Assessment of Khuc Thua My - some thoughts

Abstract

Between the late 9^th and early 10^th century, Tang dynasty was in decline, which led the Khuc family of Annam to a successful revolt to gain the autonomy that marked the end of “one thousand years of northern domination”. The Khuc family established a new government, and conducted a reform in the spirit of national independence. Their contribution to the nation was recognized and highlighted by later generations. However, after more than a thousand years of shifted historical worldviews among Vietnamese and Chinese scholars, the discrepancies in views on the topic lead to some puzzles. The assessment of Khuc Thua My goes even more complex, particularly with the failure of his war against the Southern Han state. While he was captured and brought to Phien Ngung (Panyu), only a few historical documents wrote about him in contesting narratives and dedicated a short interest to his reign. These facts require historians in our nation to concentrate on studying the issue and provide with better and more proper assessment of this remarkable historical figure.