Phan Thanh Gian
Encyclopedia
Phan Thanh Giản or Phan Thanh Jan (November 11 1796–1867) was a Grand Counsellor at the Nguyễn court in Vietnam
. He led an embassy to France in 1863, and committed suicide when France completed the invasion of Southern Vietnam (Cochinchina
) in 1867.
Phan Thanh Giản's grandfather was an ethnic Chinese
(with ancestry from Fujian
Province in China
), while his grandmother was a Hoa woman.
with the French in 1862. The negotiations led to the formal cession of Vietnamese territory that the French Expeditionary Corps had occupied in 1861 (the first parts of the future colony of Cochinchina
): the provinces of Già Dinh, Mỹ Tho, Bien Hoa
, and the Poulo Condore islands were ceded, and war reparations paid to the French.
Because of his role in these negotiations, Phan Thanh Giản became rather unpopular, both with the Vietnamese population, and with the court of king Tự Đức.
) on this embassy. Phan Thanh Giản with a 70-strong embassy met with Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie in November 1863. Napoleon III, moved by Phan Thanh Giản's plea, accepted to return the provinces in exchange for a war indemnity, an agreement to station troops in Saigon, My Thau and Thủ Dầu Một
, and recognition of French military protection. The French Navy Minister Chasseloup-Laubat
however, opposed to the return of Cochinchinese territory, threatened Napoleon III with his resignation and that of the whole cabinet, forcing him to order the cancellation of the agreement in June 1864
Through his visit to France, Phan Thanh Giản obtained a first hand understanding of the level of advancement of France compared to Vietnam, was astonished at examples of technological innovation such as steam trains, and stated on his return to Vietnam that France's "wealth and strength are beyond description". Tự Đức only responded to this warning with admonitions of moral rectitude:
, waiting for orders that never came, resigned from his position and took his own life through poisoning.
descent. His grandfather, Phan Thanh Tap was a native of Haicheng
(near modern day Longhai, Fujian
) in Zhangzhou
prefectrure of Fujian province at the beginning of the 17th century due political sentiments against the ruling Qing
government. Phan Thanh Tap migrated to Vietnam in the early 18th century, along with his family and relatives and settled in the village of Hoi Trung at Binh Dinh Province
. Upon settling in Vietnam, he married a Vietnamese woman, Huynh Thi Ngoc, with whom his Phan's father, Thanh Ngan was born from this union. Phan Thanh Ngan began his career as a clerk to the Nguyễn court. In 1798, Phan Thanh Ngan was appointed as the chief supplier for Phuc Anh's (Emperor Gia Long
from 1802) navy and was sent on a diplomatic mission to Tourane, but was later shipwrecked at lost at sea.
Phan's mother was also of Chinese descent; her great-great grandfather migrated to Vietnam from Fujian province during mid 17th century. He had three sons, Phan Thanh Liem
, Phan Thanh Tong and Phan Thanh Huong, of which the first two organised an armed rebellion against the French soldiers who had colonised Vĩnh Long and were later captured and killed.
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 –...
. He led an embassy to France in 1863, and committed suicide when France completed the invasion of Southern Vietnam (Cochinchina
Cochinchina
Cochinchina is a region encompassing the southern third of Vietnam whose principal city is Saigon. It was a French colony from 1862 to 1954. The later state of South Vietnam was created in 1954 by combining Cochinchina with southern Annam. In Vietnamese, the region is called Nam Bộ...
) in 1867.
Phan Thanh Giản's grandfather was an ethnic Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
(with ancestry from Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
Province in 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...
), while his grandmother was a Hoa woman.
Treaty of Saigon
Phan Thanh Giản was one of the foremost mandarins of the Nguyễn court. He played a key role in negotiating the Treaty of SaigonTreaty of Saigon
The Treaty of Saigon was signed on June 5, 1862, between representatives of the French Empire and the last precolonial emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty, Emperor Tự Đức. Based on the terms of the accord, Tự Đức ceded Saigon, the island of Poulo Condor and three southern provinces of what was to become...
with the French in 1862. The negotiations led to the formal cession of Vietnamese territory that the French Expeditionary Corps had occupied in 1861 (the first parts of the future colony of Cochinchina
Cochinchina
Cochinchina is a region encompassing the southern third of Vietnam whose principal city is Saigon. It was a French colony from 1862 to 1954. The later state of South Vietnam was created in 1954 by combining Cochinchina with southern Annam. In Vietnamese, the region is called Nam Bộ...
): the provinces of Già Dinh, Mỹ Tho, Bien Hoa
Bien Hoa
Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495...
, and the Poulo Condore islands were ceded, and war reparations paid to the French.
Because of his role in these negotiations, Phan Thanh Giản became rather unpopular, both with the Vietnamese population, and with the court of king Tự Đức.
Embassy to France (1863)
In 1863, Phan Thanh Giản was sent by the king on an embassy to France to visit Napoleon III, in order to negotiate the return of the territories given to the French. Phan Thanh Giản was accompanied by Michel Duc Chaigneau (the son of Jean-Baptiste ChaigneauJean-Baptiste Chaigneau
Jean-Baptiste Chaigneau was a French Navy soldier and an adventurer who played an important role in Vietnam in the 19th century...
