Sources of vietnamese tradition

“An unprecedented anthology in scope and content. The selections are well chosen and succinctly
introduced. The translations are highly scholarly and remarkably readable. This anthology will be
very useful to students of Asian history and culture as well as to general readers.”
— n g o v i n h l on g, University of Maine
ge or ge e . d u t ton is associate professor of Southeast Asian languages and cultures and vice
chair of the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of California,
Los Angeles.

Sources of
Vietnamese Tradition

“An essential research tool for anyone interested in Vietnamese history. The editors have done a marvelous job of locating, interpreting, and translating key documents written in a variety of languages.”
—h u e -ta m ho ta i, Harvard University

Dutton, Werner,

S

ources of Vietnamese Tradition provides an essential guide to two thousand years of Vietnamese
history and a comprehensive overview of the society and state of Vietnam. Strategic selections
illuminate key figures, issues, and events while building a thematic portrait of the country’s
developing territory, politics, culture, and relations with neighbors. The volume showcases Vietnam’s
remarkable independence in the face of Chinese and other external pressures and respects the complexity of the Vietnamese experience both past and present.
The anthology begins with selections that cover more than a millennium of Chinese dominance
over Vietnam (111 b.c.e.–939 c.e.) and follows with texts that illuminate four centuries of independence ensured by the Ly, Tran, and Ho dynasties (1009–1407). The earlier cultivation of Buddhism
and Southeast Asian political practices by the monarchy gave way to two centuries of Confucian
influence and bureaucratic governance (1407–1600), based on Chinese models, and three centuries
of political competition between the north and the south, resolving in the latter’s favor (1600–1885).
Concluding with the colonial era and the modern age, the volume recounts the ravages of war and
the creation of a united, independent Vietnam in 1975. Each chapter features readings that reveal the
views, customs, outside influences on, and religious and philosophical beliefs of a rapidly changing

people and culture. Descriptions of land, society, economy, and governance underscore the role of
the past in the formation of contemporary Vietnam and its relationships with neighboring countries
and the West.

and Whitmore, Eds.

“A one-of-a-kind introduction to Vietnamese history, lending us an ear to Vietnamese voices that
speak beyond revolution and war. The English flows smoothly—never an easy task, especially when
working from literature and other forms of culture-bound discourse. An important contribution to
teaching Vietnamese history.”
—c h a r l e s w heel er , University of Hong Kong

Sources of
vietnamese Tradition

j ay n e s . w er n er is associate research scholar at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at
Columbia University and professor emerita of political science at Long Island University.

i n t r o d u c t i o n t o a s i a n c i v i l i z at i o n s

ISBN: 978-0-231-13863-5

c o l u m b i a u n i v e r s i t y p r e s s    New York   cup.columbia.edu  Printed in the U.S.A.
c o v e r i m a g e : Detail of a badge, with a rooster, for third-rank civil official (silk- and metallic-thread

9 780231 138635

Tai Lieu Chat Luong

embroidery), Vietnam, nineteenth century. (Dodi Fromson Collection; Maggie Smith Photography)

columbia

j o h n k . w h i tm o r e is research associate at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies,
University of Michigan, and a specialist on premodern Vietnamese and Southeast Asian history.

edited by george e. du t ton, jayne s. w er ner ,
a nd john k . w hitmor e


Sources of Vietnamese Tradition

I ntr oduc ti on to As i an C i vi l i z a t i o n s


Introduction to Asian Civilizations
Wm. Theodore de Ba ry, Ge ne r al E di t or

Sources of Japanese Tradition,
1958; paperback ed., 2 vols., 1964. 2d ed., vol. 1, 2001, compiled by
Wm. Theodore de Bary, Donald Keene, George Tanabe, and Paul Varley;
vol. 2, 2005, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary, Carol Gluck, and Arthur
E. Tiedemann; vol. 2, abridged, 2 pts., 2006, compiled by Wm. Theodore
de Bary, Carol Gluck, and Arthur E. Tiedemann
Sources of Indian Tradition,
1958; paperback ed., 2 vols., 1964. 2d ed., 2 vols., 1988
Sources of Chinese Tradition,
1960, paperback ed., 2 vols., 1964. 2d ed., vol. 1, 1999, compiled by
Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom; vol. 2, 2000, compiled
by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Richard Lufrano

Sources of Korean Tradition,
1997; 2 vols., vol. 1, 1997, compiled by Peter H. Lee and Wm. Theodore
de Bary; vol. 2, 2001, compiled by Ylngho Ch’oe, Peter H. Lee, and
Wm. Theodore de Bary
Sources of East Asian Tradition,
2008, 2 vols., edited by Wm. Theodore de Bary


Sources of Vietnamese Tradition

Edited by George E. Dutton, Jayne S. Werner,
and John K. Whitmore

Columbia University Press
New York


Columbia University Press
Publishers Since 1893
New York Chichester, West Sussex
Copyright © 2012 George E. Dutton, Jayne S. Werner, and John K. Whitmore
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sources of Vietnamese tradition / edited by George E. Dutton, Jayne S. Werner,
and John K. Whitemore.
p. cm. — (Introduction to Asian civilizations)
Texts chiefly translated from Vietnamese, with some translated from Chinese and French;
commentary in English.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-231-13862-8 (cloth : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-0-231-13863-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-231-51110-0 (e-book)
1. Vietnam—Civilization—Sources. 2. Vietnam—History—Sources. I. Dutton,
George Edson. II. Werner, Jayne Susan. III. Whitmore, John K. IV. Title.
V. Series: Introduction to Asian civilizations.
DS556.42.S69 2012
959.7—dc23
2011033923

Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper.
This book is printed on paper with recycled content.
Printed in the United States of America
c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
p 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
jacket image: Detail of a badge, with a rooster, for third-rank civil official (silk- and metallicthread embroidery), Vietnam, nineteenth century. (Dodi Fromson Collection; Maggie Smith
Photography)
References to Internet Web sites (URLs) were accurate at the time of writing. Neither the editors nor Columbia University Press is responsible for URLs that may have expired or changed
since the manuscript was prepared.


C o n t en t s

Preface xvii
Chronology xxi
Chronicles and Other Historical Sources xxxv
A Note on Names and Dates xxxix

Introduction 1

Part one

Premodern Vietnam
1. The Period of Northern Empire 9
The Land 11
Chen Shou: S ou t h a n d Nor t h 11
Shen Quanqi: L i f e i n t h e S ou t h 12
Zeng Gun: T h e S pi r i t C ao L o 13


vi

C o n t ents

Economics and Trade 15
Chen Shou: R ic h e s of t h e S ou t h 15
Xue Zong: Ec onom ic s i n t h e S ou t h 15
Liu Xu: M a r i t i m e T r a de i n t h e S ou t h 16

Philosophy and Religion 16
Mou Bo: Be l i e f s i n t h e S ou t h 16
Chen Shou: S c hol a r s h i p i n t h e S ou t h 17
Tan Qian: Bu ddh i s m i n t h e S ou t h 18
Shen Quanqi: Bu ddh i s m a s I t E x i s t e d i n t h e S ou t h 18
Zeng Gun: T h e Mou n ta i n S pi r i t 19

Governance 20
Fan Ye: M a Y ua n ’s A dm i n i s t r at ion 20
Chen Shou: G ov e r n i ng t h e S ou t h 21
Zhao Cheng: A n I n dige nou s K i ng 23
Gao Pian: A Nor t h e r n e r G ov e r n i ng t h e S ou t h 24

Society and Culture 25
Fan Ye: H a n Of f ic i a l s i n t h e S ou t h 25
Zhou Cheng: M e mor i a l on t h e S ou t h 25
Xue Zong: C u s t om s of t h e S ou t h 26
Dao Huang: R e l at ion s w i t h C h a m pa 27

2. The Ly, Tran, and Ho Epochs 28
The Land 31
Ly Thai To: Edic t on Mov i ng t h e C a pi ta l 31
Ly Thuong Kiet: T h e S ou t h e r n L a n d 33
T h e S pi r i t of T o L ic h 33
Ly Nhan Tong: P oe m s on a Bu ddh i s t L a n d 35
Tran Minh Tong: Ro y a l P oe m s on t h e L a n d 36


Conte nts
Ly Te Xuyen: T h e C u lt of Ph u ng H u ng 37
T h e Bu ddh i s t Mon k K h uong V i e t 38
A V i e t n a m e s e A n t iqu i t y 39
Nguyen Nhu Thuyet: Pro t es t on Mov i ng t h e C a pi ta l 40

Economics and Trade 41
Le Van Huu: P r e s e rv i ng L i v e s t o c k 41
Le Van Huu: F or eign T r a de 41
Ngo Si Lien: T h e Di k i ng S y s t e m 42
Ngo Si Lien: Nor t h e r n C om m e rc e 43

Philosophy and Religion 44
P ow e r a n d R e de m p t ion 44
Bu ddh i s t P oe m s 45

Le Van Huu: Bu ddh i s t C u lt s 46
L a d y G od of t h e E a r t h 47
The Queen Mother and Thong Bien: T h e Or igi n s
of Bu ddh i s m i n Da i V i e t 48
F u n e r a l I n s c r i p t ion of a C ou r t M i n i s t e r 51
Bu ddh i s m a n d t h e S age s 53
L i t e r at i on Bu ddh i s m a n d t h e S pi r i t s 53
Tue Trung: T h i e n Be l i e f s 54
Ly Te Xuyen: T h e T ru ng S i s t e r s 56
Truong Han Sieu: A L i t e r at u s ’s I n s c r i p t ion f or
a Bu ddh i s t T e m p l e 57
T h e L i t e r at i ’s N e w Wor l dv i e w 58

Governance 60
Phap Thuan: A dv i s i ng t h e K i ng 60
Om e n s a n d P roph ec i e s 61
T h e S pi r i t of Ph u D ong 61

vii


viii

C o n t e n ts
F u n e r a l I n s c r i p t ion of a C ou r t M i n i s t e r 63
Ngo Si Lien: T h e Oat h R i t ua l 65
Ngo Si Lien: Of f ic i a l s a n d V i l l age R egi s t e r s 66

Le Van Huu: A L i t e r at u s ’s C r i t iqu e of a Pa s t C ou r t M i n i s t e r 66
Le Van Huu: U t i l i z i ng t h e Pa s t t o De f i n e t h e P r e s e n t 67

