The traditional concept of power of the high ruler in vietnam and the christian teachinh xvi xix c

THE TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF POWER OF THE HIGH RULER IN VIETNAM AND THE CHRISTIAN TEACHING XVI-XIX c.. This is clearly evident in the perception o f imperial religion imperial ideology, c

THE TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF POWER OF THE HIGH RULER IN VIETNAM AND THE CHRISTIAN TEACHING

(XVI-XIX c.)

o V Novakova

T h e s t u d y o f th is p r o b l e m is c r u c i a l l y i m p o r t a n t d u e to th e f a c t th a t in today's post-industrial world not only the study o f specific events or facts takes on axial character, but also the study o f ideology This problem is closely related to the problem o f integration and assimilation o f foreign, especially Chinese cultiral experience, on the ideological basis o f V ietnam ese society, the beginning o f which dates back to the I m illennium AD This is clearly evident in the perception o f imperial religion (imperial ideology), characteristic for the w hole area o f the Far Eastern civilization

V ietnam has undergone the most profound impact o f C hinese culturc durirg a period o f «northern dependence" w hen the main elem ents o f Chinese naiure philosophy were "transplanted" on ihe V ietnam ese soil

T he idea o f an eternal, nor anyone else created nature w as typical woridv ew

o f the ancient C hinese civilization - "the world consists o f 10,000 things." Philosophically, the essence o f this vision w as in the understanding and perception

o f the law o f evolution as a universal law The em ergence o f any kind o f idea 'out

o f nothing", w ithout form er phases o f developm ent, is unimaginable for the m nd, sharing a b e lie f in the universal law o f evolution From this perspective, the Christian doctrine in the context o f China's philosophical views could only be a certain time elem ent in the evolution o f som e general idea

The concept o f suprem e pow er is associated with statehood o f the East The suprem e p o w er is an ideological and philosophical political fram ew ork o f the stite The concept o f sovereignty is a set o f religious and m ythological ideas about pow er and the personality o f a monarch cultivated and used as an ideological justification for the public order and creates certain system 2

* P h D

1 T i k h o m i r o v L A R e l i g i o u s a n d p h i l o s o p h i c a l f o u n d a t i o n s o f h i s t o r y M o s c o w , 1 9 9 8 p 32.

2 B a n d i l e n k o G G T h e c o n c e p t o f m o n a r c h y a s t h e o b j e c t o f s y s t e m a t i c d e s c r i p t i o n / / T h r e e

q u a r t e r s o f a c e n t u r y T o D e o p i k D v - f r i e n d s a n d d i s c i p l e s M o s c o w , 2 0 0 7 p 7 1.

TH E T R A D IT IO N A L C O N C E P T OF P O W ER OF TH E HIGH R ULER IN VIETN AM

D eveloped in C h in a in the V-IV c BC political doctrine and the concept o f sovereignty subsequently becam e the official ideology o f the imperial Chinese society, where the cult o f the ruler w as the leading elem ent, which contained the archetypal model o f s o v ereig n ty 1 Their em ergence is associated with the ancient

C hinese concept o f unity and controllability o f social-space processes and tieht

f o c u s o f w o r l d s p a c e , w h i c h r e q u i r e d th e p r e s e n c e o f a s i n g l e f i g u r e o f t h e ru le r In this concept, the figure o f the ruler stands in the center o f understanding o f the suprem e power, so the ruler cult is crucial Since Z hou era (XI-III c BC) the description o f the suprem e ruler in China becam e perceived later in V ietnam "Son

o f H e a v e n " ( V i e t n a m e s e - T h i ê n tử ) T h i s d e s i g n a t i o n is th e e s s e n c e o f th e s a c r e d

f u n c t i o n s o f th e ru le r T h e o r i g i n o f th e s u p r e m e r u l e r - d i v in e A t t h e s a m e t im e th e suprem e ruler acts as a person w ho stands in the center o f socio-cosmic universe Through his powers, and moral dignity governor had a world building influence on the Cosmos, including hum an and nature, ie, the suprem e ruler maintains world

h arm o n y 2 The organization o f space by perform ing certain rituals is the main duty

o f the ruler The H eavens could either approve or disapprove the governor I f The

