The history of Việt Nam: my very brief version - Part 1

Updated on February 14, 2025

The Sơn Vi Culture is the earliest one that belongs specifically to Việt Nam. Evidence of it was discovered in the caves around the Ba Bể National Park. Items found there were dated back to about 18000 BCE. The Sơn Vi Culture was a hunter-gatherer society, whose members lived in caves and used stone tools in daily living.

The Hòa Bình Culture is the next major one, which spanned between 12000 BCE and 10000 BCE. The French archeologist, Madeleine Colani, announced her discovery in 1932. The distinguish feature of this society is that its members created tools by using large pebbles or flakes.

The Phùng Nguyên Culture, which spanned between 2000 BCE and 1400 BCE, is the first farming society in Việt Nam. Bronze objects and pottery items were found in the village of Phùng Nguyên, Phú Thọ province, in 1959. Artifacts from these various cultures are on displayed at the National Museum of History in Hà Nội.

Source: Unknown author. "Sơn Vi Culture (Palaeolithic) (Vietnam)." historyfiles.co.uk. Date unknown. https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsFarEast/CulturesSonVi.htm

Unknown author. "Hoabinhian Culture (Palaeolithic / Mesolithic) (Southeast Asia)." historyfiles.co.uk. Date unknown. https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsFarEast/CulturesHoabinhian.htm

Unknown author. "Life of primitive people in Hoa Bịnh." hoabinhtourism.vn. Date unknown. https://hoabinhtourism.vn/en/cultural

Unknown author. "Phung-nguyen Culture (Neolithic Farmers / Bronze Age) (Southeast Asia)." historyfiles.co.uk. Date unknown. https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsFarEast/CulturesPhung-nguyen.htm

Multiple authors. "Văn hóa Phùng Nguyên." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on May 25, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%83n_h%C3%B3a_Ph%C3%B9ng_Nguy%C3%AAn

Unknown author. "Các văn hóa Tiền Đông Sơn: Phùng Nguyên, Đồng Đậu, Gò Mun, khoảng 4.000 - 2.500 năm cách ngày nay." Vietnam National Museum of History. Date unknown. https://baotanglichsu.vn/vi/Articles/4016/cac-van-hoa-tien-djong-son-phung-nguyen-djong-djau-go-mun-khoang-4-000-2-500-nam-cach-ngay-nay

The Hồng Bàng Dynasty and the Đông Sơn Culture (7th century BCE - 3rd century BCE)

The much celebrated Đông Sơn Culture, which spanned between 1000 BCE and 100 BCE, showed impressive advancement by its members in casting bronze objects and the herald of the Iron Age in Việt Nam. Evidence of this culture was discovered in 1924 at the village of Đông Sơn, Thanh Hóa province. The Đông Sơn people were skilled at cultivating rice, keeping domestic animals such as water buffalos and pigs, fishing and navigating by canoe. They were also skilled at bronze casting, which is evident in examining the Đông Sơn drum.

Source: Multiple authors. "Dong Son Culture." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on December 25, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dong_Son_culture

Unknown author. "Văn hóa Đông Sơn, khoảng 2.500 - 2.000 năm cách ngày nay." Vietnam National Museum of History. Date unknown. https://baotanglichsu.vn/vi/Articles/4017/van-hoa-djong-son-khoang-2-500-2-000-nam-cach-ngay-nay

Image source: Unknown photographer. "See the largest Dong Son bronze drum ever on display in Hanoi," 2023. Accessed via https://www.vietnam.vn/en/ngam-trong-dong-dong-son-lon-nhat-tu-truoc-den-nay-dang-trung-bay-o-ha-noi/ Altered from source photo.

Image source: Unknown photographer. "See the largest Dong Son bronze drum ever on display in Hanoi," 2023. Accessed via https://www.vietnam.vn/en/ngam-trong-dong-dong-son-lon-nhat-tu-truoc-den-nay-dang-trung-bay-o-ha-noi/ Altered from source photo.

A number of Vietnamese scholars believe the legendary Hồng Bàng Dynasty is not a myth on the basis of the Đông Sơn Culture. The Hồng Bàng Kings called themselves Hùng King, and their kingdom, Văn Lang, with the capital in Phong Châu (present day Việt Trì city, Phú Thọ province). According to the legend, there were eighteen Hùng Kings.

Source: Multiple authors. "Hồng Bàng Dynasty." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on December 7, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BB%93ng_B%C3%A0ng_dynasty

Unknown author. "Van Lang - Au Lac states." Vietnam National Museum of History. Date unknown. https://baotanglichsu.vn/en/Articles/4192/van-lang-au-lac-states

The Âu Lạc Kingdom (257 BCE - 204 BCE)

In the third century BCE, the Văn Lang Kingdom declined and was conquered by King An Dương of the neighboring Âu Việt Kingdom (present day Guangxi province of China and part of northern Việt Nam). King An Dương called his combined kingdom, Âu Lạc, with the capital at Cổ Loa (present day Hà Nội).

