The first recorded name given to the country we now call Vietnam was Xích Quỷ (2879–2524 BC). This ancient era is one of myths and legends and oral histories passed down over millennia. Historians confirm very little beyond the name and that the area was perhaps ten times larger than the modern Vietnamese borders. A the time, China itself was little more than a collection of rival clans and feudal lords.
The people of the area in that time were anecdotally known as “Bách Việt” – the southern people – by the warring Chinese states to the north.
Van Lang
Around 2525, Van Lang, a land ruled by the Hung Kings, gained ascendancy. In myth and legend, Kinh Dương Vương (2919–2792 BC) was the first “king” of the Vietnamese people. He famously is credited with a son named Lac Long Quan. According to the legend, this son took a wife named Au Co. This wife subsequently gave birth to 100 sons, 50 of who followed their father to the east coast while the remaining 50 went with their mother to the Western mountains. When the eldest son of Au Co grew up, he took the title Hung Vuong (King Hung). The country was renamed Van Lang and based its capital in Bach Hac in Phu Tho Province.
Although historians have few verified records from this period. Legend says the Văn Lang period lasted from 2879 to 258 BC and developed a high level of bronze casting. Large kettle drums molded with intricate designs are the most famous remains from this era. The designs of the Đông Sơn Bronze Drums depict various motifs of everyday life at the time and have become the foundation for most present-day knowledge about the housing, clothing, customs, habits, and cultural activities of the Hùng era.
Au Lac/ Nam Viet
In 257 BC the historically verified personage of Thuc Phan defeated the 18th Hung King. The new king took the title An Dương Vương and established the Kingdom of Âu Lạc. This is the first documented state of ancient Vietnam, uniting the Âu (mountain) and Lạc (coastal) clans as one people. However, it was a short lived victory. In 218 BC, the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty ordered an invasion of Âu Lạc and sent 30,000 troops to battle. The defenders eve tual defeated the invading force in a war that lasted almost 10 years. This is the first verified resistance war in recorded Vietnamese history.
However, Trieu Da, a Qin mandarin from Guangdong in southern China, defeated An Dương Vương in 208 BC. Âu Lạc was renamed Nanyue (Nam Việt) and became a vassal state of the early Chinese Han Dynasty.
The history of much of the following millennia is of occupation by a succession of warlords from the North. Âu Lạc began a long turbulent period of Chinese domination. However, the Vietnamese did not take easy to being a vassal state. Called the Northern Reign or Giao Chỉ (aka Jiaozhi), there were many civil wars and insurrections. After centuries of unrest, in 968 AD a new Vietnamese king finally overthrew the Chinese. A new independent Vietnamese kingdom of Đại Cồ Việt was declared, the direct precursor of the modern Vietnam state.
Dinh and Le Dynastys
The Dinh dynasty (968-980) and the first emperor Đinh Bộ Lĩnh (aka Đinh Tiên Hoàng aka Đinh Hoàn) lasted just 16 years but changed Vietnamese history forever. The Đinh dynasty through its King laid the foundations of a centralized Vietnamese society, achieving the long sought recognition as an independent country from the rulers to the North (China). Close to Đinh Tiên Hoàng home in present day Ninh Binh, Hoa Lư became the capital of this new state.
It’s important to remember the context and the fact that the political and cultural landscape of the world at that time. Comparing it to other contemporary events and developments in different parts of the world is perhaps useful for a better understanding of the historical context.
China In 1000 AD, was not organized in the way it is today but rather a collection of various kings and warlords paying tribute to a central dynasty, each, with their own agenda. Elsewhere, this was the time of the Viking invasions of England, the completion of the Buddhist temple complex of Borobudur in Java, the construction of Al-Azhar University in Egypt, and the founding of the Angkor Dynasty in Cambodia by Jayavarman II, the legendary Khmer Emperor.
Đại Cồ Việt
In 968 King Đinh Bộ Lĩnh renamed the kingdom Đại Cồ Việt. Đại roughly translates as “Great” while Cồ is Chinese terminology of the same. The King chose characters from both languages, believing that people would then interpret the country’s name as “the Great People of Viet,” regardless of local or foreign languages.
The Dinh Dynasty was succeeded by the Early Le dynasty (980-1009) who remained loyal to the ideals of the Dinh Dynasty. Indeed, after King Dinh’s untimely death by assassination, his wife, the Empress Dowager Dương Vân Nga married the ascendant Lê Hoàn, the former commander-in-chief of Đinh Bộ Lĩnh’s army and founder of the transient Le Dynasty. In time, the pair negotiated a peaceful transfer of power to the ascendant Ly Dynasty (1009-1225).
