Luong Minh Cu[1]

Since the second half of the 14 Century Dai Viet at the end of Tran’s empire underwent a serious and fundamental socio-economic crisis. The need to renovate the country in order pull it out of the crisis became urgently necessary. As a result, a reform movement was born and Ho Quy Ly was one of its best representatives. Ho Quy Ly initiated and became the leader and organizer of that movement. His reformative thoughts and activities were valued as valiant, strong and full of patriotism and responsibility to nation’s destiny at that time. His reformative ideas had been carried out from the end of Tran’s dynasty to the beginning of Ho dynasty. Despite being incompletely executed his reformative cause contributed to opening a new development step in the political and ideological history of Vietnam. Therefore it is necessary to study Ho Quy Ly’s reformative thoughts in order to draw historical lessons for the development of our country. In this paper we would like to pay attention to only some distinctively Ho Quy Ly’s reformative thoughts, which exerted strong impact on Vietnam at that time.

1. Ho Quy Ly’ reformative thoughts on military

We would like to emphasize that the reformative ideas on politics and military occupy an important place in Ho Quy Ly’s system of reformative thoughts. These ideas remained Ho Quy Ly’s most important motivation and main concern during his serving time under Tran’s and Ho dynasties. First, Ho Quy Ly tried all practical measures to consolidate his power, establish a strong central government and strengthen country’s military forces. His political reform was carried out at the end of Tran’s dynasty, under Tran Du Tong regime when the wide spread of corruption and social vices weakened the court. Ho Quy Ly decided then to build a centralized military government. In order to do so, he gathered around him the army of loyal mandarins, Confucian and non-Confucian scholars, who were selected to be in key positions of his future government. He also reinforced that army through selection and examination. His intention was to select people with real talent and ability to help him build up a strong government.

Ho Quy Ly tended to rely wholly upon his mandarins in most strategic areas from governing country’s development to safeguarding national sovereignty. 

Thus, according to Ho Quy Ly, the existing aristocratic and monarchic form of government under Tran’s dynasty was obsolete and should be replaced by a new type of bureaucratically centralized feudal monarchic apparatus of government that can be able to generate new strength to develop the country.

In practicing rule by law governance, Ho Quy Ly focused much on the process of establishing law, which can serve as foundation for the Court to govern effectively the country.

Importantly, Ho Quy Ly, in the existing historical context of Vietnam at that time, had to devote much of his effort to reinforce military forces because the military threat from Ming’s dynasty in the north of the country became serious. Ho Quy Ly wanted to build solid troops of hundred thousands of soldiers, which would be strong enough to encounter aggressors from China. In 1401 Ho Quy Ly issued a decree on registration of household record to collect demographic information for military recruitment. When Ming’s troops were about to invade our country in 1406, Ho Quy Ly reinforced military forces with a massive recruitment. Ho’s active troop strength at that time reached a record level in the history of Vietnam.

Together with measures of organizing military forces Ho Quy Ly also focused on the improvement of weapons and armaments. He ordered to open arsenals and military factories, circulate paper money to take back bronze money for manufacturing weapons and recruit skilled workers to military arsenals. Therefore, there was some significant development and technical improvement in military equipments and weapons of the Vietnamese troops at that time. Ho Nguyen Trung (the eldest son of Ho Quy Ly) invented a new kind of much advanced weapon that could fires heavy projectiles. In the battle with Chiem Thanh’s troops, Vietnamese troops captured many military elephants. As a result the strength of Vietnamese military forces was reinforced significantly. Marine forces were also equipped with bigger and more combatingly effective military vessels. Besides, Ho’s regime also built many military castles to create a national system of defense line. Taydo’s castle (in Thanhhoa province), which was the capital under Ho’s regime, was a kind of military castle. There were also Dabang castle (in Sontay town - Hatay province) and a huge system of defense line extending about 400 kilometers from Tan Vien mountain through Da’s, Luoc’s and Hong’s rivers to Thai binh estuary. This was a system of obstacles including the areas of riverbed that was full of stakes and steel chains as well as military posts located in estuaries etc. We can say that it was a time in the Vietnamese military history when the Vietnamese built the most sophisticated and comprehensive system of defense line, which was much bigger than Nhu Nguyet’s system of defense line under Ly dynasty.

Generally speaking, Ho Quy Ly military reforms were progressive even more advanced than those of previous regimes. These were practical measures to reinforce the power of Ho’s regime in the period of renovating, developing and safeguarding the country.  

