The person being referred to is General Nguyen Chich.
According to the Complete Annals of Dai Viet, Nguyen Chich (1382 – 1448) was from Dong Son district, Thanh Hoa province. Born into a poor peasant family, his parents died early, and from a young age he had to be self-reliant and earn a living.
Growing up amidst the upheavals of the country in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, witnessing the defeat of the Ho Dynasty against the invading Ming army, and the harsh policies of the invaders that caused suffering to the people, all of these factors influenced the thoughts and choices of the young man Nguyen Chich regarding his path to self-improvement.
Before joining Le Loi's rebel army, Nguyen Chich raised the banner of rebellion against the Ming invaders in the Dong Son region. This rebel army controlled a vast area, and the Ming army repeatedly tried to persuade him to surrender, but failed. Nguyen Chich's qualities and talents quickly reached Le Loi's ears, and he repeatedly sent letters inviting Nguyen Chich to join the Lam Son rebel army.
Besides being knowledgeable in geography and skilled in military strategy and tactics, Nguyen Chich also had another hobby: raising pigeons. By caring for his flock daily, he discovered that they possessed an exceptional ability to find direction with great accuracy.
After extensive training, his flock of pigeons could fly hundreds of miles and still find their way home. Surprisingly, these seemingly harmless little birds helped him achieve many glorious victories.
General Nguyen Chich was once the leader of the most unique pigeon army in Vietnamese history. (Illustrative image)
According to historical records, the headquarters of the Lam Son rebels was once ambushed by the Ming army, and the situation was extremely precarious. At this time, Nguyen Chich released a flock of pigeons, which were very well-trained and professional, to fly to the nearest rebel encampment to report for reinforcements.
Unexpectedly, a large army from the rear, with overwhelming momentum, attacked the Ming invaders again. The tide of battle turned, our army achieved a great victory, and the enemy were terrified, fleeing in panic.
With his talent and virtue, he is revered not only by his contemporaries but also by posterity today as a distinguished figure and general of Vietnam. Because of his immense contributions to the expulsion of the Ming invaders, after the Lam Son Uprising's victory and Le Loi's ascension to the throne, establishing the Later Le Dynasty, Nguyen Chich was granted the title of Dinh Thuong Hau and given the royal surname Le. From then on, he was known as Le Chich.
In his book Kien Van Tieu Luc, historian Le Quy Don praised him, saying: "Among the ministers who contributed to the founding of the nation, those with talent and diligence are not rare, but the reason King Le Thai To was able to pacify the entire country was due to Le Chich's strategy. He captured Dong Do without fighting, ending the war with peace and harmony. Although it was Nguyen Trai's strategy, the initial strength to achieve complete victory truly began with Le Chich."
After his death, King Le posthumously bestowed upon him the titles of Imperial Inspector, Minister of Works, Grand Tutor, and Duke of the Nation. The court erected a stele in his hometown to commemorate the achievements of this founding national hero, who had made significant contributions to repelling foreign invaders and protecting the country.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/thu-linh-doi-quan-chim-bo-cau-doc-nhat-trong-9su-viet-la-ai-ar903273.html
Comment (0)