Ly Te Xuyen: T h e I de a l Of f ic i a l 68
How t o G ov e r n 69
L i t e r at i P oe m s, L i t e r at i C onc e r n s 70
Ho Quy Ly: Da i Ngu a n d t h e M i ng C ou r t 72

Society and Culture 73
Ly Thanh Tong: L i f e i n J a i l 73
F u n e r a l I n s c r i p t ion of D o A n h V u: L i f e of a C ou r t M i n i s t e r 73
F u n e r a l I n s c r i p t ion of t h e Ph u ng T h a n h L a dy:
L i f e of a C ou r t L a dy 75
Dam Di Mong: C l e a n i ng U p t h e Mon a s t ic C om m u n i t y 77
Ngo Si Lien: s o c i a l c at eg or i e s 78
Ngo Si Lien: A r i s t o c r at ic L i f e 78
Ngo Si Lien: S c hol a r ly L i f e 79
Le Van Huu: T h e T ru ng S i s t e r s 80
V i e w s o n Nor t h e r n I n f lu e nc e 81

Ethnic Relations 81
T h e N u ng a n d t h e C h a m 81
Le Van Huu: M u s ic of C h a m pa 82
E x t e r n a l T h r e at s 83
Le Van Huu: C r i t iqu e on H a n dl i ng t h e N u ng 85
Ngo Si Lien: A T r a n P r i nc e a n d a Mou n ta i n C h i e f 85
Nguyen Trung Ngan: T h e M a N h a i I n s c r i p t ion 86
Ngo Si Lien: F or eign C u lt u r e s 87


Conte nts

3. The Le and Mac Epochs 89

The Land 93
Le Thai To and Nguyen Trai: Gr e at Pro c l a m at ion on t h e
De f e at of t h e M i ng 93
M a ppi ng t h e L a n d

94

Hoang Duc Luong: A L i t e r at i V i e w of t h e L a n d 94
Duong Van An: A C o s m ic V i e w of t h e L a n d 96

Economics and Trade 97
Le Thai To and Nguyen Trai: E dic t on C u r r e nc y 97
Le Code: P u bl ic a n d Pr i vat e L a n d s 98
F or eign T r a de

101

Le Code: L aw s on F or eign C om m e rc e 101
Le Thanh Tong: G ov e r n m e n t a n d t h e Ec onom y 103
Le Code: Dr a f t A n i m a l s 103
Le Code: E l e ph a n t s 104
Le Code: M a r k e t R egu l at ion s 105

Philosophy and Religion 106
P r a y i ng f or R a i n 106
De b at e ov e r M u s ic a n d R i t ua l

10 6

Phan Phu Tien: T h e T e m p l e of L i t e r at u r e 108

Le Thanh Tong: C h a ngi ng t h e R eign N a m e 109
Ru l e s of Be h av ior

1 10

Ngo Si Lien: L i t e r at i Be l i e f s 111
Vu Quynh: C ol l ec t i ng Ta l e s 112
L i t e r at i a n d Bu ddh i s t T e m p l e I n s c r i p t ion s 113
Nguyen Binh Khiem: T h e T h r e e T e ac h i ng s 114

Governance 116
Le Thai To and Nguyen Trai: How t o G ov e r n 116
Le Code: V i l l age R egi s t e r s 117

ix


x

Contents
De mo t io n of t h e Qu e e n 118
Phan Phu Tien: C on t i n u i t y i n G ov e r n a nc e 118
Le Thanh Tong: L i t e r at i G ov e r n m e n t 119
Le Thanh Tong: T h e P rop e r M i n i s t e r 121
Ngo Si Lien: S ou t h a n d Nor t h 121
Ngo Si Lien: C r i t iqu e of a Pa s t C ou r t M i n i s t e r 122
Le Thanh Tong: T h e P u r p o s e of G ov e r n m e n t 123
Nguyen Binh Khiem: G o od G ov e r n m e n t 124
Duong Van An: Dy n a s t ic C h a nge 125

Society and Culture 126
Le Code: L aw a n d S o c i a l S tat u s 126
Le Code: C on t rol l i ng P ow e r f u l Fa m i l i e s 127
T h e L i t e r at i a n d L o c a l C u s t om 128
Le Code: Pr i vat e Prop e r t y 129
Le Code: I deol o g y a n d S o c i a l S t ruc t u r e 130
Mou r n i ng 130
P u bl ic L a n d a n d P ow e r f u l Fa m i l i e s 132
C h i l dr e n a n d t h e L aw 133
T h e K i ng o n B a d Be h av ior 134
Le Code: M a r r i age 134
M a r r i age a n d Mou r n i ng 135
R i t ua l a n d Pat r i l i n e a l i t y 136

Ethnic Relations 137
Le Code: L aw a n d E t h n ic Grou p s 137
Nguyen Trai and Others: R eg a r di ng C u lt u r a l I n f lu e nc e s 138
Le Thanh Tong: E dic t on C h a m pa 139
Or de r i ng E t h n ic Grou p s t o C on f or m 143
R ec ei v i ng F or eign E n vo y s 143