H eavens were angry, then droughts, floods and other disasters set in Therefore, the governor had to be perfect But these functions o f the ruler had no direct relation to

C onfucian ethics

The doctrine o f the Son o f H eaven takes the m ain place in the state ideology

o f China, also know n as the imperial religion The w hole model o f the state is identified with the universal space, orderly and centralized space, this model is based on the idea o f the spiritual and political integration o f the territory in the

s p a c e o f a m o n a r c h i c a l g o v e r n m e n t

This teaching o f the Son o f H eaven w as perceived in Vietnam , w here it has already been know n from the X century, that is, from the first steps o f an independent state The most complete model and culture o f the Chinese empire w as taken by Vietnam in the X V century under the badge o f Zhu Xi's teaching4, and then in the

X I X c e n tu r y , e s p e c i a l l y t h e p o l itic a l in s titu tio n s o f th e Q i n g E m p i r e 5 T h e f u rth e r th e

1 K r a v t s o v M.E The history o f Chinese c u l t u r e Saint-Petersburg, 1999 p 140

2 M a r t y n o v A s S t a t e a n d e t h i c a l in i m p e r i a l C h i n a / / E t h i c s a n d r it u a l in t r a d i t i o n a l C h i n a

M o s c o w , 1 9 9 8 P 2 7 9

3 B a n d i l e n k o G G T h e c o n c e p t o f m o n a r c h y a s t h e o b j e c t o f s y s t e m a t i c d e s c r i p t i o n / / T h r e e

q u a r t e r s o f a c e n t u r y T o D e o p i k D v - f r i e n d s a n d d i s c i p l e s M o s c o w , 2 0 0 7 p 7 0 - 7 8

4 ' N e o - C o n f u c i a n i s m , s y s t e m a t i z e r a n d c h i e f i d e o l o g i s t o f w h i c h w a s Z h u X i ( 1 1 3 0 - 1 2 0 0 ) ,

b e c a m e t h e d o m i n a n t t r e n d o f C h i n e s e t h o u g h t a t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e X I V c e n t u r y It

5 N i k i t i n A V U n i v e r s a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t r a d i t i o n a l V i e t n a m e s e t h o u g h t / / U n i v e r s a l s

E a s t e r n c u l t u r e s M o s c o w , 2 0 0 1 p 2 5 9

539

VIỆT NAM HỌC - KỶ YÉU HỘI THẢO QUỐC TÉ LẰN THỨ TU

V i e t n a m e s e s o c ie t y w a s r e m o v e d in tim e f ro m th e p e r i o d o f " C h i n e s e dependency,"

th e m o r e it b o r r o w e d th e C h i n e s e m o d e l o f a d m i n is t r a t io n , c r i m in a l l a w a n d he

id e o l o g ic a l j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f p o w e r 1 T h i s a p o g e e o f C h i n e s e c u lt u r a l i n f l u e n c e vas

la r g e ly a s s o c i a t e d w i t h th e c r e a tio n o f th e e m p i r e D a i n a m in th e X I X c e n tu r y , vith

th e u n i f i c a t io n o f th e c o u n tr y T h u s i m p u l s e h a s b e e n se t in t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f he

E m p ir e F o r S o u t h - E a s t A s i a th e c re a tio n o f s u c h a larg e s ta te in t e r m s o f territcry, like V i e t n a m in th e e a rly X I X c e n tu r y , w a s th e g e o p o litic a l n e w s N e v e r b e b r e

