Did you know that the Statue of An Duong Vuong commemorates a king of an ancient kingdom? This column stands in the Nguyen Tri Phuong Roundabout in Cholon. It was built to honor King An Duong Vuong. He ruled the ancient Kingdom of Aulac.
The construction of statues like the Statue of An Duong Vuong aims to honor national heroes. They made great contributions to building and protecting Vietnam. People can reflect on historic events, places, heroes, and their deeds. These works also serve as educational tools. They convey the traditional history of the nation. This history spans more than 4000 years.
An Duong Vuong founded the kingdom of Au Lac. It was the second state in Vietnamese history. This followed the state of Van Lang. An Duong Vuong’s reign is recorded differently across historical documents. Older texts suggest his rule lasted 50 years. This was from 257 to 208 BC. Modern historians believe his reign was closer to 208 to 179 BC. That is nearly 30 years.
Around 2300 years ago the Au Viet tribes lived among the Lac Viet people. The Van Lang state was ruled by Hung Kings. Thuc Phan was the king of the Au Viet. He unified the two groups after defeating the Qin army. He changed the country name to Au Lac. He proclaimed himself An Duong Vuong. He established his capital in Phong Khe. Today this is known as Co Loa in Hanoi.
Historical records suggest An Duong Vuong faced challenges. The Hung King refused to marry his daughter to him. This led to resentment. Thuc King repeatedly attacked the Hung King but was defeated. The Hung King neglected military affairs. He preferred leisure. Thuc forces advanced. The king committed suicide. His troops surrendered.
After the victory against the Qin dynasty Thuc Phan built the Co Loa citadel. Cao Lo helped An Duong Vuong in this endeavor. He created the Lien Chau crossbow. It could fire multiple arrows at once. The citadel was built to enhance military defense. Legend says the citadel repeatedly collapsed during construction. The god Kim Quy appeared. He guided the construction. An Duong Vuong built the citadel following the turtle’s path.
According to legends Trieu Da used espionage through marriage. He married his son Trong Thuy to My Chau. She was An Duong Vuong’s daughter. Trieu Da conquered Au Lac. An Duong Vuong fled and committed suicide. This ended his reign. Today this tale is viewed as an early form of Vietnamese warfare.
Different texts give different dates for the end of An Duong Vuong’s reign. Most Vietnamese history books say 208 BC. Other sources claim Au Lac fell in 179 BC. This is based on records that Trieu Da defeated Au Lac after the death of Lu Hau. An jade tablet was found in Guangzhou. It had inscriptions related to An Duong. This suggests connections between Au Lac and ancient Vietnam.
The Statue of An Duong Vuong stands as a reminder of a significant figure in Vietnamese history. It commemorates his role in shaping the nation. It stands as a symbol of Vietnamese heritage.