The poem “Nam Quoc Son Ha” is one of the most famous works of literature in Vietnamese history. It is thought to be the country’s first declaration of freedom. However, there is still disagreement about who wrote the poem.
Here is the important information that is relevant:
1. Background
People say that this poem was written during the Ly dynasty’s fight against the Song invaders, especially during the resistance war at the Nhu Nguyet River at the end of the 11th century (1077).
2. Content of the poem Nam
Quoc Son Ha Original text of the poem: The book of heaven clearly determines that the Nam De own the mountains and rivers of the Nam Quoc.
3. Theories About the Author
A lot of people think that the poem was written by Ly Thuong Kiet (1019–1105), who was a great general during the Ly Dynasty. The main reason is that he led the fight to protect the Nhu Nguyen River, which is where the poem was widely read. The work fits with the spirit and the military situation when Ly Thuong Kiet was in charge. Some historical records, like “Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu” or old notes, say that the poem came from the temple of Truong Hong-Truong Hat. However, it is also linked to the great general Ly Thuong Kiet.
3.2. The idea of “divine revelation” There is another story that the poem came to the Song army stationed near the Nhu Nguyet River in the middle of the night as a “voice from the divine realm.” The divine being read the poem out loud, which lifted the spirits of the people and army of the Dai Viet. So, the poem wasn’t written by a specific person. Instead, it was “God’s will” sent down to confirm authority.
3.3. Other Thoughts There are also records that point to the idea that the poem was passed down from the Early Le Dynasty or that Confucian students from the Ly and Tran dynasties “abridged” or gathered older versions of it. This hypothesis is less strong, though, and it isn’t used very often in government documents. This means that there is still no clear agreement on who really wrote Nam Quoc Son Ha. However, most medieval records and modern historians say that the famous general Ly Thuong Kiet did a great job of popularizing (if not directly writing) the poem.
4. Author of the poem
There are three main hypotheses regarding the author of the poem:
| Content |
Popularity |
Hypothesis |
|---|---|---|
|
Ly Thuong Kiet |
Many historical documents record that this poem was recited by the famous general Ly Thuong Kiet at the battle of Nhu Nguyet |
Most popular |
|
Folklore/Anonymous Collective |
Some opinions say that this is a joint work of the Ly dynasty to encourage the spirit of the army and people during the war. |
Less common |
|
Inspiration from the divine |
According to legend, the poem was recited by a god in the temple to encourage the Dai Viet army. |
Has legendary elements |
5. Conclusion
Many people have different ideas, but the most common one is that Ly Thuong Kiet, a great Vietnamese military commander and general, wrote the poem “Nam Quoc Son Ha.” To support national unity and inspire the army and people of Dai Viet to fight, he used the poem as a declaration.