Nghe An is a land closely associated with the Tay Son Dynasty in general and Emperor Quang Trung in particular. This is a place with an important geopolitical position of strategic significance, so King Quang Trung chose Yen Truong - Dung Quyet in Nghe An to build the capital of the new dynasty with the name Phuong Hoang Trung Do, and the name of the town remained Nghe An without any change. However, some major geographical records of the Nguyen Dynasty said that under the Tay Son Dynasty, the name "Nghe An" was changed to "Nghia An".
Nghe An is the name that replaced the name Hoan Chau in 1036 when King Ly Thai Tong built a palace here. Ly Thai Tong was a typical Confucian scholar of the Ly Dynasty, well-versed in many historical stories in classic books, so he took the two words "Nghe An" with the meaning of peace and prosperity in the book.Historical Recordsto rename Hoan Chau with the wish for a locality that is always peaceful and prosperous. Specifically, in the 52nd Biography (volume 112) is"Biography of the Marquis of Binh Tan and his wife"there is a saying:"During the Han Dynasty, more than sixty years ago, the seaNghe An, the Han Dynasty had been prosperous for more than 60 years, the world was peaceful, and the granaries were full.
And in the 12th Century (volume 12) is"The Chronicles of Xiao Wu"There is also a saying:"In the first year of Han Dynasty, more than sixty years have passed since then, the worldNghe An"(In the first year, the Han Dynasty had flourished for more than 60 years, the world was at peace)
The name Nghe An began in the summer of April, Binh Ty year, Thong Thuy year 3 (1036) of the Ly dynasty. In the summer of April, Dinh Suu year, Quang Thai year 10 (1397), the Tran dynasty changed the name "Nghe An" to "Lam An", and this name existed for a short time, until the early Le dynasty, when it returned to the old name "Nghe An".
As for the Tay Son dynasty changing the name "Nghe An" to "Nghia An", the bookDai Nam Nhat Thong ChiThe section about Nghe An province clearly states:
“The Tay Son Wei changed the name to Trung Do, and also wrote Nghia An (see Bang giao luc). In the first year of the Gia Long reign, it was changed back to Nghe An town.
Perhaps it is from the information source from this national history that currently in the historical relic records in Nghe An province, or most recently the projectHistory of Buddhism in Nghe An AnIt is also believed that under the Tay Son dynasty, "Nghe An" was renamed "Nghia An".
The existence of the name "Nghia An" in many modern documents has implicitly affirmed that there was a change in the name of Nghe An under the Tay Son dynasty, and more specifically, King Quang Trung himself created that change.
However, according to contemporary written documents, this issue has been reconsidered in another direction, to confirm that the above information is completely incorrect, because:
According to Nguyen Dynasty historical documents:
InDai Nam Nhat Thong Chiclearly state:“In the first year of Gia Long reign, it was changed to Nghe An town.We have found in the most important official history of the Nguyen Dynasty thatDai Nam Thuc Luc,However, there is no record of changing the name "Nghia An" back to "Nghe An", but only important events associated with "Nghe An", for example:
“Year of the Dog, the first year of Gia Long [1802]:
In the autumn, the seventh month, bronze seals were issued to the towns.Nghe Anto the North. Trieu Dang Tran Thuong arrived at the headquarters. He ordered the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Army, Hoang Viet Toan, to take the position of Governor.Nghe An, The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Ho The Hoc, took over the position of Deputy Governor”…“In December, the King ordered the localities toNghe AnIn the North, all the land of the displaced people must be clearly demarcated by the local authorities, divided and given to the military and officials to cultivate and be exempted from taxes. The neighboring villages are not allowed to cultivate.
Besides, we looked up another famous history book under the Nguyen Dynasty.National Dynasty Official History SummaryThere is also no mention of changing the name "Nghia An" back to "Nghe An".
