army during the Tran Dynasty, fled to China, written in China, were all written later, rewritten, or adapted from Mr. Le Van Huu’s book series, and were heavily influenced by Chinese enslavement, should only be used for reference, not reliable.

But the good thing of An Nam Chi Luoc is that this book is kept intact, no change, no correction, no edited as Ngo Sy Lien had did with Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu. Ngo Sy Lien changed Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu too much, so we do not know what parts, what contents is written by Le Van Huu, and what parts is written by Ngo Sy Lien.

Mr. Le Van Huu was born in 1230, died in 1322, at the age of 92, from Phu Ly commune, Dong Son district, Thanh Hoa province. In the year of the Goat 1247, when he was only 17 years old, during the reign of King Tran Nhan Tong – the first king of the Tran Dynasty, Mr. Le Van Huu passed the exam, level two, after the Trang Nguyen, and was appointed to the position of Minister of soldiers, similar to the position of Minister of Defense today. That same year, there was Mr. Nguyen Hien, only 13 years old, who passed the Trang Nguyen exam, level one, and Mr. Dang Ma La, also 13 years old, passed the exam of level three.

King Tran Thanh Tong, the second king of the Tran dynasty, assigned Mr. Le Van Huu to compile the book Dai Viet History.

Mr. Le Van Huu finished writing Dai Viet Su Ky in year 1272.

Le Van Huu’s Dai Viet History includes 30 volumes, writing the history of Vietnam from the time of Hong Bang, Lac Long Quan, Au Co, 18 Hung Kings, around 3000 years BC, to the year 1225, the last year of the Ly Dynasty, and the year beginning of the Tran Dynasty.

Mr. Le Van Huu did not write anything about the situation during the Tran Dynasty, the time he was living.

Mr. Le Van Huu did not write anything about the situation during the Tran Dynasty, the period in which he lived and witnessed directly, which is truly a pity.

If Mr. Huu had also written about the issues of the Tran Dynasty, the time when he was living and witnessing, then now we would have vivid and complete details about the Tran Dynasty, especially about the three wars of the Tran Dynasty fighting against the Mongol-Yuan army.

When the Yuan army invaded Vietnam for the first time in 1257, Mr. Le Van Huu was 27 years old, had passed the bar examination for 10 years, and was appointed as a praetor-magistrates, in charge of criminal law.

But Mr. Le Van Huu never wrote anything about the first resistance war against the Yuan army of the people of Dai Vietnam.
Only later, more than 100 years later, did Mr. Phan Phu Tien write additions. And more than 200 years later, Mr. Ngo Sy Lien wrote more.
The Complete History of Dai Viet was written by Mr. Le Van Huu in 1272, at that time the Yuan army had not yet invaded Vietnam for the second time, in 1281-1282, and the third time, in 1284-1285.
When the Yuan army invaded our country for the second time, in 1281-1282, Mr. Le Van Huu was 51 and 52 years old. And when the Yuan army invaded Vietnam for the third time, in 1284-1285, Mr. Le Van Huu was 54 years old.
That means Mr. Le Van Huu witnessed all three heroic resistance wars against the Yuan army of the Vietnamese people, and he probably participated in those resistance wars. Furthermore, Mr. Le Van Huu was a teacher for Lieutenant General Tran Quang Khai, a famous general in the resistance wars against the Yuan army.
Yet Mr. Le Van Huu did not write anything additional to the Complete History of Dai Viet about those three resistance wars.
Later, more than 100 years after Mr. Le Van Huu, Mr. Phan Phu Tien wrote about all three resistance wars against the Yuan army, but it was very sketchy, because Mr. Phan Phu Tien was not the one who directly witnessed all three. That heroic resistance of our people is truly regrettable.

When the Yuan army invaded our country for the second time, in 1281-1282, Mr. Le Van Huu was 54 and 55 years old. And when the Yuan army invaded Vietnam for the third time, in 1284,-1285 Mr. Le Van Huu was 54 years old.

That means Mr. Le Van Huu witnessed the most complete of all three heroic resistance wars against the Yuan army of the nation Vietnam, and he probably participated in those resistance wars. Furthermore, Mr. Le Van Huu was a teacher for Lieutenant General Tran Quang Khai, a very famous general in the resistance wars against the Yuan army.

Yet Mr. Le Van Huu did not write anything about those three resistance wars.

Much later, more than 100 years later, Mr. Phan Phu Tien, when continuing Mr. Le Van Huu’s Dai Viet Su Ky, wrote about those three resistance wars against the Yuan army. The writing was very sketchy, which is a pity.

That means perhaps Mr. Le Van Huu was also shy and did not dare to touch the situation during the Tran Dynasty, the era in which he lived.

Phan Phu Tien, Ngo Si Lien, Vu Quynh, Pham Cong Tru, and Le Hy during the Le Dynasty revised and continued the Dai Viet Su Ky, continuing the events from 1225 to 1656, during the reign of the king Le Duy Ky, ended the Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, and changed the name from Dai Viet Su Ky to Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu.

All five men mentioned above wrote about historical issues of the Le Dynasty, the time they were living and witnessing, so when they wrote about the Le Dynasty, there were more details, more specific, and more vivid, more complete.

And although Mr. Le Van Huu finished writing Dai Viet Su Ky in 1272, the oldest remaining printed copy today is the one printed in 1697, the year of Chinh Hoa, during the time of Mr. Le Hy, and King Le Hy Tong (1676- 1705), and Lord Trinh Can, 425 years after Mr. Le Van Huu.

Mr. Le Hy, following Lord Trinh Can’s orders, along with a number of others added and compiled the Complete Book of Dai Viet Su Ky for the final time, and had the woodblock engraved and printed in 1697, the year of Chinh Hoa, more than 300 years ago, in Lieu Trang village, Hong Luc commune, Gia Loc district, Hai Duong province. Lieu Trang village is a craft village that has been famous for engraving letters and printing books on wooden blocks for thousands of years.

In 1981, history professor Phan Huy Le, a descendant of Phan Huy Chu and Phan Huy Ich, went to France and discovered the original print of Lieu Trang, Chinese characters, Chinh Hoa year 1697 kept at the Library of the University of Paris 7, Paris, France.

Mr. Phan Huy Le asked the French side for permission to photocopy the microfilm, bring it back to Vietnam, and the Vietnam Social Sciences Publishing House allowed him to translate it into Vietnamese, and first published this version of Chinh Hoa in 1983 in Vietnamese.

In 2016, Mr. Le Van Huu once again became famous in Vietnam and around the world, because the bun cha restaurant on Le Van Huu Street, Hanoi welcomed US President Obama to eat bun cha on May 23, 2016 in visit to Vietnam that year, before the end of the US President’s term.

But to be honest, today not many Vietnamese people know who Mr. Le Van Huu is and what he does.

China’s first great history book is the History of Sima Qian, written by Sima Qian.

Mr. Sima Qian was born in 145 BC, died in 86 BC, at the age of 59, only nearly 100 years after the reign of Qin Shi Huang (259-210).

When Sima Qian was born, Trieu Da of the Han Dynasty had ruled Vietnam for nearly 100 years. This is also the first history book in the world written about the history of a country, the vast country of China, writing about events spanning over 3,000 years, from the time of China’s first emperor, Huang Di, to Sima Qian’s contemporary king, Emperor Wu.

That is, Mr. Sima Qian also wrote historical issues of the era in which he lived, unlike Mr. Le Van Huu of Vietnam, so the book The History of Sima Qian has many specific and vivid details of during the time when Sima Qian was living.

In our country, it was only during the Tran Dynasty that Mr. Le Van Huu wrote the first Vietnamese history book, more than 1,000 years after China’s History of Sima Qian.

