Vietnam under Chinese rule

Long ago, people lived in a land called Vietnam.

They made beautiful drums from bronze.

Later, leaders from the north came to rule. This lasted for a very long time.

They brought new ways to live and talk.

These new ways changed how people worked. Many people grew rice in the wet fields.

People also traded goods with others. This helped the land grow.

Even with new rules, the people kept their own ways. It is a very big part of their story.

Long ago, people lived in the Red River Delta.

They were part of the Dong Son culture. These people made beautiful bronze drums. They also grew rice in wet fields. They used bronze tools to help them farm.

In 111 BC, the Han dynasty from China took control. This began a long time of Chinese rule.

The Han made the area a big center for trade. Many people moved to the region from the north. This changed the culture and the way people spoke. New ideas in art and religion also arrived.

Some people fought back against these new rules. In 40 AD, the Trung sisters led a rebellion. They wanted to rule on their own. However, the Han sent a large army to stop them.

After this, Chinese rule became even stronger. Over many centuries, Chinese writing and ways of life stayed. These things became part of the local culture. This era ended in 939 AD when a new dynasty began.

Long ago, the Red River Delta was home to the Dong Son culture.

These people were very skilled at making bronze drums using a method called lost wax technology. They lived in organized societies, such as the one at Cổ Loa. This place had large earthen walls that spiraled like a snail.

Archaeologists think about 5,000 people lived in Cổ Loa itself. Tens of thousands more lived in the nearby areas. These people were farmers who grew wet rice using irrigation. They also used bronze ploughs to help them work the land.

In 111 BC, the Han dynasty from China took control of the region.

This happened after the Han general Lu Bode conquered Nanyue. Nanyue was a kingdom that included parts of China and the Red River Plain. The Han turned the area into a major center for trade. They focused on controlling the Pearl and Red Rivers.

One important path for trade was the Ghost Gate Pass. This route helped goods move from the mountains to the sea. Because of this trade, the area became a busy place for many different people.

Some local leaders tried to fight back against this new rule.

In 40 AD, two women known as the Trưng sisters led a rebellion. They wanted to rule their own land at Mê Linh. The Han dynasty sent a large army to stop them. General Ma Yuan led over 2,000 ships and 20,000 warriors to fight.

The rebellion did not succeed, and the sisters were killed. After this, the Han government became much stronger in the region. They built new walls, dug canals, and made new laws.

Many people moved from China to the south during this time.

When the Han dynasty fell in 220 AD, many groups migrated. One large group of over one million people moved south in the early 4th century. This changed the area by bringing new languages and customs.

Chinese characters became the official way to write in Vietnam. This lasted until the 20th century. Even as local writing called chữ Nôm grew, Chinese characters remained very important. These changes helped shape the culture for hundreds of years.

This long period of Chinese rule lasted for many centuries.

It is often divided into different parts. The main phase ended in 939 AD when the Ngô dynasty was formed. There was also a later period of rule from 1407 to 1428 AD.

This history shows how different cultures can mix together. It shows how trade and movement can change a land forever. Even after the rule ended, many old traditions stayed part of life.

Vietnam under Chinese rule, known as Bắc thuộc, refers to several historical periods of governance by Chinese dynasties. This era lasted from 111 BC to 939 AD, with a separate occupation from 1407 to 1428 AD. During these times, various parts of modern northern and central Vietnam were under Chinese control. This period is significant because it lasted longer than the time some modern Chinese provinces have existed. It deeply influenced the region through trade, migration, and cultural exchange.

Before the Han dynasty arrived, the Red River Plain was home to the Đông Sơn culture. This culture flourished around the 5th century BC and was famous for making bronze drums. They used a sophisticated technique called lost wax technology to create these items.

One major center was Cổ Loa, a site with concentric earthen walls that spiraled like a snail. Archaeologist Nam Kim estimates that 5,000 people lived in Cổ Loa, with tens of thousands more in the surrounding area. These people were skilled farmers who used bronze ploughs and irrigation to grow wet rice.

In the late 3rd century BC, a leader named Thục Phán conquered Cổ Loa and established the kingdom of Âu Lạc. Later, a general named Zhao Tuo created a polity called Nanyue, or Southern Yue. This kingdom included southeastern China and the Red River Plain. Nanyue's capital was at Panyu, which is modern-day Guangzhou. In 183 BC, Zhao Tuo called himself the "martial emperor of Nanyue." However, the Han dynasty eventually conquered Nanyue in 111 BC under the general Lu Bode.

After the conquest, the Han dynasty organized the region into commanderies. These were administrative districts used to manage territory. The three main commanderies were Jiaozhi, Jiuzhen, and Rinan. Jiaozhi became a very important center for maritime trade. Goods moved through the region toward other parts of the Han empire. The Han focused their control on the Pearl River and Red River regions. They used important overland routes, such as the Ghost Gate Pass, to manage trade.

Resistance to Chinese rule occurred at various times. In 40 AD, the Trưng sisters led a rebellion against the Han dynasty. They established an independent rule at Mê Linh in the Red River Delta. The Han responded by sending General Ma Yuan with over 2,000 ships and 20,000 warriors.

The rebellion was eventually defeated, and the leaders were killed. Following this, the Han administration became more intense. They built new irrigation canals, organized town walls, and established new laws for the local people.

Large-scale migration also changed the population of the region. When the Han dynasty fell in 220 AD, many people moved south. In the early 4th century AD, over one million northerners migrated toward the south. This movement brought new languages and customs to the area. Over time, a community of Sinitic speakers lived alongside speakers of Ancient Northern Vietic. This period also saw the rise of Chinese characters as the official script. This writing system remained in use until French colonization in the 20th century.

Historians today study this period to understand how national identities are formed. Some scholars, like Keith W. Taylor and Catherine Churchman, argue that modern views of this era are shaped by nationalist ideas. They suggest the relationship between the two regions was complex. It included periods of local autonomy and cultural syncretism, which is the blending of different beliefs and practices. This history shows how centuries of interaction can leave a lasting footprint on a culture's language, religion, and art.