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DOCUMENTS

DOCUMENT 2.1 (a) Excerpt in Chinese from “Toản Tập Thiên Nam Tứ Chí Lộ Đồ” ( The Complete Southern Land Four-Book Road Maps) book I, in Hồng Đức Bản Đồ ( Hồng Đức Maps) , now at Toyo-Bunko. It has been translated by the Archeological Institute in Saigon according to microfiche 100-891 in 1962.

281 Translated into Vietnamese by Bửu Cầm, English by Qui Hoang

“…In the middle of the sea there is a Golden Sand Strip (1), around 400 mile long and 20 mile wide rising up straight. From Đại Chiêm (2) sea mouth to Sa-Vinh sea mouth the southwest wind blows all the commercial ships travelling within to it, while the northeast wind would push all the ships from outside to the Strip also, and all would die of hunger (3). All cargos would be left there. Each year at the winter’s ending month the Nguyễn sent 18 ships to ship away those cargos; mostly gold, silver, monies, guns and ammunitions (4). It took a day and a half to get to the Strip from Đại Chiêm, half a day from Sa-Kỳ (5). The Strip also had tortoise shells. At Sa-Kỳ seaport (6) there was a mountain on which people produced wood products, mostly the elm wood, called the elm field. Forest ranger was in place to take charge…” _______________________________

(1) The Golden Sand Strip : in the photocopy of the Chinese original, the map has script in Nôm ( Vietnamese-created characters based on Chinese characters) “Bãi Cát Vàng”. See Hồng Đức Bản Đồ, ibid. p. 94

(2) Đại Chiêm : sea mouth in Quảng Nam, 25 miles east of Diên Phước precinct. The left shore belongs to Phúc Trạch village, Hòa Vang precinct; the right shore An Lương village, Lê Dưong precinct. This is where the Chợ Củi river opens to the sea. See Đại Nam Nhất Thống Chí, book 7, Quảng Nam province, Quan Tấn section.

(3) This is the only old account telling how the foreigner’s ships were washed ashore to the Strip and all sailors died of hunger with all cargos left behind. This could only happen when the ships hit coral reefs and were damaged to the extent that they could no longer be used, and they sailors had to move the cargos onto the Strip, ran out of foods. If the ships had not been destroyed, the sailors could have survived, after the storms. Historical records of the Western missionaries, through theirs letters, show clear details of the wreckages at Hoàng Sa ( Paracel) Islands.

(4) Lunar calendar winter’s ending month usually falls in Solar calendar January or February of next year. During this time, at Paracel Islands, it is the dry season without any more storms. This is the most convenient time for the Nguyễn lords to send their soldiers to ship away the left-behind gold, silver, monies, guns and ammunitions. This historical account clearly proves the authority and sovereignty of Vietnam ( through the Nguyễn lords) on the Paracel Islands. If the islands belong to another nation, there could not be this action of sending 18 ships every year to Hoàng Sa islands ( the Golden Sand Strip) to ship away the cargos without any objections from another country. Other subsequent accounts continuously recorded this action/event through the work of the Hoàng sa (soldier) group, the Bắc Hải (soldier) group though centuries until the French came to dominate Vietnam.

(5) There is a possible error in recording the day and a half and half a day here because accounts in Chinese normally say the time lengths are 3 days and three nights. From Quảng Nam going out one day and a half there is no island which measures 400 miles long and 20 miles wide. Beyond that, the Paracel islands could reach that long, even though the estimate is not that good.

(6) Sa-Kỳ: sea mouth at Bình Sơn precinct, Quảng Ngãi province. See Đại Nam Nhất Thống Chí, book 6, Quan Tấn section.

282

DOCUMENT 2.1 (b) An Nam Roads Complete Book, compiled by Đỗ Bá Công Đạo

283

DOCUMENT 2.1 (c) The Golden Sand Strip and notes on book I, An Nam Roads Complete Book [119]

284

DOCUMENT 2.2 Phủ Biên Tạp Lục (Records of Administering The Frontiers), book 2, sheets 78b-79a in Chinese

285 Translated into Vietnamese by Nguyễn Văn Bồng, English by Qui Hoang “…Beyond the large sea mouth in the vicinity of An Vĩnh village, Bình Sơn precinct, Quảng Nghĩa province (1), there is mountain named Cù Lao Ré (2). Its width may reach farther than 30 miles. Previously villagers from Tứ Chính area planted numerous beans there. It took 4 canh( 2-hour period) from the sea mouth to row boat to Cù Lao Ré. Beyond Cù Lao Ré lie the islands Đại Trường Sa of the old days. Here people produced many sea products which sold everywhere; therefore the state organized the Hoàng Sa group to collect the products. To reach the Đại Trường Sa islands, people had to spend 3 days and nights. It is estimated that Đại Trường Sa is near the Northern Sea.” (sheet 78b-79a) ___________________________