V i e tn a m , a s a sta te , d id n o t e x is t in s u c h a larg e scale

It is i m p o r t a n t to n o t e th a t s in c e V i e t n a m g a i n e d i n d e p e n d e n c e in X c., he

g r o w i n g i n f l u e n c e o f C h i n e s e c u l t u r e b e g a n to b e d e t e r m i n e d b y th e i n te r n a l ne:ds

o f th e V i e t n a m e s e c o m m u n i t y

T h e e m e r g e n c e a n d c o n s o l i d a t i o n o f th e I n s titu te o f th e c u l t o f t h e r u le r as he

s u p r e m e r u l e r in V i e t n a m w e r e l a r g e ly c o n d i t i o n e d b y e c o n o m i c f a c t o r s - lim ie d

la n d r e s o u r c e s , w h i c h p r o m p t e d r u le r s to s e e k a f t e r a p p r o p r i a t i o n o f e x c l u s i v e rights

to o w n e r s h i p o f l a n d a n d t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f p o w e r in th e h a n d s o f o n e m a n as

w e ll a s a n c i e n t i d e a s o f u n i ty a n d o r d e r in th e s o c i o - c o s m i c p r o c e s s e s w h c h

a s s u m e d to h a v e a s in g l e f i g u r e c o o r d i n a t o r o f t h e s e p r o c e s s e s 2

In t h e c o n c e p t o f s u p r e m e p o w e r th e m o s t lik e ly o r i g i n o f th e r u l e r is f b m

i m a g e o f t h e p r ie s t B u t u n l i k e th e a n c i e n t w o r l d , in C h i n a a n d in th e F a r Eastern

c i v i l i z a t i o n t h e p r i e s t l y c la s s ( w h o w e r e i n t e r m e d i a r i e s b e t w e e n th e p e o p l e a n d the

H e a v e n s ) h a s n o t b e e n f o r m e d yet T h a t is w h y in th is r e g i o n t h e r u l e r vas

e q u a l l y v e s t e d in t h e t e m p o r a l a n d s a c r e d p o w e r , c o m b i n i n g in h is p e r s o n the

s e c u l a r a n d t h e s p ir i tu a l l e a d e r o f th e c o u n tr y , e n d o w e d w i t h m a g i c a l p o v e r s ( V i e t n a m e s e - Đ ư c ) a n d t h e d i v in e o r ig in In m y t h o l o g y a n c e s t o r s t u r n e d in to ru b rs

In t h is w a y t h e V i e t n a m e s e m o n a r c h w a s th e e l e c t o f th e H e a v e n s , w h o g o v e n e d

C h i n a o n b e h a l f o f a s p e c ia l h e a v e n l y d e c r e e 3

T h e m o t i f o f " m i r a c u l o u s c o n c e p t i o n " is n e c e s s a r i l y p r e s e n t in th e storie; o f

le g e n d a r y a n d s e m i - h i s t o r i c a l c h a r a c t e r s - r u le r s o f a n t i q u i t y , a s w e l l as in the

b i o g r a p h i e s o f t h e f o u n d e r s o f d y n a s t i e s 1*

1 H i s t o r y o f A s i a a n d A f r i c a in m o d e r n t i m e s P a r t I M o s c o w , 1 9 8 9 p l 12.

2 K r a v t s o v a M E T h e h i s t o r y o f C h i n e s e c u l t u r e S a i n t - P e t e r s b u r g , 1 9 9 9 p 1 4 1

3 T h e s e q u e n c e o f g o v e r n a n c e o f t h e l e g e n d a r y H u n g d y n a s t y is b e i n g b u i l t b y V i e t n a n e s e

h i s t o r i o g r a p h y t h r o u g h a d e i t y o f a g r i c u l t u r e S h e n - n u n g - o n e o f t h e " f i v e d i v i n e ruler:" o f

C h i n e s e m i f o l o g i c a l s t o r i e s H e is t h e p a t r o n o f t h e fire a n d t h e s o u t h e r n p a r t o f t h e Wirld

T h a t is w h y t h e V i e t n a m e s e r u l e r s , r e a l i z i n g t h e m s e l v e s a s t h e i r d e s c e n d a n t s , " o w r t h e

w h o l e c o u n t r y o f t h e w o r l d , " t h e y a r e t h e same " E m p e r o r s " , a s t h e C h i n e s e rulers - N k i t i n

