CONTENTS

Preface

Chronology

Chronicles and Other Historical Sources

A Note on Names and Dates

Introduction

PART ONE

Premodern Vietnam

1. The Period of Northern Empire

The Land

Chen Shou: SOUTH AND NORTH

Shen Quanqi: LIFE IN THE SOUTH

Zeng Gun: THE SPIRIT CAO LO

Economics and Trade

Chen Shou: RICHES OF THE SOUTH

Xue Zong: ECONOMICS IN THE SOUTH

Liu Xu: MARITIME TRADE IN THE SOUTH

Philosophy and Religion

Mou Bo: BELIEFS IN THE SOUTH

Chen Shou: SCHOLARSHIP IN THE SOUTH

Tan Qian: BUDDHISM IN THE SOUTH

Shen Quanqi: BUDDHISM AS IT EXISTED IN THE SOUTH

Zeng Gun: THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT

Governance

Fan Ye: MA YUAN’S ADMINISTRATION

Chen Shou: GOVERNING THE SOUTH

Zhao Cheng: AN INDIGENOUS KING

Gao Pian: A NORTHERNER GOVERNING THE SOUTH

Society and Culture

Fan Ye: HAN OFFICIALS IN THE SOUTH

Zhou Cheng: MEMORIAL ON THE SOUTH

Xue Zong: CUSTOMS OF THE SOUTH

Dao Huang: RELATIONS WITH CHAMPA

2. The Ly, Tran, and Ho Epochs

The Land

Ly Thai To: EDICT ON MOVING THE CAPITAL

Ly Thuong Kiet: THE SOUTHERN LAND

THE SPIRIT OF TO LICH

Ly Nhan Tong: POEMS ON A BUDDHIST LAND

Tran Minh Tong: ROYAL POEMS ON THE LAND

Ly Te Xuyen: THE CULT OF PHUNG HUNG

THE BUDDHIST MONK KHUONG VIET

A VIETNAMESE ANTIQUITY

Nguyen Nhu Thuyet: PROTEST ON MOVING THE CAPITAL

Economics and Trade

Le Van Huu: PRESERVING LIVESTOCK

Le Van Huu: FOREIGN TRADE

Ngo Si Lien: THE DIKING SYSTEM

Ngo Si Lien: NORTHERN COMMERCE

Philosophy and Religion

POWER AND REDEMPTION

BUDDHIST POEMS

Le Van Huu: BUDDHIST CULTS

LADY GOD OF THE EARTH

The Queen Mother and Thong Bien: THE ORIGINS OF BUDDHISM IN DAI VIET

FUNERAL INSCRIPTION OF A COURT MINISTER

BUDDHISM AND THE SAGES

LITERATI ON BUDDHISM AND THE SPIRITS

Tue Trung: THIEN BELIEFS

Ly Te Xuyen: THE TRUNG SISTERS

Truong Han Sieu: A LITERATUS’S INSCRIPTION FOR A BUDDHIST TEMPLE

THE LITERATI’S NEW WORLDVIEW

Governance

Phap Thuan: ADVISING THE KING

OMENS AND PROPHECIES

THE SPIRIT OF PHU DONG

FUNERAL INSCRIPTION OF A COURT MINISTER

Ngo Si Lien: THE OATH RITUAL

Ngo Si Lien: OFFICIALS AND VILLAGE REGISTERS

Le Van Huu: A LITERATUS’S CRITIQUE OF A PAST COURT MINISTER

Le Van Huu: UTILIZING THE PAST TO DEFINE THE PRESENT

Ly Te Xuyen: THE IDEAL OFFICIAL

HOW TO GOVERN

LITERATI POEMS, LITERATI CONCERNS

Ho Quy Ly: DAI NGU AND THE MING COURT

Society and Culture

Ly Thanh Tong: LIFE IN JAIL

FUNERAL INSCRIPTION OF DO ANH VU: LIFE OF A COURT MINISTER

FUNERAL INSCRIPTION OF THE PHUNG THANH LADY: LIFE OF A COURT LADY

Dam Di Mong: CLEANING UP THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY

Ngo Si Lien: SOCIAL CATEGORIES

Ngo Si Lien: ARISTOCRATIC LIFE

Ngo Si Lien: SCHOLARLY LIFE

Le Van Huu: THE TRUNG SISTERS

VIEWS ON NORTHERN INFLUENCE

Ethnic Relations

THE NUNG AND THE CHAM

Le Van Huu: MUSIC OF CHAMPA

EXTERNAL THREATS

Le Van Huu: CRITIQUE ON HANDLING THE NUNG

Ngo Si Lien: A TRAN PRINCE AND A MOUNTAIN CHIEF

Nguyen Trung Ngan: THE MA NHAI INSCRIPTION

Ngo Si Lien: FOREIGN CULTURES

3. The Le and Mac Epochs

The Land

Le Thai To and Nguyen Trai: GREAT PROCLAMATION ON THE DEFEAT OF THE MING

MAPPING THE LAND

Hoang Duc Luong: A LITERATI VIEW OF THE LAND

Duong Van An: A COSMIC VIEW OF THE LAND

Economics and Trade

Le Thai To and Nguyen Trai: EDICT ON CURRENCY

Le Code: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS

FOREIGN TRADE

Le Code: LAWS ON FOREIGN COMMERCE

Le Thanh Tong: GOVERNMENT AND THE ECONOMY

Le Code: DRAFT ANIMALS

Le Code: ELEPHANTS

Le Code: MARKET REGULATIONS

Philosophy and Religion

PRAYING FOR RAIN

DEBATE OVER MUSIC AND RITUAL

Phan Phu Tien: THE TEMPLE OF LITERATURE

Le Thanh Tong: CHANGING THE REIGN NAME

RULES OF BEHAVIOR

Ngo Si Lien: LITERATI BELIEFS

Vu Quynh: COLLECTING TALES

LITERATI AND BUDDHIST TEMPLE INSCRIPTIONS

Nguyen Binh Khiem: THE THREE TEACHINGS

Governance

Le Thai To and Nguyen Trai: HOW TO GOVERN

Le Code: VILLAGE REGISTERS

DEMOTION OF THE QUEEN

Phan Phu Tien: CONTINUITY IN GOVERNANCE

Le Thanh Tong: LITERATI GOVERNMENT

Le Thanh Tong: THE PROPER MINISTER

Ngo Si Lien: SOUTH AND NORTH

Ngo Si Lien: CRITIQUE OF A PAST COURT MINISTER

Le Thanh Tong: THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT

Nguyen Binh Khiem: GOOD GOVERNMENT

Duong Van An: DYNASTIC CHANGE

Society and Culture

Le Code: LAW AND SOCIAL STATUS

Le Code: CONTROLLING POWERFUL FAMILIES

THE LITERATI AND LOCAL CUSTOM

Le Code: PRIVATE PROPERTY

Le Code: IDEOLOGY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE MOURNING

PUBLIC LAND AND POWERFUL FAMILIES

CHILDREN AND THE LAW

THE KING ON BAD BEHAVIOR

Le Code: MARRIAGE

MARRIAGE AND MOURNING

RITUAL AND PATRILINEALITY

Ethnic Relations

Le Code: LAW AND ETHNIC GROUPS

Nguyen Trai and Others: REGARDING CULTURAL INFLUENCES

Le Thanh Tong: EDICT ON CHAMPA

ORDERING ETHNIC GROUPS TO CONFORM

RECEIVING FOREIGN ENVOYS

PART TWO

Early Modern Vietnam

4. The Trinh-Nguyen Period

The Land

Ngo Thi Si: ON VIETNAMESE GEOGRAPHY

Nguyen Hoang: DEATHBED STATEMENT TO HIS SON

Nguyen Khoa Chiem: RECORDED TALES OF THE FOUNDING OF THE COUNTRY

Trinh Can: EDICT TO THE PEOPLES OF QUANG NAM

Economics and Trade

Khanh Duc Emperor: EDICT PROHIBITING FOREIGNERS FROM TAKING UP RESIDENCE WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS

