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Assignment: Analyze and express thoughts on the fourteenth chapter of Hoàng Lê's unification chronicle
Analyzing and expressing thoughts on the fourteenth chapter of Hoàng Lê's unification chronicle
Task Completed:
The Ngô family literary faction comprises a group of authors within the Ngô Thì lineage. Their literary career is most prominent and exemplary with the Hoàng Lê Unification Chronicle, a renowned historical chapter. The work provides an overview of a period, a historical era filled with tumultuous events from the ascension of Lord Trịnh Sâm to the reign of Gia Long.
The fourteenth chapter vividly portrays the strength and resilient spirit of our nation in the face of external adversaries, alongside the glorious feats of the clothed hero Nguyễn Huệ. At the end of 1788 and the beginning of 1789, Lê Chiêu Thống led 29,000 Qing troops, commanded by Tôn Sĩ Nghị, to invade our land. On November 22, Tôn Sĩ Nghị successfully occupied Thăng Long, and General Ngô Văn Sở withdrew to Tam Điệp to resist.
In that context, Nguyễn Huệ emerged as a national hero. Nguyễn Huệ ascended to the throne on the 25th, 'declaring sovereignty over the land, mountains, rivers, and divine beings,' then led the army northward. He also recruited elite and patriotic troops to participate in the fight to safeguard our homeland.
On January 30th, Nguyễn Huệ hosted a feast for the soldiers, intending to celebrate on the seventh day by entering the city for a celebratory banquet. It can be seen that Nguyễn Huệ is a person of decisive and strong actions, with great insight into our own situation and that of the enemy. He also has a farsighted view, understanding both friend and foe, extraordinarily skilled in military strategy. Nguyễn Huệ's plans in the resistance were foreseen as if by a deity.
During the resistance, the heroic figure of Quang Trung - Nguyễn Huệ emerged with a grand stature and imposing demeanor. When the Qing army caught sight of the royal palace, they fled in disarray to Hà Hồi village, Thượng Phúc district, where our forces besieged the village and announced loudly, causing the Qing army to 'scatter in fear, begging for surrender, and all their provisions and weapons were taken by our troops.' On the 5th day of Tet, they advanced to Ngọc Hồi, where the king sent troops to take sixty planks, connecting three planks together, covering them with straw and water, ten men per plank, with short swords strapped to their backs, accompanied by twenty soldiers armed with weapons arranged in the shape of the character 'one' to advance towards the fort.
In that situation, all enemy counterattacks were rendered ineffective. The Qing army harmed themselves by using smoke guns that caused our troops to waver and become confused, but then 'the stick hit their own back' regarding this tactic. Immediately, Nguyễn Huệ sent troops carrying planks to both shield and charge forward, clashing swords and spears, then throwing down the planks and wielding short swords. The battle ended with the image of 'the Qing army lying in heaps, blood flowing like rivers, the Qing army suffered a great defeat.' Quang Trung rode an elephant into Thăng Long to liberate the entire nation on the noon of the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, Kỷ Dậu.
In that situation, the Qing army suffered a devastating defeat while celebrating, neglecting their duties. The author's vivid and detailed description of the fleeing Qing army clearly demonstrates their utter defeat. In stark contrast to the Qing army's defeat, our army was strong, like 'generals descending from the sky, soldiers emerging from the earth.' The depiction of the defeated scene of the Qing generals by the Ngô family literary faction is very clear. Tôn Sĩ Nghị feared losing secrets, his horse's saddle was not fastened, his soldiers did not have time to put on armor, all fleeing northward. Sầm Nghi Đống tightened his own neck for suicide, the Qing soldiers were 'panic-stricken, scattered, and fled' everywhere, pushing each other into the river, trampling each other to death. Lê Chiêu Thống also hurriedly fled, seizing boats to escape.