Conte nts

Part two
Early Modern Vietnam
4. The Trinh-Nguyen Period 147
The Land 153
Ngo Thi Si: On V i e t n a m e s e Geo gr a ph y 153
Nguyen Hoang: De at h be d S tat e m e n t t o H i s S on 155

Nguyen Khoa Chiem: R ec or ded Ta l es of t h e F ou n di ng
of t h e C ou n t ry 156
Trinh Can: E dic t t o t h e P e op l e s of Qua ng N a m 159

Economics and Trade 162
Khanh Duc Emperor: E dic t P roh i bi t i ng F or eign e r s f rom Ta k i ng
U p R e s i de nc e W i t hou t R e s t r ic t ion s 162
Le Quy Don: W e a lt h of t h e Ngu y e n R e a l m 163
Ngo The Lan: M e mor i a l on t h e C u r r e nc y C r i s i s 165
Quang Trung Emperor: E dic t E nc ou r agi ng Agr ic u lt u r e 166
Quang Trung Emperor: L e t t e r t o t h e G ov e r nor of M ac ao 168

Philosophy and Religion 170
Le Quy Don: On ly a n d k h i 170
Phan Huy Ich: P r e fac e t o T h e S ou n d of t h e T ru e Gr e at a n d
Per f ec t En l igh t e n m en t f rom t h e Ba m bo o Grov e 174
Ngo Thi Nham: T h e S ou n d of E m p t i n e s s 176
“ T h e C h i l d - Gi v i ng Gua n y i n ” 180
Pham Dinh Ho: R i t ua l f or V e n e r at i ng H e av e n 186

Political Reform 188
Bui Si Tiem: T e n I t e m s f or R e f or m 188
Nguyen Cu Trinh: M e mor i a l De s c r i bi ng t h e E c o nom ic C r i s i s
i n t h e Ngu y e n R e a l m 191
Nguyen Thiep: M e mor i a l R eg a r di ng t h e Ec onom ic
C r i s i s i n Ngh e A n 193

xi

xii

C o n t ents
Trinh Tac: E dic t R eg a r di ng Of f ic i a l P o s i t io n s 195

T e m p l e of L i t e r at u r e S t e l e f or t h e E x a m i n at ion of 16 23 200

Governance 203
Nguyen Phuc Khoat: E dic t Dec l a r i ng Au t onom y 203
Le Duy Mat: P ro c l a m at ion t o R a l ly T ro op s 205
Ngo Family Literary Group: T h e U n i f ic at ion R ec or d s
of t h e I m per i a l L e 208
Ngo Thi Nham: L e t t e r t o Ng o T uong Dao 215
Quang Trung Emperor: E dic t on A s c e n di ng t h e T h ron e 217
T r e at y of V e r s a i l l e s Be t w e e n Ngu y e n A n h a n d
k i ng L ou i s X V I 219

Society and Culture 223
Bento Thien: R eg a r di ng F e s t i va l s 223
Trinh Cuong: E dic t R eg a r di ng L o c a l C u s t om s 226
Hoang Quang: “L a m e n t f or t h e S ou t h ” 229
Le Huu Trac: “Di s c ou r s e on M e dic a l T r a i n i ng” 232
Le Quy Don: I n t roduc t ion t o T h e C om pl e t e A n t hol o g y of
V i e t n a m es e L i t er at u r e 235
Le Quy Don: P r e fac e t o t h e L i t e r at u r e S ec t ion of
Ge n er a l H i s t ory of DA I V i e t 239
Nguyen Huy Luong: “R h a p s ody on W e s t L a k e” 242
Pham Dinh Ho: On M a r r i age 248

5. The Early Nguyen Dynasty 253

The Land 258
Gia Long Emperor: N a m i ng t h e C ou n t r y V i e t N a m 258
Minh Mang Emperor: N a m i ng t h e C ou n t r y Da i N a m 259
Le Quang Dinh: V i e t n a m e s e Geo gr a ph ic a l E x pa n s ion 261
Nguyen Van Sieu: Ta l e s of t h e C ou n t r y of C a m b odi a 262
Phan Huy Chu: H a Noi / S on N a m 265
Trinh Hoai Duc: C l i m at e a n d Geo gr a ph y of Gi a Di n h 269


Conte nts

xiii

Economics and Trade 273
Phan Huy Chu: S tat e U s e of R e s ou rc e s 273
Minh Mang Emperor: P ol ic y f or T r a di ng w i t h E u rop e a n s 275

Governance 277
Phan Huy Chu: P r e fac e t o C at eg or i z ed R ec or d s of t h e
I ns t i t u t ions of S uc c es si v e Dy n a s t i es 277
Phan Huy Chu: R ec or d s of M e n 279
Minh Mang Emperor: E dic t t o t h e L i t e r at i a n d C om mo n e r s of t h e
S i x P rov i nc e s of S ou t h e r n V i e t n a m 280
Nguyen Truong To: “A P l a n f or M a k i ng t h e P e op l e W e a lt h y
a n d t h e C ou n t r y S t rong” 284
Nguyen Dynasty History Board: Ngu y e n C om m e n t on t h e
Fat e of t h e L e 289

