Tomb of Lê Văn Duyệt
Encyclopedia
Tomb of Lê Văn Duyệt also known as Tomb of the Marshal in Ba Chieu is a Vietnamese tomb located in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
, Vietnam
. The tomb was originally built for Marshal Lê Văn Duyệt
and his wife but later became some other Nguyễn Dynasty's mandarins worship house.
(1763–1831) was a Vietnamese general who helped Nguyễn Ánh put down the Tây Sơn rebellion and unify Vietnam.
Born into a family of peasants nearby Tien Giang, Duyet joined prince Nguyễn Ánh's side in fighting the Tây Sơn rebellion. Because of Duyet's military abilitiy, he quickly rose through the rank of Nguyễn army and became a marshal when the Tây Sơn-Nguyễn war ended. After the foundation of Nguyễn Dynasty, Duyet served as a high-ranking mandarin and, later, viceroy of southern part of Vietnam. His governance greatly stabilized and developed the south of Vietnam, turning it into a wealthy and peaceful region. In addition, Duyet opposed emperor Minh Mạng
's succession and defended Christian missionaries and converts
from the emperor's isolationalist and Confucian policies.
On 3 July 1832, Lê Văn Duyệt died in citadel of Saigon
at the age of 68. He was buried at Bình Hòa, Gia Định (present day Ho Chi Minh City). His tomb was called "Lăng Ông Bà Chiểu" (Tomb of the Marshal in Ba Chieu) by the local people.
Duyet's death opened the way for Minh Mạng to apply his policies in the south, as the viceroy's successor would have lacked the influence to defy the emperor. The emperor also tried to reduce Duyet's followers’ political power by abolishing the post of viceroy and putting the south under his direct rule, thus making Duyet the last viceroy. Soon after Duyet's death, Minh Mạng's new appointees arrived and took over the local administration. The new officials then launched an investigation and reported that Duyet and his aides had engaged in corruption and abusive practices.
As a result, Bach Xuan Nguyen
, who led the investigation, ordered the posthumous humiliation of Duyet. This resulted in the desecration of his tomb, the execution of sixteen relatives, and the arrests of his colleagues. Minh Mạng's attitude led Le Van Khoi
, an adopted son of Lê Văn Duyệt, to revolt against the emperor
.
After suppressing the revolt, the emperor had Duyet's tomb desecrated and had a stele with the inscription "Đây chỗ tên lại cái lộng quyền Lê Văn Duyệt chịu phép nước" (Here lies the eunuch Lê Văn Duyệt who resisted the law) placed over the ruins. The tomb remained in disrepair until the reign of next emperor, Thiệu Trị
, who rehabilitated Duyet and restored his tomb. Then, emperor Tự Đức turned the tomb into a national monument.
After the establishment of the colony of Cochinchina, Duyet was continuously venerated in spite of the French policies of dismantling the Vietnamese imperial system and its ritual customs. Duyet's yearly celebrations was attended by politicians of Cochinchina. In 1937, thank to the donations from number of colonial government officials and business elites, Duyet's tomb was renovated and extended. Under South Vietnam
's rule, Duyệt was considered as national greatest hero. After the fall of Saigon
in 1975, Duyệt was disliked by the current government because of his role in the expansion of French influence in Vietnam and his tomb got dilapidated because of the lack of state maintenance. This attitude remained unchanged until the year 2008, when the current government had Duyệt's tomb renovated and let a play portraying the life of Duyet be performed publicly.
Nevertheless, Duyệt is widely regarded by southern Vietnamese people as the local most important hero. Choi Byung Wook described Duyet's popularity as following: "No matter whether they are indigenous Vietnamese
or Chinese settlers, Buddhists
or Christians
, residents of Saigon have long paid enthusiastic tribute to one favorite southern, local hero—Lê Văn Duyệt—whose gorgeous shrine is located on Dinh Tien Hoang street in Binh Thanh District. You will not able to find any other place in Huế
or Hanoi
where the residents, regardless of ethnic or religious backgrounds, regard their own local hero with such reverence".
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The tomb was originally built for Marshal Lê Văn Duyệt
Le Van Duyet
Lê Văn Duyệt was a Vietnamese general who helped Nguyễn Ánh—the future Emperor Gia Long—put down the Tây Sơn rebellion, unify Vietnam and establish the Nguyễn Dynasty...
and his wife but later became some other Nguyễn Dynasty's mandarins worship house.
History
Lê Văn DuyệtLe Van Duyet
Lê Văn Duyệt was a Vietnamese general who helped Nguyễn Ánh—the future Emperor Gia Long—put down the Tây Sơn rebellion, unify Vietnam and establish the Nguyễn Dynasty...
(1763–1831) was a Vietnamese general who helped Nguyễn Ánh put down the Tây Sơn rebellion and unify Vietnam.
Born into a family of peasants nearby Tien Giang, Duyet joined prince Nguyễn Ánh's side in fighting the Tây Sơn rebellion. Because of Duyet's military abilitiy, he quickly rose through the rank of Nguyễn army and became a marshal when the Tây Sơn-Nguyễn war ended. After the foundation of Nguyễn Dynasty, Duyet served as a high-ranking mandarin and, later, viceroy of southern part of Vietnam. His governance greatly stabilized and developed the south of Vietnam, turning it into a wealthy and peaceful region. In addition, Duyet opposed emperor Minh Mạng
Minh Mang
Minh Mạng was the second emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 14 February 1820 until 20 January 1841. He was a younger son of Emperor Gia Long, whose eldest son, Crown Prince Canh, had died in 1801...