(1) Quảng Nghĩa : From the time Nguyễn Hoàng came to rule Thuận Quảng, he changed Tư Nghĩa phủ ( larger administrative province) to Quảng Nghĩa. From Gia Long 7 (1808), changed to Quảng Nghĩa trấn (provincial area); from Minh Mạng 13 (1832), became Quảng Nghĩa tỉnh (province) to date. Before Lê Thánh Tông conquered Champa, it had been a part of Champa, but even before that it had been the area in conflict between Vietnam and Champa, belonging to, at times, either to Vietnam or Champa dependent on who had won the war at the time. Cf. Đại Nam Nhất Thống Chí, book 6, Quảng Ngãi province, section Kiến Trí Duyên Cách.

(2) Cù Lao Ré: Ré, not Trẻ, is the common name of the island Lý Sơn, amidst the sea, east of Bình Sơn precinct, Quảng Ngãi. Villagers from the An Vĩnh and An Hải areas live there.

(3) Đại Trường Sa, namely, Hoàng Sa islands. When Lê Quí Đôn wrote this book (1776), the Hoàng Sa group still existed. This strongly proves the continuity of the exertion of authority of the Vietnamese Court on the islands through many centuries.

286

DOCUMENTS 2.3 (a) Phủ Biên Tạp Lục (Records of Administering The Frontiers). book 2, sheets 82b-83a

287

DOCUMENTS 2.3 (b)

Phủ Biên Tạp Lục (Records of Administering The Frontiers). book 2, sheet 83b

288

DOCUMENTS 2.3 (c)

Records of Administering The Frontiers, book 2, sheet 84a

289

DOCUMENT 2.3 (d)

Records of Administering The Frontier, book 2, sheet 84b 290

Translated into Vietnamese by Nguyễn Văn Bồng (Đông Tùng), edited by Hãn Nguyên; English by Qui Hoang “…An Vĩnh village (1) belongs to Bình Sơn precinct, Quảng Nghĩa province, lies northeasternward, near the sea. ( Not too far) in the sea there are many islands and mountains, roughly more than 300 peaks. Between the mountains is the sea; they are separated by one day or a few 2-hour periods of boating. Freshwater streams can be found here and there in the mountains (or islands). Among the islands there is a golden sand strip, roughly 30 miles in length, flat and large, holding crystal clear water. The islands had lots, lots of swallow nests (yến sào) (2) and thousands of birds that were not afraid of men at all. They stood, walked around when men were there. The strip treasured many interesting products, for example, the “flower” snail; or the elephant-eared snail, big as a piece of straw mat, belly having some kind of pearl whose size is as big as the thumb’s nail and whose creamier color is not comparable to that of the oyster pearl. The shell of this snail could be separated in large pieces or ground to use as plaster (to coat houses). Furthermore, there were the turban snails whose shells can be used to made ornamental products. Another species was the “good-smell” snail. The meat of these various kinds of snails can be salted and prepared as foods. There were tortoises which were very large; also the commonly called “trắng bông”, or trionychid sea turtle whose look is akin to tortoise, but smaller; its shell is rather thin and can be used as ornament; its eggs are tiny and can be salted to eat. Then there were the sea cucumbers called “đột đột”. People dived and caught them, took out the meat, then the organs inside with calcium powder, then dried them under the sun. They can be served after being pickled for a while with juice made from the crab and scraped off. It was a delicious appetizer— better than pork or fish. Foreigner’s ship going through usually met storms and got destroyed here, at the islands. Previously the Nguyễn court organized the Hoàng sa group consisting of 70 men, taking them from An Vĩnh village. Each year they took turn to depart to the sea in February to perform their duties. They were supplied with six months of ration, travelled on five small fishing boats in three days and three nights to reach the (Hoàng Sa) islands. They were free to catch birds and fish to feed themselves. They frequently found lost items such as copper horses, silvery flowers, coins, silver, copper products, tin slugs, __________________________

(1) An Vĩnh: 1 of 2 areas ( An Vĩnh, An Hải) , in Cù Lao Ré or Lý Sơn island, Bình Sơn precinct, Quảng Ngãi.