Society and Culture 292
Tran Dam Trai: T wo No t e wor t h y Wom e n 292

Trinh Hoai Duc: C u s t om s of Gi a Di n h 294
Nguyen Du: “A Di rge f or A l l T e n C l a s s e s of Bei ng s ” 299
Ho Xuan Huong: S e l ec t e d P oe m s 305
Minh Mang Emperor: T e n Mor a l Pr ec e p t s 306
Truong Vinh Ky: Ta l es f rom a Jou r n e y t o t h e Nort h er n R egion 308

Foreign Relations and Warfare 311
Gia Long Emperor: C om m e mor at ion of t h e De f e at of t h e Ta y S on 311
Phan Huy Chu: S u m m a ry R ec or d of a n Ov er s e a s Jou r n e y 313
Phan Huy Chu: A R ec or d of M i l i ta r y S y s t e m s 315
De b at i ng F r e nc h De m a n d s 317

Philosophy and Religion 320
Gia Long Emperor: E dic t Ou t l i n i ng Propr i e t y a n d R i t ua l 320
Trinh Hoai Duc: T e m p l e of t h e Ge n e r a l of t h e S ou t h e r n S e a s 324
Minh Mang Emperor: C om m e n t s R eg a r di ng C h r i s t i a n i t y 325
T h i e n M u Pag oda 329


xiv

Contents

Part three
Modern Vietnam
6. The Colonial Era 335
The Land 337
Hoang Dieu: Fa r e w e l l A p ol o gi e s t o t h e E m p e ror 337
Ham Nghi Emperor: Ro y a l E dic t on R e s i s ta nc e 339
Phan Boi Chau: “ T h e H i s t or y of t h e L o s s of t h e C ou n t r y ” 342

Responses to the French 353
Phan Boi Chau: “A L e t t e r f rom A broa d W r i t t e n i n Bl o od” 353
Tonkin Free School: “A C i v i l i z at ion of N e w L e a r n i ng” 369
Phan Chau Trinh: “Mon a rc h y a n d De mo c r ac y ” 375
Nguyen An Ninh: “ T h e I de a l of A n n a m e s e Y ou t h ” 382
Pham Quynh: “I n t e l l ec t ua l a n d Mor a l R e f or m ” 389
Nguyen Thai Hoc: L e t t e r A ddr e s s e d t o t h e F r e nc h
C h a m br e de s Dé p u t é s 393
Ho Chi Minh: “ T h e R e volu t ion a r y ’s C ode of C on duc t ” 396
Ho Chi Minh: R e volu t ion a r y C h a r ac t e r a n d Mor a l i t y 397

Society and Culture 402
Pham Quynh: K i m Va n K i eu a n d t h e N at ion a l L a nguage 402
Hoang Dao: “Mode r n i z e C om p l e t e ly a n d W i t hou t H e s i tat ion ” 406
N e w P oe t r y 409
Tran Trong Kim: C on f uci a n i s m 414
Dao Duy Anh: V i e t n a m i n t h e Mode r n Age 424

Religion 429
Cao Dai: T h e N e w C ode a n d T h r e e S pi r i t M e s s age s 429
Tri Hai: “ W h y W e M u s t R e v i v e Bu ddh i s m ” 434
Huynh Phu So: “ T h e Wa y t o Pr ac t ic e R e l igion a n d Ru l e s
f or E v e r y da y L i f e” 438


Conte nts

xv

7. The Independence Era 447
The Land 450
Hoang Cam: “On t h e O t h e r Si de of t h e Duong R i v e r” 450
Ho Chi Minh: A p p e a l t o t h e N at ion 454

Foreign Conflicts 457
Vo Nguyen Giap: “ T h e Wa r of L i be r at ion ” 457
Tran Van Tra: T e t, t h e Y e a r of t h e Mon k e y, 19 6 8 463

Political Transitions and Politics 473
Ho Chi Minh: Dec l a r at ion of I n de p e n de nc e 473
Ngo Dinh Diem: On t h e Prom u l g at ion of t h e C on s t i t u t ion 476
Nguyen Thi Dinh: No O t h er Roa d t o Ta k e 478
Truong Chinh: C om p l e t i ng N at ion a l R e u n i f ic at ion 486
Tran Do: L e t t e r t o t h e C om m u n i s t Pa r t y U rgi ng
De mo c r at ic R e f or m 490

Economics 496
Ho Chi Minh: O n t h e B a s ic C om p l e t io n of L a n d R e f or m
i n t h e Nor t h 496
Republic of Vietnam: L aw on L a n d t o t h e T i l l e r 499
Socialist Republic of Vietnam: R e s olu t ion of t h e S i x t h
Pa r t y C ongr e s s 504
Vo Van Kiet: T h e C r i s i s i n F o od, P r ic e s, a n d Mon e y 509
Dinh Thu Cuc: “ T h e P e a s a n t s a n d C ou n t r y s i de i n
V i e t n a m T oda y ” 517

Society and Culture 522
Truong Chinh: M a r x i s m a n d V i e t n a m e s e C u lt u r e 522
Tran Dan: “ W e M u s t W i n ” 530