A V U n i v e r s a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t r a d i t i o n a l V i e t n a m e s e t h o u g h t / / U n i v e r s a l s E a te rn

c u l t u r e s M o s c o w , 2 0 0 1 p 2 6 3 - 2 6 4

4 K r a v t s o v a M E T h e h i s t o r y o f C h i n e s e c u l t u r e S a i n t - P e t e r s b u r g , 1 9 9 9 p 1 4 1 - 1 4 7

TH E T R A D IT IO N A L C O N C E P T OF PO W ER OF THE HIGH R ULER IN V IE T N A M

T h e s e m o tiv e s o f " m i r a c u lo u s c o n c e p tio n " has o n c e a g a in c o n f i r m e d th e t h o u g h t that the id ea o f a s u p r e m e d iv in e p o w e r fro m o u ts id e o f the c re a te d w o r l d w a s

c o m p le te ly a lie n to th in k i n g o f re p re s e n ta tiv e s o f the c u ltu r e o f th e F a r E a s te rn civilization T h is t h in k i n g w a s f o c u s e d on ly o n th e act o f b irth , b u t s in c e it w a s th e birth o f an e x t r a o r d i n a r y c h a r a c te r - th e s u p r e m e ruler, th e m o t i f is r e p e a te d e v e r y w h e r e

e x tr a o rd in a ry , m ir a c u l o u s c o n c e p tio n , w h i c h c o n f i r m s th e l e g itim a c y o f th e ruler

It is a r o u n d t h e c u lt o f th e ru le r, n o t th e w o r s h i p o f th e d i v i n e c h a r a c t e r

c o n c e n t r a t e s o r i g i n a l r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n s o f C h i n a , f o l l o w e d b y V i e t n a m , a n d th is cult u p to a c e r t a i n t i m e e x h a u s t s a n o f fic ia l i d e o l o g i c a l s y s t e m o f t r a d i t i o n a l F a r

E a s te r n s o c i e t y 1 T h e c u lt o f t h e r u le r d id n o t h a v e its o w n s o c ia l o r g a n i z a t i o n ,

d i f f e r e n t f r o m R o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s T h i s m e a n s th a t all th e s a c r e d f u n c t i o n s w e r e

e n tr u s te d to t h e kina, a n d th e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o f f i c e s in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e i r r a n k :

th e o f f i c ia ls w e r e in c h a r g e o f th e o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d c o n d u c t o f w o r s h i p , ritu a l a n d

s o c ia l e t i q u e t t e o f c o u r t c e r e m o n i e s E v e n a s t r o l o g y - t y p i c a l l y p r ie s tl y a r e a fo r

m a n y o t h e r r e g i o n s o f t h e A s i a n w o r l d - w a s in C h i n a a n d V i e t n a m in t h e c o n d u c t

o f s p e c ia l o f f i c ia ls c o m b i n e d th e d u t ie s o f t h e c h r o n i c l e r s , h i s t o r i o g r a p h e r s

s c ie n tis ts a n d a s t r o n o m e r s 2

T h u s , t h e s p e c i f i c s i t u a t i o n w a s c r e a t e d w h e n th e S t a te in th e p e r s o n o f th e

s u p r e m e r u l e r h a d a n a u t h o r i t y in r e l i g i o u s m a t te r s T h e s a c r e d s u f f i c i e n c y o f tra d itio n a l s t a t e a l l o w e d h i m to t r e a t all n o t r e l a t e d to th e im p e r ia l r e l i g i o n , a s a n

a d d it io n a l m e a n s o f t h e m a i n f u n c t i o n o f th e s u p r e m e r u l e r - "to t r a n s f o r m " ( h u a )

s o c ie t y t h r o u g h n o n - v i o l e n t " te a c h in g s " T h e r e f o r e , a ll r e l i g i o u s s y s t e m s , i f t h e y

w e r e a d m i t t e d in t h e e m p i r e , w e r e t r e a t e d a s " a u x i l ia r y t e a c h i n g "