(2) Yến sào : swallow nests; their saliva is edible. In the same period of Lê Quí Đôn, a Western missionary wrote about “yến sào” in a message in Vietnamese with fairly good description as follows: “Swallow nest. First thing before eating is to burn it on fire to dry, then put it in boiling water to clean it; tear it to small pieces, cook meat and fat and spices (?) then use that juice from them to cook with the swallow nest, then eat.” See “ Letter on 18-2-1770 of Bishop (?) to P. Davoust, Journal de Mission du Tonkin.Archives des Mission Étrangère de Paris, vol 690, Tonkin. p. 580 ( hand-written document from Đặng Phương Nghi).

291

black lead, guns, ivory, yellow bee wax, fur, porcelain,… They also picked up tortoise shells, sea cucumbers, and so many “pearls” from the “flower” snails. The Hoang Sa group returned by August only, at the Eo seaport (1), then came to Phú Xuân to submit the collected finds. Officials would weigh, inspect and classify them, then let the men sell the “flower” snails, trionychid turtles, sea cucumbers. Then they would receive their own recognition certificates and return home. The finds from the sea vary from time to time and sometimes there were nothing. I ( Lê Quí Đôn) had had the opportunities to inspect the accounting book of Chief Thuyên Đức Hầu before and found : Nhâm Ngọ year of the Horse ( 1702) the Hoang Sa group found 30 silver teals. Giáp Thân year of the Monkey (1704), 5,100 pounds of tin Ất Dậu year of the Rooster (1705), 120 silver teals From 1709 to 1713, in these five years, they could find some pounds of tortoise and sea cucumbers only. Occasionally, some tin slugs, a couple of porcelain bowls, two copper guns The Nguyens also organized the Bắc Hải group. This group did not have a settled number of men. They were taken from Tứ Chính village ( near the sea, in Bình Thuận province), or volunteers from Cảnh Duong village, granted certificate and sent to do duties. Men from the Bắc Hải group were exempted from personal tax, toll fees through watch towers, ferries; they could also use small fishing boats to go to Bắc Hải or Côn Lôn island, or streamed down to the islands in Hà Tiên to collect trionychid turtles, sea cucumbers or đồn ngư ( dolphins), lục quí ngư ( a type of fish) , sea cucumbers. The state included the management of Bắc Hải group into the Hoàng Sa group. They normally could find the above-mentioned items, but rarely found any monies, or other treasures. Hoàng Sa lies near Liêm Châu province of Hải Nam Island. Men from our country who travelled on the sea occasionally would meet fishermen from the Northern state (China); both would talk to each other, share information etc. I had had an opportunity to see the __________________________________

(1) Cửa Eo : Yêu môn; it is the Thuận An seaport. It was named Thuận An only from Gia Long 13 ( 1814).

(2) Bắc Hải group: because of the need and too large area of operation for the Hoang Sa group, the Nguyens organized this group, but placed it under the management of the latter, but they operated mainly in the Southern parts such as Côn Lôn, Hà Tiên and today’s Spratly islands. This group was able to collect only the sea products, not lost gold, silver, guns and other valuables as the Hoang sa was.

292

official letter from the official (mandarin) in charge of Văn Xương precinct, Quỳnh Châu, sent to Thuận Hóa, in which he wrote: “Càn Long year 18 (1753), ten soldiers from the gold search team from An Vĩnh village, Chương Nghĩa province, Quang Nghia of An Nam were sent in July to “Vạn Lý Trường Sa” ( 10-thousand miles Spratly Islands) to look for sea products. Eight of these men went ashore to find the products, two remained on boat. A strong wind-storm cut their anchor, pushing their boat to Thanh Lan seaport. Local official interrogated these two and found out they were truthful; we then escorted these two to their original place.” (1) Lord Nguyen Phúc Chu (2) ordered the Cai Bạ (mandarin) in Thuận Hóa, who was Thực Lượng Hầu, to officially reply that official. _________________________________ (1) This is a strong proof demonstrating that up to this year, the Chinese government always respected the authority of Vietnam at Hoang Sa. If the Chinese felt that Vietnam had violated their sea rights, they had objected strongly to the Vietnamese government by this incident. During the year 1753 and the subsequent ones we found no records of any objection. On the other hand, after interrogating the two soldiers, they had treated them fairly and returned them to their country. (2) Nguyen Phúc Chu (1691-1725) had died in 1725. Can Long 18 is the year 1753, during which Lord Nguyen Phúc Khoat (1738-1765) ruled. This could very well be an error in this engraving.

