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=__**The Country of Vietnam**__ =



**__SPRITE__**
__**Social**__ Because of its long occupation by China, Vietnam absorbed many traits of Chinese civilization. The vietnamese adopted the Chinese writing system and incorporated many features of Chinese government, including a Confucian-style bureaucracy. Under government sponsorship, Confucianism and Daoism also heavily influenced the development of Vietnamese culture and society. Yet, Vietnam's admiration for Chinese culture did not lead to integration with China. The Vietnamese maintained many of their traditional customs such as the worship of nature spirits, which they practiced along with many Chinese customs. The Chinese rule left a strong cultural imprint on Vietnam, but it also made the Vietnamese more determined to preserve their own culture and identity as a people. Women were considered lower than men. They could not hold any jobs, except for housewife and small jobs concerning the land that the men owned.

__**Political**__ The origins of the Vietnamese are shrouded in mystery. One legend claims that the Dragon Lord of the Lac and a mountain princess of Vietnam. Historians believe that a people known as the Lac did form an early Kingdom in the Red River Delta. This is where they practiced rice farming and where they developed stone and bronze tools. Then in 208, the governor of a southern Chinese province, Trien Da took over the Lac Kingdom. He broke with China and formed the kingdom of Nam Viet. The Chinese began to tighten their control over Vietnam. Under domination by the Chinese, the Vietnamese people began to rebel. In. A.D. 39 two women, the Trung sisters, organized a revolt and over threw the Chinese. The Trung sisters briefly ruled Vietnam before China regained control over the country.

__**Religion**__ Because of the influence that China had over Vietnam, the Chinese heavily encouraged Daosim, Taoism, and Mahayanna Buddhism, and Confucianism religion philosophies on the Vietnamese people.

The Vietnamese became very skilled writers. Literature boomed in the country after they gained their independence. They produced several works of literature during this time period that are still viewed as some of the greatest literature in that country today. Art and architecture also became immensely important to the Vietnamese people. In fact, modern Vietnamese architecture is still based on the architecture that the Vietnamese created after they gained independence.
 * __Intellectual__**

__**Trade/Technology**__ Vietnam had agricultural resources and a sizable population that could be taxed and put to work for the Chinese Empire. Because of the many resources that Vietnam had to offer, China forced trade with Vietnam. they traded both goods and services. Food was what was mostly traded from between Vietnam and China.

__**Economic System**__ Because of the Chinese occupation of Vietnam, it did not really have its own economic system. Like always, it adopted the Chinese economic system. Vietnam has almost always been a poor country. The Li dynasty constructed canals and roads which made the economy boom. Large events such as these have always been small successes for the economy but have never lasted long enough to make the economy a stable one.

__**Other Important Information**__
As said before, the origins of the Vietnamese are surrounded in myth. One legend claims that the Dragon Lord of the Lac and a mountain princess of Vietnam. Historians believe a people known as the Lac did form an early kingdom in the Read River Delta, where they practiced rice farming. They also developed simple stone and bronze tools. In 208 B.C., the Lac kingdom was taken over by Trien Da. A century later, in 111 B.C., the armies of han China overran Nam Viet and turned it into a Chinese colony. This began the 1,000 year rule of Vietnam by China. In A.D. 39, two women, the Trung sisters organized a revolt and over threw the Chinese. The fall of the Tang dynasty in China in the early 900's provided the Vietnamese with another chance for independence, and this time they succeeded. In 939, a Vietnamese leader named Ngo Quyen rose up and defeated the chinese forces. The Li dynasty, which ruled from 1010 until 1255, built and stabilized a ravaged Vietnam. Under many dynasties, Vietnam began to expand southward. Vietnam began to add new territory.
 * __Time Frame of Civilization__**


 * __Important Leaders__**
 * Trien Da:** He was the governor of a southern Chinese province. He broke with China and formed the Kingdom known as Nam Viet, which later came to be known as Vietnam. This taking over included parts of northern Vietnam. Trien Da adopted the customs of the local people and consulted with the Lac rulers in running the kingdom.


 * The Trung Sisters:** Two women who organized a revolt and over threw the Chinese. The Trung sisters briefly ruled Vietnam before China gained control again. Other Vietnamese uprisings occurred over the next several centuries. These uprisings had little to no success.


 * Ngo Quyen:** The Vietnamese leader who, in 939 defeated the Chinese forces. He ruled for a very short time before the country fell into chaos.

__**How Vietnam Came to Power**__ See above in time frame of civilization.

Vietnam is still a country today. Vietnam's ability to remain a country has been tested in it's shaky past. After the Trung sister's attempt to take over Vietnam, Vietnam suffered the risk of falling as a country, but the fall of the Tang dynasty in China in the early 900's provided the Vietnamese people with another chance at independence.
 * __Reason for Fall__**

Vietnam is very unique for many reasons. The reason that sticks out that most though is that the Chinese tried their best to make Vietnam conform to Chinese cultural and rituals and Vietnam refused to lose their own ancient traditions and values. This is why Vietnam finally gained their own independence. They stood up for what they believe in, not what the Chinese believe in.
 * __What Makes Vietnam Unique?__**

**__Related Sites__**
[|Vietnam History] [|Kings and Emperors of Vietnam] [|Geography, Government, & Culture] [|Early History and Legends] [|Timeline of Vietnam History] [|Exploring Vietnam]

__**Citations**__
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, World History-Continuity and Change. Austin: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1997.

"Vietnam." All the Knowledge You Need. 2008. Infoplease. 3 Feb 2009 