Khúc Thừa Dụ
Encyclopedia
Khúc Thừa Dụ or Khúc Tiên was a Vietnamese
Jiedushi
of Tĩnh Hải quân
in early 10th century. Khúc Thừa Dụ was the head of the Khúc family
in Hải Dương
and was well-known by people in the region for his wealth and benevolence. Khúc Thừa Dụ began to rule the country when the Tang Dynasty
collapsed, and is considered the ruler who marked the beginning of the independent Vietnam, which had until then been ruled by China as a province. When he died in 907, his position was inherited by his son Khúc Hạo
who continued to strengthen the autonomy and prosperity of the country.
, the date of birth of Khúc Thừa Dụ was unknown but he was from Hồng Châu, Cúc Bồ (now Ninh Giang
, Hải Dương
, Vietnam
). The Khúc family
of which Khúc Thừa Dụ was a member was a powerful clan with a long history and tradition in Hồng Châu. It was said that Khúc Thừa Dụ was known for his hospitality and generosity that made him an admired figure by people in the region. Keith Weller Taylor in his The Birth of Vietnam wrote that this background information about Khúc Thừa Dụ appeared in 18th century in an unofficial source (dã sử) therefore one cannot draw firm conclusions from it.
In early 10th century, the Tang Dynasty
began to fall into chaos and could not hold its authority in the remote protectorate Tĩnh Hải quân (now northern Vietnam) when the Chinese Jiedushi Tsang Kun with his soldiers had to abandon the region in 880. Profiting from the situation, Khúc Thừa Dụ became the leader of the indigenous revolt against Tang control and eventually succeeded in taking over the country. Since the Chinese officials had to flee northwards, Khúc Thừa Dụ claimed the position Jiedushi
of Tĩnh Hải quân which marked the beginning of the independence of Vietnam. While Vietnam still nominally belonged to the Tang Dynasty, it was now autonomous with a native ruler who could decide matters without any interference from China. As the Tang Dynasty did not have any more strength to start a military campaign in Tĩnh Hải quân, the Tang emperor had to accept the autonomy of that region by giving Khúc Thừa Dụ the title chancellor (đồng bình chương sự), together with his position Jiedushi, in the first month of 906. This appointment was recorded in Sima Guang
's Zizhi Tongjian
, and it was the first time Khúc Thừa Dụ was mentioned in Chinese historical records.
Khúc Thừa Dụ died in the seventh month of 907 and was succeeded by his son Khúc Hạo
who continued to consolidate the autonomy of Tĩnh Hải quân. For his achievement, Khúc Thừa Dụ was respectfully called by people Khúc Tiên chủ or Khúc Tiên chúa (literally Khúc the First King) and he is still worshipped in a temple dedicated to him in his native province. On the other hand, in old historical books such as Đại Việt sử lược
or Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, it was Khúc Hạo, instead of Khúc Thừa Dụ, who was mentioned as the first member of the Khúc family holding the position Jiedushi. According to Đại Việt sử lược, he took over the title from the Chinese Jiedushi named Độc Cô Tồn while in Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, Khúc Hạo appointed himself Jiedushi after starting a revolt that took control of Tĩnh Hải quân. Keith Weller Taylor argued that since the power was smoothly transferred from Khúc Thừa Dụ to his son Khúc Hạo and there was no indication of political conflict between 880 and 906, one can reason that the Khúc family was actually in control of the country throughout those years.
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...
Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
of Tĩnh Hải quân
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 –...
in early 10th century. Khúc Thừa Dụ was the head of the Khúc family
Khúc family
The Khúc clan was a succession of leaders who challenged Tang rule over Vietnam. The Tang took control of the northern Vietnamese region of Giao Châu after 618 and established twelve provinces and 59 districts under the Commonwealth of Annam...
in Hải Dương
Hai Duong
Hải Dương is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Hai Duong province. Its name is Sino-Vietnamese for "ocean" .- Geography :Hai Duong city is bordered to the northeast by the Nam Sách District and Thanh Hà District...
and was well-known by people in the region for his wealth and benevolence. Khúc Thừa Dụ began to rule the country when the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
collapsed, and is considered the ruler who marked the beginning of the independent Vietnam, which had until then been ruled by China as a province. When he died in 907, his position was inherited by his son Khúc Hạo
Khúc Hạo
Khúc Hạo was the Vietnamese Jiedushi of Tĩnh Hải quân from 907 to 917 succeeding his father Khúc Thừa Dụ. During his reign, Khúc Hạo made several important social and administrative reforms including a new system of administrative division, the levelling of cultivated land tax and the abolishment...
who continued to strengthen the autonomy and prosperity of the country.
