The Trung Sisters

[SunWuKong]

The Trung Sisters

In 36AD, a man named To Dinh ascended to become the governor of Vietnam, after almost a century and a half of Chinese rule. Life had already been harsh under the Chinese colonial government, but it became even worse under To Dinh's rule. He was a cruel, greedy, and oppressive man, often demanding bribes and levying unreasonable taxes. This brought on much resentment amongst the Vietnamese people in both the peasant class and the gentry class.

During this period of time, the military leaders of the two regions of Me Linh and Chu Dien were close friends and often visited each other to discuss the state of the Vietnamese people, and their oppression under To Dinh’s rule. They planned and prepared rebellion against Chinese rule. The leader of Chu Dien had a son by the name of Thi Sach who was very passionate about overthrowing Chinese rule. He studied the art of warfare and military weaponry, and he recruited young men and women to the cause of rising up against Chinese rule.

Thi Sach often accompanied his father to visit Me Linh for the meetings of military leaders. It was during one of these visits that he met the daughters of the leader of Chu Dien, Trung Trac and Trung Nhi. Thi Sach and Trung Trac, the elder daughter, quickly became friends, and their friendship would later become a marriage. This symbolised the union of two powerful Vietnamese military families.

The oppression of the Vietnamese people under To Dinh’s rule escalated, and Thi Sach and Trung Trac violently protested against the cruel treatment. This alarmed To Dinh, and he ordered Thi Sach executed. Not only that, he also raped the then widowed Trung Trac. The act was to serve as a warning to any Vietnamese attempt at rebellion. Instead, Thi Sach became a martyr and his death infuriated the Vietnamese people. They rose up to fight against Chinese rule.

In 40 AD, Trung Trac, together with her younger sister, Trung Nhi, led an army of more than 30,000 soldiers in rebellion. Many of their generals were women, one of which happened to be their mother. With military preparedness and a passion for independence, the Trung Sisters led the Vietnamese rebels to defeat their Chinese rulers within mere months. The Trung Sisters ruled the independent Vietnam together as queens with widespread support from the Vietnamese people. Vietnamese independence, however, was short-lived, as the Chinese was to overwhelm and regain Vietnam a little more than two years later. The Trung Sisters subsequently committed suicide in the Hat River instead of surrendering to the Chinese.

Throughout the following centuries of foreign occupation in Vietnam, the Trung Sisters served as a source of inspiration for the people, their spirit being one of resistance and independence. Their deeds were glorified in numerous literatures, monuments, and pagodas. The present-day Vietnamese government proclaimed them national warriors, and soldiers have been known to carry pictures of them as inspiration. The Trung Sisters continue being honoured every year on Hai Ba Trung Day in March.

[SunWuKong]

revive!

[DragonKnight]

I was suppose to post up in this thread the first time it was posted many moons ago, but as always I always get caught up in something else and my memory isn't as good as it used to be.

When you posted this I took a special interest in it since I'm doing research on female warriors and this seems to be right up there. I alread did some searching on the Trung Sisters (gotta dig up the links I found) and I believe there was one other Vietnamese warrior-queen that took on the Chinese.

But much props, SWK for posting this and reviving it once again.