Why did Vietnam write its history so late?

It is easy to understand. Our country was dominated by the Han people of Sima Qian for more than 1,000 years, from 208 BC, when Trieu Da defeated King An Duong Vuong of Vietnam, starting the 1,000-year period of Northern domination, to 938, when King Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River, ending the 1000-year period of Northern domination.

Therefore, only after gaining independence did Vietnam have enough freedom to write about our own country’s history. If our country is still under the domination of the Han Dynasty, then our country of Vietnam will not have its own history, but will only have a sketchy history, mentioned a little in the massive history books of the China.

For example, in the History of Sima Qian, there are 520,000 words and 130 chapters, but only mention several words about the Bach Viet and Au Lac peoples. There are a few lines in the section about Trieu Da, for example, it says that “Au Lac country is a country naked, also called “king””, and in the part about Sun Tzu, Ngo Khoi listed the story, saying only 6 words “south to pacify Bach Viet”.

Therefore, without independence, there is no history of our own country.

Therefore, we have to thank Mr. Ngo Quyen very much. If Mr. Ngo Quyen had not defeated the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River in 938, ending the 1000-year period of Northern domination, then Perhaps Vietnam today is just like the Zhuang people in China.

And even when Vietnam wrote its own history, Le Van Huu, Phan Phu Tien, Ngo Si Lien, etc. also wrote it in Chinese, not in Vietnamese, because our country at their time, there was still no written language.

Since the Hung King period, to the 1,000-year period of Northern domination, then to the independence period, and until recently, for more than 4,000 years, our country did not have our own writing, all written documents used Chinese characters. Just speaking it in Vietnamese.

Only in 1918 did the French stop using Chinese characters in our country, and from then on, our country used Vietnamese writing like today.

And our Vietnamese language today was not created by the Vietnamese people, but by the French, Spanish, and Portuguese missionaries who came to Vietnam in the 1600s, nearly 400 years ago, during the Trinh-Nguyen conflict, was created, and most credited by the French missionary Alexadre de Rhodes (1591-1660).

Today, the Vietnamese State still has not properly honored missionary Alexadre de Rhodes, which is a major shortcoming that needs to be corrected one day.

But it must be said that the Chinese education system of ancient Vietnam in our country was truly wonderful. Elders Le Van Huu, Phan Phu Tien, Ngo Si Lien, Nguyen Trai, Le Qui Don, only studied Chinese characters in our country, but wrote all their works in Chinese characters, as well as other scholars, very fluently as of Native Chinese speakers.

I wonder if Vietnam’s education system today can train people in the country to speak and write English, French, Japanese, Chinese, etc. as fluently as native speakers?

A little more about the other authors of the Complete History of Dai Viet.

-Mr. Phan Phu Tien, we does not know the year of birth or death of him. He is from Ve village, Dong Ngac commune, Tu Liem district, a suburb of Hanoi today. He passed the student exam in 1396 during the late Tran Dynasty. 33 years later, Phan Phu Tien passed the Minh Kinh exam again in 1429, the first exam of the Le dynasty.

In 1455, Phan Phu Tien, following the orders of King Le Nhan Tong, was the grandson of King Le Loi, compiled the continuation of Dai Viet Su Ky, also known as Dai Viet Su Ky Tuc Bien, writing about events from the Tran Dynasty, spanning from the year 1225, to the period of the reign of King Le Loi, who defeated the Ming army in 1427.

-Mr. Ngo Si Lien, we does not know the year of birth or death of him. He is from Chuong My district, Ha Tay province, now Hanoi. In 1442, he passed the doctorate exam and held the position of Ta Thi Lang of the Ministry of Rites, similar to the position of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs today.

Mr. Ngo Si Lien obeyed the orders of King Le Thanh Tong, re-edited the above two sets of books by Mr. Le Van Huu and Phan Phu Tien, combined them, and changed the name to Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu-Complete Book, completed in 1479. Mr. Ngo Si Lien corrected quite a many books by Mr. Le Van Huu and Phan Phu Tien, and added 166 very valuable historical commentary paragraphs.

But Mr. Ngo Si Lien made a very critical mistake, which is that he arbitrarily corrected and added or subtracted a lot of Mr. Le Van Huu’s books, from Mr. Le Van Huu’s 30 books, which up to now only very few can distinguish that these few books written byMr.Le Van Huu. Others parts of Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu can not know which is written by Mr.Le Van Huu, which is written by Mr.Ngo Sy Lien or Phan Phu Tien.

Actually, Mr. Le Van Huu’s part should have been kept intact, then if there are corrections, additions or other opinions by Ngo Sy Lien, then Ngo Sy Lien should write them separately to the side, or below.

But Ngo Sy Lien did not do like that.

The second mistake of Mr.Ngo Sy Lien is that Mr. Ngo Si Lien did not clearly state which parts he changed, added or subtracted, and which parts were Mr. Le Van Huu’s original text. Luckily, there were only 30 paragraphs where Mr. Lien wrote “Le Van Huu wrote”, only these parts we know for sure that it was written by Mr. Le Van Huu.

-Mrs. Vu Quynh, born in 1450, died in 1497, was from Mo Trach commune, Binh Giang district, Hai Duong province. Mr. Vu Quynh compiled the book Dai Viet Thong Giam Thong Khao.

-Mr. Pham Cong Tru, born in 1600. Mr. Tru died in 1675, from Lieu Xuyen village, My Van district, Hai Duong province.

-Mr. Le Hy, born in 1646, died in 1702, was from Thach Khe commune, Dong Son district, Thanh Hoa province, from the same district as Mr. Le Van Huu.

All of the above mentioned people have made great contributions in writing, supplementing, correcting, and completing the Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu as we have today, which was translated and published by the Social Sciences Publishing House – Hanoi.

But all of the above-mentioned men had the same principle as Mr. Le Van Huu, which was to not write too much about events that could damage the reputation of the dynasty in which they lived.

For an understandable reason, if you write offensively, your books may not be used, not published, and your safety may not be guaranteed.

For example, in the unjust case of Mr. Nguyen Trai that occurred in 1442, both Mr. Nguyen Trai and his three generations of more than 300 family members, from the newborn baby to the 62-year-old man Nguyen Trai with gray hair and beard, were all beheaded.

This is the largest unjust case in the more than 4,000-year history of our Vietnamese people. Mr. Ngo Si Lien passed his doctorate exam in the same year that Mr. Nguyen Trai and three generation of his family of more than 300 people were unjustly beheaded. Yet the Complete History of Dai Viet by Ngo Si Lien only wrote about this unjust case with 7 sketchy lines.

Therefore, when I write this book THINKING ABOUT VIETNAM COUNTRY, I also do not too exceed the framework of ancient Le Van Huu, Phan Phu Tien, and Ngo Si Lien when writing about related events and issues in today’s Vietnam.

I would also like to write lightly, so that both sides “Eastern Truong Son and Western Truong Son are happy”. Because like the ancients taught, “Avoiding elephants is not bad at all.”

Furthermore, as President Nguyen Minh Triet said, Vietnamese people, no matter where they live in the world, have Lac-Hong origin. So I also want every time I return to Vietnam to visit relatives, visit my parents’ and grandparents’ graves, visit my Lac-Hong roots, go through passport control, and have a smooth sailing passing.

2-The second most valuable set of Vietnamese history books is by Mr. Tran Trong Kim.

