Long Wall of Quang Ngai
Encyclopedia
The Long Wall of Quang Ngai , Truong luy, or the Great Wall of Vietnam is a 127.4 kilometres (79.2 mi) rampart
extending from Vietnam
's Quảng Ngãi Province
in the north to Binh Dinh Province
in the south. It is the longest monument in Southeast Asia.
, a high-class mandarin
, under Emperor Gia Long
during the Nguyễn Dynasty. The wall is considered the "greatest engineering feat" of the Nguyễn Dynasty. Nguyen Tien Dong contended that the wall was constructed over 500 years ago and was adopted for military purposes during the 19th century. Nguyen Dang Vu, director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quảng Ngãi, said that parts of the wall in mountainous regions existed hundreds of years ago. It was possibly constructed by General Bui Ta Han (1496–1568) when he became the leader of Quảng Nam
. Archaeologists have excavated ceramic
relics that verify the 16th-century origin.
In 2005, Andrew Hardy, head of the Hanoi
headquarters of École française d'Extrême-Orient
, happened upon an allusion to a "Long Wall of Quang Ngai" in an 1885 Nguyễn Dynasty court document, "Descriptive Geography of the Emperor Dong Khanh". An excavation crew was assembled; led by Hardy and archaeologist Nguyen Tien Dong of the Institute of Archaeology at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
, the team discovered the wall after five years of searching. In 2009, they had uncovered the first portion of the wall in Nghĩa Hành District. The wall has since been a destination of some independent explorers.
Experts posit that the construction of the wall was the result of the work of Nguyễn Dynasty soldiers and collaboration between the Viet
and the H're minority
, who seldom had peaceful relations. Residents of either side of the wall relate that the wall was erected by their forebears to prevent invasions by the opposite side. Not only did it define the territorial borders of the respective peoples, it also afforded security and furthered trade. While the H're employed their expertise in rock arrangement, the Viet and the soldiers built the soil components. Similar rock arrangement methods have been found on Lý Sơn Island
.
One-hundred fifteen forts are located where rivers intersect the wall, with posts for 15 to 20 guards each. In these secured settings, the Viet and the H're conducted trade, the H're trading rice, cinnamon, and forest products for salt from the Viet. During the Vietnam War
, armaments and food were conveyed from north to south Vietnam via portions of the wall in Đức Phổ and Hoài Ân districts, as extensions of the Ho Chi Minh trail
.
mountain range, the wall extends through ten districts
—Trà Bồng, Sơn Tịnh, Sơn Hà, Tư Nghĩa, Minh Long, Nghĩa Hành, Ba Tơ, Đức Phổ, Hoài Ân, and An Lão.
Alternating hunks of soil and rock compose the wall, the largest portion of which is 4 metres (13.1 ft) in height and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in width. In steep and rugged areas, the wall primarily comprises rock to prevent landslides and provide support during variable climates. The wall is similar to Hadrian's Wall
in that it is parallel to an antiquated trade route. Researchers have unearthed markets, temples, and the aforementioned forts along the road, all built long before the wall.
Some natives dub it the "Great Wall of Vietnam", while others in Đức Phổ District christen the wall "Duong cai quan thuong" (interprovincial highway) because it safeguards National Route 1A connecting the north and south Vietnam regions.
said, "The Long Wall presents an enormous opportunity for research, careful conservation and sustainable use". At a 27 March conference at the site of the wall, EU
ambassadors deemed the wall a "unique architectural monument not only of Vietnam but also of the world". Hardy asserted that the wall "is the evidence of goods transaction between the people in the lowland and upperland". French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean-François Girault said, "In the world, there are walls to separate communities but the Truong Luy Wall in Quang Ngai gives us a new look about the mutual-assistance of difference communities".
formally established the wall as a National Heritage site, planning to request the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
designation and to make the wall a global tourist site. In view of Quảng Ngãi's history, developing the wall for tourism would be difficult, CNN
's Adam Bray noted. Owing to the 1968 My Lai massacre
, in which over 300 weaponless civilians were mass murdered by the US military, tourism in Quảng Ngãi has been considerably limited by the government. Establishing the wall as a tourist destination would call for government encouragement of "adventure trekking and cycling through previously isolated highland communities on an unprecedented scale", introducing historical ecotourism
. The government plans to build a "protected corridor stretching 500m on either side of the wall", and the People's Committee of Quảng Ngãi has devoted VND15 billion to rejuvenating and maintaining the wall. Nguyen Giang Hai of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology asserted that since the preservation of the relic is contingent on indigenous sentiment, "there is a need to sow the seed of consciousness for protecting the relic in the community living alongside the structure." Young articulated that in the case of tourism, "income-generation opportunities" should be available for locals, since "a world heritage is not something to admire but [something] for the benefit of the people".