Democratic Republic of Vietnam: L aw on M a r r i age a n d t h e Fa m i ly 536
Nor t h e r n a n d S ou t h e r n P oe t r y a n d S ong Du r i ng
t h e V i e t n a m Wa r 542


xvi

Contents
Nguyen Thi Thap: R e t u r n i ng t o M y Hom e V i l l age 547

Religion 554
Thich Nhat Hanh: T h e M i r ac l e of M i n df u l n es s 554
Nguyen Van Binh: V i e t n a m e s e C at hol ic s, M a r x i s m , a n d t h e
P robl e m s of C at ec h i s t ic I n s t ruc t ion 561
Socialist Republic of Vietnam: dec r e e on R e l igiou s Ac t i v i t i e s 565

Ethnic and International Relations 570
Chu Van Tan: T h e F ou n di ng of t h e Peop l e’s L i be r at ion
A r m e d F orc e s 570
Republic of Vietnam: L aw s on V i e t n a m e s e N at ion a l i t y 576
Phan Doan Nam: “A l ign i ng t h e S t r e ng t h of t h e N at ion w i t h t h e
P ow e r of t h e Age” 579

Bibliography 587
Index 601


Pr efac e

With considerable trepidation we have undertaken a project that presumes to

give substance to the conceptual sources of “Vietnamese tradition.” We are
acutely aware that in these postmodern (or perhaps post-postmodern) times, to
speak of “tradition” is to embark on a discussion sure to provoke criticism from
all sides. We are equally aware that what a previous generation largely accepted
as “tradition” can no longer be taken up without intense examination. “Tradition,” we acknowledge, is a concept invented, sometimes out of whole cloth, by
scholars, politicians, religious leaders, and others to serve a wide range of agendas. Tradition is not “the way things have always been,” for there is nothing so
constant as change, and it is ahistorical in the extreme to suggest otherwise.
Under these circumstances, it is perhaps better not to speak of a single, much
less fi xed, “tradition” but to think of multiple ideational threads, sometimes
marked by continuity and sometimes by rupture.
The works that we classify as part of the Vietnamese “tradition” are not
meant to be exhaustive, nor are they intended to be canonical (though, of
course, we recognize that their inclusion in this volume runs the risk of their
becoming so). Rather, and much more modestly, the excerpts in this anthology
reveal some of the ways in which peoples living in the Vietnamese lands
thought and wrote about their society over nearly two millennia. Any effort
to understand the Vietnamese people must begin by thinking in a series of sometimes imperfect dichotomies that define elements of their cultural heritage.


xviii

Pr e fa c e

These binaries include mountains and seas, China and Southeast Asia, war and
peace, rice farming and trade, Buddhism and Confucianism, lowlands and uplands, men and women, scholars and soldiers. Among and between these dichotomous pairs, some geographical and others conceptual and even spiritual,
we find the Vietnamese people. Although their heritage is confusing, it also is
rewardingly heterogeneous, one whose essence cannot be distilled into a single
volume or two. Because the “sources” of their “tradition” are many, they do not
flow in a single stream but combine multiple streams to create admixtures viewed
as “authentic” or “traditional.” Both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese scholars

have long sought to reconcile these many sources, complex and sometimes antagonistic histories, into coherent narratives. Such efforts have sometimes served
the purposes of the state, justifying their political actions, and sometimes they
have enabled rulers to sway popular sentiment. These efforts themselves have
shaped the understandings and meanings of the past, as court histories have
been borrowed piecemeal by local historians and literati to produce particularistic visions of the past and its heritage. As one scholar noted, it is perhaps better
to “make the past strange” so as to prevent its being used as a weapon by one
side or another. Our sincere hope is that this volume will not be seen as a
weapon or justification for exclusive interpretations of the origins of the Vietnamese people. Rather, our intent is to contribute to a better understanding of
a cultural heritage that is still appreciated only dimly by most outside that
country.
This is why, despite the numerous challenges, this book seems all the more
necessary and, indeed, long overdue. The lack of such a volume was particularly glaring given the rapid development of the field of Vietnamese studies
over the past decade in both Vietnam and the West. In addition, despite a decade-long lull following the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese studies has
recently enjoyed a resurgence in the United States, with scholarly exchanges
and research between the United States and Vietnam similarly expanding and
flourishing. New research has generated new understandings of crucial periods,
turning points, and conceptual frameworks in Vietnamese history. In the course
of this rapidly evolving scholarship, new texts have emerged to enrich or revise
our insights into, and understanding of, the Vietnamese past. In addition to the
many known historical texts, new texts are being added to the canon. This book
reflects these advances.
Many people contributed to the gestation, support, and preparation of this
book. Wendy Lochner, senior executive editor at Columbia University Press, first
proposed to Jayne Werner the idea of including Vietnam in the Introduction to
Asian Civilizations series. Jayne Werner then asked John Whitmore and George
Dutton to join her as coeditors. All three of us have been hampered by the lack
of teaching materials in the form of readily accessible translations and textbooks