That is the Vietnamese History series written by Mr. Tran Trong Kim (1882-1953) and first published in 1923. Mr. Tran Trong Kim is from Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh province, and graduated from the French language school in 1904. After that, Mr. Kim and Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh went to France to study in Lyon for 7 years, from 1904 to 1911. Then Mr. Kim returned home, taught, wrote Vietnamese grammar books, and participated in the editorial council for textbooks for Vietnamese education, and wrote the famous Brief History of Vietnam, and many other famous books.

(Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh was the first person to translate Victor Huygo’s novel Les Misérables into Vietnamese, but Mr. Vinh translated the title of this novel quite naively as: “Les poor Miserables”. Mr. Vinh is the father of young poet Nguyen Nhuoc Phap. And poet Nguyen Nhuoc Phap is the author of the immortal love poem “I go to Huong Pagoda”).

Mr. Tran Trong Kim’s way of writing history is completely different from the way of writing history of Mr. Le Van Huu, Phan Phu Tien, Ngo Si Lien, etc. Those men wrote history in a diary style, what day and month happened, then recorded, sometimes add some comments, and mainly record events related to the king, what day, month, year in which what the king did and said.

Other events, if any, are also related to the king.

So it would be correct to call the Complete History of Dai Viet is a book of history of Vietnamese kings.

We rarely see the people, see the political, economic, social, cultural situation, and do not know how historical events are related to each other.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim wrote the book Vietnam History with a completely different layout, written according to the story, with explanations, analysis, stating the relationships of events, with a beginning, an ending, and clearly writing the situation of economic, social and cultural situation in each period.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim’s way of writing history is simple, easy to understand, and almost like reading a storybook about Vietnamese history, very attractive and engaging.

Thanks to this historical book, and other educational works, Mr. Tran Trong Kim became one of the most famous intellectuals in Vietnam before the1945  August Revolution.

Therefore, in year 1945, on April 17, 1945, Mr. Tran Trong Kim was invited by King Bao Dai to establish the first parliamentary democratic government in the more than 4,000-year history of the Vietnamese people, and Mr. Tran Trong Kim became the first Prime Minister of the Vietnamese people.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim’s government is said to be a pro-Japanese government, because the Japanese army at that time supported Mr. Tran Trong Kim.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim explained that his Government enlisted the support of anyone in order to win independence for Vietnam.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim’s government includes talented and famous intellectuals in Vietnam such as lawyer Phan Anh, lawyer Trinh Dinh Thao, lawyer Tran Van Chuong, professor Hoang Xuan Han, professor Ta Quang Buu, Professor Dang Thai Mai (father-in-law of General Vo Nguyen Giap), Professor Nguy Nhu KonTum, Doctor Tran Duy Hung, Ambassador to the Great Minister Phan Ke Toai,,.

All of these intellectuals are famous intellectuals in Vietnam, and all wish for independence for Vietnam, like the Government of Ho Chi Minh later.

On August 15, 1945, the Japanese army surrendered to the allies, the August Revolution broke out, the Viet Minh seized power, so the Government of Mr. Tran Trong Kim resigned on August 22, 1945, leaving power empty, then  Viet Minh forces replaced him.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim did not direct his Government against the Viet Minh, avoiding bloodshed during the change of government was a good thing, so it is should be recognized by our Vietnamese State today.

President Ho Chi Minh, after establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2, 1945, reused a series of famous intellectuals in the Government of Mr. Tran Trong Kim.

For example, President Ho Chi Minh appointed lawyer Phan Anh as Minister of National Defense, then Minister of Foreign Trade, Ambassador Phan Ke Toai as Deputy Prime Minister, and professor Ta Quang Buu as Minister of National Defense, then Minister of Universities, now Ministry of Education, Dr. Tran Duy Hung became the first Mayor of Hanoi,,,.

This shows that Prime Minister Tran Trong Kim, in addition to being talented in writing history, writing Vietnamese grammar books, also knows how to choose talented people to take on national affairs.

Today, Historian-Educator-Prime Minister Tran Trong Kim is not properly appreciated for his contributions to the country.

This should be fixed someday.

B-Hong Bang period, Mr. and Mrs. Lac Long Quan-Au Co more than 4000 years ago.

Hong Bang is the chronological name of the period of Mr. and Mrs. Lac Long Quan-Au Co, the ancestors of the Lac Viet ethnic group of our Vietnamese people.

Both the history books Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu by Mr. Le Van Huu, and Brief History of Vietnam by Mr. Tran Trong Kim wrote that the history of our country Vietnam starting from the Hong Bang period, 2879 BC.

The Complete History of Dai Viet wrote the following about the beginning of our country:

“Ky Hong Bang Thi. Kinh Duong Vuong.

His name is Loc Tuc, a descendant of the Than Nong family.

Year of the Dog, first year. In the past, Emperor Viem’s third-generation grandson of the Than Nong family was De Minh who gave birth to De Nghi. After De Minh patrolling to the South, went to Ngu Linh mountain, married Vu Tien daughter, and gave birth to King Kinh Duong Vuong.,,,

King Kinh Duong Vuong married Dong Dinh Quan’s daughter named Than Long, giving birth to Lac Long Quan.,,,”

The birth name of King Lac Long Quan was Sung Lam, son of King Kinh Duong Vuong.

King Lac Long Quan married De Lai’s daughter, Au Co, and gave birth to a hundred sons (legend is that they gave birth to egg sacs), who were the ancestors of Bach Viet.,,,.

King Lac Long Quan appointed the eldest son (out of 100 sons) as Hung King, succeeding the throne.,,,

So, in Vietnam history, there are 18 King Hung Vuong. First King Hung Vuong is King Kinh Duong Vuong.

Second king Hung Vuong is kinh Lac Long Quan.

Third King Hung Vuong is King Hung Vuong.

Hung Vuong, son of Lac Long Quan, (birth name unknown), based in Phong Chau. (now Bach Hac district, Vinh Phu province).

King Hung Vuong ascended the throne and named the country Van Lang.

Thus, Hung Vuong is the third king of our Vietnamese people.

The second king was Lac Long Quan, not name as Hung Vuong king, father of Hung Vuong.

And the first king was Kinh Duong Vuong, also not name as Hung Vuong king, Lac Long Quan’s father.

That is, of the 18 Hung Kings, only 16 are named Hung Vuong King, the remaining two are named Lac Long Quan and Kinh Duong Vuong.

Therefore, when we talk about 18 Hung Kings, we are also talking about King Lac Long Quan and King Kinh Duong Vuong. Perhaps many Vietnamese people today do not understand this.

The book Dai Viet Complete History published by Social Science Publishing House in 1998, explains the first year of Nham Tuat during the reign of King Kinh Duong Vuong, the first king of our Vietnamese nation, the king’s father Lac Long Quan, and that is Mrs. Au Co’s father-in-law, is as follows:

“According to the chronological index of Dai Viet Su Ky, and the conclusion of Ky Hong Bang Thi, (Near Ky version, number 1, sheet number 5b), from the year of Nham Tuat to the year of Quy Mao 258 BC (the year King An Duong Vuong replaced the 18th King Hung Vuong), totaling 2,622 years.

So the first year of Nham Tuat is 2879 BC.”

Up to now, 2023, it has been nearly 5,000 years, or as it is commonly said today, “Vietnam has more than 4,000 years of history.”

The book The History of Vietnam by Mr. Tran Trong Kim also opens as follows:

“Vietnam. 1. National name. Our country of Vietnam was called Van Lang during the reign of Hong Bang (2879-258 BC), and called Au Lac during the reign of Thuc An Duong Vuong (258-207 BC)”.