Between 27 April and 8 May, English and French advisers will examine the wall and discuss with Quảng Ngãi officials how to publicise the wall in light of socioeconomic
expansion.
Defensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
extending from 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 –...
's Quảng Ngãi Province
Quang Ngai Province
Quảng Ngãi is a province in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam, on the coast of South China Sea. It is located 883 km south of Hanoi and 838 km north of Ho Chi Minh City.-History:...
in the north to 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...
in the south. It is the longest monument in Southeast Asia.
History and purpose
According to Đại Nam thực lục (The true record of the Great South) and other archives from Emperor Đồng Khánh and the Nguyễn Dynasty, the wall was constructed in 1819 by Lê Văn DuyệtLe Van Duyet
Lê Văn Duyệt was a Vietnamese general who helped Nguyễn Ánh—the future Emperor Gia Long—put down the Tây Sơn rebellion, unify Vietnam and establish the Nguyễn Dynasty...
, a high-class mandarin
Mandarin (bureaucrat)
A mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China, and also in the monarchist days of Vietnam where the system of Imperial examinations and scholar-bureaucrats was adopted under Chinese influence.-History and use of the term:...
, under Emperor Gia Long
Gia Long
Emperor Gia Long , born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh , was an emperor of Vietnam...
during the Nguyễn Dynasty. The wall is considered the "greatest engineering feat" of the Nguyễn Dynasty. Nguyen Tien Dong contended that the wall was constructed over 500 years ago and was adopted for military purposes during the 19th century. Nguyen Dang Vu, director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quảng Ngãi, said that parts of the wall in mountainous regions existed hundreds of years ago. It was possibly constructed by General Bui Ta Han (1496–1568) when he became the leader of Quảng Nam
Quang Nam Province
Quảng Nam is a province on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bordered by Thua Thien-Huế province to the north, the nation of Laos to the west, Kon Tum Province to the southwest, Quảng Ngãi Province to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east, and the city of Da Nang to the...
. Archaeologists have excavated ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
relics that verify the 16th-century origin.
In 2005, Andrew Hardy, head of the Hanoi
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...
headquarters of École française d'Extrême-Orient
École française d'Extrême-Orient
The École française d'Extrême-Orient is a French institute dedicated to the study of Asian societies. Translated into English, it approximately means the French School of the Far East. It was founded in 1900 with headquarters in Hanoi in what was then French Indochina. After independence, its...
, happened upon an allusion to a "Long Wall of Quang Ngai" in an 1885 Nguyễn Dynasty court document, "Descriptive Geography of the Emperor Dong Khanh". An excavation crew was assembled; led by Hardy and archaeologist Nguyen Tien Dong of the Institute of Archaeology at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences is a department of Vietnam government which is studying the basic issues of social science in Vietnam.-Leaders:*Tran Huy Lieu: 1953-1959*Nguyen Khanh Toan: 1967-1982*Dao Van Tap: 1982-1985...
, the team discovered the wall after five years of searching. In 2009, they had uncovered the first portion of the wall in Nghĩa Hành District. The wall has since been a destination of some independent explorers.
Experts posit that the construction of the wall was the result of the work of Nguyễn Dynasty soldiers and collaboration between the Viet
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...
and the H're minority
H're people
The H're people are an ethnic group of Vietnam, speaking a language in the Mon–Khmer family. Most H're live in the Quảng Ngãi and Bình Định provinces of Vietnam's South Central Coast, and number approximately 113,111 ....
, who seldom had peaceful relations. Residents of either side of the wall relate that the wall was erected by their forebears to prevent invasions by the opposite side. Not only did it define the territorial borders of the respective peoples, it also afforded security and furthered trade. While the H're employed their expertise in rock arrangement, the Viet and the soldiers built the soil components. Similar rock arrangement methods have been found on Lý Sơn Island
Ly Son, Vietnam
Lý Sơn , previously known as Cù Lao Ré, Canton Island, and Poulo Canton, is an island and also a district in Quang Ngai province, off the South Central Coast of Vietnam.-Geography and geology:...
