Lý Dynasty
Encyclopedia
The Lý Dynasty sometimes known as the Later Lý Dynasty (nhà Hậu Lý, ɲâː hə̂ˀw lǐ), was a Vietnam
ese dynasty that began in 1009 when Lý Thái Tổ overthrew the Prior Lê Dynasty
(nhà Tiền Lê) and ended in 1225 when the queen Lý Chiêu Hoàng
(then 8 years old) was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her husband, Trần Cảnh. They ruled Vietnam for a total of 216 years. During Lý Thánh Tông
's reign, the official name of Vietnam became Đại Việt.
, the influence of Confucianism
from China
was on the rise, with the opening of the first University in Vietnam in 1070 (Temple of Literature) for selection of civil servants who are not from noble families. Politically, they created a system of administration based on rule of law rather than on autocratic principles. The fact that they chose the Đại La Citadel as the capital (later renamed Thăng Long and subsequently Hà Nội
) showed that they held onto power due to economic strength and were liked by their subjects rather than by military means like prior dynasties.
Following the death of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh in 979, the Song
rulers attempted to reassert Chinese control over Vietnam. Lê Hoàn
, the commander in chief of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh's army, seized the throne and successfully repulsed the Chinese army in 981 in the 2nd battle of Bạch Đằng River. Lý Công Uẩn, a former temple orphan who had risen to commander of the palace guard, succeeded Lê Hoàn in 1009, thereby founding the great Lý dynasty. He took the reign name Lý Thái Tổ. The early Lý Emperors established a prosperous state with a stable monarchy at the head of a centralized administration. The name of the country was changed to Đại Việt by Emperor Lý Thánh Tông in 1054.
The first century of Lý rule was marked by warfare with China and the two Indianized kingdoms to the south, Chenla and Champa. After these threats were dealt with successfully, the second century of Lý rule was relatively peaceful enabling the Lý Emperors to establish a Buddhist ruling tradition closely related to the other East Asian Buddhist kingdoms of that period. Buddhism became a kind of state religion as members of the royal family and the nobility made pilgrimages, supported the building of pagodas, sometimes even entered monastic life, and otherwise took an active part in Buddhist practices. Bonzes became a privileged landed class, exempt from taxes and military duty. At the same time, Buddhism, in an increasingly Vietnamized form associated with magic, spirits, and medicine, grew in popularity with the people.
During the Lý dynasty, the Vietnamese began their long march to the south (Nam Tiến) at the expense of the Cham and the Khmer. Le Hoàn had sacked the Cham capital of Indrapura
in 982, whereupon the Cham established a new capital at Vijaya
. This was captured twice by the Vietnamese, however, and in 1079 the Cham were forced to cede to the Lý rulers their three northern provinces. Soon afterwards, Vietnamese peasants began moving into the untilled former Cham lands, turning them into rice fields and moving relentlessly southward, delta by delta, along the narrow coastal plain. The Lý Emperors supported the improvement of Vietnam's agricultural system by constructing and repairing dikes and canals and by allowing soldiers to return to their villages to work for six months of each year. As their territory and population expanded, the Lý Emperors looked to China as a model for organizing a strong, centrally administered state. Minor officials were chosen by examination for the first time in 1075, and a civil service training institute and an imperial academy were set up in 1076. In 1089 a fixed hierarchy of state officials was established, with nine degrees of civil and military scholar officials . Examinations for public office were made compulsory, and literary competitions were held to determine the grades of officials.
during the Lý Dynasty, Vietnam acted as a vassal state, although at its zenith it had sent troops into Chinese territory to fight the Song.
In 1075, Wang Anshi
, the prime minister, told the Song emperor that Đại Việt was being destroyed by Champa
, with less than ten thousand soldiers surviving, hence it would be a good occasion to annex Đại Việt. The Song emperor mobilized troops and passed a decree to forbid all the provinces to trade with Đại Việt. Upon hearing the news, the Lý ruler sent Lý Thường Kiệt and Tôn Đản with more than 100,000 troops to China to carry out a pre-emptive attack against the Song troops. In the ensuing 40-day battle near modern-day Nanning
, the Đại Việt troops were victorious, capturing the generals of three Song armies. In 1076, the Songs formed an alliance with Champa and the Khmer Empire
and sent troops to invade Đại Việt. Lý Nhân Tông
again sent Lý Thường Kiệt. Being one of the many great military strategists of Vietnam, Lý Thường Kiệt had placed spikes under the Như Nguyệt River before tricking the Song troops into the deadly trap, killing more than 1,000 Chinese soldiers and forcing the Chinese to retreat. According to legend, during this time Lý Thường Kiệt had also composed the famous poem Nam Quốc Sơn Hà (Rivers and Mountains of the South Nation), which asserted the sovereignty of Vietnam over its land. This poem is considered the first Vietnamese Declaration of independence
.
To facilitate cultivation, central court built irrigation facilities and river levees. Buffalo and ox slaughtering was strictly prohibited since these cattle provided indispensable draft force in farming.
