Thai monk Luu Co and little is known about the merits of a historical celebrity

The event was attended by many leaders and researchers from ministries, sectors and localities. This is an opportunity to more fully acknowledge the merits of a historical celebrity who has made great contributions to the nation through 3 dynasties: Dinh, Tien Le and Ly.

According to “Phi-tong from the Luu family” of the Luu family of Mr. Luu Co (written in the reign of King Ly Anh Tong in 1138, now kept at Van Ngang temple, Do Son district, Hai Phong) and Ngoc pha still remains at the temple. To worship him, Thai Su Luu Co was born on the 3rd day of the first month of the Year of the Rat (940) at Tri Hoi site (now Tuy Hoi village, Gia Tan commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province). Thai monk Luu Co was originally from the Luu family “Yen Dinh of Hoan Chau”, that is, the land of Yen Dinh, now belongs to Thinh Loc commune and Phu Luu commune, Loc Ha district, Ha Tinh province.

Life and career of Thai monk Luu Co

According to the Dai Viet historical record, Thai monk Luu Co was one of the founding fathers of the Dinh dynasty, who was instrumental in helping Dinh Tien Hoang to defeat and unify the 12th century warlords in the history of Vietnam. At the same time, he was the ruler of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, had the merit of repairing the citadel to turn south (towards the capital Hoa Lu instead of towards the North as the colonial government did) before King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long Citadel.

In 968, Dinh Bo Linh ascended the throne as Emperor Dinh Tien. Next, in 971, the King appointed a mandarin in the court, taking Nguyen Bac as Dinh Quoc Cong, Dinh Dien as Foreign Armor, Le Hoan as the Ten Commandments of General and Luu Co as the Dou Phu Si Su. But according to the Vietnamese history, that same year, Dinh Tien Hoang appointed the first person, Luu Co, as Thai monk in Do Ho Phu to govern Dai La citadel, the capital of Giao Chau (today’s North). This role of Luu Co is considered to be on par with Vice Vuong, helping Dinh Tien Hoang to govern the most important and economically potential part of Giao Chau of Dai Co Viet at the time.

Not only did he have great merit in quelling the great revolt Ly Khue in Sieu Loai (present-day Thuan Thanh, Bac Ninh), but Thai monk Luu Co also contributed to the management and renovation of Dai La citadel for nearly 40 years. (971-1010). He repaired Dai La citadel of Annam, which was dominated by the Tang dynasty, to become a Dai Co Viet citadel and prepared all the infrastructure conditions for the move of Ly Thai To’s capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long. within two months. Luu Co became one of the four pillars of the court (Prime Minister Nguyen Bac, Foreign Minister Dinh Dien, Thai monk Luu Co and Thuong Thu Trinh Tu) made many positive contributions to the unification of the country, supporting the court. and social stability in Dai La citadel.

It is no coincidence that the ancient history books have highlighted the role of Luu Co: “Ding Tien Hoang Nhan, when the Ngo kingdom died, was able to pacify twelve emperors, God gave his followers, unified the territory, used Dinh Dien and Nguyen. Bac, Luu Co, Trinh Tu worked as assistants, invented the imperial court, planned to set up an army, the legitimate king of our country, actually starting from there, talking about defeating the enemy and destroying the enemy is a great achievement!”.

Historical roles of Thai monk Luu Co

In recent years, especially on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, scientists, experts and specialized researchers, including the Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences and the Council of the Vietnamese Luu Nam, has additionally researched and synthesized data in more depth. Thereby affirming the contributions of Thai Su Do to Luu Co government.

The career, historical role and meritorious role of the patriarch Luu Co is associated with three important events of three dynasties: Dinh, Tien Le and Ly dynasties.

Firstly, according to the research of Prof. TSKH. Vu Minh Giang – Vice President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association (presented at the Workshop “Role of Dai Co Viet State in the process of Vietnamese national history” held in Ninh Binh, April 12/ 2018), Thai monk Luu Co was instrumental in helping Dinh Bo Linh put down 12 warlords and establish Dai Co Viet, the country’s first independent and autonomous feudal state since the 10th century.

