Tống Duy Tân (宋維新, 1838 - 1892), courtesy name Cơ Mệnh, was a Vietnamese revolutionary who led insurgent armies in Thanh Hóa Province of northern Vietnam as part of the Cần Vương movement that sought to install the boy Emperor Hàm Nghi as the leader of an independent Vietnam. He was captured in 1892 by the French colonial forces and executed.[2][3]

Tống Duy Tân
Born1838
Vĩnh Lộc district, Thanh Hóa
Died1892 (aged 53–54)
Thanh Hóa town, Thanh Hóa
Other namesBáo Tiền
Occupation(s)Official, revolutionist
MovementCần Vương
ChildrenTống Nhữ Mai[1]

Early years

edit

Tống Duy Tân was born in 1838, under the reign of King Minh Mạng, in Đông Biện village, Bồng Thượng canton (now is Bồng Trung village, Vĩnh Tân commune) of Vĩnh Lộc district, Thanh Hóa province. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Thi Hương [vi] exam 1870, and gained a doctorate title in Thi Hội [vi] exam 1875, then became an official in Ministry of Justice under the reign of King Tự Đức.

In 1876, he was assigned as reviewer of Thi Hương exam school in Nam Định, then promoted to Tri phủ [vi] (Prefect) of Vĩnh Tường fu, Sơn Tây province (now are Vĩnh Tường and 4 other districts of Vĩnh Phúc province, and 2 districts of Phú Thọ province).[4]

After two years served as a prefect, the Sơn Tây mandarins proposed to the court to promote him to the position of Án sát (Surveillance Commissioner), but the situation was troubled at that time, after the 2nd French invasion, Huế court was divided into war faction and peace faction ... Tống refused to work as a mandarin, asked to go back to his hometown to open a school. Later, Regent Tôn Thất Thuyết - the top leader of the war faction knew that Tống was a patriot who had a good reputation, so he appointed Tống to Đốc học (Education Commissioner), then Chánh sứ Sơn phòng (Chief of Mountain warfare force) of Thanh Hóa province, to prepare the French resistance.[5]

Legacy and memory

edit

A high school in Vĩnh Lộc district has been named after Tống Duy Tân since 1978.[3]

Temples and tomb of Tống Duy Tân in his hometown of Vĩnh Lộc and Thanh Hóa city have both been ranked as a national historical and cultural relic.[6]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Tống Duy Tân's poems". thivien.net. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  2. ^ Văn Đào Hoàng Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang: A Contemporary History 2008 "swiftly revolted against the French, including ... Tống Duy Tân, Phạm Bành, and Đinh Công Tráng (in Thanh Hóa), "
  3. ^ a b "120 year anniversary of Doctor Tống Duy Tân death". vinhloc.thanhhoa.gov.vn. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Tống Duy Tân and Cần Vương movement". vusta.vn. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Doctor Tống Duy Tân and Cần Vương movement". thanhhoa.gov.vn. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Sacred Temple of Tống Duy Tân". vhds.baothanhhoa.vn. Retrieved 6 March 2022.