Or like historyNational HistoryCompiled by Phan Thuc Truc, the third laureate, to supplement events that the Nguyen Dynasty's national history had omitted or mentioned inaccurately, and also mentioned many times events related to Nghe An.Dai Nam Thuc Lucno records, such as:
“Year of the Dog, first year of Gia Long, fifth month, first day of the Canh Ngo period, The To changed the era name and advanced to take over the town.Nghe An. The minister Dang Tran Thuong asked to change the year name and march to attack and take over.Nghe An, The To listened, took that date and month and changed it to the 63rd year of Canh Hung to the first year of Gia Long. The deputy general of Than Vu Quan, Vu Duc Hau, both brought troops and elephants to attack.Nghe An, can be broken"
Thus, through the major historical books under the Nguyen Dynasty, there is no mention of the Tay Son Dynasty changing the name "Nghe An" to "Nghia An" nor of the fact that in the first year of the Gia Long era, "Nghia An" was changed to "Nghe An".
According toDiplomatic relations:
In the record of changing the name "Nghe An" to "Nghia An" in the bookDai Nam Nhat Thong ChiIt is noted that this is recorded atState Affairs. State Affairs.is a book that records documents, materials, and conventions on the communication between the Vietnamese and Chinese dynasties: edicts, decrees, royal decrees, proclamations, memorials, letters, poems, etc. compiled and prefaced by Le Thong in the 18th year of Gia Long. This book first records the Viet Thuong family offering white pheasants to the Zhou Dynasty, ending with the diplomatic mission of Hoang Kim Hoan, Nguyen Trong Vu, and Nguyen Huu Nhan in the 5th year of Dao Quang (1826). This book was supplemented with diplomatic events after the year the author edited and prefaced (1819).
In addition, there is also a set ofDai Viet Quoc Thuis a file including both the State Letter and official documents during the period of King Quang Trung and Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (from the 54th year of Emperor Qianlong (1789) to 1790), letters exchanged during the time when King Quang Trung (fake) went to China to express gratitude; and letters from King Quang Trung traveling with Qing officials, sent back and forth along the journey from Guangxi to Nhiet Ha. In addition, there are also official documents prepared before the Qing envoy came to perform the coronation ceremony for King Quang Trung. However, in these books we still do not see any mention of "Nghe An" being changed to "Nghia An".
According toAnnals of the Unified Le Dynasty:
Chronicles of the Unified Le Dynastyis a novel written in the form of chapters, the content talks about the unification of the Le dynasty at the time when Tay Son destroyed the Trinh family and returned power to King Le, until Nguyen Anh defeated Tay Son and unified the country. This is a work written in the form of a chronicle - a style of writing that records things and events, written by a number of authors in succession at different times over a long period of time from the end of the Le dynasty to the beginning of the Le dynasty.Nguyen Dynasty. Although this is only a literary work that focuses on historical narrative, and has some fictional details, the authors are contemporary, so they have quite vivid descriptions and very realistic records of the changes in feudal society at the end of the 18th century, in which the descriptions of the Tay Son dynasty are quite bold. However, Hoang Le Nhat Thong Chi has never recorded the name "Nghia An" under the Tay Son dynasty, but only "Nghe An". Like the part about Nguyen Hue pacifying Bac Ha and building Phuong Hoang Trung Do:
King Quang Trung believed thatNghe AnLocated in the middle of the country, the roads from the South to the North were all the same, and his ancestral homeland was also there. So he ordered the requisition of many workers to transport wood, stone, bricks and tiles to build palaces and castles. He built a surrounding earthen wall and ordered soldiers to dig local laterite to build the inner wall. He built a three-story Dragon Tower and two corridors of the Thai Hoa Palace to prepare for use during court ceremonies (when officials came to pay their respects and congratulate the king). This citadel was called Phuong Hoang Trung Do or Trung Kinh Phuong Hoang Thanh.
