First Chinese domination (History of Vietnam)
Encyclopedia
The first Chinese domination is an early historical period
in Vietnamese history, during which the Vietnamese people repeatedly combated Chinese expansion from the north. In 111 B.C. Chinese armies reconquered Vietnam and incorporated it into the expanding Han Empire. The Viet resisted the Chinese government's efforts to introduce Chinese literature, arts and agricultural techniques. They not only guarded their national identity but also fought fiercely to preserve it. This finally ended in 39 AD when the most famous of several early Vietnamese revolts was led by the Trung Sisters
, both widows of local aristocrats. Their revolt was successful and the older sister, Trung Trac, became ruler of an independent state for three years.
, the Han Dynasty
armies defeated the successors of Triệu Đà and incorporated Nam Việt and former Au Lac into the Han empire under the new name of Giao Chi, dividing the former kingdom into nine commanderies:
All nine districts were administered from Long Biên
, near modern Hanoi
; each ruled by a Chinese mandarin
while the old system of low er rank rulers of Lac Hau, Lac Tuong were kept unchanged.
was not easy, frequent uprisings and rebellions were indicative of Vietnamese resistance to these changes.
Vietnam was a country without a written language prior to Chinese influence. Under foreign rule, the Vietnamese people gain their writing system, but lost much of their spoken language, and their national identity.
The Hans were anxious to extend their control over the fertile Red River Delta
, in part to serve as a convenient supply point for Han ships engaged in the growing maritime trade with South
and Southeast Asia
. During the first century of Chinese rule, Vietnam was governed leniently, and the Lạc lords maintained their feudal offices. In the first century A.D., however, the Han Dynasty intensified its efforts to assimilate its new territories by raising taxes and instituting marriage reforms aimed at turning Vietnam into a patriarchal society more amenable to political authority.
, led by Trưng Trắc, the wife of a Lạc lord named Thi Sách who had been put to death by Tô Định governor of Giao Chỉ, and her sister Trưng Nhị. The Trưng Sisters
incited a victorious armed revolt against Chinese authorities, took over 65 cities. The two sisters were crowned the queens of Vietnam in 40
, ending the first Chinese domination of Vietnam.
Periodization
Periodization is the attempt to categorize or divide time into named blocks. The result is a descriptive abstraction that provides a useful handle on periods of time with relatively stable characteristics...
in Vietnamese history, during which the Vietnamese people repeatedly combated Chinese expansion from the north. In 111 B.C. Chinese armies reconquered Vietnam and incorporated it into the expanding Han Empire. The Viet resisted the Chinese government's efforts to introduce Chinese literature, arts and agricultural techniques. They not only guarded their national identity but also fought fiercely to preserve it. This finally ended in 39 AD when the most famous of several early Vietnamese revolts was led by the Trung Sisters
Trung Sisters
The Trưng sisters were leaders who rebelled against Chinese rule for three years, and are regarded as national heroines of Vietnam. Their names are Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị ....
, both widows of local aristocrats. Their revolt was successful and the older sister, Trung Trac, became ruler of an independent state for three years.
Historical accounts of the Triệu Dynasty
There is a dispute as to whether the period of the Triệu Dynasty was part of the first Chinese domination of Vietnam. See Triệu Dynasty for details.Administration
In 111 BC111 BC
Year 111 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Serapio and Bestia...
, the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
armies defeated the successors of Triệu Đà and incorporated Nam Việt and former Au Lac into the Han empire under the new name of Giao Chi, dividing the former kingdom into nine commanderies:
- Nanhai (南海; Vietnamese: Nam Hải; located in LingnanLingnanLingnan is a geographic area referring to lands in the south of China's "Five Ranges" which are Tayu, Qitian, Dupang, Mengzhu, Yuecheng. The region covers the Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces of modern China and northern Vietnam...
, modern central GuangdongGuangdongGuangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
) - HepuHepu CountyHepu County is a county of Beihai City, Guangxi, China. It has 26 neighborhood committees and 245 village committees...
(合浦; Vietnamese: Hợp Phố; located in Lingnan, modern southern coastal GuangxiGuangxiGuangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
) - CangwuWuzhouWuzhou , historically known as Wuchow, is a prefecture-level city in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.-Geography and climate:Wuzhou is located in eastern Guangxi bordering Guangdong province. It is at the confluence of the Gui River and the Xun River where they form the Xi River; 85% of all...
