| The Vietnamese Monarchy |
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| When compared with western monarchies, the imperial system in Vietnam was both similar and yet also extremely different. Like in the days of Imperial China, the Vietnamese monarchy was built around the principles of the great teacher Confucius who stated that mankind had to master five basic relationships which were: 1) monarch-subject 2) husband-wife 3) parent-child 4) oldest child-youngest child and 5) friend-friend. If the Emperor was ethical, wise and righteous the nation would prosper and it would be proof that he had earned the Mandate of Heaven, which was the Asian equivalent to the Divine Right of Kings. The Emperor was, because of this, titled as the Son of Heaven and the only link between the people and the spiritual world. The Emperor was considered divine and sacred, but, contrary to many assumptions, was not the object of worship. The Emperor was the link between Heaven and earth but was not a god. The Vietnamese did not worship the monarch as westerners understand the word for this very reason. He was shown great reverence and immense respect but no more than was due to the Son of Heaven. In fact, during World War II when Indochina was invaded by the Japanese, the people of Vietnam found it very odd that people would actually worship their emperor. Nevertheless, as in China, though on a smaller scale, the Vietnamese regarded the Emperor as their highest authority on earth as well as the supreme religious figure that led the nation in the ceremonies and festivals in honor of the spirits and dead ancestors. The Emperor was the people's representative in making sacrifices to Heaven and Earth. According to traditional belief, every living being was created by Heaven and thus belonged to the Emperor and his dynasty for holding Heaven's mandate. He is the center of movement in the earth and the master of all he sees. The loyalty and obedience due to the Son of Heaven is absolute and beyond doubt. To incur the wrath of the Emperor is to bring down the anger of Heaven itself, an act which is unthinkable. Although the submission shown the Emperor is truly immense, he is not an object of fear but of admiration as the guardian of the land, the protector of the people and the center of all spiritual activities. While this may sound far above the dignity of western monarchs, there is also another aspect which makes the Vietnamese monarchy rather modern and that is the Mandate of Heaven as expressed through the will of the people. Unlike in the west, Vietnamese claim no single dynasty to be the first and only divine house, but rather recognize that if the rulers of the nation become corrupt and immoral, the Mandate of Heaven can be taken from them and bestowed on a more worthy leader. The point that is important to make is that the Nguyen dynasty never lost the Mandate of Heaven but was instead betrayed by other worldly powers. The Vietnamese public never actually approved the abolition of the monarchy but rather had their traditional guardians stolen from them by power-hungry forces who wanted either a western-style republic or a Soviet-type dictatorship. Vietnam was a constitutional and democratic monarchy, made so by His Imperial Majesty Emperor Bao Dai who was the only one with the ability and the Heavenly right to unite Vietnam and rule or reign over the nation in peace. For loyal Vietnamese, the Son of Heaven is much more than a political figure. The Emperor is father and mother to the nation. He is the highest judge and the spiritual link to Thu'o'ng De, the Emperor of Heaven and Earth. The monarchy is based on the principles of Confucius that family is important, remembering your ancestors who made you what you are. The Emperor is at the head of the "national family" and His Majesty's ancestors are Vietnam's ancestors. The Son of Heaven is the protector of the people as the father is the protector of his children and household. He reigns by the authority of the Thien Mang, the Mandate of Heaven; something the present government very obviously lacks. It must be remembered that Vietnam's suffering began when the Emperor lost his ability to rule. If the Son of Heaven does not have the power to rule he cannot be blamed when things go wrong. As such, it is easy to see that the Nguyen never lost Heaven's Mandate. They have the right to rule Vietnam but Vietnam was taken from them. It has been often said that history repeats itself, so devoted and loyal people can take comfort in the belief that sooner or later the corrupt and tyrannical socialist regime in Hanoi will fall and the Nguyen dynasty will be properly restored to the Golden Throne and bring back prosperity and freedom to the suffering and poverty-stricken people of Vietnam. Forces greater than mankind surround us and the destinies of the Nguyen dynasty and Vietnam cannot be seperated from each other. Just as much as oppressive communist policies, Vietnam is suffering from the seperation of the land from their Imperial dynasty, just as a body cannot function without its heart, so to will Vietnam continue to suffer until the Marxist dictators are cast off and the Son of Heaven restored for the benefit of the land, the dignity of the dead and the benefit of future generations. |
| (this page was written by a contributor who asked that their name be withheld) |