The East Sea – Spratly Islands in Vietnamese history and culture.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim – Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi – is a research expert on the history of trade and relations in the East Asian region. He represented the University in Working Group No. 8 (with the participation of the Naval Command, the 4th Naval Region Command, the Ministry of Education and Training, Khanh Hoa province, Vinh Phuc province, and several agencies and organizations in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Hai Phong) to the Truong Sa archipelago in late April 2013. The trip left him with many emotions and reflections on the East Sea and Truong Sa from a historical perspective.

USSH is pleased to present to our readers the article titled "The East Sea - Spratly Islands in the History and Culture of Vietnam," part of the series by our professor on this topic following his trip..

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In the minds of many ancient Vietnamese communities, the East Sea – the South China Sea – wasSacred spaceClosely linked to the founding of the nation, generations of Vietnamese people have reminisced about their origins, about the legends of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh, Tien Dung and Chu Dong Tu, Mai An Tiem… From Vietnamese myths to the legends of Hon Dien and Lieu Diep of the Oc Eo and Funan people… all contain philosophies of life and the mystical colors of a diverse and unified Vietnamese cultural tradition. These myths and legends have sparked countless thoughts about the interaction between regions and cultural spaces, the power of economic centers, the connection between humans and the natural world, the intermingling of cultural traditions, and the impulses and driving forces that created both endogenous and exogenous elements in the great transformation of our nation during its founding.

Within Vietnam's vast maritime territory, from its very origins, it has contributed to the creation of great cultures and traditions such as Dong Son in the North, Sa Huynh - Champa in the Central region, and Oc Eo - Funan in the South. The maritime cultural and economic environment has created powerful impetus for the flourishing of many cultures and the formation and development of the first ancient states in our country. Therefore, in current research on Vietnamese history and culture, along with other approaches...Delta thinkinggoodContinental thinkingResearchers have been moving towards a new approach.Thinking from the seagoodThinking from the ocean(View from the Sea). This perspective and approach have not only clarified the historical and cultural characteristics but also brought about new, more comprehensive and systematic understandings of Vietnamese history and culture.

It is noteworthy that, from considering fishing as a basic source of livelihood, ancient populations soon ventured out to sea, developing a maritime economy, expanding foreign trade and maritime commerce… These economic activities brought great benefits to the governmental bodies and many communities living along and on the sea. The economic power and immense potential of the ocean became a driving force attracting many people to explore coastal and island regions. And they brought to the coastal and maritime cultural spaces distinctive cultural imprints of the delta, and even of the midland and mountainous regions. Through archaeological sites and cultural evidence, it can be seen that generations of Vietnamese people demonstrated the ability to exploit and conquer the sea. With simple seafaring means, ancient communities, the masters of cultures from Ha Long to Dong Son, Sa Huynh, Champa, Funan… reached out and took control of islands and archipelagos. On the other hand, maritime and island cultural elements have also permeated and blended with mainland cultural traditions. For the inhabitants of the central coastal and island regions, characteristic pottery fragments of the Sa Huynh culture with typical wave-like motifs have been discovered not only at coastal and mainland archaeological sites but also on offshore island chains and even in the Truong Sa archipelago of our country.

After restoring national independence, in the 10th century, during the rise of an independent nation, the Ly (1009-1225), Tran (1226-1400) dynasties, as well as subsequent dynasties such as the early Le, Mac, the Le-Trinh government in the North, and the Nguyen government in the South, strongly expanded their exploration and control of the East Sea. It is important to emphasize that, facing a powerful Song empire, the Ly dynasty still strongly focused on the sea, exploiting its potential and developing trade relations. In 1149, King Ly Anh Tong (1138-1175) initiated the opening of new sea routes.pageVan Don simultaneously developed into the largest foreign trade economic center in the northeastern sea and islands of Dai Viet. With a broad vision, the king himself made numerous tours of the islands, observing the topography, visiting the inhabitants, and commissioning the drawing of maps of the sea and islands. Throughout history, in the face of invasions by regional empires, our nation organized many naval battles and decisive battles at sea, successfully defending national sovereignty and Vietnam's exclusive economic zones.

Not only famous for their seafaring and rich naval traditions, generations of Vietnamese people have also been renowned for their ability to trade and conduct diplomatic relations at sea. Located on one of the main routes of the Asian maritime trade system, many trading ports and centers of foreign trade have been established throughout history. These trading ports once played the role of...Regional economic center, Inter-regional center,Interworld economic centerFor example: Van Don (Quang Ninh), Pho Hien (Hung Yen), Hoi Thong (Ha Tinh), Thanh Ha (Thua Thien - Hue), Hoi An (Quang Nam), Thi Nai - Nuoc Man (Binh Dinh), Cu Lao Pho (Dong Nai), Ha Tien… In modern times, that tradition continued with trading ports such as: Hai Phong, Da Nang, Saigon, etc… These were all major trading ports, serving as hubs for many domestic, regional, and international merchants for centuries.

