The Hanoitimes – With the relocation of the capital and a comprehensive reform, Ly Cong Uan (King Ly Thai To) and his descendants succeeded in building a strong nation.

Peaceful ascension to the throne

The kings of the Early Le Dynasty, founded in 980, embarked on effective reforms to stabilize the political and economic situation. However, the decease of king Le Dai Hanh in 1005 led to infighting within the royal family for succeeding him.

In the end, Le Dai Hanh’s fifth son, Le Long Dinh, defeated other princes to claim the crown. However, the brutal struggle that he fought for the throne caused resentment among the people.

The statute of Ly Cong Uan in Hanoi. Photo: Jenna Duong.

In 1009 when Le Long Dinh died at the age of 24 and his children were very small, Ly Cong Uan, a talented dignitary was supported by other court officials to ascend to the throne, peacefully seizing power from the Le. It is known as the most peaceful change of dynasty in the country’s history.

From moving the capital to reforming the country

Ly Cong Uan was crowned in the context of a serious political and socio-economic crisis and the threat of invasion from the Chinese Song dynasty. He was determined to end the political crisis that lasted through several reigns and bring stability to his kingdom.

His  first decision as king was to move the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Dai La (Hanoi now). Hoa Lu was chosen by King Dinh Tien Hoang (924-979) as seat of his court to suit the needs of defending the nation in the early days after the civil wars.

It was more appropriate for defense purposes as it is located in a low land surrounded by limestone mountains. However, it was difficult to develop an urban city here as traffic was inconvenient and its location is too distant from the thriving economic centers in the Red River Delta.

In autumn of 1010, King Ly Thai To decided to move the capital of the kingdom to Dai La, mindful that the place had an ideal location as well as many advantages for wet rice farming and traffic thanks to a number of waterways, especially the Red River, promising a long-term prosperous development of a capital and a nation.

The Ly Thai To Flower Garden in Dinh Tien Hoang street, Hoan Kiem dist., Hanoi. Photo: Ngoc Tu.

After moving the capital and renaming it Thang Long, Ly Cong Uan ordered to build citadel to protect the city. Since then, Thang Long has become the political, economic and cultural center of the country.

King Ly Thai To also implemented a series of comprehensive reforms. In political terms, Ly Thai To built the regime with the combination of law and virtue. The power of military chiefs was gradually reduced and replaced by the civil mandarins. The power of the lineage in the Ly royal family was also strengthened.

In terms of administration, Ly Thai To divided the country into the districts, wards and smaller levels in towns, creating a comprehensive management of the country.

Economically, Ly Thai To and subsequent Ly kings paid attention to fostering industry and trade, especially in Thang Long with the construction of ports and markets. The king’s efforts were paid off with a thriving economy, creating abundant and strong resources for the country.

In terms of culture, since the reign of Ly Thai To, Thang Long became the largest cultural, artistic and religious center of the country.

The advent of Ly Cong Uan and the Ly Dynasty solved the crisis emanated from the previous dynasties when the state apparatus was not complete. The vision of moving the capital and the reform of Ly Cong Uan opened up a new era for the country and so far, many of lessons drawn from his reforms are valid today.

The Hanoitimes – Hanoi’s top leaders expressed their gratitude to the kings who were credited with building and defending the nation.

A delegation of Hanoi leadership led by Secretary of the city Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue offered incense to King Ly Thai To, who relocated Vietnam’s capital city from Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh province to Thang Long (Hanoi today) 1,010 years ago, Kinh Te & Do Thi reported.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue offers incense to King Ly Thai To, who relocated Vietnam’s capital city from Hoa Lu to Thang Long. Photo: Thanh Hai

The officials also paid tribute to the first Ly dynasty monarch’s predecessors: Kings Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh in the former capital of Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh province, about 100 kilometers to the south of Hanoi.

King Ly Thai To was born as Ly Cong Uan in 974 in Kinh Bac, today’s Bac Ninh province and later became a military commander under the early Le dynasty.

In November 1009, he assumed the throne and founded the Ly dynasty, which would last for more than 200 years.

The following year, he decided to transfer the capital city from Hoa Lu to Dai La and renamed it Thang Long, which means “ascending dragon”, opening a glorious era for Vietnam’s capital city.

In the solemn atmosphere at the old capital of Hoa Lu, Hanoi’s leaders expressed their gratitude to the kings who were credited with building and defending the nation.

They pledged to promote Thang Long’s traditions and make Hanoi increasingly wealthy, beautiful and civilized.

The same day, Ngo Thi Thanh Hang, member of the Party Central Committee and Permanent Deputy Secretary of the municipal Party’s Committee, paid tribute to King Ly Thai To at Do shrine, which is dedicated to the eight emperors of the Ly dynasty.

The Hanoitimes – The move is taken to support domestic producers in overcoming the unprecedented crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic and these items are only allowed to export to countries heavily affected by the coronavirus.

The Vietnamese government has allowed the export of medical masks, protective clothing and medical equipment, provided that domestic demand for those items is met (including for reserves), VnExpress quoted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as saying at a meeting on April 15.

The move is taken to support domestic producers in overcoming the unprecedented crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic and these items are only allowed to be shipped to countries affected by Covid-19.

Illustrative photo

Under the Vietnamese government’s resolution dated February 28, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, medical face masks could be shipped out of the country only for the purpose of international aid provided by the Vietnamese government. In addition, the business is allowed to export a maximum of 25% of its output. The regulation aimed to give priority to the fight against the pandemic in the country and ensure sufficient medical equipment for doctors.

According to the health ministry’s data, Vietnam currently has 68 producers of medical masks and protective suits. A number of textile enterprises have also started importing production lines of these items, such as Garment 10 Corporation Joint Stock Company, TNG Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company, among others.

An executive of Garment 10 Corporation Joint Stock Company said that it received a foreign order for 400 million medical face masks with delivery set for July.

TNG Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company also plans to start producing medical masks from mid-May. The enterprise has ensured sources of materials to produce the above-mentioned items after its output basically meets the domestic demand.

Besides, Vietnam has successfully produced waterproof cloth masks which are appreciated by many countries.

Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vu Tien Loc told Vietnam News Agency that the face mask production capacity of Vietnam is huge, much higher than domestic demand. While the face mask demand in the foreign markets is increasing rapidly, it is time for domestic producers to grasp that opportunity.

Priority must be still given to meeting the domestic demand, but it was also necessary to take the opportunity to boost exports, Loc stressed.

He also urged the government to develop a strategy for medical equipment production and export. “Any decision must be timely, especially in the pandemic period,” Loc said.