King Lý Thái Tổ, the first king of the Lý Dynasty, agreed that the rugged and narrow terrain of Văn Lãng-Hoa Lư provided excellent strategic advantages against foreign invaders. However, as the Chinese threat grew more distant and Đại Cồ Việt prospered, he desired a larger, more arable area with enough space to grow the ascendant empire.
Lý Dynasty
In 1010, King Lý Thái Tổ moved the capital of the Lý Dynasty 100 kilometers north to the wide, flat alluvial plains of the Red River. Although people traditionally referred to the land as Âu Lạc, he renamed the area Thăng Long. Depending on who you ask, the name translates to either “Rising Dragon” or “Flying Dragon”—both remarkably prophetic names. Today, Lý Thái Tổ’s contribution to modern Vietnamese history is commemorated by the Đại La Citadel in Hanoi, the modern name of the former northern capital of Thăng Long.
Destroyed and rebuilt several times over the following centuries, you can still visit the reconstructed Citadel at 18 Hoàng Diệu Street in Hanoi. Renovated and restored, the complex now houses a considerable amount of artifacts from Vietnamese history and it is a must see for anyone interested in the history of this vibrant land.
The third Lý emperor, Lý Thánh Tông (1054–1072) is credited as shortening the country’s name to Đại Việt. It still meant the “Great People” but by dropping the Chinese “Cồ” character, many believe this signified end of concern over future Chinese colonialism. People continued to use the name Đại Việt for about 800 years until the Nguyễn Dynasty of Huế rose to power and French colonialism began.
Trần Dynasty
The Trần Dynasty succeed the Lý and ruled over the Kingdom from 1225 to 1400, renaming Hoa Lư to Trường Yên. In the 10th year of Quang Thái (1398), the Trần Thuận Tông dynasty changed it once again – this time to Thiên Quan.
Historians studying Vietnamese history often face the challenge of frequent name changes – places, people, dynasties, and deities often carry multiple titles, each closely tied to specific periods and events. There is no simple solution to this issue, but it is an inherent part of the dynamic and tumultuous history of this resilient and captivating country.
Like much of world history during the period, there was still considerable political turmoil and persistent warfare but the new land of Đại Việt was here to stay – with or without Chinese consent. Many surrounding nations keenly sought the land for its rich agriculture, minerals, and numerous deep-water ports, recognizing its importance as a strategic asset. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271 -1368) in China, there were many attempts by the Mongol kings to invade Đại Việt. Perhaps the most famous battle was at Bạch Đằng River, where the Yuan Navy were decimated and were forced to retreat by the irrepressible Vietnamese warriors.
The Fall of the Trần
The Trần dynasty lasted from 1226-to 1400, when General Ho Quy Ly (1336-1407) usurped the throne to become king and renamed Đại Việt to Đại Ngu, meaning (Great Joy / Peace). Taking advantage of the internal strife, the Ming Dynasty attacked and finally managed to conquer the land, albeit only for twenty short years (1407-1427).
Le Loi, a wealthy landowner from Lam Sơn in Thanh Hóa, began a resistance movement against these newest invaders around 1418, eventually forcing the Ming to retreat back to China after a 10 year struggle. Le Loi, who to this day is celebrated as a national hero, declared himself emperor using the name of Lê Thái Tổ and founded the fourth Vietnamese dynasty of the Later Lê.
After this brief reminder of the expansive nature of its much larger northern neighbor, the rulers of the Đại Việt themselves became conquerors. Subsequent Dynasties of the Later Lê (1428–1789); the Mạc dynasty (1527–1677); and the brief Tây Sơn dynasty (1778–1802) continued to expand the Đại Việt nation to what basically is now the current borders of modern Vietnam.
Later Lê Dynasty
The Later Lê, like the early Trần kings, began a period of renaissance of Vietnamese art, architecture, legal reforms and a huge expansion of the Đại Việt borders. The new rulers annexed large parts of Champa (Cambodia) and established settlements in Da Nang, Nha Trang, and the Mekong Valley. But all things pass and, beginning in 1528, the power of the Later Lê Dynasty began to wan and the Mạc and Trịnh families competed for control of the north while the emergent Nguyễn family rose in power in the central and southern regions.
