New discoveries about the life and career of King Ly Nam De

Where is Thai Binh district?

At a recent scientific conference on the imprint of Ly Nam De and the Van Xuan state in Hoai Duc district, historical scientists agreed: Ly Bi was born in Da Nang district, now Pho Yen city, Thai Nguyen province and stayed there until he was 13 years old. After that, Ly Bi was brought up by a monk and practiced at Linh Bao pagoda in Giang Xa (Hoai Duc, Hanoi). Ly Bi's life was attached to Giang Xa land from his youth to adulthood. Khuat Lao cave (located in zone 10, Van Xuan commune, Tam Nong district, Phu Tho province today) is the place of death and final resting place of King Ly Nam De.

Of the three localities mentioned above, Hoai Duc is the place that retains the most traces related to Ly Nam De and his generals. Accordingly, “Giang Xa village has always been considered the second homeland of the King and the center of gathering talents and resources in the 6th century”.

Delegates offer incense to commemorate King Ly Nam De at the 1480th anniversary of the founding of Van Xuan State.

Also at this conference, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc - Vice President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association raised a very noteworthy issue, which is the need to clearly identify the two place names: Thai Binh and Long Bien (Tang Dynasty) where? According to Prof. Ngoc, history records are quite clear and consistent: "Ly Bi was from Thai Binh district and the Ly Bi uprising also broke out in Thai Binh district. After the establishment of the Van Xuan state, the capital was located in Long Bien". Prof. Ngoc noted that this was Thai Binh district during the Tang Dynasty, not the place names named Thai Binh later.

Citing the research of the late Professor Dao Duy Anh, who stated that Thai Binh district was the land west of Hanoi, stretching all the way to Son Tay today, Professor Ngoc emphasized that the center of Thai Binh district was the land of Giang Xa - this was also the place where the uprising led by him broke out. Long Bien citadel was identified in Ho Khau, which is the area of ​​Thuy Khue today. From that, Professor Ngoc believed that Giang Xa could be the original homeland of Ly Nam De for many generations, while Pho Yen was just the place where Ly Bi was born and raised until he was 13 years old. At the same time, along with historian Duong Trung Quoc, Professor Nguyen Quang Ngoc believed that Ly Nam De was the first person to bring the capital to the land of Thang Long later.

“The predecessor of Thang Long capital or the person who initiated and opened the Thang Long tradition started with Ly Nam De, not Ly Thai To. Ly Thai To was just the successor. Thus, the Vietnamese people opened the land of Thang Long first, then the protectorate government established Tong Binh and Dai La. Ly Nam De was the one who went first and opened the tradition of Thang Long capital” - Professor Nguyen Quang Ngoc emphasized.

Sharing the same view, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Duc Cuong - President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association also stated that the fact that Ly Nam De established the capital in the To Lich river mouth area and built Van Tho palace showed that as early as the 6th century, he had recognized the central location of the ancient Hanoi land.

Research by many other scientists also shows that in the suburbs of Hanoi, there are many relic sites related to Ly Nam De (69/80 places of worship nationwide). In particular, in Hoai Duc district alone, there are dozens of typical relic sites about Ly Bi and his generals. According to Dr. Nguyen Van Bao (Vietnam Historical Science Association) and Dr. Le Quang Chan (Institute of History), in the Luu Xa area (including the three villages of Giang Xa, Luu Xa, Lung Kinh today and some neighboring villages of Hoai Duc district), there are still many places that mark Ly Bi's resistance such as: Mui Mac mound is the guard station of the headquarters; Co mound is the place to plant the flag; Tau Thu mound is the place to receive documents; An mound is the place to keep the seal; Luong Y mound is the place to store food and medicine; Duc pagoda is the place to cast and produce weapons; Quan garden is the kitchen and dining area... In particular, all the vestiges of Ly Nam De's headquarters in Luu Xa are still respectfully worshiped to this day.

The great "legacies" that Ly Nam De left for posterity

Scientists all evaluate the great career of Ly Nam De in the history of Vietnam, especially highlighting the great historical significance of the uprising led by Ly Bi, which broke the yoke of the Liang Dynasty in 542. At the same time, his sending Pham Tu to fight the Lam Ap army in the South affirmed the national sovereignty. In 544, Ly Bi ascended the throne, established the Van Xuan country, named the Thien Duc era, arranged the court rituals of the two civil and military departments, established the Van Tho palace as the place for court meetings, and initially established a model of a primitive monarchy.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Minh Tuong (Institute of History), Ly Bi's declaration of himself as emperor, his own reign title, and his own coinage demonstrated the "maturity of national consciousness", his firm confidence in his ability to rise up on his own, and his resolute affirmation that Vietnam was an independent entity, "the Vietnamese people were the masters of the country and determined to take control of their own destiny".

Historian Duong Trung Quoc also believes that Nam De was the one who initiated the Vietnamese people's sense of autonomy when he proclaimed himself Emperor, equal to the Chinese feudal dynasty. Notably, after Ly Bi declared himself Emperor, the title of Emperor of Vietnamese monarchs existed throughout the dynasties until the Bao Dai era. From then on, Mr. Duong Trung Quoc suggested that in official documents, the heads of Vietnamese feudal dynasties should be called Emperors and this would be the "official language".

According to historian Duong Trung Quoc, when Ly Cong Uan moved the capital to Thang Long - the land that would forever be the capital - there was a reason, which was that he accepted a "legacy" that Ly Nam De left in this land - that is, choosing the capital in the To Lich river mouth area.

Beautiful dragon dance at the 1480th anniversary of Ly Nam De's coronation and the establishment of Van Xuan State.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang emphasized that the victory of the Ly Bi uprising and the establishment of the Van Xuan State changed the governing policies of the Northern feudal dynasties. After the Ly Bi uprising, there was clearly a concession from the occupying government. “The Ly Bi uprising was not an ordinary uprising, but it marked a turning point, a shift to a new situation in the struggle for independence. The fact that our country gained independence in the 6th century ended the first period of Chinese domination, laying the foundation for later movements towards complete independence,” said Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang.

From the new research and discoveries about the Ly Bi uprising and the Van Xuan State, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Duc Cuong recommended continuing research to have more accurate documents, to have programs to preserve and promote the legacy left by King Ly Nam De. As for Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, he said that the event of Ly Nam De establishing the Van Xuan State was an "extremely important event", so it is necessary to raise the celebration to the national level or at least to the City level.

Khanh Ngoc

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nhung-phat-hien-moi-ve-cuoc-doi-su-nghiep-cua-vua-ly-nam-de-post285347.html