Lý dynasty encouraged trade with foreign countries, primarily with Song Chinese, Java and Siam. Trade between Đại Việt and Chinese Song
in the border areas flourished. Private and government traders frequently visited Chinese trading ports in present Guang Xi to exchange spices, ivory and salt for silk. Lý dynasty founded the port of Vân Đồn in modern Quảng Ninh, a major trading port in South East Asia for hundred of years. On the other hand, Lý court, particularly under Emperor Thái Tông reign, tried to promote the consumption of domestic products.
For reasons unknown, Emperor Cao Tông forbid the trade of salt and metal, gave rise to unrest and rebellions against the central court, which later lead to the collapse of the Lý dynasty.
receded the throne in favor of her consort, Trần Cảnh, one of the nephews of Trần Thủ Độ.
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 –...
ese dynasty that began in 1009 when Lý Thái Tổ overthrew the Prior Lê Dynasty
Anterior Lê Dynasty
The Early Lê dynasty was a dynasty that ruled Vietnam after the Đinh Dynasty and before the Lý Dynasty. They ruled for a total of three generations and was known for repelling the Song invasion.-Lê Đại Hành Hoàng Đế :1...
(nhà Tiền Lê) and ended in 1225 when the queen 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...
(then 8 years old) was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her husband, Trần Cảnh. They ruled Vietnam for a total of 216 years. During Lý Thánh Tông
Lý Thánh Tông
Lý Thánh Tông was the posthumous title of the third emperor of the Lý dynasty of Vietnam. Like his father, he was considered as one of the most talented and benevolent kings in Vietnamese history.-Genius Crown Prince:...
's reign, the official name of Vietnam became Đại Việt.
History
The Lý Dynasty was started by Lý Công Uẩn. The Lý was the first Vietnamese dynasty that was able to hold onto power for more than several decades, allowing them to secure and expand the territory. Domestically, while the Lý Emperors were devout BuddhistsBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, the influence of Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
from 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...
was on the rise, with the opening of the first University in Vietnam in 1070 (Temple of Literature) for selection of civil servants who are not from noble families. Politically, they created a system of administration based on rule of law rather than on autocratic principles. The fact that they chose the Đại La Citadel as the capital (later renamed Thăng Long and subsequently Hà Nội
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...
) showed that they held onto power due to economic strength and were liked by their subjects rather than by military means like prior dynasties.
Following the death of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh in 979, the Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
rulers attempted to reassert Chinese control over Vietnam. Lê Hoàn
Lê Hoàn
Lê Hoàn , posthumous name Lê Đại Hành, was a king and emperor of Đại Cồ Việt under the Anterior Lê Dynasty. He was the commander in chief of the army of Emperor Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, but he also had an illicit relationship with the Empress Dowager, dethroned Đinh Bộ Lĩnh’s heir and proclaimed himself king...
, the commander in chief of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh's army, seized the throne and successfully repulsed the Chinese army in 981 in the 2nd battle of Bạch Đằng River. Lý Công Uẩn, a former temple orphan who had risen to commander of the palace guard, succeeded Lê Hoàn in 1009, thereby founding the great Lý dynasty. He took the reign name Lý Thái Tổ. The early Lý Emperors established a prosperous state with a stable monarchy at the head of a centralized administration. The name of the country was changed to Đại Việt by Emperor Lý Thánh Tông in 1054.
The first century of Lý rule was marked by warfare with China and the two Indianized kingdoms to the south, Chenla and Champa. After these threats were dealt with successfully, the second century of Lý rule was relatively peaceful enabling the Lý Emperors to establish a Buddhist ruling tradition closely related to the other East Asian Buddhist kingdoms of that period. Buddhism became a kind of state religion as members of the royal family and the nobility made pilgrimages, supported the building of pagodas, sometimes even entered monastic life, and otherwise took an active part in Buddhist practices. Bonzes became a privileged landed class, exempt from taxes and military duty. At the same time, Buddhism, in an increasingly Vietnamized form associated with magic, spirits, and medicine, grew in popularity with the people.
During the Lý dynasty, the Vietnamese began their long march to the south (Nam Tiến) at the expense of the Cham and the Khmer. Le Hoàn had sacked the Cham capital of Indrapura
Indrapura (Champa)
Indrapura from 875 CE was the capital city of the ancient kingdom of Champa for several decades, under the reign of Indravarman II and some of his followers belonging to the 6th dynasty.The site is near the present-day village of Đông Dương, not far from the modern city of Da...
in 982, whereupon the Cham established a new capital at Vijaya
Vijaya (Champa)
Vijaya was a city-state in the ancient kingdom of Champa in what is now south-central Vietnam. It was the capital of Champa for several centuries until it was conquered by Vietnam in 1471.-Geography, Economy, Transport:...