.
One-hundred fifteen forts are located where rivers intersect the wall, with posts for 15 to 20 guards each. In these secured settings, the Viet and the H're conducted trade, the H're trading rice, cinnamon, and forest products for salt from the Viet. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, armaments and food were conveyed from north to south Vietnam via portions of the wall in Đức Phổ and Hoài Ân districts, as extensions of the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
.
Description
Parallel to the Truong SonAnnamite Range
The Annamite Range or the Annamese Mountains is a mountain range of eastern Indochina, which extends approximately through Laos, Vietnam, and a small area in northeast Cambodia. It is known in Vietnamese as Dãy Trường Sơn, in Lao as Xai Phou Luang , and in French as the Chaîne Annamitique...
mountain range, the wall extends through ten districts
Districts of Vietnam
||The provinces of Vietnam are divided into counties , provincial cities , and county-level towns .The centrally-controlled municipalities are subdivided into rural counties , county-level towns , and urban districts , which then subdivided into wards ....
—Trà Bồng, Sơn Tịnh, Sơn Hà, Tư Nghĩa, Minh Long, Nghĩa Hành, Ba Tơ, Đức Phổ, Hoài Ân, and An Lão.
Alternating hunks of soil and rock compose the wall, the largest portion of which is 4 metres (13.1 ft) in height and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in width. In steep and rugged areas, the wall primarily comprises rock to prevent landslides and provide support during variable climates. The wall is similar to Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
in that it is parallel to an antiquated trade route. Researchers have unearthed markets, temples, and the aforementioned forts along the road, all built long before the wall.
Some natives dub it the "Great Wall of Vietnam", while others in Đức Phổ District christen the wall "Duong cai quan thuong" (interprovincial highway) because it safeguards National Route 1A connecting the north and south Vietnam regions.
Research
Christopher Young of English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
said, "The Long Wall presents an enormous opportunity for research, careful conservation and sustainable use". At a 27 March conference at the site of the wall, EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
ambassadors deemed the wall a "unique architectural monument not only of Vietnam but also of the world". Hardy asserted that the wall "is the evidence of goods transaction between the people in the lowland and upperland". French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean-François Girault said, "In the world, there are walls to separate communities but the Truong Luy Wall in Quang Ngai gives us a new look about the mutual-assistance of difference communities".
Tourism and preservation
On 9 March 2011, the Vietnam governmentPolitics of Vietnam
Notwithstanding the 1992 Constitution's affirmation of the central role of the Communist Party, the National Assembly, according to the Constitution, is the highest representative body of the people and the only organization with legislative powers. It has a broad mandate to oversee all government...
formally established the wall as a National Heritage site, planning to request the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
designation and to make the wall a global tourist site. In view of Quảng Ngãi's history, developing the wall for tourism would be difficult, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Adam Bray noted. Owing to the 1968 My Lai massacre
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was the Vietnam War mass murder of 347–504 unarmed civilians in South Vietnam on March 16, 1968, by United States Army soldiers of "Charlie" Company of 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade of the Americal Division. Most of the victims were women, children , and...
, in which over 300 weaponless civilians were mass murdered by the US military, tourism in Quảng Ngãi has been considerably limited by the government. Establishing the wall as a tourist destination would call for government encouragement of "adventure trekking and cycling through previously isolated highland communities on an unprecedented scale", introducing historical ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
. The government plans to build a "protected corridor stretching 500m on either side of the wall", and the People's Committee of Quảng Ngãi has devoted VND15 billion to rejuvenating and maintaining the wall. Nguyen Giang Hai of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology asserted that since the preservation of the relic is contingent on indigenous sentiment, "there is a need to sow the seed of consciousness for protecting the relic in the community living alongside the structure." Young articulated that in the case of tourism, "income-generation opportunities" should be available for locals, since "a world heritage is not something to admire but [something] for the benefit of the people".
Between 27 April and 8 May, English and French advisers will examine the wall and discuss with Quảng Ngãi officials how to publicise the wall in light of socioeconomic
Socioeconomics
Socioeconomics or socio-economics or social economics is an umbrella term with different usages. 'Social economics' may refer broadly to the "use of economics in the study of society." More narrowly, contemporary practice considers behavioral interactions of individuals and groups through social...
expansion.