According to administrative documents of the Tay Son dynasty:
Although the Tay Son Dynasty existed for a short period of time and there was no national history to record the real records. However, many administrative documents of the court as well as the local government at that time are still preserved. Through these documents, we will determine whether the Tay Son Dynasty used the name "Nghe An" or "Nghia An" at that time. Regarding the construction of the capital in Nghe An as mentioned above, even in the years before ascending the throne, Long Nhuong General Nguyen Hue had paid attention to Nghe An as the new capital of the dynasty. After inviting La Son Phu Tu to rule the country together, Long Nhuong General Nguyen Hue assigned La Son Phu Tu to inspect and select the land that converged all the most favorable factors in Nghe An to build the capital. Regarding this, Long Nhuong General sent a letter to La Son Phu Tu on June 1, the 11th year of Thai Duc (1788), the content is as follows (Nom script):
The royal decree was passed to La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep to know. Previously, Phu Tu was entrusted to return.Nghe AnThe local general was appointed as the capital in time for this return to the royal court. Why, when we got there, we had not yet seen anything. So we should return to Phu Xuan to rest the soldiers. Therefore, the imperial edict was issued to Phu Tu to quickly consider and work with Tran Thu Than to build the capital at Phu Thach (early calculate and do that with Tran Thu Nguyen Van Than, choose the land to build the capital at Phu Thach). The palace was built in the back near the mountain (the palace was built in the back near the mountain). The exact location, based on the population, was to find a place to live in the middle of where the people lived, or where is a good land to build the capital, only Phu Tu Dao Nhan could judge (In that land, find a place to live in the middle of where the people live, or where is a good land to build the capital, based on the professional eye of the master to judge). Quickly choose the city (quickly choose)! Entrust Tran Thu Than to quickly build the palace (quickly build the palace). It should be completed within 3 months, convenient for the royal court. Therefore, Master, please do not delay and refuse to see. Please listen! Special order."
Thai Duc 11th year, 6th month, 1st day (June 1st, Thai Thu 11th year).
More than two weeks later, on June 19, Long Nhuong General Nguyen Hue sent another letter to La Son Phu Tu, the content of which was as follows:
(Translation)The edict to La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep also informed: on June 19 of this year, I read Phu Tu's decree. In it, there was a full description of the good and bad terrain along with the suffering of the people. (Phu Tu) also used famous sayings and stories of the ancients to advise. That logic is like a good medicine that is very much in line with my ideas. (But) in the beginning, when the country was just established, the people's hearts followed, (if) not inNghe AnIf we constantly control the upper region, how can we control the inside and outside? (I) Surely, Phu Tu also understands this clearly. Now I am very happy to hear Phu Tu's words, so let's postpone the great construction accordingly. But the place where I am going cannot be without early planning to carry out. Please Phu Tu take charge of the work and choose the date. If it is completed, it will also be a plan to protect the country. I ask Phu Tu to make a plan. Listen carefully. Special order.
June 19, year 11 of Thai Duc. (Seal) Quang Van Chi Bao.
Thus, even King Quang Trung himself, when sending a letter to La Son Phu Tu, still used the name "Nghe An" and did not mention the name "Nghia An". Most notably, in the letter that the Governor of Nghe An during the Tay Son period, Than Truc Hau Nguyen Van Than, sent to La Son Phu Tu, urged the quick implementation of all tasks related to the construction of the capital. The content is as follows:
(Translation)The Imperial Commissioner of the Town, Than Truc Hou, respectfully writes to La Son Phu Tu for review. Now [we] respectfully obey the imperial edict to establish the capital. In it, the districts and communes have been ordered to complete the excavation and construction. We respectfully invite Phu Tu to move his jade feet to the temporary palace, to clearly determine the direction for the construction period, to avoid causing the people to stay for a long time and cause waste. Now respectfully write.