2. Ho Quy Ly’ reformative thoughts on economy

In the field of economy Ho’ regime carried some reforms, first of all, in order to reduce the economic power of Tran’s aristocrats and officials as well as to soften the discontent of the masses. But on the other hand, the reforms aimed mainly at serving the interests of the new ruling class, which was a class of bureaucratic aristocrats and Confucian scholars of Ho’s dynasty. We would like to sketch out here only some main socio-economic reformative policies such as the policies on limitation of agriculture land, paper money and taxation.

a, Once being issued by Ho Quy Ly in 1397 the policy on limitation contributed to limiting the appropriation of agriculture land by Tran’s aristocrats and landowners as well as reclaiming a large amount of private lands. As a result, the state had more resources to develop its agricultural economy.

Ho Quy Ly intended to allow aristocrats of highest ranks to own unlimited amount of cultivation land. Other classes and members of society like small landlords and peasants only take possession of land according to the limits imposed by the state.

In order to implement this policy, Ho Quy Ly ordered a national-wide survey on agriculture land. As a result, the government was able to have an exact and up-to-date registration of the owners and their areas of cultivated land, on the basis of which the state could guarantee the implementation of an appropriate and fair policy on agricultural taxation as well as plan new policies on cultivated land, development of agriculture and general economic development.  

b, The issue of paper money: Ho Quy Ly’s intention of replacing paper money by metal money was an original economic reform. Paper money, which was known as “Thong bao hoi sao”, was more convenient and economical because mental money was heavy and consumed a significant amount of valuable mental. Indeed, since 1396 when Ho Quy Ly took the post of Regent Great Tutor under Tran’s dynasty he planned about the circulation of paper money. When he established his Court and became the King in 1400, the policy of using paper money was implemented widely and thoroughly.  

Paper money, in its essence, was an economic phenomenon. It was born only when a society reached a certain level of socio-economic development. Whether Ho Quy Ly’s policy of replacing metal money by paper money was an economic demand or not still remains disputable. In our view, Ho Quy Ly decision to circulate paper money was, first of all, to solve serious difficulties relating to the financial crisis the state faced at that time. On the other hand, the taking back of metal money contributed to providing resources to the manufacture of combating weapons and other industries. Thus, the replacement of metal money was considered as one of important reforms in the field of economy and finance under Ho’s regime.

However, we should also note that the circulation of paper money went beyond the demand of the society of Vietnam at that time both in theoretical and practical terms so that it could not bring the result that Ho Quy Ly expected. 

c, Tax reforms: tax reforms were among important economic renovation carried out in Ho’s dynasty. Facing financial difficulties left by Tran dynasty due to the decreasing of incomes from public land and tax revenue, Ho Quy Ly issues a decree on taxation law. It was an effective measure and brought some positive results. However, because Ho Quy Ly did not take into consideration economic difficulties most of the masses, mainly peasants, encountered, his measure suffered some limitations and drawbacks. For example, the tax on cultivated land was a burden for peasants; but in comparison with Tran’s taxation policy there were some reduction and adjustment relating to the tax on the land for cultivating mulberry and agricultural labor. Ho Quy Ly’s taxation policy was known as a reduction of tax for people who possessed less cultivated land. Thus, this new taxation policy encouraged significantly the development agricultural economy.

As recorded in Dai Viet Su Ky toan thu (Complete History of Great Viet), in the areas of commerce and trade “The taxation on trade vessels was divided into three levels: high, middle and low, which were accordingly 5 quans (monetary unit under Ho’s dynasty), 4 quans and 3 quans”. Some historians think that Ho Quy Ly practiced a kind of oppressive attitude toward trade. In our view, this kind of opinion is not justified because the taxation policy practiced under Ho’s dynasty, to some extents, expressed justice and equality towards people who have the duty to pay tax to the state

3.    Ho Quy Ly’ thoughts on social reforms and renovations

As we know, when Ho Quy Ly took power there were large number of serfs and bondmen working in feudal tenures and farmsteads of Tran aristocrats and nobilities. Their drudgery life caused social contradictions leading to riots and unrests in many places. At a result, production activities were seriously affected, the society faced a serious economic crisis and social instability. Being well aware of the situation Ho Quy Ly decided to implement the policy of limitation on land possession in order to reduce social contradictions. This policy, in its essence, did not aim at serf liberation but only was a kind of response to social needs at that time. Thus it was only a handover of serfs and bondmen from private hands to the hands of mandarins and nobilities. However, that policy was a necessary step and closely linked with the policy of limitation on land possession, together they established a new system of ownership serving country’s socio-economic reforms 

Beside the policy of limitation on land possession, Ho’s regime also carried out some strong social reforms. For example, in 1401, Ho Quy Ly built a national storehouse for reserving food and food products. The state used public funds to buy rice and grain at harvest times and sold or distributed to people when they faced lean years and famine. This storehouse also served as an ordnance store for troops. Thus that measure was a strategic policy of ‘saving up for a rainy day’ to stabilize social life. Apart from these measures Ho Quy Ly also carried out a series of reformative policies aiming at stabilizing society life and reassuring people: in 1402 the office of “Quang Te thu (equal today’s ministry of Health) and appointed Nguyen Dai nang, a famous physician, head of this office.