P re fa ce

xix

for classroom use, and when we launched the project, we realized we faced a
time-consuming task. We asked the Henry Luce Foundation for support for the
project, having been encouraged to do so by officers of the foundation and also
by David J. Steinberg, president of Long Island University and a noted scholar
of Southeast Asia. We are very grateful to Dr. Terrill E. Lautz, vice president
and secretary of the Henry Luce Foundation, for his intervention and personal
interest in this project. Because he had served in Vietnam in the U.S. Army’s
Medical Service Corps from 1969 to 1970, he consequently had more than a
passing interest in and appreciation for our project.
In assembling these texts, we relied on the talents and insights of many
scholars in Vietnamese studies who generously contributed to shaping its final
form. We are especially grateful to those who suggested texts and helped us
narrow the list of readings, including Nguyen Ngoc, Alexander Woodside,
Nguyen-vo Thu-huong, and Liam Kelley. In addition, we received commentary from members of the Vietnam Studies Group and two anonymous readers
for Columbia University Press.
The organization of this book departs somewhat from that of the other
Sources volumes. We divided Vietnamese history into three parts—“Premodern
Vietnam,” “Early Modern Vietnam,” and “Modern Vietnam”—and we identified common themes for each period, around which the texts in each section
are grouped. Although these themes vary somewhat from section to section,
they generally follow the same pattern for each one. As a whole, the themes
demonstrate the continuities in the texts from century to century and from section to section. Besides the more obvious categories of politics, economics, culture, and society, we added the category “The Land” at the beginning of each
major section, as we believe it is a particularly strong historic theme in Vietnamese texts.
This book reflects the skills of numerous scholars in Vietnamese studies. We
or other specialists translated many of the texts appearing in this volume for
the first time. Other translations are from previously published sources, which
we usually edited or updated. Several people helped us with the translations of
texts from the seventeenth through nineteen centuries, most notably Liam

Kelley, who also generously provided extensive, detailed feedback on a number
of texts. Others who offered their expertise in reading classical Chinese include
Joshua Herr, Hangmo Zhang, Yingzi Xu, Nathaniel Isaacson, and, especially,
Matthew Cochran, who helped clarify a number of obscure passages. If an
official translation by a governmental body, such as the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam or the Republic of Vietnam, was available, we relied on that, checking
it against the original Vietnamese if necessary. In some cases, several people
worked on the texts, particularly those from the twentieth century. Both Pascal
Bourdeaux and Jeremy Jammes helped with the modern texts in their areas of
expertise. For twentieth-century poetry, Ton That Quynh Du and Kim N. B.


xx

P r e fac e

Ninh offered exceptionally helpful advice regarding the final selections, which
they translated. We also thank Nha Ca, who currently lives in California, for
permission to include the translation of her poem.
In addition, we thank the South Asia and Weatherhead East Asian Institutes
at Columbia University, which provided facilities for preparation of the manuscript, as well as Cindy Middleton and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies
at the University of Michigan for help with facilities for our editorial meetings
in the middle of the country. Graduate students Lauren Meeker and Mai Lan
Ha provided research assistance, and Joshua Herr created the chronology. C. Jon
Delogu and Christoph Robert provided additional editorial help with a number
of French and Vietnamese texts. Anandaroop Roy gave us excellent maps.


C hr o n o l o g y

Prehistoric and Legendary Period
200,000–
Homo erectus and Homo sapiens exist in Indochina.
100,000 b.c.e.
18,000 b.c.e.
Son Vi culture is thought to begin in northern Vietnam.
10,000 b.c.e.
Hoa Binh culture is thought to begin in northern Vietnam.
8000 b.c.e.
Bac Son culture is thought to begin.
3000 b.c.e.
Phung Nguyen culture is thought to begin.
1000 b.c.e.
Legendary kingdom of Van Lang or Lac Viet (Hung kings)
is thought to begin.
Traces of Bronze Age metallurgy are found.
500 b.c.e.
Dong Son culture begins: iron metallurgy, double cropping, chiefs.
Proto-Cham culture in present-day central Vietnam begins.
400 b.c.e.
Iron-smelting and forging techniques appear in upper Red
River valley.
Early History to End of Northern Period
257 b.c.e.
King An Duong of Tay Au tribes conquers Lac Viet and establishes Au Lac kingdom.
221 b.c.e.
Qin Shi Huang Di invades Yue lands.


xxii

C hr o n o l o g y

207 b.c.e.
111 b.c.e.
9 c.e.
40
42
43
150
180–226
192
220
248
280
284
Mid-fourth
century
Fourth–sixth
centuries
446
494
529
541–546
570
580

590

602

605
622

Trieu Da (Zhao Tuo), king of Nan Yue, conquers Au Lac.
Han dynasty establishes suzerainty over Red River Delta.
Wang Mang usurps the throne in China, triggering migrations to Red River Delta and coastal plain.
The Trung sisters overthrow Han administration.
Ma Yuan defeats the Trung sisters.
Ma Yuan institutes direct Han rule in Red River Delta.
“Funan” kingdom rises in Mekong River Delta.
Shi Xie rules northern Vietnam as the Han prefect and
then in alliance with the Wu.
Lin Yi kingdom, precursor of Champa, is founded in presentday central Vietnam.
Han dynasty ends, and China is divided into three kingdoms, including the southern Wu kingdom.
Lin Yi invades Wu territories, and Lady Trieu leads rebellion against Wu.
Dao Huang consolidates power in Red River Delta and rebuilds Long Bien.
Lin Yi sends embassy to Jin court.
Brahman religion and Sanskrit writing system spread in
Funan.
Traders, scholars, and monks come from India, spreading
Buddhism throughout Vietnamese lands.
Tan Hozhi, governor of Jiao, sacks Lin Yi capital.
Ly family strengthens its position in Jiao Province.
New dynasty with strong Brahman influences is established
in Lin Yi.
Ly Bi leads revolt and rules independently until defeated by
China’s Liang dynasty.
Ly Phat Tu consolidates his position in Jiao Province and,
under nominal Liang authority, promotes Buddhism.
Vinitaruci, a Brahman from southern India, is said to arrive