Le Quy Don: WEALTH OF THE NGUYEN REALM

Ngo The Lan: MEMORIAL ON THE CURRENCY CRISIS

Quang Trung Emperor: EDICT ENCOURAGING AGRICULTURE

Quang Trung Emperor: LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF MACAO

Philosophy and Religion

Le Quy Don: ON LY AND KHI

Phan Huy Ich: PREFACE TO THE SOUND OF THE TRUE GREAT AND PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT FROM THE BAMBOO GROVE

Ngo Thi Nham: THE SOUND OF EMPTINESS

“THE CHILD-GIVING GUANYIN”

Pham Dinh Ho: RITUAL FOR VENERATING HEAVEN

Political Reform

Bui Si Tiem: TEN ITEMS FOR REFORM

Nguyen Cu Trinh: MEMORIAL DESCRIBING THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THE NGUYEN REALM

Nguyen Thiep: MEMORIAL REGARDING THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN NGHE AN

Trinh Tac: EDICT REGARDING OFFICIAL POSITIONS

TEMPLE OF LITERATURE STELE FOR THE EXAMINATION OF 1623

Governance

Nguyen Phuc Khoat: EDICT DECLARING AUTONOMY

Le Duy Mat: PROCLAMATION TO RALLY TROOPS

Ngo Family Literary Group: THE UNIFICATION RECORDS OF THE IMPERIAL LE

Ngo Thi Nham: LETTER TO NGO TUONG DAO

Quang Trung Emperor: EDICT ON ASCENDING THE THRONE

TREATY OF VERSAILLES BETWEEN NGUYEN ANH AND KING LOUIS XVI

Society and Culture

Bento Thien: REGARDING FESTIVALS

Trinh Cuong: EDICT REGARDING LOCAL CUSTOMS

Hoang Quang: “LAMENT FOR THE SOUTH”

Le Huu Trac: “DISCOURSE ON MEDICAL TRAINING”

Le Quy Don: INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF VIETNAMESE LITERATURE

Le Quy Don: PREFACE TO THE LITERATURE SECTION OF GENERAL HISTORY OF DAI VIET

Nguyen Huy Luong: “RHAPSODY ON WEST LAKE”

Pham Dinh Ho: ON MARRIAGE

5. The Early Nguyen Dynasty

The Land

Gia Long Emperor: NAMING THE COUNTRY VIET NAM

Minh Mang Emperor: NAMING THE COUNTRY DAI NAM

Le Quang Dinh: VIETNAMESE GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSION

Nguyen Van Sieu: TALES OF THE COUNTRY OF CAMBODIA

Phan Huy Chu: HA NOI / SON NAM

Trinh Hoai Duc: CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY OF GIA DINH

Economics and Trade

Phan Huy Chu: STATE USE OF RESOURCES

Minh Mang Emperor: POLICY FOR TRADING WITH EUROPEANS

Governance

Phan Huy Chu: PREFACE TO CATEGORIZED RECORDS OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF SUCCESSIVE DYNASTIES

Phan Huy Chu: RECORDS OF MEN

Minh Mang Emperor: EDICT TO THE LITERATI AND COMMONERS OF THE SIX PROVINCES OF SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Nguyen Truong To: “A PLAN FOR MAKING THE PEOPLE WEALTHY AND THE COUNTRY STRONG”

Nguyen Dynasty History Board: NGUYEN COMMENT ON THE FATE OF THE LE

Society and Culture

Tran Dam Trai: TWO NOTEWORTHY WOMEN

Trinh Hoai Duc: CUSTOMS OF GIA DINH

Nguyen Du: “A DIRGE FOR ALL TEN CLASSES OF BEINGS”

