Human Rights of the Vietnamese: From the Hong Duc Code to the Gia Long Code

Abstract

This review introduces the book Human Rights of the Vietnamese: From the Hong Duc Code to the Gia Long Code, a scholarly work examining the development of human rights concepts in the history of Vietnamese feudal law. By analyzing two representative legal codes—the Hong Duc Code and the Gia Long Code—the author explores humanitarian values, legal provisions concerning human rights, and the historical and legal contexts in which these codes were enacted. The review summarizes the book's main arguments and assesses its academic contributions to the study of Vietnam's legal traditions, the historical development of human rights, and the broader understanding of Vietnamese legal history.