Imperial power religion and folk beliefs

T h e b a s is o f t h e i m p e r ia l r e lig io n b e c a m e th e C h i n e s e p h i l o s o p h y o f n a tu re ,

w h o s e p u r p o s e w a s to fin d p a tt e r n s o f f u n c t i o n i n g o f h u m a n s in n a tu r e , th e

d e v e l o p m e n t o f th e c o n c e p t s o f H e a v e n a n d M a n N a t u r a l p h i l o s o p h y a n d i m p e r ia l

re lig io n t o o k i n C h i n e s e c u lt u r e a p h i lo s o p h i c a l o u tlo o k W o r l d w a s p r e s e n t e d in th e

fo rm o f o n e larg e o r g a n i s m , w h e r e all o f th e p a rts w e r e h i e r a r c h i c a l l y a n d

fu n c tio n a lly r e la te d a n d s u b o r d i n a te d T h a t t r a n s f e r o r t r a n s p la n t o f th e m a i n e l e m e n t s

o f C h i n e s e p h i l o s o p h y o f n a tu r e , b u t n o t th e s p r e a d o f C o n f u c i a n i s m , T a o i s m a n d

C h i n e s e B u d d h i s m b e c a m e t h e e s s e n c e o f C h i n e s e i n f l u e n c e in V i e t n a m 3

1 T k a c h e n k o G A C h i n e s e c u l t u r e M o s c o w , 1 9 9 9 p 8 9 - 9 4

2 K r a v t s o v a M E T h e h i s t o r y o f C h i n e s e c u l t u r e S a i n t - P e t e r s b u r g , 1 9 9 9 p 147.

3 'N i k itin A V U n i v e r s a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t r a d i t i o n a l V i e t n a m e s e t h o u g h t / / U n i v e r s a l s

E a s t e r n c u l t u r e s M o s c o w , 2 0 0 1 p 2 6 5

VIỆT NAM HỌC - KỶ YÉƯ HỘI THẢO QUÓC TÉ LẦN TH Ứ TƯ

T h e g o v e r n m e n t in C h i n a a n d in F a r E a s t c o u n t r i e s w a s b a s e d o n t h e s y s te m o f

p e o p le 's b e li e f s a n d t h e r e f o r e h a d its o w n s a c r e d f u n c t i o n s , a n d t h e p o w e r was

a c tu a ll y a s y n th e s i s o f r e l i g io n a n d p o l it ic s , a k i n d o f r itu a l a n d p o l i t i c a l u n b n ,

p e r s o n i f i e d by t h e f i g u r e o f t h e ru le r I n t e r a c t i o n b e t w e e n g o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e folk

b e l i e f s w a s o f a n a c t i v e n a t u r e a n d w a s d i r e c t e d f r o m th e t o p d o w n : t h e relig io u s

s y s t e m o f th e c o u n t r y d i d n ' t j u s t r e p r e s e n t a c h a o s o f p e o p l e ' s b e l i e f , b u t a well-

o r g a n i z e d s y s t e m o f r e l i g i o u s a c ti v it y th a t o b t a i n e d s u c h a c o n s i s t e n t l o o k u n d e r .he

u n d o u b t e d i n f l u e n c e o f th e a u t h o r i t i e s '

T h e u p p e r f lo o r o f th e s tr u c tu r e r e p r e s e n t e d a c tu a ll y p o w e r , s ta t e c u lt t n d

p o litic a l d o c t r i n e t h a t e x p l a i n e d th e s y n th e s i s o f r itu a l a n d p o l i t i c s S ta te cult

c o n s i s t e d o f t h r e e e l e m e n t s : th e c u lt o f H e a v e n , o f th e i m p e r ia l a n c e s t o r s a n d the

s a c r i f i c e s at th e a lt a r - she (fe r tility c u l t ) 2 It w a s th e i n c l u s i o n o f th e t h i r d

c o m p o n e n t in t h e c o n c e p t o f s o v e r e i g n t y w a s r e p r e s e n t e d , in o u r v i e w , a s t h e m ost