Source: Unknown author. "Van Lang - Au Lac states." Vietnam National Museum of History. Date unknown. https://baotanglichsu.vn/en/Articles/4192/van-lang-au-lac-states

Multiple authors. "An Dương Vương." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on December 7, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_D%C6%B0%C6%A1ng_V%C6%B0%C6%A1ng

Multiple authors. "Âu Lạc." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on December 26. 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%82u_L%E1%BA%A1c

Image source: Google Maps, "Cổ Loa citadel," 2010. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286076226_Co_Loa_An_investigation_of_Vietnam's_ancient_capital Unaltered from source photo.

The Triệu Dynasty and the Nam Việt Kingdom (204 BCE - 111 CE)

According to the legend, King An Dương agreed to marry his daughter, Princess Mỵ Châu, to Prince Trọng Thủy, a son of Triệu Đà, King Vũ of the neighboring Nam Việt Kingdom (present day Guangdong, Hainan, and southern Fujian provinces of China). This was done after numerous unsuccessful attempts by Triệu Đà to conquer Âu Lạc and also because of King An Dương’s desire for peace. The marriage was a ruse by Triệu Đà to steal the divine crossbow (nỏ thần) of King An Dương, which could shoot thousands of arrows at once, and which also the chief cause of his many invasion failures. Prince Trọng Thủy lived in Âu Lạc with Mỵ Châu for a few years before he was able to convince the princess to show him the divine crossbow. Prince Trọng Thủy promptly sent it to his father. With the divine crossbow, Triệu Đà conquered the Kingdom of Âu Lạc. King An Dương beheaded Princess Mỵ Châu for her betrayal, before he committed suicide.

The Triệu Dynasty marked the first major contact with the Chinese civilization by Việt Nam. Some Vietnamese scholars have argued the Triệu Dynasty is Chinese because Triệu Đà was a former Qin Dynasty general and saw himself as Han Chinese while others have argued the opposite because the Kingdom of Nam Việt was a separate entity from the Han Empire. The dynasty ended after five kings.

Source: Multiple authors. "Mỵ Châu." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on February 6, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%E1%BB%B5_Ch%C3%A2u

Multiple authors. "Nhà Triệu." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on November 10, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nh%C3%A0_Tri%E1%BB%87u

Phạm Hồng Hạnh - Hữu Nghị. "Vén bức màng bí ẩn về "nỏ thần" An Dương Vương trong huyền thoại." Dân Trí magazine. July 18, 2022. https://dantri.com.vn/doi-song/ven-buc-man-bi-an-ve-no-than-an-duong-vuong-trong-huyen-thoai-20220714142429134.htm

Multiple authors. "Nanyue." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on November 8, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanyue

Chinese Rule (111 BCE - 939 CE)

In 111 BCE, the Han Emperor Wu, dispatched his generals, Lu Bode and Yang Pu, to invade Nam Việt. King Triệu Kiến Đức, the last king of the Triệu Dynasty, along with his general, Lữu Gia, were killed in battle. The Han Empire successfully ended the Triệu Dynasty and absorbed the Kingdom of Nam Việt, thus marking the beginning of the on and off Chinese domination of Việt Nam for the next ten centuries.

Source: Multiple authors. "Triệu Dynasty." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on November 8, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri%E1%BB%87u_dynasty

Multiple authors. "Nhà Triệu." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on November 10, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nh%C3%A0_Tri%E1%BB%87u

The Ladies Trưng (40 CE - 43 CE)

In 40 CE, Ladies Trưng, Trưng Trắc and her sister, Trưng Nhị, successfully rose up against the Han Empire and ruled Việt Nam briefly for three years before being defeated by the Han General, Ma Yuan, in 43 CE. According to some historical accounts, the killing of Lady Trưng Trắc's husband, Thi Sách, a member of the local ruling class, by Su Ding, the Chinese Governor at that time, led to the uprising by the two sisters. It would appear that women or at least upper class women had high status during this period.

Source: Multiple authors. "Trưng Sisters." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on November 10, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%C6%B0ng_sisters

Lý Nam Đế and Triệu Quang Phục (544 CE - 602 CE)

In 544 CE, Lý Bí, a local aristocrat, rose up against the Liang Dynasty of Southern Liang, one of the three dynasties that ruled China during that time. He declared himself, Lý Nam Đế or Lý Emperor of the Southern Realm and his kingdom, Vạn Xuân. In 545 CE, Southern Liang sent two generals to invade Vạn Xuân. Triệu Quang Phục, Lý Nam Đế's general, was finally able to expel the Southern Liang force in 550 CE. Việt Nam was independent until 602 CE when the Sui Dynasty of China conquered it.

Khúc Thừa Dụ and Dương Đình Nghệ (905 CE - 938 CE)

When the Tang Dynasty of China was in declined, Khúc Thừa Dụ, a local wealthy gentry, was able to wrestle Việt Nam from the Chinese domination in 905 CE. In 923 CE, the Later Han Dynasty of Southern Han, one of the ten kingdoms that ruled China during that time, sent its generals to conquer Việt Nam. Southern Han occupied the country until 931 CE, when Dương Đình Nghệ, a general of the Khúc's family, expelled it. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by his adopted son, in 937 CE.

