What was Doan Du like in history?

Referring to Doan Du, Kim Dung’s swordsman fans will think of the handsome, loving young man who is always surrounded by beautiful beauties. However, few people know that Doan Du is a real king in history, not only literary but also a master of diplomacy.

Doan Du in the martial arts film Kim Dung

Kim Dung often puts real characters into her novels, then creates other fictional and imaginary details to create works that attract readers such as “Tieu Ngao Giang Ho”, “God Condor Dai”. Hiep” or “Thien Long Bat Bo”.

Accordingly, Doan Du is one of many historical figures mentioned by Kim Dung in the martial arts novel series “Thien Long Bat Bo”. He appeared as the prince of Dali, the son of Tran Nam King Doan Chinh Thuan, and later twinned with Tieu Phong and Xu Truc. Due to fate, Doan Du learned the martial arts of Lang Ba Vi Bo and Bac Minh Than Cong. Then at Thien Long Pagoda, Doan Du was fortunate to successfully practice Luc Mach Than Kiem – considered one of the two best martial arts in the world along with Dich Can Kinh of Shaolin.

At the end of the work, Doan Du returned to Dai Ly, became king and married 3 beauties, Chung Linh, Moc Uyen Thanh and Vuong Ngu Yen. After that, he realized that Moc Uyen Thanh was the girl he loved the most, so he decided to marry her and make her an empress, set Chung Linh as his concubine, and lived a leisurely life. As for Vuong Ngu Yen, he realized that he had brought love with the jade statue (Billion billion fairy) assigned to her, so he let her go.

Writer Kim Dung himself once commented, Doan Du is a person who often leaves a way back for others, does not carry a plan, is always happy, understanding and reasonable. In him, there is no cold, ruthless cruelty of someone born into a royal family, but always in love, gentleness, love of beauty, and deeply in love with flowers and pearls.

Characters in history with noble backgrounds and outstanding talents

In history, there existed a character Doan Hoa Du, but with another name, Doan Chinh Nghiem. He was the 16th emperor of Dali. He succeeded his father King Doan Chinh Thuan and reigned for 39 years – the longest reign of the Dai Ly kings. After his death, the emperors who succeeded him gave him the posthumous title of Emperor Tuyen Nhan.

From a young age, Doan Du was famous for being intelligent and eager to learn. Seeing this, his uncle Doan Chinh Minh invited Grandmaster Luc Huyen to personally teach and foster him. For this noble disciple, Luc Huyen taught with great care and strictness. Later, the master realized the outstanding qualities of his students, so he himself invited a fellow teacher, great master Dieu Trung, to teach together.

Grandmaster Luc Huyen taught Doan Du “Luc Mon Dieu Phap” (perhaps this was the basis for Kim Dung to develop into Doan’s excellent study of Luc Mach Shen Sword) and other magical subjects. In addition, he was also very proficient in calligraphy, drawing beautiful lotus flowers and playing chess very well.

After ascending the throne at the age of 26, Doan Du was diligent in politics, loved the people, reduced taxes, increased trade with other countries, and changed the autocratic situation of the Cao and Dai family. However, 3 years later, the weather suddenly became hot, unsettled, earthquake lasted for more than 1 month and destroyed tens of thousands of houses. 16 temples in Hai Dong collapsed, killing more than 3,000 people. Then, the flood water flooded, then the drought, the crops were damaged, the 37 Man Bo began to rebel. Doan Du personally pacified the Man, and ordered Cao Thai Minh to secure the key area of ​​Kunming, the country gradually calmed down.

Not only handling the country’s affairs fairly and wisely, Doan Du is also a visionary in the field of diplomacy. He understood the importance of establishing good relations with the Song Dynasty. Therefore, although the relationship between the two countries is somewhat distant due to Tong Thai To’s motto “not respecting the distance”, the country of Dali still claims to be a god to the Song dynasty and pays generous tribute every year. Because of that, Tong Huy Tong gave Doan Du the title Kim Tu Quang Loc, Kien Tu Khong, Tu Khong, Yunnan military governor, Thuong Chu Quoc, Dai Ly king.

During the more than 150 years that the Doan family ruled Dali, Doan Du became a king in terms of talent and virtue. However, a series of upheavals made him gradually become tired, and he intended to give up the throne to become a monk. In 1147, Doan Du ceded the throne to his eldest son, Doan Chinh Hung, and himself ordained in the Vo Vi temple, becoming the 23rd abbot with the legal name Quang Hoang Grandmaster. He died at the age of 94, the longest living king of the Dai Ly dynasty.