The Legendary Foundations of Ancient Vietnam | University Place

Key Concepts

• Dong Son Culture: A Bronze Age culture in Northern Vietnam (c. 1000 BCE - 1st century CE) known for its bronze drums, sophisticated metalworking, and boat burials.
• Go Loa (Co Loa): An ancient citadel and settlement in the Red River Delta, considered a potential early capital of Vietnam.
• Au Lac Kingdom: A legendary kingdom said to have existed in Northern Vietnam around 258 BCE, associated with King An Duong Vuong and the magic crossbow.
• Han Dynasty: A Chinese dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) that expanded into Northern Vietnam, initiating a period of Chinese domination.
• Sinicization: The process of cultural assimilation to Chinese culture.
• Red River Delta: The fertile region in Northern Vietnam where the Red River flows into the sea, considered the cradle of Vietnamese civilization.
• Operation Frequent Wind/New Life: US military operations to evacuate refugees from Saigon in 1975.
• Barbarians: A term used by the Romans and the Chinese to describe people living outside their empires, often viewed as uncivilized.

Introduction

Professor Nam C. Kim discusses the legendary foundations of ancient Vietnam, focusing on the period leading up to and during the Han Dynasty's annexation of the region. He frames this history within the context of Chinese expansion and the Vietnamese narrative of resistance to Chinese cultural dominance. He also shares his personal connection to this history, as his family fled Vietnam during the fall of Saigon.

Historical Context: China and the "Barbarians"

• Around 2000 years ago, the Roman Empire viewed communities on its borders (Gauls, Celts) as "Barbarians" in need of civilizing.
• Simultaneously, in East Asia, the Warring States period in China culminated with the Qin Dynasty (c. 221 BCE) and the subsequent Han Dynasty.
• The Han Dynasty expanded its reach, encountering communities it considered "Barbarians" in the west (Mongolia), the Korean Peninsula, and the Red River Valley (Northern Vietnam).
• The Han Dynasty's expansion into the Red River Valley is central to the story of early Vietnam.

Personal Connection and the Use of History

• Professor Kim shares his family's evacuation from Saigon in 1975 during Operation Frequent Wind, highlighting the personal significance of Vietnamese history.
• His mother's family hails from Northern Vietnam, where the history of early Vietnam is taught as fact.
• The Vietnamese view their history as a long struggle to maintain independence and culture against Chinese dominance.
• This historical narrative is used to foster national identity, particularly in the context of 20th-century conflicts and resistance movements.
• Ho Chi Minh invoked legendary figures like the kings of the Van Lang Kingdom in his 1945 declaration of independence, linking the past to the present.

The Dong Son Culture and Go Loa

• The Red River Valley is considered the "Crucible" of Vietnamese identity.
• Reconstructions of this history rely on oral traditions, folk tales, historical texts, and increasingly, archeology.
• Key elements include legendary kingdoms (Van Lang, Au Lac), the Dong Son culture, and the site of Go Loa.

Dong Son Culture

• The Dong Son culture (mid-1st millennium BCE) is known for:
  • Boat burials with high-status individuals and valuable bronze artifacts.
  • Intensive rice farming.
  • Sophisticated bronze industries.
  • Social ranking evident in mortuary data.
  • Homes built on stilts.
• Bronze drums are a famous artifact of the Dong Son culture, with the Go Loa drum weighing 158 pounds and requiring an estimated 1000-7000 kg of ore.
• Iconography on bronze drums depicts potential lifeways and cultural practices, such as warriors with feathered headdresses.
• The Dong Son culture is prominently featured in modern Vietnamese identity, appearing in monuments, postcards, textbooks, and packaging.
• The Dong Son culture is considered the last prehistoric culture in the region before the Han annexation (111 BCE).