History
According to Từ điển Bách khoa toàn thư Việt NamTừ 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...
, the date of birth of Khúc Thừa Dụ was unknown but he was from Hồng Châu, Cúc Bồ (now Ninh Giang
Ninh Giang
Ninh Giang is a district of Hai Duong Province in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
, Hải Dương
Hai Duong
Hải Dương is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Hai Duong province. Its name is Sino-Vietnamese for "ocean" .- Geography :Hai Duong city is bordered to the northeast by the Nam Sách District and Thanh Hà District...
, 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 Khúc family
Khúc family
The Khúc clan was a succession of leaders who challenged Tang rule over Vietnam. The Tang took control of the northern Vietnamese region of Giao Châu after 618 and established twelve provinces and 59 districts under the Commonwealth of Annam...
of which Khúc Thừa Dụ was a member was a powerful clan with a long history and tradition in Hồng Châu. It was said that Khúc Thừa Dụ was known for his hospitality and generosity that made him an admired figure by people in the region. Keith Weller Taylor in his The Birth of Vietnam wrote that this background information about Khúc Thừa Dụ appeared in 18th century in an unofficial source (dã sử) therefore one cannot draw firm conclusions from it.
In early 10th century, the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
began to fall into chaos and could not hold its authority in the remote protectorate Tĩnh Hải quân (now northern Vietnam) when the Chinese Jiedushi Tsang Kun with his soldiers had to abandon the region in 880. Profiting from the situation, Khúc Thừa Dụ became the leader of the indigenous revolt against Tang control and eventually succeeded in taking over the country. Since the Chinese officials had to flee northwards, Khúc Thừa Dụ claimed the position Jiedushi
Jiedushi
The Jiedushi were regional military governors in China during the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Originally set up to counter external threats, the jiedushi were given enormous power, including the ability to maintain their own armies, collect taxes, and pass their...
of Tĩnh Hải quân which marked the beginning of the independence of Vietnam. While Vietnam still nominally belonged to the Tang Dynasty, it was now autonomous with a native ruler who could decide matters without any interference from China. As the Tang Dynasty did not have any more strength to start a military campaign in Tĩnh Hải quân, the Tang emperor had to accept the autonomy of that region by giving Khúc Thừa Dụ the title chancellor (đồng bình chương sự), together with his position Jiedushi, in the first month of 906. This appointment was recorded in Sima Guang
Sima Guang
Sīmǎ Guāng was a Chinese historian, scholar, and high chancellor of the Song Dynasty, jinshi 1038.-Life, profession, and works:...
's Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
, and it was the first time Khúc Thừa Dụ was mentioned in Chinese historical records.
Khúc Thừa Dụ died in the seventh month of 907 and was succeeded by his son Khúc Hạo
Khúc Hạo
Khúc Hạo was the Vietnamese Jiedushi of Tĩnh Hải quân from 907 to 917 succeeding his father Khúc Thừa Dụ. During his reign, Khúc Hạo made several important social and administrative reforms including a new system of administrative division, the levelling of cultivated land tax and the abolishment...
who continued to consolidate the autonomy of Tĩnh Hải quân. For his achievement, Khúc Thừa Dụ was respectfully called by people Khúc Tiên chủ or Khúc Tiên chúa (literally Khúc the First King) and he is still worshipped in a temple dedicated to him in his native province. On the other hand, in old historical books such as Đại Việt sử lược
Đại Việt sử lược
The Đại Việt sử lược or Việt sử lược is an historical text that was compiled during the Trần Dynasty. The 3-volume book was finished around 1377 and covered the history of Vietnam from the reign of Triệu Đà to the collapse of the Lý Dynasty...
or Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, it was Khúc Hạo, instead of Khúc Thừa Dụ, who was mentioned as the first member of the Khúc family holding the position Jiedushi. According to Đại Việt sử lược, he took over the title from the Chinese Jiedushi named Độc Cô Tồn while in Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư, Khúc Hạo appointed himself Jiedushi after starting a revolt that took control of Tĩnh Hải quân. Keith Weller Taylor argued that since the power was smoothly transferred from Khúc Thừa Dụ to his son Khúc Hạo and there was no indication of political conflict between 880 and 906, one can reason that the Khúc family was actually in control of the country throughout those years.