) on this embassy. Phan Thanh Giản with a 70-strong embassy met with Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie in November 1863. Napoleon III, moved by Phan Thanh Giản's plea, accepted to return the provinces in exchange for a war indemnity, an agreement to station troops in Saigon, My Thau and Thủ Dầu Một
Thu Dau Mot
Thủ Dầu Một is the capital town of Binh Duong province, Vietnam. It is located at around .The town has an area of 88 km², population is 158,000, and is located 20 km north of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, on the left bank of the Saigon River, upstream from Ho Chi Minh City...
, and recognition of French military protection. The French Navy Minister Chasseloup-Laubat
Prosper de Chasseloup-Laubat
Count Justin Napoléon Samuel Prosper de Chasseloup-Laubat was a French politician who became Minister of the Navy under Napoleon III. He was the youngest son of the General de Chasseloup-Laubat...
however, opposed to the return of Cochinchinese territory, threatened Napoleon III with his resignation and that of the whole cabinet, forcing him to order the cancellation of the agreement in June 1864
Through his visit to France, Phan Thanh Giản obtained a first hand understanding of the level of advancement of France compared to Vietnam, was astonished at examples of technological innovation such as steam trains, and stated on his return to Vietnam that France's "wealth and strength are beyond description". Tự Đức only responded to this warning with admonitions of moral rectitude:
Governorship
Upon his return, Tự Đức nominated Phan Thanh Giản governor of the remaining southern provinces. When France invaded the rest of the southern territories in 1867, Phan Thanh Giản chose to avoid armed resistance and failed to defend the citadel of Vĩnh LongVinh Long
Vĩnh Long is the capital of the Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The name was spelled 永隆 in the former Hán Tự writing system....
, waiting for orders that never came, resigned from his position and took his own life through poisoning.
Family
Phan's family was of Sino–VietnameseVietnamese 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...
descent. His grandfather, Phan Thanh Tap was a native of Haicheng
Haicheng
Haicheng is a county-level city of central Liaoning province, Northeast China. It is located about southwest of Shenyang, the provincial capital, and is under the administration of Anshan City, the seat of which lies to the northeast....
(near modern day Longhai, Fujian
Longhai, Fujian
Longhai is a County-level city within the municipality of Zhangzhou. Longhai comprises territory on both banks of the lower Jiulong Jiang River; the left bank yields to Xiamen before reaching the sea, the right bank becomes the south shore of Xiamen Bay and is home to the Zhangzhou Gang...
) in Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou
Zhangzhou is a prefecture-level city in southern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. Located on the banks of the Jiulong River , Zhangzhou borders the cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou to the northeast, Longyan City to the northwest and the province of Guangdong to the southwest.Zhangzhou...
prefectrure of Fujian province at the beginning of the 17th century due political sentiments against the ruling Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
government. Phan Thanh Tap migrated to Vietnam in the early 18th century, along with his family and relatives and settled in the village of Hoi Trung at Binh Dinh Province
Binh Dinh Province
Bình Định is a province of Vietnam. It is located in Vietnam's South Central Coast region.-Administration:Binh Dinh is divided into one city and 10 districts:*An Lão*An Nhơn*Hoài Ân*Hoài Nhơn*Phù Cát*Phù Mỹ*Tuy Phước*Tây Sơn*Vân Canh...
. Upon settling in Vietnam, he married a Vietnamese woman, Huynh Thi Ngoc, with whom his Phan's father, Thanh Ngan was born from this union. Phan Thanh Ngan began his career as a clerk to the Nguyễn court. In 1798, Phan Thanh Ngan was appointed as the chief supplier for Phuc Anh's (Emperor Gia Long
Gia Long
Emperor Gia Long , born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh , was an emperor of Vietnam...
from 1802) navy and was sent on a diplomatic mission to Tourane, but was later shipwrecked at lost at sea.
Phan's mother was also of Chinese descent; her great-great grandfather migrated to Vietnam from Fujian province during mid 17th century. He had three sons, Phan Thanh Liem
Phan Thanh Liem
Phan Thanh Liêm, , was a Vietnamese soldier, politician and independent activist. Vietnam's Nationalist and anti-French and independent activisters. son of Phan Thanh Giản.- Web Link :* * *...
, Phan Thanh Tong and Phan Thanh Huong, of which the first two organised an armed rebellion against the French soldiers who had colonised Vĩnh Long and were later captured and killed.
In popular culture
Nowadays, Phan Thanh Giản is being venerated as a minor god among his family members and a few in southern Vietnam.See also
- France-Vietnam relations
- Phan Thanh LiemPhan Thanh LiemPhan Thanh Liêm, , was a Vietnamese soldier, politician and independent activist. Vietnam's Nationalist and anti-French and independent activisters. son of Phan Thanh Giản.- Web Link :* * *...
- Arthur neville chamberlain
- Kim Yun-sik
- Lee Wan-yongLee Wan-YongLee Wan-Yong was a pro-Japanese minister of Korea, who signed the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty, which placed Korea under Japanese rule in 1910....
- Yun Chi-ho