About Hong Bang’s reign, Mr. Tran Trong Kim wrote almost the same as Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, as follows:

“1.Hong Bang family (2879-258 BC). According to tradition, King De Minh was the third grandson of King Shennong. He went to patrol the southern animals, went to Ngu Linh mountain (now in Hunan province, China), met a fairy, got married, and gave birth to a child. His name is Loc Tuc. Afterwards, Emperor Minh passed the throne to his eldest son, De Nghi, as king of the North, and appointed his (second) son Loc Tuc as king of the South, calling himself Kinh Duong Vuong,,,.”

Thus, from ancient times in our country, from the Dinh, Ngo, Ly, Tran, Le, Nguyen dynasties, from Hai Ba Trung, Ba Trieu, Tran Hung Dao, Le Loi, Nguyen Trai, Tu Duc, Minh Mang, Tran Trong Kim,,, to this day like Uncle Ho Chi Minh, Phan Boi Chau,,,, and the majority of the Vietnamese people all have a clear awareness, full of pride, that the Vietnamese people we beginning in 2879 BC, during the reign of King Kinh Duong Vuong, and so far, our Vietnamese history has a thickness of more than 4,000 years of history.

Yet now there are some so-called profound historians who, for unknown reasons, are trying to prove that our Vietnamese history is only more than 2,000 years old.

It’s really criticism.

 

C-The period of the 18 dynasties of Hung Vuong.

According to legend, the 18 generations of Hung Kings starting from 2879 BC, to 258 BC, for 2622 years, mainly lived in peace, with little war, and especially no fighting to each other to seize the throne. The throne and power among the Hung Kings are completely different from the history of many other countries in the world.

During the Hung King period, there were only two legends about war: the legend of Thanh Giong fighting the invaded An enemy, and the legend of Son Tinh-Thuy Tinh fighting, and some archaeological sites found arrows, bronze, weapons of the Hung King period.

After nearly 3,000 years of existence, with only two legends about war, it can be said that Vietnamese people during the Hung King period mainly lived in peace, and that peace-loving personality is still passed down to this day of our Vietnamese personality.

From 258 BC, to 208 BC, for 50 years, was the period when King An Duong Vuong Thuc Phan replaced the Hung Kings, uniting the two tribes of Lac Viet of Van Lang country, and Au Viet of Mr. Thuc Phan, into the Au Lac tribe.

In 2002, the Hanoi Culture and Information Publishing House published the book “Hung Vuong Dynasty through legends and myths“, by author Nguyen Vu Tuan Anh.

This book provides evidence and analysis to confirm that the Vietnamese people were born over 4,000 years ago, not over 2,000 years ago as some other opinions are stating today.

Author Nguyen Vu Tuan Anh is truly commendable.

According to this book , Ancient bibliographies, God genealogies, and genealogies of communes around the region where Hung Kings were worshiped, such as in Hi Cuong commune, Vinh Phu province, are currently stored in the Department of Museum Conservation, Ministry of Culture (no. HT.AE9).

During the Hung Vuongs period, there were 18 Hung Vuong branches, each branch could have many generations of Hung Vuong kings, but the kings of each branch only bore the name of that one king branch.

This is a very new discovery, explaining why the 18 Hung Kings could last for over 2000 years, nearly 3000 years.

For example, during the reign of the 8th Hung King, Hung Vi Vuong, there were 5 generations of kings, spanning 101 years, from the year of Horse Canh Ngo 1431 BC, to the year of the Rooster  Dau 1332 BC, all 5 generations of kings took the name Hung Vi Vuong.

The fact that the Hung Kings used the same names shows the solidarity between the Hung Kings, the succession of thrones was peaceful, no one considered themselves greater than others, there was no competition, no fighting, no compete for each other’s throne like many other dynasties in the world.

And certainly that love of peace and equality is still transmitted to this day in the hearts of our Vietnamese people.

The genealogies and God genealogies in Vinh Phu also ranked the generations of Hung Kings according to the Can Chi system.

The 18 generations of Hung Kings according to the genealogies and God genealogies in the Hung Temple area, Vinh Phu are as follows:

1-The first generation, Chi Can, Kinh Duong Vuong, surnamed Loc Tuc, born in Nham Ngo year 2919 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 41, in Nham Tuat year 2879, the year the Hung King period began, spanning 86 years, until the year of the Pig 2794 BC, equivalent to the Three Emperors era in China.

2-The second generation, Chi Kham, Lac Long Quan, son of Mr. Loc Tuc. Mr. Lac Long Quan’s last name is Sung Lam, born in the year of the Dragon 2825 BC, married Ms. Au Co, and laid 100 eggs. Mr. Lac Long Quan ascended the throne at the age of 33, from the year Mau Ty 2793 BC, taking the name Hung Hien Vuong. He reigned for 269 years, not knowing how many generations of kings he passed down, until the year Binh Thin 2525, at the same time as the kings of The first king in China was the Yellow Emperor-Five Emperors.

According to legend, 100 eggs become 100 sons, 50 sons went to the sea following Mr. Lac Long Quan, 50 sons went to the mountains to follow Mrs. Au Co. The eldest son succeeded Lac Long Quan as the third Hung king, Hung Quoc Vuong.

3-Third generation, Chi Can, Hung Quoc Vuong, eldest son of Mr. Lac Long Quan-Mrs. Au Co, last name Hung Lan, born in Canh Ngo year 2570 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 18, from Dinh Ty year 2524 BC, until the year of the Dog 2253 BC, equivalent to the period of Emperor Shun and Emperor Yu in China. This branch passed the throne for 271 years.

4-The fourth generation, Chi Chan, Hung Hoa Vuong, last name Bao Lang-Buu Lang, year of birth unknown, ascended the throne in the year of Dinh Hoi 2254 BC, this branch passed the throne for a total of 336 years, until the year of Mau Thin 1918 BC, equivalent to the time of Emperor Quynh of the Xia Dynasty in China.

5-The fifth generation, Chi Ton, Hung Hi Vuong, last name Bao Lang, born in the year of Tan Mui 2030 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 59, from 1912 BC, this branch passed the throne for 200 years, until the year of Mau Ty 1713 BC, equivalent to the time of Ly Qui Kiet in the Xia Dynasty, China.

6-Sixth generation, Chi Ly, Hung Hon Vuong, some people call Hung Huy Vuong, last name Long Tien Lang, born in Tan Dau year 1740 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 29, from Ky Suu year 1712 BC, to the year of the Rooster, 1632 BC, this branch passed the throne for 2 generations, 81 years, equivalent to the time of Oc Dinh in the Thuong Dynasty, China.

7-The seventh generation, Chi Khon, Hung Chieu Vuong, last name Quoc Lang, born in the year of Quy Ty 1768 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 18, from the year of Canh Tuat 1631 BC, to the year of Ky Ty 1432 BC, this branch also passed down the throne for 5 generations, 200 years. This genus is from the same time as To At of the Shang Dynasty, China.

8-Eighth generation, Chi Doai, Hung Vi Vuong, last name Van Lang, born in Nham Thin year 11469 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 39, passed the throne to 5 generations of Kings, all called Hung Vi Vuong, all 100 years, from the year of Canh Ngo, 1431 BC, to the year of the Rooster, 1332 BC, equivalent to the Nam Canh period of the Shang Dynasty, China.

9-Ninth generation, Chi Giap, Hung Dinh Vuong, alias Chan Nhan Lang, born in the year of the Tiger 1375 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 45, passed down to 3 generations of Kings, all called Hung Dinh Vuong, reigned for 80 years, from the year of Canh Ngo 1251 BC, to Ky Hoi year 1162 BC, equivalent to the time of To Giap of the An Dynasty in China.