i m p o r ta n t , s in c e it w a s b a s e d o n th e m o s t a n c i e n t a n d p o w e r f u l p o p u l a r b e l i e f - the

c u lt o f fertility, w h i c h c o u l d h a v e i n f l u e n c e d th e w e l f a r e a n d p r o s p e r i t y , a n d often

t h e v e r y e x i s t e n c e o f t h e n a t i o n a n d th e s ta te c u l t i v a t i n g i r r ig a t e d r i c e - o n e o f the

m o s t l a b o r - i n t e n s i v e r u ra l c u ltu r e s

Imperial ideology and “three teachings” (tam giáo)

A s p e c i f ic s i t u a t i o n w h e n th e s ta te h a d a n a u t h o r i t y in r e l i g i o u s q u e s t i o n s led

to th e fact th a t in th e c o u n t r i e s o f t h e F a r E a s t th e s p r e a d i n g o f w o r l d r e l i g io n s , s a c h

a s C h r i s t i a n i ty a n d B u d d h i s m w e n t g r a d u a l l y , p e n e t r a t i n g in to d i f f e r e n t sphere!; o f life, b u t w i t h o u t b r i n g i n g in to b e l i e f th e p o p u l a t io n

T h e e x is t e n c e o f “ o r g a n i z e d ” r e lig io n s (so c a ll e d p r in c i p le o f “ c o m p l i m e n t a r i t v ”

o f t h r e e r e l i g i o n s ) 3 a n d a g r e a t n u m b e r o f o t h e r b e l i e f s c a u s e d a n o r ig i n a l r e l i g n u s

a n d id e o lo g ic a l s t r u c t u r e , a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h b e l i e f a n d u n b e l i e f w e r e p e r m a n e n t

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r e l i g i o n / / T k a c h e n k o G A C u l t u r e o f C h i n a M , 1 9 9 9 p 9 0

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thie e m p e r o r T h a n h - to w a s c o n v i n c e d th a t it is n e c e s s a ry to e d u c a t e th e p e o p le in the

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E a s t e r n c u l t u r e s M o s c o w , 2 0 0 1 p 2 7 5

2 N i k i t i n A V U n i v e r s a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t r a d i t i o n a l V i e t n a m e s e t h o u g h t / / U n i v e r s a l s

E a s t e r n c u l t u r e s M o s c o w , 2 0 0 1 p 2 6 6

3 Đ N T L , t I X , tr 9 3

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w a v t h e e s s e n c e o f T h e C h r i s t i a n t e a c h i n g ( th e T e n C o m m a n d m e n t s ) a n d t h e ten

r u le s r e p r o d u c i n g t h e m a i n i d e a s o f th e C o n f u c i a n t e a c h in g

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th e id e o lo g ic a l l e g a c y o f e m p e r o r T h a n h - to In 1870 h e p e r s o n a l ly t r a n s la t e d “ th e ten

r u l e s '’ fro m th e C l a s s i c a l C h i n e s e into c h ừ n ô m P r a c t i c a l ly “ t h e t e n r u l e s ” w a s an

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a n d t h e y w e r e f ille d w i t h n e w c o n t e n t a n d t o o k t h e i r p l a c e in t h e e m e r g i n g C a th o lic

c o m m u n i t i e s B y a d o p t i n g C h r i s t i a n i t y , V i e t n a m e s e C a t h o l i c s f e lt c h o s e n a n d t i e y

w e r e f re e f r o m th e o ld r u le s a n d o r d e r s So, th e c o n d i t i o n s o f n e w c o f l i c t s v e r e

c r e a t e d a n d th e t r a d i t i o n a l s o c ie t y trie d to p r e v e n t t h o s e c o n f l i c t s b y all m e a n s

1 L a n g l e t P h P o i n t d e v u e s u r N g u y ễ n T r ư ờ n g T ộ e t le r e f o r m i s m e v i e t n a m i e n a u m lie u

X l X - e s i è l e S a i g o n , 1 9 7 4 p 195.