293

DOCUMENT 2.3 (e)

This page in a version with the word “y” ( 依 ) instead of “hoại” ( 壞 ) Document number VHV 1737 , Vien Nghien cuu Han Nom (Hanoi)

294

This page in a version with the word “hoại” ( 壞 ) Document number HNV 178 , library of the Social Sciences at HochiMinh city

295

DOCUMENT 2.4 :Some newly-discovered documents in Cu Lao Ré (Nguyen Quang Ngọc, Vu Van Quân, Đề tài BD HD 01-01, History Department,

National University of Hanoi ) 2.4.1. Request of Cù Lao Ré area, An Vĩnh village This request, dated January 15, Canh Hung year 36 (1775), written by Hà Liễu, Supervisor of Cu Lao Ré area, An Vĩnh village, asked for the regrouping-strengthening the Hoang Sa group. This document is kept at worshipping house of the Võ family in An Vĩnh area, which is the West hamlet, Ly Vĩnh village, Lý Sơn precinct, Quang Ngai now.

296

Private documents on the islands in the Eastern Sea Translation “ January 15th, Cảnh Hưng year 36 (1775) (1) ( Your Excellency, ) My name is Hà Liễu, supervising official of Cù Lao Ré, An Vĩnh village, belonging to the Inner Treasury, Hà Bạc, Bình Sơn precinct, Quảng Ngãi province (2), having the courage to beg the following in your gracefulness and bestowal : Originally our village had two groups : Hoàng Sa and Quế Hương; in the year of the Goat (3), Đốc chiến ( Chief soldier) (4) Võ Hệ submitted a request to found two more groups : the Đại Mạo Hải Ba and the Quế Hương Hàm consisting of 30 men. Their annual tax were 10 thạch ( roughly 50 bushels , or 480 galllons) of tortoises or trionychid turtles, 5 lạng ( roughly 150grams) fragrant cinnamon. By the year of the Cat (5), there was order that villagers in Hà Bạc who had red certificate or red application had to pay tax in a different way and had to bring in their accounts to show. From then on, we had to increase our population and started villager-soldier programs. By that time the number of soldiers in our village was 23 men; we had to augment the number and paid some more for the toll fees to be able to carry out the orders satisfactorily to date (6). Now we are requesting to establish two groups Hoàng Sa and Quế Hương as previously done in which there will be some outsiders. We will inform you and note in books to submit. We will travel by boats to the islands to collect things, namely, items in copper, tin, sea cucumbers, trionychid turtles; all will be submitted to you. If war happens out there, we will fight the violators earnestly. After fightings are over, we will seek order to return to the sea to continue our work and bring items back to submit. You have our words that we will faithfully and dutifully perform our duties without any complaints. Please accept our request and thankfulness. (7) (Yours faithfully) Decision (8) : Approved Notes:

(1) Cảnh Hưng is the period name of King Lê Hiển Tông (1740-1786) (2) Cù Lao Ré area is the common name; its official name is An Vĩnh area (3) From 1775 backward, we can count a few years of Tân Mùi ( the Goat) such as

1751 and 1691. Right after that the author mentions the year of Quý Mão (the Cat); the nearest Quý Mão from 1775 is 1723; therefore the Tân Mùi mentioned here can only be either 1691 or 1631. The word “nguyên” (originally) in the first sentence denotes a period before 1691 or 1631; that means the Hoàng Sa group had to be formed before 1691, or even before 1631.

(4) “Đốc chiến” ( roughly Chief soldier) could very well mean a military rank. 297

Private documents on the islands in the Eastern Sea (5) Year 1723. See note (3) (6) The message in this part is not very clear. Summarily it can be understood as : An

Vĩnh village originally had two soldier groups : Hoàng Sa and Quế Hương. From 1691 they were added by two more groups: Đại Mạo Hải Ba and Quế Hương Hàm; officially the total the number should be 30 men, but by that year (1723) the existing number was 23 men only; therefore the village had to recruit and augment it to 30 men and paid extra fees to be able to operate satisfactorily up to year 1775.

(7) The activity of the Hoàng Sa group written in this request basically resembles what was recorded in Lê Quí Đôn’s account in Phủ Biên Tạp Lục (Records of Administering The Frontiers ) written in 1776, a year later.

(8) Thân : Decision of the upper level. In this case it was “Approved”.

