Nguyễn Trãi
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Nguyễn Trãi (Hán nôm 阮廌), also known under his pseudonym Ức Trai 抑齋 (1380–1442) was a Vietnamese Confucian Scholar, politician, strategist and poet. He became a close friend and advisor to Lê Lợi, Vietnam's hero-king, who freed Vietnam from Chinese rule. He is credited with writing the important political statements of Lê Lợi and inspiring many Vietnamese to support the rebellion against the Ming Dynasty rulers. The declaration of independence from China Bình Ngô đại cáo was written by him. After the war he was elevated by Le Loi to a very high rank in the new court but he was not appointed the regent of the country upon Lê Lợi's death. Instead that position was given to Le Sat, who ruled as regent for the young heir Lê Thái Tông.
At some point during the regency of Le Sat, Nguyễn Trãi retired to his country home north of Hanoi.
His death resulted from a scandal involving the young king, Le Thai Tong, and the wife or concubine of Nguyễn Trãi, named Nguyễn Thị Lộ. Early in 1442, the young king began an affair with Nguyễn Thị Lộ. This affair continued when the king visited the old scholar at his home. Not long after the king left, he suddenly became ill and died. The nobles at the court blamed Nguyễn Trãi and Nguyễn Thị Lộ for the young kings death, accused them of treason, and had them and their entire families executed "to the third generation".
Twenty years later, the great king Lê Thánh Tông officially pardoned Nguyễn Trãi, saying that he was innocent in the death of the king.
[edit] His literary works
Nguyễn Trãi was not only a profound politician, military leader, national hero, but also a cultural celebrity of the world. He wrote many valuable works in the areas of literature, history, geography, such as "Quốc âm thi tập", the first work of literature using chữ nôm, "Quân trung từ mệnh tập", "Ức Trai thi tập" and "Dư địa chí".
In one of his most famous essays he set down the Vietnamese strategy for their war of independence. In this essay argued the military operations needed to be subordinate to the political and moral struggle. He said "Better to conquer hearts than citadels".
His ideology represented his time. The whole life of Nguyễn Trãi, during the war as well as in the construction period, in poems and in literature, shows his humanity, his patriotism, and his love of the common people. He often thought that "laborers deserve good fortune" and hoped for "no rancour and bitterness in any village"
