Proving Our Great Viet Land as an Eternal Declaration

Prompt: Proving Our Great Viet Land as an Eternal Declaration

Proving Our Great Viet Land as an Eternal Declaration

Sample Essay: Proving Our Great Viet Land as an Eternal Declaration

Nguyen Trai (1380-1442), also known as Uc Trai, was a national hero of Vietnam, making significant contributions to assisting and aiding King Le Loi in defeating the Ming army, allowing the people to live in peace without oppression. Nguyen Trai was also a great writer and poet of the Vietnamese people, as well as a cultural celebrity of the world. 'The Great Proclamation of Victory' is an outstanding work by Nguyen Trai, regarded as the second declaration of independence of Vietnam for its exaltation of the heroic will of the people. The excerpt 'Our Great Viet Land' is the beginning of the work 'The Great Proclamation of Victory,' clearly demonstrating the determined will and victorious spirit of our people.

The Great Proclamation of Victory was written in 1427 when King Le Loi defeated the Ming army, ending the Northern domination. King Le Loi ordered Nguyen Trai to write this proclamation to announce to the world, ending 15 years of Ming domination, affirming the sovereignty of the country, and most importantly, the freedom of our people.

The author's opening sentences clearly articulate the righteous ideology and strength of the entire people of Dai Viet.

'Justice resides in the hearts of the people
Before military action, justice must be demonstrated to eliminate tyranny'

Embracing the wisdom of our predecessors, achieving great deeds necessitates winning the hearts of the people, for the power of the people is immensely significant. However, to gain the support of the people, it is crucial to provide them with a warm and fulfilling life. At that time, the most urgent task was to break the yoke of Ming domination: 'Before military action, justice must be demonstrated to eliminate tyranny.' In the following line, Nguyen Trai affirmed the sovereignty of our country in terms of geography, history, and culture.

'As for our Great Viet land from ancient times
We have been a cultured nation for a long time
Mountains, rivers, borders have divided
Customs in the north and south are different
From Trieu, Dinh, Ly, Tran generations have built independence
Together with Han, Tang, Song, Yuan each claimed emperor in their own territories
Although strong and weak vary over time
But heroes are always present in every era'

The eight concise verses clearly illustrate the sovereignty of our nation, highlighting the geographical, cultural, and historical differences between us and the North. Thus, the invasion of Dai Viet by external aggressors is barbaric and contrary to righteousness. Nguyen Trai provided ample evidence to prove that our Dai Viet Land belongs to the Vietnamese people. The term 'cultural foundation' elucidates our cultural differences from the North, formed by the daily habits of generations of Vietnamese people. Vietnamese customs have distinct characteristics that set them apart from the North, which is an undeniable fact. The author also asserted territorial sovereignty, stating that 'Mountains, rivers, borders have divided,' firmly affirming geographical boundaries that have been delineated since ancient times. While in the poem 'Mountains and Rivers of the Southern Country,' Ly Thuong Kiet indicated territorial boundaries based on celestial books, Nguyen Trai, on the other hand, clearly affirmed on various practical grounds, including culture, geography, and long-standing history. Nguyen Trai also cited historical evidence through different historical periods of the various dynasties of both our country, including Trieu, Dinh, Ly, Tran, as well as the Han, Tang, Song, Yuan dynasties, placing our dynasties parallel to those of China to affirm the independence and equality of the Southern dynasties with those of the North. This eternal truth of an era where a country possesses all the elements of customs, culture, geography, history, and unique traditions has forged the heroic achievements of our heroes throughout the dynasties.

'Luu Cung, due to his greed, failed
Trieu Tiet, the tyrant, had to perish
Ham Tu gate captured Toa O alive
Bach Dang river slew O Ma fresh'

Throughout history, the armies of the Northern dynasties have repeatedly invaded our country, but they all shared the same fate of failure and had to retreat. When the Ming army invaded us, they also suffered the same fate as the generals of the past, which not only affirmed the righteousness but also demonstrated the spirit and strength of unity of our people and military; affirming that our country possesses numerous talents to defend and build the nation.

The excerpt 'Our Dai Viet Land' has affirmed the spirit of our nation's unity in fighting invaders to protect our land and riverside borders. It is the most persuasive evidence affirming that our country is a sovereign land with its own customs, geography, culture, and history. The symmetrically linked verses further reinforce this certainty.