's succession and defended Christian missionaries and converts
Roman Catholicism in Vietnam
The Roman Catholic Church in Vietnam is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. Vietnam has the fifth largest Catholic population in Asia, after the Philippines, India, China and Indonesia....
from the emperor's isolationalist and Confucian policies.
On 3 July 1832, Lê Văn Duyệt died in citadel of Saigon
Citadel of Saigon
The Citadel of Saigon also known as the Citadel of Gia Dinh was a square Vauban stone fortress that stood in Saigon , Vietnam from its construction in 1790 until its destruction in February 1859...
at the age of 68. He was buried at Bình Hòa, Gia Định (present day Ho Chi Minh City). His tomb was called "Lăng Ông Bà Chiểu" (Tomb of the Marshal in Ba Chieu) by the local people.
Duyet's death opened the way for Minh Mạng to apply his policies in the south, as the viceroy's successor would have lacked the influence to defy the emperor. The emperor also tried to reduce Duyet's followers’ political power by abolishing the post of viceroy and putting the south under his direct rule, thus making Duyet the last viceroy. Soon after Duyet's death, Minh Mạng's new appointees arrived and took over the local administration. The new officials then launched an investigation and reported that Duyet and his aides had engaged in corruption and abusive practices.
As a result, Bach Xuan Nguyen
Bach Xuan Nguyen
Bạch Xuân Nguyên was an official of the Nguyễn Dynasty of Vietnam.After the death of Lê Văn Duyệt, the viceroy of southern Vietnam in 1832, the emperor Minh Mạng, who was involved in a power struggle with Duyệt, appointed Nguyễn to investigate the viceroy's administration.Nguyễn led the...
, who led the investigation, ordered the posthumous humiliation of Duyet. This resulted in the desecration of his tomb, the execution of sixteen relatives, and the arrests of his colleagues. Minh Mạng's attitude led Le Van Khoi
Le Van Khoi
Lê Văn Khôi was the adopted son of the Vietnamese general Lê Văn Duyệt. He led the 1833–1835 Lê Văn Khôi revolt against Emperor Minh Mạng, but died in 1834....
, an adopted son of Lê Văn Duyệt, to revolt against the emperor
Le Van Khoi revolt
The Lê Văn Khôi revolt was an important revolt in 19th century Vietnam, in which southern Vietnamese, Vietnamese Catholics, French Catholic missionaries and Chinese settlers under the leadership of Lê Văn Khôi opposed the Imperial rule of Minh Mạng.-Origin:The revolt was spurred by the...
.
After suppressing the revolt, the emperor had Duyet's tomb desecrated and had a stele with the inscription "Đây chỗ tên lại cái lộng quyền Lê Văn Duyệt chịu phép nước" (Here lies the eunuch Lê Văn Duyệt who resisted the law) placed over the ruins. The tomb remained in disrepair until the reign of next emperor, Thiệu Trị
Thieu Tri
Nguyễn Phúc Miên Tông was the third emperor of the Vietnamese Nguyễn Dynasty taking the era name of Thiệu Trị...
, who rehabilitated Duyet and restored his tomb. Then, emperor Tự Đức turned the tomb into a national monument.
After the establishment of the colony of Cochinchina, Duyet was continuously venerated in spite of the French policies of dismantling the Vietnamese imperial system and its ritual customs. Duyet's yearly celebrations was attended by politicians of Cochinchina. In 1937, thank to the donations from number of colonial government officials and business elites, Duyet's tomb was renovated and extended. Under South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
's rule, Duyệt was considered as national greatest hero. After the fall of Saigon
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975...
in 1975, Duyệt was disliked by the current government because of his role in the expansion of French influence in Vietnam and his tomb got dilapidated because of the lack of state maintenance. This attitude remained unchanged until the year 2008, when the current government had Duyệt's tomb renovated and let a play portraying the life of Duyet be performed publicly.
Nevertheless, Duyệt is widely regarded by southern Vietnamese people as the local most important hero. Choi Byung Wook described Duyet's popularity as following: "No matter whether they are indigenous Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
or Chinese settlers, Buddhists
Buddhism in Vietnam
Buddhism in Vietnam as practiced by the ethnic Vietnamese is mainly of the Mahāyāna tradition. Buddhism came to Vietnam as early as the 2nd century CE through the North from Central Asia and via Southern routes from India...
or Christians
Roman Catholicism in Vietnam
The Roman Catholic Church in Vietnam is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. Vietnam has the fifth largest Catholic population in Asia, after the Philippines, India, China and Indonesia....
, residents of Saigon have long paid enthusiastic tribute to one favorite southern, local hero—Lê Văn Duyệt—whose gorgeous shrine is located on Dinh Tien Hoang street in Binh Thanh District. You will not able to find any other place in Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
or 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...
where the residents, regardless of ethnic or religious backgrounds, regard their own local hero with such reverence".