Here there is a question of time. The 8th generation of King Hung Vuong was Hung Vi Vuong, who passed the throne from 1431 BC to 1332 BC. However, the next Hung King, the 9th Hung King, Hung Dinh Vuong, was not king from 1332 BC, but was king from 1251 BC, after 81 years. That means from 1332 BC, to 1251 BC, for 81 years our country Van Lang had no king. There may have been some chronology mistakes of recording, as thousands of years have passed.

10-Tenth generation, Chi At, Hung Uy Vuong, last name Hoang Long Lang, born in the year Giap Ngo 1287 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 37, passed down to 3 generations of Kings, all named Hung Uy Vuong, passed the throne for 90 years, from the year of Canh Ngo 1251 BC, to the year of the Pig 1162 BC, equivalent to the time of To Giap of the An Dynasty, China.

11-Eleventh generation, Chi Binh, Hung Trinh Vuong, known as Hung Duc Lang, born in the year of Canh Tuat 1211 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 51, passed down to 4 generations of Kings, 107 years, from the year of Canh Ti 1161 BC, to Year of the Dog 1055 BC, equivalent to the time of King Thanh of the Western Zhou Dynasty, China.

12-12th generation, Chi Dinh, Hung Vu Vuong, or Hung Vo Vuong, last name Duc Hien Lang, born in the year of the Monkey 1105 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 52, passed the throne to 3 generations of Kings, all took the same name Hung Vu Vuong, 96 years, from the year of Dinh Hoi 1054 BC, to the year of Nham Tuat 969 BC, equivalent to the Muc Vuong of the Western Zhou Dynasty, China.

13-13th generation, Chi Mau, Hung Viet Vuong, last name Tuan Lang, born in Ky Hoi year 982 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 23, passed down to 5 generations of Kings, 105 years, all took the name Hung Viet Vuong, from the year of the Pig, 958 BC, to the year of the Goat, 854 BC, equivalent to the reign of King Le of the Western Zhou Dynasty, China.

14-14th generation, Chi Ky, Hung Anh Vuong, last name Vien Lang, born in the year Dinh Mao 894 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 42, passed down to 4 generations of Kings, 99 years, from the year Mau Than 853 BC, to the year Binh Tuat 755 BC, around the same time as King Binh of the Eastern Zhou dynasty, China.

15-15th generation, Chi Canh, Hung Trieu Vuong, or Hung Trieu Vuong, last name Canh Chieu Lang, born in the year of Quy Suu 748 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 35, passed down to 3 generations of Kings, 94 years, from the year of Dinh Hoi 754 BC, to the year Canh Than 661 BC, around the same time as King Hue of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, China.

16-16th generation, Chi Tan, Hung Tao Vuong, nickname Duc Quan Lang, born in the year of the Snake 712 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 53, passed down 3 generations of Kings, 92 years, from the year of the Rooster 660 BC, to Year of the Dragon 569 BC, equivalent to the reign of King Linh of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, China.

17-17th generation, Chi Nham, Hung Nghi Vuong, last name Bao Quan Lang, born in At Dau year 576 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 9, passed down to 4 generations of Kings, 160 years, from Quy Ty year 568 BC, to Year of the Monkey 409 BC, around the same time as King Wei Liet of the Eastern Zhou dynasty, China.

18-The last generation, the 18th generation, Chi Qui, Hung Due Vuong, nickname Hue Vuong, born in the year Canh Than 421 BC, ascended the throne at the age of 14, passing the throne to perhaps 3 generations of Kings, (because in Tay Dang village , Ba Vi district, has the tablet “Three Vi Quoc Chua”), 150 years, from the year of Quy Dau 408 BC, to the year of Quy Mao 258 BC, equivalent to the time of King Chu Noan of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, China.

In 258 BC, King Hung Due Vuong had no son, ceding the throne to Thuc Phan of the neighboring Au Viet tribe, ending the Hung King period and beginning the An Duong Vuong period.

Author Nguyen Vu Tuan Anh suggested that the sentence “18 Hung Kings” should be revised to “18 during the Hung Vuong period/ branches”, to match the information about the 18 branches of Hung Kings.

King Hung Due Vuong is the last of the 18 generations of Hung Kings.

From here, there are two different theories about the succession of King An Duong Vuong Thuc Phan.

Theory one, written in the Complete History of Dai Viet, states that King Hung Vuong the 18th had a daughter named My Nuong, married to Son Tinh.

Thuc Vuong, the leader of the Au Viet tribe, also wanted to marry My Nuong, but could not. He resented King Hung Vuong, so he told his children and grandchildren to take revenge. Thuc Phan, the grandson of Thuc Vuong, took advantage of King Hung Vuong 18’s loophole, attacked the Van Lang state of the Lac Viet people, merged Lac Viet into Au Viet, becoming the Au Lac state, ending the Hung King period.

Theory two, according to the divine genealogies and God genealogies in the Hung and Vinh Phu temple areas, and according to the book Hung Vuong Legend – Vinh Phu Mythology, the branch of the last 18th Hung Vuong, named Hung Due Vuong, inherited the throne. After sharing three generations, the last King Hung Due Vuong had no son, only a daughter, My Nuong.

King Hung Vuong 18 married Princess My Nuong to Son Tinh. Then King Hung Due Vuong wanted to pass the throne to Son Tinh. But son-in-law Son Tinh advised King Hung Due Vuong to pass the throne to Thuc Phan, the leader of the neighboring Au Viet tribe.

King Hung Due Vuong agreed and passed the throne to Thuc Phan.

Thuc Phan, appreciating the generosity of King Hung Due Vuong who passed the throne to him, built the Oath Stone Stele – The Oath Stone Pillar on Nghia Linh mountain, the mountain where the Hung Temple relic complex was built, in Hi Cuong commune, city. Viet Tri today.

Nowadays, if we visit Hung Temple, Vinh Phu, we will see on the left hand side of Thuong Temple a stone pillar called the Oath Stone Pillar – The Oath Stone Stele, which is said to have been erected by Thuc Phan when the 18th Hung King passed on the throne to Thuc Phan, and Thuc Phan swore to protect the mountains and rivers of the country that Hung Vuong handed over, and to forever look after the temples and shrines of the 18 Hung king family.

Therefore, the second theory of the Son Tinh-Thuy Tinh legend is more convincing, because it is consistent with the tradition of living in peace during the 18 generations of Hung Kings, lasting nearly 3,000 years, and is consistent with The swear stone relict remains today in the Hung Temple area, Vinh Phu.

However, even though the Oath Stone Pillar was erected in 258 BC, to swear to protect the Au Lac River, but because of nearly 3,000 years of living in peace, with almost no war, the Vietnamese people are not good at fighting. So King An Duong Vuong only existed for 50 years, and was easily annexed by Trieu Da in 208 years AD, opening the period of 1000 years of Chinese domination.

The peace-loving personality of our Vietnamese people has changed a lot after more than 1,000 years of Han domination.

Then, after Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River in 939, winning independence for our Vietnamese people, up to now, our Vietnamese people have suffered many more wars of invasion. So certainly the character of our Vietnamese people today has changed a lot compared to the Hung King period.

But no matter how things change, even though there are times when they are brutal and aggressive, the nature of loving peace, living compassionately, and being faithful is still the basic character of our Vietnamese people from the time of the Hung Kings to the present.

President Nguyen Minh Triet said in 2006, when he first took office as President, that “Vietnamese people have a compassionate nature”, which means that President Nguyen Minh Triet has understood the spirit of kindness since Hung Vuong period passing down until now to our Vietnamese people.

4-Why is the death anniversary of Hung King on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month?

For thousands of years, in Hi Cuong commune, Hung Temple area, Phu Tho today, there has been an Ancestor  ceremony for the Hung Kings on the 11th day of the third lunar month. But throughout Vietnam, there is no consensus on which day is the death anniversary of the 18th Hung Kings.