(蒼梧; Vietnamese: Thương Ngô; located in Lingnan, modern eastern Guangxi) - YulinYulinYulin may refer to the following locations in China:* Yulin, Guangxi , prefecture-level city* Yulin, Shaanxi , prefecture-level city** Yulin Xisha Airport , serving Yulin, Shaanxi* Yulin Port , port in Sanya, Hainan...
(郁林/鬱林; Vietnamese: Uất Lâm; located in Lingnan, probably GuilinGuilinGuilin is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of far southern China, sitting on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city...
, modern northeastern Guangxi) - ZhuyaHainanHainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
(珠崖; Vietnamese: Châu Nhai; located on HainanHainanHainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
) - Dan'erHainanHainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
(儋耳; Vietnamese: Đạm Nhĩ; located on HainanHainanHainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
), - JiaozhiAnnam (Chinese Province)Annam or Jiaozhi was the southernmost province of the Chinese Empire. It is now part of present-day Vietnam...
(交趾; Vietnamese: Giao Chỉ; located in northern Vietnam and part of southern Guangxi) - Jiuzhen (九真; Vietnamese: Cửu Chân; probably located in central Vietnam)
- RinanRinanRinan or Jih-nanChinese: , p Rìnán, sometimes written Jinan; Vietnamese: Nhật Nam. was a Han Chinese commandery in Jiaozhi. It was located in the central area of modern Vietnam near the later capital Hue. It was administered by a local mandarin under direction from the provincial capital at Long...
(日南; Vietnamese: Nhật Nam; probably located in central Vietnam)
All nine districts were administered from Long Biên
Long Bien
Long Biên is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.Vietnam Airlines has its headquarters in Long Bien....
, near modern Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
; each ruled by a Chinese mandarin
Mandarin (bureaucrat)
A mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China, and also in the monarchist days of Vietnam where the system of Imperial examinations and scholar-bureaucrats was adopted under Chinese influence.-History and use of the term:...
while the old system of low er rank rulers of Lac Hau, Lac Tuong were kept unchanged.
Economy
Vietnamese paid heavy tributes and taxes to the Hans. The Chinese mandarins tried to occupy large areas of land and changed them into Chinese style farms and brought Chinese peasants to work them. The Chinese attempted to impose Chinese culture, institutions, educational system, politics, language, art, music, architecture and religion on the Vietnamese, and imported Chinese administrators to replace the local nobility. However, implementation of a foreign administrative system and the SinicizationSinicization
Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, is the linguistic assimilation or cultural assimilation of terms and concepts of the language and culture of China...
was not easy, frequent uprisings and rebellions were indicative of Vietnamese resistance to these changes.
Vietnam was a country without a written language prior to Chinese influence. Under foreign rule, the Vietnamese people gain their writing system, but lost much of their spoken language, and their national identity.
The Hans were anxious to extend their control over the fertile Red River Delta
Red River Delta
The Red River Delta is the flat plain formed by the Red River and its distributaries joining in the Thai Binh River in northern Vietnam. The delta measuring some 15,000 square km is well protected by a network of dikes. It is an agriculturally rich area and densely populated...
, in part to serve as a convenient supply point for Han ships engaged in the growing maritime trade with South
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. During the first century of Chinese rule, Vietnam was governed leniently, and the Lạc lords maintained their feudal offices. In the first century A.D., however, the Han Dynasty intensified its efforts to assimilate its new territories by raising taxes and instituting marriage reforms aimed at turning Vietnam into a patriarchal society more amenable to political authority.
Vietnamese resistance
In response to increasingly oppressive Chinese rule, a revolt broke out in Giao Chỉ, Cửu Chân, and Nhật Nam in 3939
Year 39 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Corbulo...
, led by Trưng Trắc, the wife of a Lạc lord named Thi Sách who had been put to death by Tô Định governor of Giao Chỉ, and her sister Trưng Nhị. The Trưng Sisters
Trung Sisters
The Trưng sisters were leaders who rebelled against Chinese rule for three years, and are regarded as national heroines of Vietnam. Their names are Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị ....
incited a victorious armed revolt against Chinese authorities, took over 65 cities. The two sisters were crowned the queens of Vietnam in 40
40
Year 40 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus without colleague...
, ending the first Chinese domination of Vietnam.