Source: Multiple authors. "Lịch Sử Việt Nam." vi.wikipedia. org. Last updated on December 28, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%E1%BB%8Bch_s%E1%BB%AD_Vi%E1%BB%87t_Nam

Multiple authors. "Khúc Thừa Dụ." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on May 28. 2023. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh%C3%BAc_Th%E1%BB%ABa_D%E1%BB%A5

The Ngô Dynasty (939 CE - 967 CE)

In 938 CE, Southern Han again sent its force to Việt Nam. Ngô Quyền, Dương Đình Nghệ's son-in-law, defeated it in the famous naval battle on the Bạch Đằng River. He established the Ngô dynasty in 939 CE. Ngô Quyền laid the foundation for a Vietnamese government that could resist the Chinese and Mongol invading forces in later centuries.

When Ngô Quyền died in 944 CE, Dương Tam Kha, his brother-in-law, usurped the throne. He also adopted Ngô Xương Văn, a younger son of Ngô Quyền, as heir. In 950 CE, Ngô Xương Văn was able to dethrone his uncle. He did not executed Dương Tam Kha but granted him a title as a Duke. In 966 CE, with the Ngô Dynasty in decline, the country was divided and controlled by twelve warlords.

Source: Multiple authors. "Nhà Ngô." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on November 23, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nh%C3%A0_Ng%C3%B4

The Đinh Dynasty (968 CE - 980 CE)

In 968 CE, Đinh Bộ Lĩnh, a son of Đinh Công Trứ, a general of Dương Đình Nghệ, defeated the twelve warlords, to establish the Đinh Dynasty. He called himself, Đinh Tiên Hoàng, and his country, Đại Cồ Việt, with the capital at Hoa Lư (in present day Ninh Bình province). In 979 CE, Đinh Tiên Hoàng and his eldest son, Đinh Liễn, were assassinated. His remaining son, Đinh Toàn, succeeded him at only six year old, with Dương Vân Nga, the Queen Dowager, and Lê Hoàn, Đinh Tiên Hoàng's general, as regents. According to some sources, Dương Vân Nga was a daughter of Dương Tam Kha or at least a daughter of the prominent Dương's family.

Source: Multiple authors. "Nhà Đinh." vi.wikipedia.org. Last update on December 11, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nh%C3%A0_%C4%90inh

Multiple authors. "Dương Vân Nga." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on November 8, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C6%B0%C6%A1ng_V%C3%A2n_Nga

The Earlier Lê Dynasty (980 CE - 1009 CE)

In 981 CE, the Song Dynasty of China invaded Việt Nam. According to some historical accounts, the army wanted Lê Hoàn to be king before they would fight the Song invading force. Dương Vân Nga, the other regent, agreed to this and Lê Hoàn became king, thus establishing the Earlier Lê Dynasty. Lê Hoàn immediately married her. Confucianist historians of later dynasties condemned him for this immoral act. Also, some historians suggested that Lê Hoàn and Dương Vân Nga were the prime suspects in the assassinations of Đinh Tiên Hoàng and Đinh Liễn. She was also the only woman in Vietnamese history, known for being Queen of two dynastic founders and also the mother-in-law of another.

Lê Hoàn defeated the Song army but he also sent diplomatic mission to the Song Court to maintain peace between the two countries. Lê Hoàn ruled Việt Nam for 24 years before he passed away in 1005 CE. During his reign, Lê Hoàn invaded Champa, a kingdom to the south of Việt Nam, in present day Central Việt Nam and part of southern Việt Nam. This marked the first, since independence from Chinese rule, of the many military campaigns against Champa in later centuries and finally, its demise in 1832 CE.

Lê Hoàn had many sons but did not appoint an heir, so a power struggle ensued after his death. Prince Lê Long Đĩnh became king after eliminating the other princes. He was remembered by his cruelty during his reign. Fortunately, Lê Long Đĩnh passed away four years later, in 1009 CE. According to some historians, Lý Công Uẩn, Lê Hoàn's son-in-law, became king because Lê Long Đĩnh's children were small and the courtiers hated the previous reign, thus ending the Earlier Lê Dynasty.

Source: Multiple authors. "Nhà Tiền Lê." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on August 19, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nh%C3%A0_Ti%E1%BB%81n_L%C3%AA

Multiple sources. "Champa." en.wikipedia.org. Last updated on January 5, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champa

Multiple authors. "Lý Thái Tổ." vi.wikipedia.org. Last updated on December 22, 2024. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BD_Th%C3%A1i_T%E1%BB%95

Image source: Unknown creator, "Việt Nam territory through various eras," 2024. Accessed via https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%E1%BB%8Bch_s%E1%BB%AD_Vi%E1%BB%87t_Nam Unaltered from source image.

It is interesting to note that all of the dynasties that ruled Việt Nam since independence from the Chinese rule were related to each other through marriages, from the Ngô Dynasty through the Hồ Dynasty and again from the Later Lê Dynasty to the Nguyễn Dynasty, the last one in Việt Nam.