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Private documents on the islands in the Eastern Sea 2.4.2 Directive from Grand Marshal— General in charge of All Military and People Affairs This is the directive from the Grand Marshal of the Tây Sơn dynasty to the Chief of Hoàng Sa group to dispatch men to Hoàng Sa and other islands to retrieve the lost items. This proves the Hoàng Sa group continued to exist and operate under the Tây Sơn. This document is now at the worshipping house of the Võ family, at An Vĩnh area, which is now the West hamlet, Lý Vĩnh village, Lý Sơn precinct, Quảng Ngãi Original in Chinese below

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Private documents on the islands in the Eastern Sea Translation “Directive…(1) The Grand Marshal has this directive for you, Marquis Hội Đức: Order Chief of Hoàng Sa group to always supervise, carry out the work of choosing men in the naval force, taking four fishing boats to Hoàng Sa and other islands to search for gold, silver, copper, canon, gun, tortoise, trionychid turtle shell, valuable stone and bring them all back at one place to submit at the capital. If they do not report to authority, or take away some of the findings, or violate the salt makers, fishermen, they will be punished according to the law. Carry on. February 14th, year Thái Đức 9 “ [1786] (2) Notes

(1) It is very illegible here. (2) Thái Đức is the period name of Nguyễn Nhạc.

2.4.3. Report from Marquis Phú Nhuận This is a report on a resolution at An Vĩnh area by Envoy-Supervisor at Sa Kỳ seaport, who is also Supervisor in charge of defense at Hoàng Sa. This proves the Hoàng Sa (soldier) group existed continuously from the era of the Nguyễn Lords through the Tây Sơn ( see Request of Cù Lao Ré area, An Vĩnh village, Directive from Grand Marshal) to the Nguyễn. This document is kept at the Võ family, at An Vĩnh area, Quảng Ngãi.

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Private documents on the islands in the Eastern Sea Translation “Envoy-Supervisor at Sa Kỳ sea mouth (1), also Supervisor in charge of defense at Hoàng Sa (2) Phú Nhuận Hầu (3) reports: Bowing to His Excellency, giving this resolution: Coming back to this area (4), I have found out many officials who were in charge of the ceremonial temples have retired. I am afraid there will be no one caring for the temples, worshipping and ceremonies, in which at least three functions will be needed. Now we have voted, like the last time, to choose Mr. Võ Văn Khiết, our Trustee to have things run smoothly. Mr. Khiết is a straightforward, honest, hard-working and knowledgeable man; he will, from now on, have the title and function of Keeper of community belvedere (đình) so that he can take care of our belvedere, coordinate services in the village. He will also hear praises and criticisms from us. Resolution is now approved. October 1st, year Gia Long 2 [1803] (5) Notes

(1) Sa Kỳ : sea mouth lying between Bình Sơn and Sơn Tịnh precincts in Quảng Ngãi province now.

(2) An Vĩnh village is the birthplace as well as the place where the men of Hoàng Sa group were recruited, trained, equipped and dispatched. It lies southern of Sa Kỳ. Cù Lao Ré, where An Vĩnh area belonged, supplied a part of the team, was 26 km to the northeast of Sa Kỳ. As such the fact that Marquis Phú Nhuận served both as

Envoy-Supervisor at Sa Kỳ sea mouth and Supervisor in charge of defense at Hoàng Sa is understandable.

(3) This document does not indicate who Phú Nhuận Hầu is, but Đại Nam Thực Lục Chính Biên (Đại Nam Historical Records), first era, records that in the Autumn ( July of Lunar year) of year Gia Long 2 (1803): “Granted title Supervisor in charge of defense at Sa Kỳ sea mouth to Supervisor Võ Văn Phú, sent him to recruit soldiers from outsiders ( of the village) to form Hoàng Sa group.” (Đại Nam Thực Lục Chính Biên, first ear, book XXII , translation copy, Sử Học Publishing, Hanoi, collection III, p. 136). This event took place 3 months before the above report. Therefore, we can ascertain with solid evidence that Phú Nhuận Hầu is Supervisor Võ Văn Phú in Đại Nam Thực Lục Chính Biên. One more telling sign is that officials in past Vietnamese monarchies normally use their first name as the first word in their title.

(4) Indicating An Vĩnh area is on Cù Lao Ré (5) This document shows how Envoy-Supervisor at Sa Kỳ sea mouth, also Supervisor

in charge of defense at Hoàng Sa, Phú Nhuận Hầu came to this area, found it was lacking a Keeper of the community belvedere, told its dwellers to elect one and approved the process.