Typically, General Luu Co was sent by Dinh Bo Linh to lead 3,000 soldiers stationed at Dai Tu site, Te Giang district, Thuan An, Vu Ninh (now Dai Tu village, Dai Dong commune, Van Lam district, province). Hung Yen). Dai Tu villagers supported, according to Luu Co pacifying the military envoy Ly Lang Cong (Ly Khue), the sand was located in Sieu Loai district, now Thuan Thanh, Bac Ninh. Later, he gave mandarin land to Dai Tu villagers. The provincial-level relic records of Dai Tu communal house and family family have supplemented the official history of this feat.

Second, according to the Dai Viet history book (Complete, Publishing House, Times 2011, p.129), Thai monk Luu Co was the head of the court in charge of the sentencing, and was evaluated for the role of a Vice Vuong. When Dinh Bo Linh proclaimed himself emperor, he still kept the name “Do Ho Phu” of Dai La citadel. Therefore, when Luu Co was assigned as the Do House, many people easily thought that it was still An Nam Do House during the Northern Domination period, so when thinking of Luu Co, it is easy to think of the idea of ​​”Northern Domination”. Dai La – The imperial government was absent from the time Ngo Quyen defeated Kieu Cong Tien in 937 until Dinh Bo Linh ascended the throne to choose the capital at Hoa Lu in 968.

And according to the book “Hanoi before Thang Long” by Dr. Nguyen Viet – Director of the Southeast Asian Prehistory Research Center (Hanoi Publishing House 2010, 1000 Years Thang Long Bookcase, p. 903), due to the dangerous situation of having to stay in Hoa Lu, the whole of Giao Chau, King Dinh Tien Hoang gave it to Luu Co with the title of Thai Su Do for the government. He ruled “The largest granary, also the warehouse of people and warehouses in Linh Nam, Giao Chau” (including the entire Northern Delta of our country) continuously for 40 years (971 – 1010), throughout 3 dynasties. In the feudal dynasties of the Dinh, Early Le and early Ly dynasties, Mr. Luu Co still ruled Giao Chau and mobilized the resources and people of Giao Chau for King Le Dai Hanh to defeat the invading Song army in 981.

Thirdly, also according to the study “Teacher Do House of Luu Co, who gave the key to Dai La citadel to Ly Cong Uan” by Dr. Nguyen Viet, in the process of governing Dai La citadel, the Emperor Dowager of Luu Co had rebuilt and renovated Dai La citadel from a Northern citadel into a prosperous and strong Dai Co Viet citadel. qualified prerequisites for Ly Cong Uan to make the historic decision to move the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long. The capital of Dai La Citadel has the main axis, the mansion and the office facing the North.

Phu Thai monk Luu Co could not use the original Dai La citadel of Cao Bien, but had to turn all to the South, that is, to pay homage to Dai Co Viet’s capital Hoa Lu. These renovations are still preserved in the cultural layer of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, thanks to archeology, many bricks and tiles have been discovered from the Hoa Lu period, such as “Dai Viet Quoc Quan Thanh Chuyen” and “Giang Tay Quan” bricks. .

According to the content of the book “Bat Trang – Craft Village, Literature Village” (Hanoi Publishing House, 2013; pp.52 and 292), the renovation of Dai La Citadel was also related to Luu Co bringing pottery villagers from the Portuguese region. From Bat, Bach Lien commune, Yen Mo district, Ninh Binh province to Bat Trang village, Gia Lam district, Hanoi, so Thai monk Luu Co is worshiped as the Emperor of Bat Trang village – the great saint Luu Thien Tu great king. Dai La citadel, when it became the Thang Long capital of King Ly Thai To in July 1010, was already a Dai Co Viet capital prepared and completed, which is recognized as the merit of Thai monk Luu Co.