Ngo Quyen

They rescue people in danger; though they do it in silence or glory. Anyway, they’re heroes. In this story, I mention Ngo Quyen. Ngo Quyen (898-944) was born at Ha Noi, Vietnamese capital. He was son of Ngo Man who was a strong supporter of Phung Hung. Thus Ngo Quyen got a good education both in literature and martial arts. He was born in the time that Vietnamese didn’t have an emperor, we had landlords controlling areas. He served for Duong Dinh Nghe, who was commander-chief to protect Vietnam at that time.

Then Duong Dinh Nghe was killed by Kieu Cong Tien. Ngo Quyen instead Duong Dinh Nghe controlled Ai Chau old mane of Vietnam. Kieu Cong Tien served and betrayed Duong Dinh Nghe and then Cong Tien made a party that had Cong Tien as boss. Ngo Quyen selected national people to kill Kieu Cong Tien as revenge for Duong Dinh Nghe. Kieu Cong Tien asked China for help, they did.

In 938 after Ngo Quyen killed Kieu Cong Tien and his party. China navy came up to Vietnam with the purpose to dominate Vietam. Ngo Quyen didn’t have big ships, people and weapon for fighting with a large regiment. Inequalities made Ngo Quyen sleepless over many nights. Next he got a bright idea. In the late winter 938, Chinese ships were approaching to Bach Dang Port. They saw that the Vietnamese just had a few people and canoes so they desire to go forward to Bach Dang Port. When the tide was rising, the Vietnamese navy enticed Chinese ships to go into battlefield unprepared. When the tide was ebbing, sharp sticks that the Vietnamese had prepared were put underwater to poke the Chinese ships. This presented an opportunity, Ngo Quyen took the army to fight the Chinese.

Finally, Ngo Quyen got gloriously successful in one day. Because Ngo Quyen helped Vietnamese protect territory as a hero, the citizens set him up to be Emperor. In historical fact, Ngo Quyen was a good emperor, who opened enlightenment for other dynasties and also for Vietnamese.