in Jiao Province to teach Buddhism and establish a line
of religious succession, beginning with his disciple Phap
(dharma master) Hien.
Funan kingdom disintegrates; the middle and lower Mekong, now called Zhenla in Chinese texts, are ruled by
Khmer monarchs.
Ly Phat Tu rebels against the new Sui dynasty in China but
is defeated and captured.
Sui army sacks Lin Yi’s capital.
New Tang dynasty divides Vietnamese lands into provinces
under one administrator based near the modern-day Hanoi.


Ch ronology

653

679
687
700
722

742
750
767
782
802
808
820

863

867

875
906
930
938

xxiii

Vikrantavarman ascends Lin Yi throne and begins construction of major religious monuments at My Son and Tra
Kieu in present-day Quang Nam.
Tang dynasty proclaims Protectorate of An Nan.
Dinh Kien leads a peasant rebellion.
Incomplete census of An Nan protectorate lists 148,431
“heads” in four provinces.
Mai Thuc Loan raises army in coastal Vietnam, seizes
control of An Nan, and names himself the Black Emperor
in present-day central Vietnam; the An Nan protectorgeneral returns with reinforcements and destroys Mai
Thuc Loan.
Census reveals substantial population growth.
Lin Yi shifts its center of gravity southward to modern-day
Nha Trang.
Seaborne invaders from the south overrun the An Nan protectorate and destroy Cham sanctuary of Po Nagar.
Phung Hung seizes the capital of the protectorate and rules
it independently of the Tang until his death in 789.
Jayavarman II establishes kingdom of Angkor.
The venerable Dinh Khong, a popular Buddhist figure in
the Red River Delta, dies.
The Chinese monk Vo Ngon Thong is said to come to An
Nan and found a new Buddhist school, which lasts until the

thirteenth century.
Armies from the Nan Zhao kingdom attack and plunder An
Nan.
The Chinese general Gao Pian defeats Nan Zhao forces
and local allies in An Nan; the new capital of Dai La (Hanoi) is constructed and ushers in a period of peace.
Indravaman II, king of Champa, orders the construction of
Buddhist monastery at Dong Duong.
The Tang dynasty disintegrates, and a local family, the
Khuc, takes authority in the Red River Delta.
Southern Han army seizes Dai La.
Ngo Quyen defeats the Southern Han army and fleet on
the Bach Dang River.

Independent Kingdoms: Early Regimes
939
Ngo Quyen names himself king, an act marking the traditional beginning of independence from the North.
950
Khmer armies invade Champa and steal a famous statue of
Bhagavati.


xxiv

C hr o no l o g y

959
968
979
981
982

Tenth century
Tenth–twelfth
centuries

Ngo Chan Luu is born; he becomes a famous Buddhist
monk and dies in 1011.
Dinh Bo Linh defeats the twelve lords, establishes new
capital at Hoa Lu, and proclaims himself king.
After Dinh Bo Linh is assassinated by a minor court official, Le Hoan takes the throne.
Le Hoan repels an invasion by the Song dynasty from the
North.
Le Hoan invades Champa and destroys the capital of
Indrapura.
Cheo theatrical form grows in popularity.
Buddhism spreads across Dai Viet, with numerous pagodas,
texts, and monks.

Ly Dynasty (1009–1225)
1009
Ly Cong Uan assumes throne, establishing Ly dynasty.
1010
The capital is moved to Thang Long (Hanoi).
1044
King Ly Thai Tong takes personal command of counterattack against Champa and seizes the Cham capital.
1054
Ly dynasty names its kingdom Dai Viet.
1069
Dai Viet demands three provinces of Champa (north-central
Vietnam) in return for release of captured Cham king.
1070

Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) is constructed in Thang
Long.
1075
Chinese-style examinations are first used to select scholars.
1076
Ly dynasty defeats invasion by China’s Song dynasty.
1096
Ly Nhan Tong establishes Thien school of Buddhism in
royal court.
1120s–1210s
Wars are fought among Dai Viet, Champa, and Angkor.
1159
Court minister Do Anh Vu dies.
1160
Champa recaptures Amaravati (Quang Nam); new religious monuments are built at My Son.
1177
Cham fleet takes Angkor by surprise, killing the monarch
and pillaging the city.
1190
Jayavarman VII of Cambodia defeats Cham forces and
gains complete control of Champa by 1203.
1200s
Dai Viet first uses kilns to produce monochrome and polychrome ceramic wares for export.
1220
Cambodian forces evacuate Champa, and Cham prince
takes the throne in new capital of Vijaya, near modern-day
Qui Nhon.
Thirteenth
Tuong theatrical form grows in popularity.
century