In 1917, when the French were still ruling our country, King Khai Dinh had the Ministry of Rites issue an official dispatch on July 25, the first year of Khai Dinh (1917), sent to the people in tall nation, and to Phu Tho province, on unifying the anniversary of 18 King Hung Vuongs on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month every year, 1 day earlier than the anniversary of Hi Cuong commune.

The content of this dispatch is as follows:

“Hy Cuong commune, Lam Thao prefecture has a temple and mausoleum to worship Hung King on Hung mountain. Throughout the years, the whole country comes to worship, usually in the fall, choosing an auspicious day to celebrate. The custom of that commune is to take the 11th day of the third month, combine it with worshiping local people, and hold separate ceremonies… This leads to the fact that they are often arbitrary, meetings are also wasted according to their preferences, and sincerity is lost. Therefore carefully re-determined that, from now on, on the tenth day of the third lunar month, to receive money for public work, to perform rituals, one day before the county’s festival day, causing Scholars from all regions come here to have a place to worship…”.

Since 1917, the whole country of Vietnam has unified to take the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month as the death anniversary of Hung King.

Thus, the death anniversary of Patriarch Hung Vuong, the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month, began in 1917 by order of King Khai Dinh.

But the death anniversary of Hung King, the 11th day of the third lunar month, has been around for thousands of years, from the time of Hung King until now.

The Republic of Korea takes the death anniversary of the founding father of Korea as the 3rd day of the 10th lunar month, the same number, but in the opposite order of dates as our country Vietnam. After that, the Korean National Assembly changed the lunar calendar date to the solar calendar, to facilitate implementation according to the new era.

D-Historical errors need to be corrected.

Many of us are not historians.

But not being historians doesn’t mean we don’t have the right and ability to discuss historical issues.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim (1882-1953) was also not a historian. Mr. Tran Trong Kim originally studied French translation, was a teacher, wrote books on Vietnamese Grammar, and worked as Chief Inspector of Primary Schools during the French colonial period. Then Mr. Tran Trong Kim wrote the very famous book History of Vietnam, first published in 1921.

Mr. Le Van Huu (1230-1322) during the Tran Dynasty was also not a professional historian. Mr. Le Van Huu originally passed the Tran Dynasty’s Bang Nhan exam, became a praetor, and then Minister of Infantry (like today’s Minister of Defense). Afterwards, Mr. Le Van Huu was assigned by King Tran Thanh Tong to write history, and he wrote the famous book Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu.

It can be said that the book Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu by Mr. Le Van Huu and the book A Brief History of Vietnam by Mr. Tran Trong Kim are the two most valuable sets of history books in Vietnam to date.

However, these two sets of historical books also have their shortcomings.

-Problem 1 of Le van Huu: Trieu Da is not Vietnam ancestor.

In the book Dai Viet Complete History, Mr. Le Van Huu ranked Trieu Da as the ancestor of our Vietnam, like the Hung Vuong and An Duong Vuong. On the Chapter of the Trieu Dynasty, this book calls Trieu Da the king, that is, the king of Vietnam.

The book “A Breif Vietnam History” by Mr. Tran Trong Kim does not call Trieu Da the king of Vietnam, but classifies the 1000-year period of Northern domination as starting from 111 BC, that is, the year Trieu Da was defeated by the Han Dynasty.

That means Trieu Da is also considered Vietnamese.

In fact, Trieu Da was a general of the Qin Dynasty, rebelled in the Qin Dynasty, invaded Vietnam, overthrew King An Duong Vuong, and opened the 1000-year period of Northern domination in our country.

In 111 BC, when the Han Dynasty defeated Trieu Da, it was against a rebel general, not against our country of Vietnam. At that time, Vietnam was already under Trieu Da’s domination, and Vietnam was nowhere to be attacked.

Mr. Ngo Thi Si (1726-1780), the father of Mr. Ngo Thi Nham, wrote the book Viet Su Tieu An, a commentary-criticism book on history. Mr. Ngo Thi Si criticized the views of Mr. Le Van Huu and Ngo Si Lien, because they considered Trieu Da to be among the founding fathers of Vietnam.

Mr. Ngo Thi Si wrote that

– “For our country, Trieu Da has no merit, but is also the first disaster”,

– “Our country was internally dependent on China from the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, tracing back this disaster, if not Trieu Da, then who else?”,

– “For thousands of years, no one has corrected it, so I have to explain carefully.”

Mr. Ngo Thi Si is very correct.

Trieu Da cannot be ranked among the ancestors of our Vietnamese people.

This historical misconception has lasted for more than 2,000 years and needs to be corrected.

Problem 2 of Tran Trong Kim: 18 Hung Vuong Kings means 18 generatios of Hung Vuong Kings

Mr. Tran Trong Kim also had confusion about the 18 Hung Kings. Mr. Kim said that there were 18 Hung Kings, and two more kings, Kinh Duong Vuong and Lac Long Quan, combined, during the Hung Vuong period there were 20 kings.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim probably did not specifically count 18 Hung Vuong kings. Perhaps Mr. Kim simply thought that 18 Hung Vuong kings were 18 kings named Hung Vuong, so there were 2 more kings who were not named Hung Vuong, namely Lac Long Quan, and Kinh Duong Vuong, combined were 20 kings.

Perhaps Mr. Tran Trong Kim’s calculation is like that.

Actually, there are only 16 kings named Hung Vuong, the remaining 2 kings are named Lac Long Quan, and Kinh Duong Vuong, totaling 18 kings, or the first 2 kings with no name of Hung Vuong Kings, and 16 later named as Hung Vuong Kings.

When talking about the Hung Kings, Mr. Tran Trong Kim also questioned the fact that 20 kings lasted 2,622 years, meaning each king had to live over 150 years old, which is unbelievable.

Mr. Tran Trong Kim said so, meaning he did not pay attention to the divine genealogies and God genealogies in the Hung Temple area, talking about the “Hung King branches”, as author Nguyen Vu Tuan Anh said above, each branch Hung Vuong has many Hung kings, with the same Hung king names.

Problem 3 of Ngo Sy Lien.

Mr. Ngo Si Lien, when commenting on the legend of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh, considered this a “bizarre” story. Mr. Ngo Si Lien did not understand that the legend of Son Tinh is a folk tale about the struggle against natural disasters and floods in our country, and may have originated from a real character named Nguyen Tuan in the mountains. Ba Vi. The current And Temple Relics in Son Tay, Ba Vi tell quite clearly the story of Tan Vien Son Saint Nguyen Tuan.

Some people say Tan Vien Son Saint Nguyen Tuan and Son Tinh are two different characters. I do not believe that. I think Tan Vien Son Saint Nguyen Tuan and Son Tinh are one.

If someone wants to distinguish these two characters as two different people, it makes no historical sense.

In the hearts of our Vietnamese people, Saint Tan Vien is Saint Son Tinh who defeated Thuy Tinh in the struggle against storms and floods.

–Problem 4: In addition, there are problems that do not belong to the above two history books. There is a recent opinion that An Duong Vuong is Chinese, of Ba Thuc origin in China, meaning that the ancestors of our Vietnamese people are Chinese!!!.

That opinion is based on the passage written by Mr. Le Van Huu in the book Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu as follows:

“The Shu Dynasty. An Duong Vuong.

Thuc family, last name is Phan, Ba Thuc people, reigned for 50 years, based in Phong Khe (now Co Loa citadel).

Year Giap Thin, year 1 (257 BC). The king annexed Van Lang country and changed the country’s name to Au Lac.”