Generally, Ho Quy Ly’s measures and policies were progressive expressing his practical philosophy in social organization and governance.  However, his biggest drawback was that he failed to carry out them thoroughly so the interests of the majority of the working masses were not met, cultivated lands were not given to all peasants and bondmen and serfs were not liberated. Therefore to a certain extent, Ho Quy Ly’s reforms were still limited. 

4. Ho Quy Ly’reformative thoughts on culture and education

Areas of superstructure were also among the subjects of Ho Quy Ly’s special concerns when he served at Tran’s court. His ideas on cultural and educational reforms were expressed in his “Minh Dao” (Enlightened Tao), which consisted of 14 chapters. Unfortunately, the book has lost, therefore, it is very difficult to understand and value its main ideas.

However, many think that Ho Quy Ly did not consider Confucian classics as a “golden rule”. He intended to classify and select only the ideas that would be appropriate for the practice of Vietnam. He has his own approach to Confucian classics and strongly criticized some Confucian ideas. His critique might not quite justified but we can see in his critique a man with national spirit, creative criticism and even some pragmatism in implementation of Confucian classics to his governance of the country. All of those reflect the will of the head of the country, who did not accept uncritically given ideas of Confucianism, which was considered by many as the official ideology. Especially Ho Quy Ly encouraged people use Nom language (Vietnamese language written by using Chinese characters) as a national language. This shows his patriotism and deep national awareness. Thus Ho Quy Ly’s ideas and views were more progressive and advanced than those of his Confucian contemporaries and even those of later generations of Confucians.

Together with promotion of Nom language, Ho Quy Ly’s reformative thoughts on culture can also be seen in some other areas like the amelioration of rituals and music, reform of Courts ceremonies and rituals and reestablish traditional rituals and festivals. All these measures were to enhance the national spirit in communities.

In the field of education, Ho Quy Ly implemented some bold and effective measures. First, he intended to build a practice-oriented education that would promote creativity and reduce the role of Confucianism. He criticized Confucian scholars who “are retarded despite their wide learning and pay no attention to the living practice but only want to plagiarize from the ancients”. Other step in education took place in 1369 when Ho Quy Ly, together with rendering of the Book of Poetry into Vietnamese, issued new regulations on the content and form of national exams. In 1403 exams on mathematics and writing were added. These new exams changed the way students studied and prepared to national exams: instead of learning by heart of Confucian classics students must study more creatively and critically, especially in learning mathematics. They also must pay attention to the practice life in order to write good essays. The reforms on education and examination brought some positive results: selected mandarins were really talented with the patriotism and national spirit and ready for the cause of building a strong and developed nation. Besides, Ho Quy Ly also held a profound and correct view on the role of educators. He appointed many scholars, who successfully passed the fist national exams (under Ho’ regime) to important posts managing the national education system. He also used and promoted many Confucian scholars, who had passed national exams under Tran’s dynasty but did not involve in the Tran’s Court. Among them was Nguyen Phi Khanh (Nguyen Trai’s father)

Ho Quy Ly was also highly respected when he initiated the policy on study promotion. In 1397 he ordered to open schools in all provinces and administrative units including Kinh Bac, Son Nam Ha Dong and other Northern coastal provinces. There was a education office in every administrative unit. Thus, we can see that Ho Quy Ly was a comprehensive reformer and progressive education reformer. He was a man of action who could do everything for the sake of the nation, its development and independence. In short, as a reformer, Ho Quy Ly had many bold and positive reformative thoughts on culture and education.

We can affirm that, reformative ideas, which have been formed and developed in response to national historical needs, occupy a special place in the history of the Vietnamese thought. In this reformative current, Ho Quy Ly’s reformative ideas held a special position. His reformative ideas opened a new phase for the development of a centralized political state in the medieval period of the history of Vietnam. His initial step was further developed in following periods. Ho Quy Ly’s reformative thoughts were valued as bold and progressive but not without drawbacks. However, after 6 centuries, his thoughts still are valuable for later generations. Therefore, the studying and researching of Ho Quy Ly’s reformative thoughts to withdraw historical lessons remain theoretically and practically significant for the cause of renovation, industrialization and modernization of Vietnam pursuing the aim of ‘wealthy people, strong country’ put forward by the Communist Party of Vietnam today. These are the lessons of how to combine the strategic tasks of building and safeguarding our country, how to implement the policy of being close to people and upholding the strength of the national unity in the cause of building and safeguarding the country as well as the policy on education, training of the talented who should be attentive to the practice of life and the life of people. There is also the lesson on the necessary objectivity of renovation.

(Translated by Tran Tuan Phong)