July 4, 11th year of Thai Duc (1788). (Indian)Nghe AnTown Governor's Office
In this text, the first sentence clearly states “The Imperial Commissioner of the Garrison (is) Marquis Than Truc"and most special is the red seal stamped on the letter in the shape of a square, measuring 6.8x6.8cm with 5 Chinese characters written in the Seal script as "Nghe An"Tran Phu Chuong" (seal of the town government)Nghe An)tells us that this is a document sent by the Governor of Nghe An. Than Truc Marquis Nguyen Van Than was appointed by Nguyen Hue as the Governor of Nghe An when he went to the North for the first time in mid-1786, and he held this position throughout the existence of the Tay Son Dynasty. Unfortunately, history books do not record much information about him. But through the red seal "Nghe AnIn the above document, we see that under the Tay Son dynasty, the name "Nghia An" did not exist, but only the name "Nghe An".
Among all written documents, the documents with the Triệu Sơn seal have a very high credibility value because they have been confirmed by the feudal government to ensure the authenticity and legal validity of the issued documents. The king's granting of seals to officials in the towns is an authorization on behalf of the emperor to rule the common people. Therefore, the seal is also a manifestation of power and prestige.
Besides the documents bearing the Thai Duc era name mentioned above, the documents bearing the Canh Thinh era name in the early 19th century also never recorded the name "Nghia An". The Canh Thinh Deputy Era's paper, year 9 (1801), was sent by the Royal Censor Hoang Nghi Hau to send Nhung Tai Hau Nguyen Van Diem to his hometown in Nghe An to mobilize military provisions for the Tay Son court, with the following content:
(Translation) “The inner city is next to the mansion of the Imperial Censor-in-Chief, Hong Nghi Hou. Deputy to Trung Can Hieu Uy Quan Su, (title) Nhung Tai Hau... therefore, this deputy was assigned to this officer to urge the army back to their hometown in town.Nghe Anto mobilize military provisions. Within a month, must return to the capital Phu Xuan to assign public affairs...
April 3, Canh Thinh 9th year (1801)
Thus, through documents from the letters of General Long Nhuong Nguyen Hue to the Governor of Nghe An, through the reigns from Thai Duc to Canh Thinh under the Tay Son dynasty, it is shown that there is only the name "Nghe An" but does not confirm the existence of the name "Nghia An".
In the 10th year of Quang Thai (1397), the Tran Dynasty changed Nghe An town to Lam An town and Dien Chau town to Vong Giang town. Thus, after changing the name of Hoan Chau to Nghe An, at the end of the Tran Dynasty, there was only one time when the name "Nghe An" was changed to another name "Lam An" and it only existed for a short time.
From the early Le Dynasty until today, Nghe An has not recorded any other name changes. Therefore, "Nghe An" is the locality with the oldest name in our country. This name is much older than other localities, including provinces in the Red River Delta, such as: Hai Duong - established in 1469, Ninh Binh - 1822, Nam Dinh - 1822, Bac Ninh - 1822, Hanoi - 1831, Hung Yen - 1831, Hai Phong - 1888, Ha Nam - 1890...
Nghe An, with its position as a locality with a rich culture, has always been the subject of research and compilation by many great authors in many valuable geographical works. In each document, there are separate interpretations and views on a certain information or event in history, such as the affirmation that under the Tay Son dynasty, "Nghe An" changed its name to "Nghia An" is one of them.Dai Nam Nhat Thong ChiAlthough it is the largest and most important national history book on our country's geography under the feudal period, highly appreciated for its serious compilation method and abundant historical sources, this is only a work written in the period after the Tay Son period. Therefore, in the case of wanting to correctly perceive the events that took place in history, specifically to determine the characters and events of the Tay Son dynasty, we need to provide evidence with high reliability - that is, the original documents (Primary source) of the same period. The above-mentioned Tay Son-era documents are all original written artifacts recorded at the exact time they appeared. This is truly original evidence (Original evidence) that has never been copied or rewritten by later generations. Therefore, it can be affirmed that under the Tay Son period, the name "Nghia An" did not exist.