The legal system and law enforcement in the Nguyen Cochinchina between the 17th and 18th centuries

Abstract

Although the Nguyen Cochinchina existed for two centuries, being a special political entity in Vietnam's history, its legal system was understudied. Many researchers hold the view that Cochinchina’s law was modelled that of Tonkin, and their legal practice was nothing significant. The reality might be different. In the new research context, it is believed that the Lord Nguyen government in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries had built a specific legal system suitable to its conditions. Through analyzing Vietnamese sources, Chinese, and European materials, this article examines legal documents, judicial agencies and law enforcement in Nguyen Cochinchina to understand its unique, vibrant and diverse legal life.