Go Loa: A Massive Settlement

• Go Loa is located in the Red River Delta, across the river from modern-day Hanoi.
• The site is approximately 600 hectares in size, with about 450 hectares enclosed by the outermost wall.
• The site is one of the largest settlements found in the prehistoric record of Southeast Asia.
• The site features three extant ramparts:
  • Innermost wall: 1.65 km perimeter, rectangular, punctuated by bastions.
  • Middle wall: 6.5 km perimeter, irregular shape.
  • Outermost wall: 8 km perimeter.
• Construction involved moving an estimated 1-2 million cubic meters of earth.
• Some walls still stand up to 10 meters high and are flanked by moats.
• Modern habitation within the site makes archaeological exploration challenging.

Legends and Historical Texts

• Legends describe Go Loa as the capital of the Au Lac Kingdom, founded by King An Duong Vuong.
• The legends involve a magic turtle that advised the king on building fortifications and provided a magic crossbow.
• Vietnamese texts, recorded from the 12th century onward, recount these legends as conventional history.
• Chinese texts, written after the Han annexation, depict the indigenous people as "Barbarians" lacking civilization.
• The debate centers on whether civilization was brought by the Han or was indigenous to the region.

Archaeological Fieldwork

• Historian C. O'Harrow lamented the lack of archaeological material to address questions about Go Loa's history.
• Professor Kim and his colleagues have conducted systematic investigations of the rampart walls over the past 15 years.
• The walls are used as a proxy for the city itself, examining their construction methods and dating.
• Excavations have revealed three main chronological periods: early, middle, and late.
• The middle period (phases 2, 3, and 4) is the primary focus, dating to 300-100 BCE.

Excavation Findings

• Phase 1: Dong Son pottery found stratified beneath the rampart construction, dating to 500-300 BCE.
• Middle Period (Phases 2-4): Monumental construction layers of earth and clay, with rammed earth in phase 4.
• Phase 4: The bulk of artifacts, including roof tiles, dating to 300-100 BCE.
• Thousands of roof tile fragments are found throughout the site, suggesting a significant structure or feature.
• Roof tiles from this period are unique to Go Loa in Northern Vietnam.
• Excavations inside the inner wall have revealed casting areas with evidence of sophisticated bronze working, including molds for crossbow bolts.
• The bronze drum found at Go Loa was also discovered in this area.
• The evidence suggests a centralized authority controlled construction, manufacturing, and resources.

Implications and Interpretations

• The archaeological evidence provides tantalizing clues about the Au Lac Kingdom, suggesting that parts of the legends may be valid.
• While definitive proof of the king's existence is lacking, the material record supports the existence of an ancient state or kingdom in the 300-100 BCE period.
• This predates the Han Empire's control, suggesting a local and indigenous development.
• The evidence challenges the notion that the Chinese were "civilizing" barbarians, demonstrating political and cultural complexity in the region.
• The Red River Delta's location at the terminus of the Red River facilitated interaction and exchange with communities in Southern China.
• The Warring States period in China may have led to displacement and migration, contributing to the region's development.

Ongoing Research

• Remote sensing and geophysical surveys (magnetometry) are being used to identify potential anomalies beneath the surface.
• Test excavations in areas with anomalies have revealed burials dating to the Le Dynasty (18th century), demonstrating the effectiveness of the method.
• Lidar imagery has revealed potential additional walling in the southwest corner of the inner wall area, supporting legends of nine walls.
• Researchers are collecting archaeobotanical samples to reconstruct ancient environments.

Modern Significance

• Annual festivals are held at Go Loa to commemorate the legendary history and honor ancient ancestors.
• The legendary king and his magic crossbow are featured in Vietnamese popular culture, such as video games.
• Go Loa has a museum and exhibition center and is a popular destination for tourists and school field trips.
• The site is managed by a conservation agency seeking UNESCO World Heritage status.
• The agency presents the king and kingdom as historical fact, highlighting the complex relationship between archaeological evidence and national narratives.
• Professor Kim emphasizes the importance of bringing varied voices to the table when interpreting the material record.

Conclusion

Professor Kim concludes by sharing his parents' story of returning to Vietnam and their pride in his work. He emphasizes that the archaeological record is a rich foundation for cultural material, intersecting with the modern-day identity of the Vietnamese people. He also highlights the complex and often contested nature of interpreting the past, particularly in areas with diverse stakeholders and historical narratives.