The renowned figure Nguyen Cong Tru: Life and career

A seminar on the renowned figure Nguyen Cong Tru, jointly organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) and the People's Committee of Ha Tinh province, took place on December 19, 2008, in Ha Tinh province. More than 40 reports were presented under two main themes: Nguyen Cong Tru: Historical and Contemporary Imprints and Nguyen Cong Tru: A Great Cultural Figure.

Nguyễn Công Trứ (1778-1858), also known as Tồn Chất, with the pen names Ngô Trai and Hi Vân, was born into a scholarly family in Uy Viễn village, Nghi Xuân district, Hà Tĩnh province. From a young age, Nguyễn Công Trứ displayed extraordinary intelligence. In the second year of Gia Long's reign (1803), during the king's northern tour, Nguyễn Công Trứ presented the "Ten Strategies for Peace." In the 18th year of Gia Long's reign (1819), Nguyễn Công Trứ passed the Nghệ An examination with the highest rank (Giải nguyên), and subsequently held an probationary position at the National Historical Institute at the age of 42. During his nearly 30 years as an official, Nguyễn Công Trứ spent approximately 25 years as a high-ranking official (administrator), reaching the highest positions of Minister and Governor-General. He also experienced a period (at the age of 66) when he was stripped of all his titles and ranks, demoted to a common soldier. As a scholar-general, Nguyen Cong Tru probably had the longest military career, participating in numerous battles and campaigns across the country, facing various adversaries, and achieving the most military victories. Not only did he serve in the imperial court and in the capital, but he also commanded troops and fought in border regions, mountainous areas, riverine regions, plains, the open sea, islands, and even overseas. He was also a skilled economist in land reclamation, an architect of irrigation and coastal land reclamation in Northern Vietnam, and a driving force for the poor.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/12/26/p1120195.jpg" border="0" alt="Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - speaking at the conference" title="Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - speaking at the conference" width="280" height="188" align="left" ]

For nearly 30 years, Nguyễn Công Trứ served as an official, experiencing both promotions and demotions, but he always remained a loyal subject of the Nguyễn dynasty, a true son of Vietnam, dedicating his intellect and passion to building a new society alongside the Nguyễn dynasty. He was bestowed the title of Uy Viễn Tướng Công by the court and revered by the people as a heroic figure, a brilliant and talented individual, accomplished in both literature and martial arts, leaving a legacy wherever he served, possessing a free-spirited and unconstrained character.

The papers presented at this conference are a collection of rich and comprehensive materials about Nguyen Cong Tru in many capacities and titles: a strategic general, a brilliant economist with ideas for national modernization, a talented land reclamation expert, an intellectual with many innovative ideas for education, a patriotic and compassionate ruler, a great thinker and cultural figure, a unique personality, a great personality in Vietnamese history in the first half of the 19th century. Because of the rare diversity and richness of Nguyen Cong Tru's life and career, the papers all strive to present the most specific evidence and documents, linked to each specific period in his life, in the specific locations where he held office or worked, thereby accurately assessing his contributions and influence in many fields, in various localities in particular, and on the Nguyen dynasty in general. The presentations contributed to highlighting the image, spirit, and character of Nguyen Cong Tru as a person – a renowned figure – embodying the characteristics of the history and culture of a bygone era, but also as a highly creative individual with great thoughts, aspirations, passion, and ambition. It was a life that countless people, both past and present, yearn for and admire. Above all, with a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to research, following the principle of "learning from the past to appreciate the past," the discussions at the conference provided objective and comprehensive assessments of a man whose legacy and historical lessons from the Nguyen Cong Tru era, as well as his life, still hold significant meaning for the renewal of Vietnamese society, country, and people today.