Mr. Le Van Huu did not explain anything about where this Ba Thuc country was, so perhaps many people recently assumed that it was the Ba Thuc country in China, because there is a country with that name in China.

Our Lac Viet ethnic group during the Hung King period had the country’s name Van Lang.

In 258 BC, King An Duong Vuong of the Au Viet ethnic group was ceded by King Hung Vuong of the Lac Viet ethnic group, merging the two ethnic groups Au Viet and Lac Viet into Au Lac country.

50 years later, in 208 BC, during the reign of Qin Shi Huang in China, King An Duong Vuong was tricked by Trieu Da of the Qin Dynasty to have his son Trong Thuy marry King An Duong Vuong’s daughter My Chau. stole the magic crossbow, then defeated King An Duong Vuong, starting the 1000-year period of Northern domination.

Because of the word Ba Thuc mentioned above, there is a recent opinion in Vietnam that Ba Thuc is the Ba Thuc land in China, that is, the present-day Sichuan region in China, that is, King An Duong Vuong of Vietnam is from Sichuan, China!!!.

The Sichuan region is about 2,000 km from Vietnam, and in the past, travel was not as convenient as it is now.

So how did Mr. An Duong Vuong at that time go from Ba Thuc in Sichuan to our Lac Viet to become king in our country?

Moreover, from that land of Ba Thuc-Sichuan, to go to our Lac Viet, people have to go through the countries of Da Lang, Cung, Tuc, Nhiem Mang, etc.

So how did Mr. An Duong Vuong combine the country of Au Viet? to enter the Van Lang country of the Lac Viet people, to become the Au Lac country?

The Nguyen Dynasty’s book Kham Dinh Viet Su Thong Giam Cuong Muc raised this question as after:

“The country of Shu from the 5th year of the reign of King Than Tinh of the Zhou dynasty (316 BC – the same time as the 18th King Hung King) was destroyed by the country of Qin, so why would there be a king anymore? What’s more, from Thuc to Van Lang, there is also the land of Kien Vi (now in Van Nam), the land of Da Lang, Cung, Tuc, Nhiem Mang, etc., separated by two or three thousand miles. Could it be that Thuc could overcome these regions? That country came to attack Van Lang? Or maybe in the Northwest region bordering Van Lang country, is there another Thuc family that old history recognizes as Thuc Vuong?”

Yes.

If it is said that An Duong Vuong is the king of Ba Thuc-China, then Ba Thuc was destroyed by the Qin Dynasty in 316 BC, then who else is there to come to our Van Lang to annex Van Lang?

Currently, there is a theory that An Duong Vuong’s Ba Thuc land belongs to the Thuc family, the leader of the Au Viet (or Tay Au) people in the north of Van Lang country, whose center is today’s Cao Bang region.

Or maybe the elders Le Van Huu, Phan Phu Tien, Ngo Si Lien, etc., wrote Ba Thuc’s name wrongly, or wrote it without a clear explanation, because they rewrote the history of Vietnam after the time of his reign.

An Duong Vuong’s period lasted about 1500 years before the period of Mr. Le Van Huu.

Or maybe the engraver Lieu Trang engraved the wrong word, and Mr. Le Hy did not edit carefully and left it out.

We today are only more than 700 years away from the time of Mr. Le Van Huu, and Mr. Le Van Huu is about 1,500 years away from the time of An Duong Vuong. Therefore, if those people write a little wrongly, it is also a possibility.

But no matter where An Duong Vuong’s Ba Thuc country was, it must have been next to Van Lang country, so that it could merge Au Viet country, and Van Lang country of the Lac Viet people into Au Lac country. Therefore, the Ba Thuc state of An Duong Vuong could not be the Ba Thuc state in Sichuan, which was destroyed by the Qin Dynasty in 316 BC.

–Issue 5, about opinions that lower national pride. Today there are some so-called revolutionary historians who, for unknown reasons, have lowered national pride because they try to prove that the Hung King period only lasted more than 600 years, not lasting 2622 years (from the year Nham Tuat 2879 BC, to the year Quy Mao 258 BC), as written by the books of Mr. Le Van Huu, Ngo Si Lien, and Tran Trong Kim, and that means our Vietnamese people only have more than 2000 years old.

The 1980 Constitution’s preamble clearly states “Over 4,000 years of history,”

But because of the above opinions that lowered national pride, the 1992 Constitution revised the Preamble to “Over several thousand years of history,,,”.

Representing these opinions that lower national pride are the opinions in the Vietnam Encyclopedia, published by Vietnam Encyclopedia Publishing House-Hanoi in 2002.

This set of encyclopedias was directed and compiled by the National Council of Vietnam Encyclopedia, the Honorary Chairman is Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, the Chairman of the Council is Professor Ha Hoc Trac, the Vice Chairman The presidents are poet Cu Huy Can, professor Nguyen Duy Qui, professor Doan Trong Truyen – former Deputy Prime Minister, professor Phan Huy Le,,,.

The compilation of words about Vietnamese history includes Bui Dinh Thanh, Cao Van Bien, Phan Huy Le, Tran Quoc Vuong, Dinh Xuan Lam,,,,.

In all, there are 41 people, with a full range of scholars. Every professor, every doctor, most of them are famous in Vietnam.

But the content of what they wrote defining the Hung King period needs to be reviewed.

Volume 2, part from the first letter spelled E to M, page 411, Hung Vuong script, this Vietnam Encyclopedia, published in 2002, writes as follows:

“Also from the recording method of “Dai Viet Complete History” it is said that the Hung King era was 4,000 years ago from us. We have no evidence to know what basis the above-mentioned chronicles relied on to make such records.

Today, many people believe that the Hung King period, with the above concept of time, corresponds to the pre-Dong Son and Dong Son periods that archaeologists have proposed.,,,, Eastern culture Son is now considered to belong to the Iron Age and existed from the 7th century BC to the 2nd century BC. Therefore, if we consider Hung Vuong’s Van Lang country as a real state, it can begin around the 7th century BC, and that is consistent with the records of the book “Dai Viet’s history”.

Let’s see what is the book “Dai Viet’s History” that the Encyclopedia Council mentioned above cited?

This book “Dai Viet History” is also called “Vietnamese History”, a book without author’s name, anonymous, found by Chinese people in China during the reign of King Qianlong (1711-1799).

Qing Dynasty, found nearly 500 years after the book Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu by Mr. Le Van Huu.

King Qianlong was the king who sent the Qing army to invade Vietnam, and was defeated by King Quang Trung Nguyen Hue in the battle of Dong Da-Ngoc Hoi in 1789.

A certain Chinese historian of the Qing Dynasty named Tien Hy To found this history book in the Qin Dinh Four Archives of the Qing Dynasty of China.

He “edited, and had it engraved.”

How he edited, corrected, added or subtracted, no one knows.

The reliability of this book, The History of Vietnam, is still being debated.

It is said that Vietnamese historian Tran Quoc Vuong went to China, brought this book back to Vietnam, had it translated into Vietnamese, and published several decades ago.

Recently there has been an opinion that the book Dai Viet’s history was written by Mr. Su Hy Nhan.

Mr. Su Hy Nhan is from Ha Tinh province. The year of his birth and death is unknown, but it is known that he passed the imperial examination during the reign of King Tran Du Tong (1342-1370), about 50 years after Mr. Le Van Huu.

Mr. Hy Nhan held the position of Hanh Chien Chi Kinh Dien, which is the position of lecturing historical books to the king, and up to now there is only one poem left by Mr. Hy Nhan, which is the poem Slaying Snake Sword – Sword Slashing Snake, in the book “Quan Hien Phu Tap”.

It is unknown whether Mr. Su Hy Nhan wrote this book or not.

