Lê Văn Hưu
Encyclopedia
Lê Văn Hưu was an historian of the Trần Dynasty. He is best known for his work the Đại Việt sử ký
, the first comprehensive historical record of the history of Vietnam
. Although the book was lost during the Fourth Chinese domination
in Vietnam, its contents, including Lê Văn Hưu's comments on various events in the history of Vietnam, were used by other Vietnamese historians as a base for their works, notably the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư by Ngô Sĩ Liên
.
organized under the reign of Trần Thái Tông
and thus received the title bảng nhãn (榜眼, eyes positioned alongside). After the examination, he was appointed an official of the royal court of the Trần Dynasty and was gradually promoted to Hàn Lâm viện học sĩ (是翰林学士, Member of the Hanlin Academy
) and Quốc sử viện giám tu (Supervisor of the royal bureau for historical records) during the reign of Trần Thánh Tông
. Lê Văn Hưu was also the teacher of the Prince Chiêu Minh Trần Quang Khải
, the younger brother of Trần Thánh Tông.
Lê Văn Hưu began to compile the official historical text of the Trần Dynasty named Đại Việt sử ký
(大越史記, Annals of Đại Việt) during the reign of Trần Thái Tông. In this 30-volume (quyển) text, Lê Văn Hưu comprehensively recounted the history of Vietnam from Triệu Đà, the first king of the Triệu Dynasty, to Lý Chiêu Hoàng
which was the empress regnant and the last ruler of the Lý Dynasty
. After the Đại Việt sử ký was finished, Lê Văn Hưu offered the book to the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông in January 1272 and was praised by Thánh Tông for its quality. Lê Tắc in his An Nam chí lược
suggested that the Đại Việt sử ký was compiled by Lê Văn Hưu in revising the book Việt chí (越志, Records of Việt) which was written by Trần Phổ under the order of Trần Thái Tông.
According to Từ điển bách khoa toàn thư Việt Nam
, Lê Văn Hưu died in 1322 at the age of 92.
. During the Fourth Chinese domination
, many valuable books of Đại Việt were taken aways by the Ming Dynasty
including the Đại Việt sử ký, hence the book was subsequently lost and they could not find out anymore the original version of the Đại Việt sử ký. However, the contents of the Đại Việt sử ký and Lê Văn Hưu's comments on various historical events was collected by Phan Phu Tiên and later Ngô Sĩ Liên
in their works, notably the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư by Ngô Sĩ Liên.
From his remarks recorded in the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, Lê Văn Hưu proved to focus his work on Đại Việt's independence from and equality with its northern neighbour China
. For example, Lê Văn Hưu praised Ngô Quyền
for defeating the Southern Han
's navy in the Battle of Bạch Đằng (938) and restoring the independence of Vietnam but he criticized Ngô Quyền's decision of keeping the title King (Vương) instead of self-proclaiming Emperor (Hoàng đế). Lê Văn Hưu was also the first Vietnamese historian who appreciated the revolt of the Trưng Sisters
against the Han Dynasty
which he evaluated a symbol of the fight for independence in Vietnam. Therefore Lê Văn Hưu was considered an essential scholar in affirming an autonomous identity for Vietnam.
Đại Việt sử ký
The Đại Việt sử ký is the official historical text of the Trần Dynasty, that was compiled by the royal historian Lê Văn Hưu and was finished in 1272...
, the first comprehensive historical record of the history of Vietnam
History of Vietnam
The history of Vietnam covers a period of more than 2,700 years. By far Vietnam's most important historical international relationship has been with China. Vietnam's prehistory includes a legend about a kingdom known as Van Lang that included what is now China's Guangxi Autonomous Region and...
. Although the book was lost during the Fourth Chinese domination
Fourth Chinese domination (History of Vietnam)
The fourth Chinese domination was a period of the history of Vietnam, from 1407 to 1427 during which the country was ruled by Ming Dynasty administrators.-Sinicizing the country:...
in Vietnam, its contents, including Lê Văn Hưu's comments on various events in the history of Vietnam, were used by other Vietnamese historians as a base for their works, notably the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư by Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên was an historian of the Lê Dynasty. He is best known for being the principal compiler of the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, a comprehensive chronicle of the history of Vietnam and the oldest official historical record of a Vietnamese dynasty that remains today...
.
History
Lê Văn Hưu was born in 1230 in Phủ Lý village, now Đông Sơn District, Thanh Hóa. In February 1247 he ranked second in the Imperial examinationImperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
organized under the reign of Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông
Trần Thái Tông, born name: Trần Cảnh , July 17, 1218-May 4, 1277) was the first emperor of the Trần Dynasty, seated on the throne for 33 years , being Grand Emperor for 19 years.-Biography:...
and thus received the title bảng nhãn (榜眼, eyes positioned alongside). After the examination, he was appointed an official of the royal court of the Trần Dynasty and was gradually promoted to Hàn Lâm viện học sĩ (是翰林学士, Member of the Hanlin Academy
Hanlin Academy
The Hanlin Academy was an academic and administrative institution founded in the eighth century Tang dynasty China by Emperor Xuanzong.Membership in the academy was confined to an elite group of scholars, who performed secretarial and literary tasks for the court. One of its main duties was to...