In the Spratly Islands, specifically on islands such as Truong Sa Lon, Nam Yet, Song Tu Tay, and An Bang, several archaeological surveys, explorations, and excavations were conducted between 1993 and 1999. Archaeologists and historians discovered numerous artifacts and ceramics dating from the Sa Huynh and Champa periods, as well as typical artifacts from the Tran, early Le, and Nguyen dynasties. These archaeological findings not only demonstrate...early appearancebut also provides compelling scientific evidence aboutthe continued presence of Vietnamese peopleon the sea and islands of the country. These artifacts, along with historical documents recorded in historical records such as:Dai Nam Thuc Luc Tien Bien,Imperial Annotated Records of the Great Nam Historical Code, Unified Gazetteer of the Great Nam, Miscellaneous Records of the Border Region, and Records of the Constitutions of the Dynasties.… these are historical documents that make a significant contribution to affirming and protecting our country's sovereignty.

In the 16th and 18th centuries, during the golden age of the Asian maritime trade system, the Nguyen lords in Dang Trong (Southern Vietnam) quickly recognized the important role and immense potential of the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos. They established Hoang Sa and Bac Hai fleets and dispatched them to the islands of Hoang Sa, Truong Sa, Con Lon, and Ha Tien to collect marine resources and assert sovereignty. Nguyen lords such as Nguyen Phuc Nguyen, Nguyen Phuc Lan, Nguyen Phuc Chu… and the Nguyen emperors, notably Gia Long and Minh Mang… continuously dispatched militia and naval forces to build temples, draw nautical charts, survey sea routes, and erect sovereignty markers on the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and many other islands in the East Sea.

During that same period, while exploring, searching for, and developing trade relations with the East, many Western navigators and explorers from countries such as Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, England, and France, when passing through or visiting Vietnamese waters, made quite detailed records, descriptions, and maps of the locations of the archipelagos.ParacelsandSpartaly(i.e., Hoang Sa - Bai Cat Vang, Truong Sa) as well as other islands and maritime areas of Vietnam. Along with domestic sources, these international sources of information and data have been and are being thoroughly exploited to serve the economic development strategy; research and planning of socio-cultural spaces, while contributing to the protection of national sovereignty and economic resources.

In the context of integration and globalization, it is crucial to recognize the new characteristics and development trends ofThe Century of the OceanThe Party and State of Vietnam have implemented numerous policies and strategies to develop the marine economy and protect maritime sovereignty and security. Over the past decades, Vietnam's maritime position and marine economic activities have become crucial sectors in the country's development. Revenue from oil and gas, maritime activities, transportation, and marine services; and from the exploitation and harvesting of marine resources... are now accounting for a significant proportion of the national income. On the other hand,while expanding national thinking towards the sea.We also recognize that the South China Sea, including the Paracel and Spratly Islands, is a region and a hotbed of regional and global economic and political conflicts; it is one of the "hot spots" in international relations. The South China Sea is a convergence of opposing forces, advantages and disadvantages, cooperation and conflict, peace and the risk of instability, multilateral and bilateral disputes; it contains contradictions in terms of national defense, security, and foreign economic relations. To protect its maritime sovereignty, Vietnam has been actively coordinating with regional countries to implement measures.United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of ​​1982andDeclaration of the Parties on the Conduct in the South China Sea, 2002Vietnam advocates for the peaceful resolution of disputes and outstanding issues in the East Sea, but is also ready to implement necessary measures to protect its maritime sovereignty, territorial waters, and exclusive economic zones.

As a developing country with rich maritime potential, the marine economy has become a key sector. Vietnam is striving to achieve sustainable development goals, linking economic development with the protection of national sovereignty and security; aiming to become an industrialized nation by 2020, a strong maritime nation, prosperous from the sea, developing all maritime industries and professions comprehensively, contributing to the successful implementation of the national economic development goals.Vietnam's maritime strategyas set forth by the 4th Conference of the Central Committee of the 10th Party Congress.Maritime strategyThis is a major policy and decision, reflecting the vision and resilience of our nation in the context of globalization.

Vietnam is a country that hasMaritime traditionand haveMaritime cultureThe sea is a vast world, rich in potential but also very vulnerable to the economic and political ambitions of regional powers. Since ancient times, the sea has been a living environment, a center for economic development and cultural exchange for Vietnam, and a vision for the region's future.