. This was captured twice by the Vietnamese, however, and in 1079 the Cham were forced to cede to the Lý rulers their three northern provinces. Soon afterwards, Vietnamese peasants began moving into the untilled former Cham lands, turning them into rice fields and moving relentlessly southward, delta by delta, along the narrow coastal plain. The Lý Emperors supported the improvement of Vietnam's agricultural system by constructing and repairing dikes and canals and by allowing soldiers to return to their villages to work for six months of each year. As their territory and population expanded, the Lý Emperors looked to China as a model for organizing a strong, centrally administered state. Minor officials were chosen by examination for the first time in 1075, and a civil service training institute and an imperial academy were set up in 1076. In 1089 a fixed hierarchy of state officials was established, with nine degrees of civil and military scholar officials . Examinations for public office were made compulsory, and literary competitions were held to determine the grades of officials.
War against the Song
In foreign relations with the Song DynastySong Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
during the Lý Dynasty, Vietnam acted as a vassal state, although at its zenith it had sent troops into Chinese territory to fight the Song.
In 1075, Wang Anshi
Wang Anshi
Wang Anshi was a Chinese economist, statesman, chancellor and poet of the Song Dynasty who attempted controversial, major socioeconomic reforms...
, the prime minister, told the Song emperor that Đại Việt was being destroyed by Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
, with less than ten thousand soldiers surviving, hence it would be a good occasion to annex Đại Việt. The Song emperor mobilized troops and passed a decree to forbid all the provinces to trade with Đại Việt. Upon hearing the news, the Lý ruler sent Lý Thường Kiệt and Tôn Đản with more than 100,000 troops to China to carry out a pre-emptive attack against the Song troops. In the ensuing 40-day battle near modern-day Nanning
Nanning
Nanning is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. It is known as the "Green City" because of its abundance of lush tropical foliage.-History:...
, the Đại Việt troops were victorious, capturing the generals of three Song armies. In 1076, the Songs formed an alliance with Champa and the Khmer Empire
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...
and sent troops to invade Đại Việt. Lý Nhân Tông
Ly Nhan Tong
Lý Nhân Tông , given name Lý Càn Đức , was the fourth emperor of the Lý Dynasty, reigning over Đại Việt from 1072 to his death in 1127...
again sent Lý Thường Kiệt. Being one of the many great military strategists of Vietnam, Lý Thường Kiệt had placed spikes under the Như Nguyệt River before tricking the Song troops into the deadly trap, killing more than 1,000 Chinese soldiers and forcing the Chinese to retreat. According to legend, during this time Lý Thường Kiệt had also composed the famous poem Nam Quốc Sơn Hà (Rivers and Mountains of the South Nation), which asserted the sovereignty of Vietnam over its land. This poem is considered the first Vietnamese Declaration of independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
.
Administration
In 1010, Lý Thái Tổ changed the 10 đạo subdivisions into 24 lộ. The lộ was possibly subdivided into châu (in mountainous areas) or phủ (in the lowlands). The châu and phủ were further subdivided into huyện and giáp, and under them hương and ấp.Civil service system
At the central level, under the king were the Thái positions: Tam thái for the three literary mandarins (Thái sư, Thái bảo and Thái phó), and Thái úy for the martial mandarin. Under the Tháis were the Thiếu positions like Thiếu sư, Thiếu bảo, Thiếu phó, and Thiếu úy.Law
During the Lý Dynasty, laws in Đại Việt were primarily based on royal proclamations, although a body of law composing of civil laws, criminal laws, litigation laws, and laws dealing with marriage existed. However, because the Lý rulers were devout Buddhists, the punishments during this era were not very severe.Economy
The pillar of Đại Việt economy in Lý era is agriculture. Technically, all farmland was in possession of the Emperor. Each village allocated the farmland to households. Each household farmed their allocated land and paid annual tax, as well as provided mandatory labors and military services.To facilitate cultivation, central court built irrigation facilities and river levees. Buffalo and ox slaughtering was strictly prohibited since these cattle provided indispensable draft force in farming.
Lý dynasty encouraged trade with foreign countries, primarily with Song Chinese, Java and Siam. Trade between Đại Việt and Chinese Song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
in the border areas flourished. Private and government traders frequently visited Chinese trading ports in present Guang Xi to exchange spices, ivory and salt for silk. Lý dynasty founded the port of Vân Đồn in modern Quảng Ninh, a major trading port in South East Asia for hundred of years. On the other hand, Lý court, particularly under Emperor Thái Tông reign, tried to promote the consumption of domestic products.
For reasons unknown, Emperor Cao Tông forbid the trade of salt and metal, gave rise to unrest and rebellions against the central court, which later lead to the collapse of the Lý dynasty.
Period of decline
For 30 years, the country was torn apart by war between various rival warlords. The devastating civil war ended with victory of the Imperial force, lead by Trần Thủ Độ, the head of Trần clan. Some years later, the last sovereign of the dynasty, Empress Regnant Lý Chiêu HoàngLý 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...
receded the throne in favor of her consort, Trần Cảnh, one of the nephews of Trần Thủ Độ.