But no matter who wrote this book, this book of Dai Viet’s history was not recognized by the Vietnamese royal court as the official history of our country, nor did Ngo Si Lien and Phan Phu Tien during the Le Dynasty.

What do you do with this book?

This book series Dai Viet History can only be a series of books for reference.

Yet now the Compilation Council of the Vietnam Encyclopedia has relied on the anonymous Dai Viet History book, “found”, “edited and engraved” by the Chinese people of the Qing Dynasty, not based on the official history of Vietnam, which is the Complete History of Dai Viet by Le Van Huu, Ngo Si Lien, Phan Phu Tien,,, written, compiled, and not based on the book Vietnam History of Mr. Tran Trong Kim, to say that the Hung King period can only date from the 7th century BC, because that is consistent with the archaeological relics of Dong Son culture, and “that is consistent with the records of Dong Son culture”.

Why did the Compilation Council of the Vietnam Encyclopedia not rely on Vietnam’s official history, not on Mr. Le Van Huu, Mr. Ngo Si Lien, Mr. Phan Phu Tien, Mr. Tran Trong Kim, but instead relied on a Qing Dynasty Chinese people said that our Vietnamese history is only more than 2,000 years old?

In the book Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, Mr. Ngo Si Lien frankly recorded that Mr. Ngo Si Lien himself was scolded by King Le Thanh Tong in 1461, because Mr. Ngo Si Lien only relied on Chinese history books to “tell you what to do.”

King Le Thanh Tong scolded Ngo Sy Lien as: “In ancient times, our country was a kingdom, so you follow the religion of death (of North) and have no king in your heart.”

Yet today there are still historians who rely on Chinese books to change the chronology of the origin of our country.

What about Dong Son cultural relics?

What evidence is there to say that the Hung King period only started from the Dong Son culture period?

First, not being able to find evidence dating back to the Dong Son culture does not mean that there is no such evidence.

Maybe it just hasn’t been found yet.

Second, it is also possible that longer evidence will never be found, but that does not mean that such relics and evidence do not exist. Because several thousand years have passed, relics and evidence may be completely destroyed and cannot be found.

Consider American history, which began just over 400 years ago. Yet they also had archaeological evidence completely destroyed, unable to be found. The English who first landed in America in 1607 built a small village called Jamestown, today in the state of Virginia. But today, almost nothing remains of that Jamestown village in America. Americans have to rebuild it according to memory to make a museum, but there are almost no real traces left of Jamestown.

So Vietnamese history began nearly 5,000 years ago, it is very difficult to find archaeological evidence. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Third, we cannot find any specific evidence to prove that our Vietnamese people began in 2789 BC.

But we also have no evidence to prove that our Vietnamese people only started more than 600 years BC.

If both sources of evidence are not equally solid, then why do we have to follow the evidence of the Northern Qing Dynasty to lower the value of 4,000 years of civilization of the Vietnamese people?

Korea set their national day as October 3, 2333 BC. Evidence for this National Day is only the legend of the Gojoseon period, rewritten in the book Samguk Yusa written in 1281, more than 3,000 years after Korea was born, a collection of legends and stories. mythology of Korea.

August 15, 1948 is the day commemorating the birth of today’s Korea, independent from the Japanese army.

Koreans are very proud of their country’s more than 4,000-year history.

In Japan, the first Emperor was Jinmu, starting in 660 BC, also based only on legend, there is no archaeological evidence showing the existence of Emperor Jinmu. But the Japanese are very proud of the birth of Japan’s first Emperor Jinmu.

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Vietnam at the end of February 2017, the 125th Emperor following the reign of Emperor Jinmu according to that legend.

So why does the Vietnam Encyclopedia Council want to lose the pride of our country’s more than 4,000 years of civilization?

Just like some biologists today are arguing that the Hoan Kiem Lake Turtle is not an Mr.Old Turtle, it’s just a animal turtles that can live more than 80 years.

These so-called biologists do not understand that when our Vietnamese people call Hoan Kiem Lake Old Mr.Turtle, it is to show pride in the heroic tradition of fighting foreign invaders of our Vietnamese people, to show pride in Legend of Hoan Kiem Lake – King Le Loi returned the magic sword to Mr. Old Rua after defeating the Ming army in 1427.

When Vietnamese people call Old Mr. Hoan Kiem Lake Turtle, they do not think about the biological properties of turtles.

Those textbook biologists are just as strange as those historians, degrading the proud cultural value of the Vietnamese people.

–Why does our Vietnamese history have very few relics still preserved today, and not much written history – history rewritten in words, but mainly legendary and oral history?

It is easy to understand.

Because first, our Vietnamese people do not have their own writing.

During the Hung King period, we did not have our own writing. Or there is a recent opinion that we have our own writing, Khoa Dau, but it has been lost.

From 208 BC, King An Duong Vuong was defeated by Trieu Da of the Han Dynasty, starting the period of 1000 years of Northern domination, until 1918, when the French stopped using Chinese characters in Vietnam, more than 2000 years ago. For many years, our country’s history only used Chinese characters to write.

The word Khoa Dau, if there was one, was erased by Trieu Da after our country was invaded by Trieu Da of the Han-Chinese dynasty in 208 BC, and replaced by Chinese characters.

And today’s Vietnamese script, the National Language, as mentioned above, was invented by missionary Alexandre de Rhode and other French missionaries for the Vietnamese people, from around the years 1600-1700.

Our Nom script only started during the Tran Dynasty. Our Nom script also originates from Chinese Chinese characters, slightly modified, written in Chinese characters, read according to Vietnamese pronunciation, but up to now no one uses it, because it is too complicated.

Because secondly, our Vietnamese people were repeatedly colonized by the Han people. More than 1000 years of Northern domination, from 208 BC, to 938, when King Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River, gaining independence for our Vietnamese people, for 1146 years, was a period in which The Han people tried every way to erase the Vietnamese ethnic origin.

There was another invasion by the Ming Dynasty in 1407-1427. During those 20 years, the Ming army almost completely destroyed for the second time all traces of Vietnamese culture.

So how can we find historical relics of the Hung King period?

No one in Korea asks what evidence is there to prove that the Korean people began in 2333 BC.

And no one in Japan questions the evidence for the existence of the first Emperor Jinmu in 660 BC.

The same goes for the Chinese, they are proud of their history of more than 5,000 years, and the first kings such as Yellow Emperor, Emperor Yao, Emperor Shun, etc., were also only based on legends like the legends of the Hong Dynasty. In our country, there is no archaeological evidence.

So why does this Encyclopedia Council wonder and want to correct a proud history of more than 4,000 years, which has been deeply ingrained in the hearts of Vietnamese people for thousands of years?

But no matter who wants to do this job of lowering national pride, they cannot erase the perception that has been ingrained in the minds of Vietnamese people for more than 4,000 years, that our country has a rich history. More than 4,000 years of proud and heroic history.

This council also played with words, intending to use the word State of the Hung King period to explain the more than 2,000-year-old historical argument of this council.

I would like to ask if this Encyclopedia Council knows what the State organization was like during the time of King Hung Vuong?

How many officials are there?

Who are the civil and martial mandarins?

Does this Dictionary Committee know?

We Vietnamese people do not need to know whether the Hung Kings period was a State or not. We Vietnamese people only need to know that the Vietnamese people, Mr. and Mrs. Lac Long Quan-Au Co, and the Hung Kings have existed since then over 4,000 years ago, and the folk song deeply imprinted in the hearts of Vietnamese people is:

“No matter who goes back and forth,

Remember the ancestor anniversary of the Patriarch on the tenth day of the third month.”

And that is the pride of our Vietnamese people since ancient times.///