) and Quốc sử viện giám tu (Supervisor of the royal bureau for historical records) during the reign of Trần Thánh Tông
Tran Thanh Tong
Trần Thánh Tông , given name Trần Hoảng , was the second emperor of the Trần Dynasty, reigning over Đại Việt from 1258 to 1278. After ceding the throne to his son Trần Nhân Tông, Thánh Tông held the title Thái thượng hoàng from 1279 to his death in 1290...
. Lê Văn Hưu was also the teacher of the Prince Chiêu Minh Trần Quang Khải
Trần Quang Khải
Prince Chiêu Minh Trần Quang Khải was the third son of Trần Thái Tông, first emperor of the Trần Dynasty. Being younger brother of the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông and holding the position of grand chancellor of the Trần Dynasty for many years, Trần Quang Khải was one of the most important figures of...
, the younger brother of Trần Thánh Tông.
Lê Văn Hưu began to compile the official historical text of the Trần Dynasty named Đại Việt sử ký
Đại Việt sử ký
The Đại Việt sử ký is the official historical text of the Trần Dynasty, that was compiled by the royal historian Lê Văn Hưu and was finished in 1272...
(大越史記, Annals of Đại Việt) during the reign of Trần Thái Tông. In this 30-volume (quyển) text, Lê Văn Hưu comprehensively recounted the history of Vietnam from Triệu Đà, the first king of the Triệu Dynasty, to Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng
Lý Chiêu Hoàng was the eighth and last sovereign of the Lý Dynasty from 1224 to 1225 and the only empress regnant in the history of Vietnam. Chosen by the Emperor Lý Huệ Tông as his successor at the age of only six, Lý Chiêu Hoàng ruled the country under the total influence of Trần Thủ Độ and the...
which was the empress regnant and the last ruler of the Lý Dynasty
Lý Dynasty
The Lý Dynasty , sometimes known as the Later Lý Dynasty , was a Vietnamese dynasty that began in 1009 when Lý Thái Tổ overthrew the Prior Lê Dynasty and ended in 1225 when the queen Lý Chiêu Hoàng was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her husband, Trần Cảnh. They ruled Vietnam for a...
. After the Đại Việt sử ký was finished, Lê Văn Hưu offered the book to the Emperor Trần Thánh Tông in January 1272 and was praised by Thánh Tông for its quality. Lê Tắc in his An Nam chí lược
An Nam chí lược
The An Nam chí lược is an historical text that was compiled by the Vietnamese historian Lê Tắc during his exile in China in early 14th century...
suggested that the Đại Việt sử ký was compiled by Lê Văn Hưu in revising the book Việt chí (越志, Records of Việt) which was written by Trần Phổ under the order of Trần Thái Tông.
According to Từ điển bách khoa toàn thư Việt Nam
Từ điển Bách khoa toàn thư Việt Nam
Từ điển Bách khoa toàn thư Việt Nam is a state-sponsored encyclopedia that was published in 2005. It also is the first state encyclopedia of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam...
, Lê Văn Hưu died in 1322 at the age of 92.
Works
Lê Văn Hưu's Đại Việt sử ký is considered the first comprehensive historical record of the history of VietnamHistory of Vietnam
The history of Vietnam covers a period of more than 2,700 years. By far Vietnam's most important historical international relationship has been with China. Vietnam's prehistory includes a legend about a kingdom known as Van Lang that included what is now China's Guangxi Autonomous Region and...
. During the Fourth Chinese domination
Fourth Chinese domination (History of Vietnam)
The fourth Chinese domination was a period of the history of Vietnam, from 1407 to 1427 during which the country was ruled by Ming Dynasty administrators.-Sinicizing the country:...
, many valuable books of Đại Việt were taken aways by the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
including the Đại Việt sử ký, hence the book was subsequently lost and they could not find out anymore the original version of the Đại Việt sử ký. However, the contents of the Đại Việt sử ký and Lê Văn Hưu's comments on various historical events was collected by Phan Phu Tiên and later Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên
Ngô Sĩ Liên was an historian of the Lê Dynasty. He is best known for being the principal compiler of the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, a comprehensive chronicle of the history of Vietnam and the oldest official historical record of a Vietnamese dynasty that remains today...
in their works, notably the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư by Ngô Sĩ Liên.
From his remarks recorded in the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, Lê Văn Hưu proved to focus his work on Đại Việt's independence from and equality with its northern neighbour China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. For example, Lê Văn Hưu praised Ngô Quyền
Ngo Quyen
Ngô Quyền was a Vietnamese prefect and general during the Southern Han Dynasty occupation of Giao Châu in the Red River Valley in what is now northern Vietnam...
for defeating the Southern Han
Southern Han
Southern Han was a kingdom that existed during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period along China’s southern coast from 917 to 971. The Kingdom greatly expanded her capital city Hing Wong Fu , namely present-day Guangzhou...
's navy in the Battle of Bạch Đằng (938) and restoring the independence of Vietnam but he criticized Ngô Quyền's decision of keeping the title King (Vương) instead of self-proclaiming Emperor (Hoàng đế). Lê Văn Hưu was also the first Vietnamese historian who appreciated the revolt of 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 ....
against 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...
which he evaluated a symbol of the fight for independence in Vietnam. Therefore Lê Văn Hưu was considered an essential scholar in affirming an autonomous identity for Vietnam.