Ho Xuan Huong: SELECTED POEMS

Minh Mang Emperor: TEN MORAL PRECEPTS

Truong Vinh Ky: TALES FROM A JOURNEY TO THE NORTHERN REGION

Foreign Relations and Warfare

Gia Long Emperor: COMMEMORATION OF THE DEFEAT OF THE TAY SON

Phan Huy Chu: SUMMARY RECORD OF AN OVERSEAS JOURNEY

Phan Huy Chu: A RECORD OF MILITARY SYSTEMS

DEBATING FRENCH DEMANDS

Philosophy and Religion

Gia Long Emperor: EDICT OUTLINING PROPRIETY AND RITUAL

Trinh Hoai Duc: TEMPLE OF THE GENERAL OF THE SOUTHERN SEAS

Minh Mang Emperor: COMMENTS REGARDING CHRISTIANITY

THIEN MU PAGODA

PART THREE

Modern Vietnam

6. The Colonial Era

The Land

Hoang Dieu: FAREWELL APOLOGIES TO THE EMPEROR

Ham Nghi Emperor: ROYAL EDICT ON RESISTANCE

Phan Boi Chau: “THE HISTORY OF THE LOSS OF THE COUNTRY”

Responses to the French

Phan Boi Chau: “A LETTER FROM ABROAD WRITTEN IN BLOOD”

Tonkin Free School: “A CIVILIZATION OF NEW LEARNING”

Phan Chau Trinh: “MONARCHY AND DEMOCRACY”

Nguyen An Ninh: “THE IDEAL OF ANNAMESE YOUTH”

Pham Quynh: “INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL REFORM”

Nguyen Thai Hoc: LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE FRENCH CHAMBRE DES DÉPUTÉS

Ho Chi Minh: “THE REVOLUTIONARY’S CODE OF CONDUCT”

Ho Chi Minh: REVOLUTIONARY CHARACTER AND MORALITY

Society and Culture

Pham Quynh: KIM VAN KIEU AND THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE

Hoang Dao: “MODERNIZE COMPLETELY AND WITHOUT HESITATION”

NEW POETRY

Tran Trong Kim: CONFUCIANISM

Dao Duy Anh: VIETNAM IN THE MODERN AGE

Religion

Cao Dai: THE NEW CODE AND THREE SPIRIT MESSAGES

Tri Hai: “WHY WE MUST REVIVE BUDDHISM”

Huynh Phu So: “THE WAY TO PRACTICE RELIGION AND RULES FOR EVERYDAY LIFE”

7. The Independence Era

The Land

Hoang Cam: “ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DUONG RIVER”

Ho Chi Minh: APPEAL TO THE NATION

Foreign Conflicts

Vo Nguyen Giap: “THE WAR OF LIBERATION”

Tran Van Tra: TET, THE YEAR OF THE MONKEY, 1968

Political Transitions and Politics

Ho Chi Minh: DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Ngo Dinh Diem: ON THE PROMULGATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

Nguyen Thi Dinh: NO OTHER ROAD TO TAKE

Truong Chinh: COMPLETING NATIONAL REUNIFICATION

Tran Do: LETTER TO THE COMMUNIST PARTY URGING DEMOCRATIC REFORM

Economics

Ho Chi Minh: ON THE BASIC COMPLETION OF LAND REFORM IN THE NORTH

Republic of Vietnam: LAW ON LAND TO THE TILLER

Socialist Republic of Vietnam: RESOLUTION OF THE SIXTH PARTY CONGRESS

Vo Van Kiet: THE CRISIS IN FOOD, PRICES, AND MONEY

Dinh Thu Cuc: “THE PEASANTS AND COUNTRYSIDE IN VIETNAM TODAY”

Society and Culture

Truong Chinh: MARXISM AND VIETNAMESE CULTURE

Tran Dan: “WE MUST WIN”

Democratic Republic of Vietnam: LAW ON MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN POETRY AND SONG DURING THE VIETNAM WAR

Nguyen Thi Thap: RETURNING TO MY HOME VILLAGE

Religion

Thich Nhat Hanh: THE MIRACLE OF MINDFULNESS

Nguyen Van Binh: VIETNAMESE CATHOLICS, MARXISM, AND THE PROBLEMS OF CATECHISTIC INSTRUCTION

Socialist Republic of Vietnam: DECREE ON RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES

Ethnic and International Relations

Chu Van Tan: THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMED FORCES

Republic of Vietnam: LAWS ON VIETNAMESE NATIONALITY

Phan Doan Nam: “ALIGNING THE STRENGTH OF THE NATION WITH THE POWER OF THE AGE”

Bibliography

Index