General Cuong: Visiting Cuong Temple and not forgetting the pain of losing the country

(Baonghean.vn) - Based on historical data, the article presents the views and concerns of Major General, Associate Professor - Dr. Le Van Cuong, former Director of the Institute of Strategy & Science of the Ministry of Public Security.

Map of Co Loa citadel. Photo source: Internet

Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian confirmed: “In 218 BC, King Qin (i.e. Qin Shi Huang) sent Du Shu to lead 500,000 troops, divided into 5 groups, to the South to pacify the Baiyue. But when they reached the land of Van Lang, they were fiercely resisted by the two tribes of Van Lang and Au Viet... The war lasted for more than 10 years. The Qin army attacked for a long time, and their food supplies were exhausted. They were stationed in useless land, unable to advance or retreat. The Qin army always wore armor to prevent attacks. There were countless deaths and injuries from hunger and disease. The number of servants who followed them hung themselves from trees along the roads was too many to count. General Du Thi was killed in battle. The Qin army had to retreat... Since the Qin dynasty declared itself emperor and conquered the world, this was the first time the Qin dynasty was defeated in Au Lac land”.

At the end of the 3rd century BC, the Qin Dynasty collapsed; the vassals rose up and declared themselves hegemons. In the northern region of Vietnam (present-day Guangdong), Trieu Da became king of Nam Viet. In the Records of the Grand Historian, Sima Qian clearly stated: “The king of Nam Viet had the surname Trieu, given name Da, from Chau Dinh district (now in Hebei province - China), and was previously a military officer... During the Qin Dynasty, Da was appointed as a commander in Long Xuyen district, Nam Hai district (now in Guangdong - China).

After a heavy defeat in the invasion of Au Lac, in 210 BC, Trieu Da plotted to pretend to be peaceful, sending his son Trong Thuy to marry An Duong Vuong to learn about the structure of Co Loa citadel, An Duong Vuong's military defense, and steal the secret of the Lien Chau magic crossbow.

Remains of Co Loa Citadel (Hanoi). Photo source: Internet

“Trong Thuy was a dangerous spy planted in the Thuc court. He also used bribes to divide the Au Lac court. It was An Duong Vuong who had a spy in his sleeve and the tragedy of the country's loss should not be blamed entirely on My Chau.”

Trieu Da and Trong Thuy father and son used their wealth to bribe and bribe the officials at An Duong Vuong's court in order to bribe and divide the court, making An Duong Vuong blind and deaf, unable to distinguish between friend and foe. Sima Qian also mentioned this issue in the Historical Records: "Tao then used force to threaten the border, using wealth to bribe Man Viet and Tay Au Lac to force them to depend on him."

Cuong Temple was built by the people to worship An Duong Vuong. This is believed to be the place where King An Duong Vuong committed suicide after killing his daughter My Chau. Photo: Sach Nguyen

When Trieu Da proposed to let Trong Thuy live with his family in the Thuc Dynasty (210 BC), An Duong Vuong asked General Cao Lo (the designer and commander of the construction of Co Loa citadel): For many years, Trieu Dynasty and Au Lac have been on good terms. Now their son Trong Thuy wants to propose to My Chau, what do you think? I personally want to accept the proposal to make peace and avoid war?

Three days later, General Cao Lo reported:

- Never before has a defeated person asked to have his son stay with them. They just wanted to know how Loa Thanh was fortified. It was a thousand times out of the question.

An Duong Vuong was angry:

- The Trieu Dynasty has been fighting Au Lac for a long time without winning, and wants to use the marriage proposal to erase the grudge. How can I not agree? You are old, I will let you retire. (5)

During the two years (210 - 208 BC) when An Duong Vuong allowed him to move freely in the Thuc court, Trong Thuy grasped the structure of Loa Thanh, the defenses of the Thuc dynasty, and stole the secret of the Lien Chau magic crossbow.

In 208 BC, when he had mastered all the secrets of Loa Thanh and the magic crossbow Lien Chau, Trieu Da launched a war to annex Au Lac.

Because he did not listen to the advice of General Cao Lo, An Duong Vuong lost his country and forced the ancient Vietnamese nation - Au Lac to be immersed in blood and tears for nearly a thousand years of Chinese domination.

Because of his ignorance and not listening to the advice of his loyal ministers, An Duong Vuong lost his country. An Duong Vuong committed a great crime against the country, the people, and the nation and left a black mark in Vietnamese history.

Tourists participate in Cuong Temple Festival. Photo: Ho Dinh Chien

Visiting Cuong Temple (Dien Chau - Nghe An) draws 2 lessons from the philosophy of governing the country:

First, an ignorant and disobedient district magistrate will only cause disaster in a small area. An ignorant king who will not listen to the advice of loyal ministers will certainly cause the country to decline, even lose it.

Second, the lesson learned from more than 2,000 years of Vietnamese feudalism is: every king who does not listen to the advice of loyal ministers will have the same outcome: the country will decline and even the king's life will not be preserved.

In 208 BC, because he did not listen to the advice of General Cao Lo, An Duong Vuong lost his country and ended his own life, ending the dynasty he had built.

1,585 years after An Duong Vuong lost the country, in 1377, Vietnamese history had a second black mark. Because he did not listen to the advice of loyal mandarins such as Royal Censor Le Tich, Royal Censor Truong Do and General Do Le, and listened to the flattery and slander of Hanh Khien Do Tu Binh, on January 24, Dinh Ti year (1377), King Tran Due Tong died in battle during the conquest of the Champa army at the capital Cha Ban (in present-day Binh Dinh).

Regarding this incident, Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu recorded:

“The king was stubborn, followed his own will, did not listen to advice, and looked down on the enemy, so disaster came to him, not misfortune.”

1,585 years apart, two Vietnamese kings had 3 things in common: They were ignorant; They did not listen to the advice of loyal ministers; They died tragically: An Duong Vuong committed suicide, Tran Due Tong was killed in battle.

When visiting Cuong temple, don't forget the pain of losing your country and look in the mirror, knowing what you must do to protect the beautiful country left by your ancestors.

Associate Professor - Dr. Le Van Cuong