The Bronze Drums and the Earrings

A Google search for a book on Vietnamese history will result in an overwhelming number about the war, which ended in 1975. This book offers an overview of Vietnamese history from prehistory to the present day and is written for people interested in history from a traveler’s perspective. It specifically focuses on the period from 700 to 111 BCE. It briefly discusses the origin of the Vietnamese, the three characters who shaped its early history: the Hùng kings – the founders of Vietnam; An Dương Vương, Zhao Tuo (Triệu Đà) and the battles involved during the transfer of power from one to the next. The final battle ended the country’s autonomy and placed the country under Chinese dynastic rule for one thousand years to the 10th century.

It also tells the stories of the mythical Four Immortals, the bronze drums manufactured in the north, and the earrings produced in the central and southern parts of the country. It recounts the tragic love story of the Magic Crossbow, the 2200-year-old fort of Cổ Loa and its builder, An Dương Vương. It describes the key battles, including the invasion of the Yue kingdoms by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, his general, Zhao Tuo and the ending of the Nan-yue kingdom. It has 71 photographs, maps and diagrams showing locations of interest to a traveler but limited to this period only. It also includes lines from some famous Vietnamese poems, songs, and quotes, all translated into English. Sources of the books came from archaeological evidence, works by historians, ancient Chinese texts, and Vietnamese records, plus more recent academic papers and local newspaper articles. The book aims to draw a balance between telling stories that engage a traveller and, at the same time discussing historical findings that are of interest to serious scholars. It is Volume One of six, covering the history of Vietnam to 1954.