King Quang Trung's skillful use of talented people.

Ngo Thi Nham was born on September 11, 1746 (the year of the Tiger) in Thanh Oai village, Thanh Tri district, Ha Dong province (now Ha Tay, within Hanoi City). He was the son of Doctor Ngo Thi Sy (1726-1780). In 1765 (the year of the Rooster), he topped the provincial examination. In 1769 (the year of the Ox), he passed the examination and was appointed Deputy Supervising Commissioner in Hai Duong. In 1775 (the year of the Goat), he passed the doctoral examination and was appointed as a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Public Works, then promoted to Supervising Censor of Son Nam province, and finally to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Public Works.

Amidst the chaotic Lê-Trịnh situation, he resigned from his official position and returned to his wife's hometown. In 1788, Nguyễn Huệ issued an order to find former Lê-Trịnh officials with talent and virtue to appoint. He was recommended by Trần Văn Kỷ and highly valued by Nguyễn Huệ, who appointed him as Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and granted him the title of Trình Thái Hầu. This demonstrated the absolute trust of Emperor Quang Trung in his subordinate. This is the first time we see Ngô Thì Nhậm, recommended by Trần Văn Kỷ, being immediately appointed and given important responsibilities by Emperor Quang Trung.

King Quang Trung Temple on Quyet Mountain - Vinh City; Photo: Sy Minh.

According to the summary of the Chronology of Vietnamese History by Ha Van Thu and Tran Hong Duc (Culture and Information Publishing House, Hanoi, 1996), Emperor Qianlong promised to marry his princess to the Vietnamese king (Emperor Quang Trung Nguyen Hue) and that Guangxi province would be ceded to the king's son-in-law to establish a capital closer to Qianlong... Regarding the abolition of the tribute of gold figures, according to the book "New Discoveries about Emperor Quang Trung" by Dr. Do Bang, after hearing of Emperor Quang Trung's death, Qianlong composed a poem mourning Quang Trung and ordered 3,000 taels of silver to be released from the treasury to cover funeral expenses. All of it was given to Thanh Lam, the Guangxi Provincial Judge, to deliver as a tribute to Quang Trung. The poem Qianlong burned before the (fake) tomb contained the following passage (translated into Vietnamese):

The old diplomatic ceremony involved appointing a loyal minister.

The friendship is becoming increasingly close.

We'll always remember the reunion from those years.

How laughable, Ming Dynasty Golden Coin...

Thus, thanks to the convergence of the three minds of Emperor Quang Trung, Tran Van Ky, and Ngo Thi Nham, our country was able to overcome the "Lieu Thang calamity" and wash away the humiliation that had plagued the nation for hundreds of years.

Emperor Quang Trung's strategic vision for seeking talented individuals was truly magnificent, inclusive, and magnanimous, as demonstrated in the final section of the "Edict Seeking Talented People": "...Therefore, I issue this edict to all officials, high and low, and the common people, that anyone with talent, learning, or clever strategies that could benefit society may submit a letter to express their views. Those whose suggestions are usable will be specially appointed."

Words that are not useful should be left aside; no one will accuse someone of making false accusations. Those with talents that can be used in society should be recommended by civil and military officials. They should then be brought before the Emperor, and appointed according to their abilities. Even those who have kept their talents hidden and unknown are allowed to submit letters of recommendation; there is no fear that this would be considered "selling a gem for show."

Alas! When heaven and earth are in turmoil, virtuous people hide away. That was true in the past, but now that heaven and earth are at peace, it is precisely the time when virtuous people meet with favorable circumstances. Those with talent and virtue should strive to shine brightly in the royal court, showing utmost respect to share in the blessings of honor.

"Announce this far and wide so that everyone may hear and know!"

Emperor Quang Trung's policy of attracting and retaining talented individuals involved not only patiently and persistently inviting virtuous and capable people to serve the country, but also knowing how to utilize each person's talents and assigning them important responsibilities appropriate to their abilities.

The art of employing people also lies in the strictness of rewards and punishments. La Son Phu Tu - Nguyen Thiep was someone Emperor Quang Trung had to kneel before, inviting him to serve the country and become his teacher. However, when Nguyen Thiep served as the Director of the Sung Chinh Institute and his work was not thorough, Emperor Quang Trung still criticized him frankly.

On April 11th, the 5th year of Quang Trung (1792), Emperor Quang Trung sent a document to La Son Phu Tu stating: "Last year, I had annotated elementary school books, but it seems that the pronunciation and meaning are very rudimentary and crude, not worthy of the imperial decree."

Regarding the translation of the Four Books, it was promised that it would be submitted this spring, but it has not been sent yet, thus breaking the promise and causing a delay. The Emperor ordered that the phonetic and semantic annotations be quickly compiled into a volume and sent back for further study. He emphasized the importance of meticulous and detailed explanations of the syllables, avoiding the crude and sloppy approach of the previous time. Through this text, we see that Emperor Quang Trung was a man of both literary and military talent. The scholar La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep was a learned scholar of Confucianism and skilled in literature, well-versed in the history of our country at that time. Yet, when annotating elementary school books, he was deemed by the Emperor to be: "The phonetic and semantics are very rudimentary and crude, unworthy of the Emperor's decree." If the Emperor were not proficient in both Chinese and Vietnamese characters, how could he have known that the translation and annotations were so rudimentary and crude?!

Thanks to the critique, after a month, the Four Books (a masterpiece of Chinese literature) were translated and bound into 32 volumes, which were sent to Phu Xuan. Upon receiving the books, Emperor Quang Trung was very pleased and, after reading them, immediately issued a decree praising and rewarding the recipients.

The imperial decree reads: "I hereby inform the Head of the Imperial Academy, La Son Nguyen Khai Xuyen: In the previous period, the translation of elementary school books was completed and submitted; this period, the translation of the Four Books has been completed, totaling 32 volumes, which the provincial officials have sent to the capital for submission. I have observed that the Master's lectures and presentations were truly diligent. The assistants Nguyen Cong, Nguyen Thien, Phan To Dinh, and Bui Duong Lich all contributed. Therefore, a reward of 100 quan (Vietnamese currency) is hereby given to the provincial officials to distribute accordingly, to be received and shared among all."

When my busy schedule is finished, I enjoy resting and reading. Since you, sir, are so knowledgeable, you have contributed your writings to my reading, making them even more beneficial.

Quang Trung year 5, June 1st (1792)".

Historical records show that Emperor Quang Trung's talent in attracting and employing talented individuals was rare among ancient dynasties. Upon identifying virtuous and talented people, he, as Emperor, patiently and persistently knelt down to invite them to serve the country and become his teachers.

But this wasn't a one-sided recruitment process; it involved criticism and a strict system of rewards and punishments. The Emperor was truly a master of utilizing talent and attracting and rewarding capable individuals. Many researchers have argued that Emperor Quang Trung was not only a genius in military and diplomacy but also a genius in the art of employing people!

HBQ