Nguyễn Dynasty
The last Đại Việt empire was the southern Nguyễn Dynasty (Thời Nhà Nguyễn) who ruled during the period 1802-1945 and renamed Đại Việt to Viet Nam. With French help, Lord Nguyễn Phúc Ánh took the strategically important Phu Xuan in 1801 and the northern Tây Sơn capitol of Thăng Long (Hanoi) a year later. With the Tây Sơn defeated, Nguyễn Anh proclaimed himself Emperor Gia Long.
The Nguyễn Dynasty’s actions in bringing in the French, who had previously failed to establish a colony in Vietnam, still generates some controversy in Vietnam over whether without the Nguyễn dynasty’s alliance with France, the French could ever have gained a foothold into Vietnam..
Under the rule of the Nguyễn Dynasty, the capitol of Vietnam moved from Thăng Long to their ancestral home in Hue city, far to the south. Historians describe the Nguyễn Dynasty – much like the Qing Dynasty in China during the same period – as both arrogant and dissolute. The French military propped it up, while the dynasty reverted to an almost feudal style of rule. The court spared no expense in supporting the arts and constructing the magnificent, though ultimately ill-fated, palace in Huế. Meanwhile, they left villages impoverished, and the people frequently rose in open revolt.
French Colonialism
With local government in disarray and the French superiority in ships and arms, the colonialists realized their advantage and between 1859 and 1883 all of Vietnam fell to French control. The Nguyễn Dynasty became little more than a puppet of Paris as French forces expanded their influence to the North, the South and across the western borders with Laos and Cambodia. Colonial authorities divided Vietnam into three separate areas – the protectorates of Tonkin (which included Ninh Bình and Thăng Long) in the north, Annam in the central region, and Cochin China in the south. Today, the current borders between North Vietnam, Central Vietnam, and South Vietnam roughly reflect these divisions.
Cambodia and Laos also fell under a French Protectorate. Together with Vietnam, for the next 60 years the entire area became known as French Indochine. The French brought many benefits to the region, especially in agriculture, education and architecture. However, they also brought in many onerous and repressive laws and allowed many Chinese traders and workers to flourish freely, often to the detriment of the local populace.
Discontent with the French was already simmering when World War 2 disturbed the balance of power across all of Asia.In 1945. The newly formed government in Hanoi declared independence from both the French and the occupying Japanese forces during what Vietnam calls the “August Revolution.”
Modern Vietnam
The period between 1945 and 1975 saw Vietnam fighting for its freedom from both colonialists and foreign invaders. Other writers and historians have covered this period extensively elsewhere, so it’s sufficient to say that it ended with both French and American troops withdrawing and Vietnam gaining its independence.
Led by Hồ Chí Minh’s Việt Minh, the new government rejected any thought of a return to the feudal dynasties. Instead, the central government organized the country and established numerous provincial adjuncts. Officials re-named many existing provinces and cities after famous Vietnamese heroes and significant historical events.
For a short period, they once again renamed Ninh Bình as Hoa Lư Province. However, there was internal dissent with this ruling. Only a few months later the new Central Government Council decided that the provinces should retain their popular names and Hoa Lư once again became Ninh Binh.
For many current Vietnamese, there is no great rancor against the French and American forces. Most people view them as just failed foreign invaders who were once again successfully repelled by a country that values independence and freedom above all else
The Return of Ninh Binh
As mentioned earlier, the Tran Dynasty renamed Hoa Lư to Trường Yến in the early 13th Century. In 1398, the Tran Thuan Tong dynasty changed it once again – this time to Thiên Quan.
In the third year of King Minh Mạng’s reign under the Nguyễn Dynasty (1822), the royal court changed the name of the Thanh Bình region – where Hoa Lư is located – to Ninh Bình. Although it remained part of Thanh Hóa province, the court officially designated it as the Ninh Bình state in the tenth year of his reign (1829), marking the beginnings of the modern province we know today.
Over a century later, in 1976, the government merged Ninh Bình with the nearby Hà Nam Province. This new entity was named Hà Nam-Ninh Province.
The 8th National Assembly of the 10th session in 1991 separated Ninh Binh and Hà Nam Ninh into two provinces. Ninh Bình was divided into seven administrative units. Ninh Bình City, Tam Điệp City, Hoàng Long, Hoa Lư, Gia Viễn, Tam Điệp, and Kim Sơn.
Please remember this is a short history. The full unexpurgated version would take many years and tomes to fully explore. However, hopefully we have encapsulated a small part of what ultimately is a remarkable and exceeding complex national history.
