The Northern Delta, a low-lying region enriched by the alluvial deposits of the Red River, has historically been prone to flooding. To manage water in this area, the Nguyen emperors devoted significant attention to the construction and maintenance of dikes.
During the Nguyen dynasty, Bac Thanh (1) was frequently inundated, submerging vast areas under water. Faced with this situation, the Nguyen emperors expressed deep concern, investigating the causes and implementing measures to manage floods such as: building dikes, establishing agencies and officials responsible for dike management, and issuing regulations regarding the primary dikes…
Development of the Dike System and Timely Response to Floods
According to the official historical records of Dai Nam, Emperor Gia Long, upon ascending the throne, prioritized the repair of old dikes and the construction of new ones. In the second year of his reign (1803), he ordered the construction of the Nhi Ha dike and seven other sections in the Northern region. In the eighth year of his reign (1809), he allocated about 87,000 quan to build a dike in Son Nam (in the Kim Dong and Gia Lam areas).
In the same year, the emperor established the position of Bac Thanh Chief Dike Officer, along with positions of General Inspector and Assistant Inspector of the main dike to oversee dike management, which included repairing old dikes and constructing new ones across the Northern provinces.
The emperor also mandated that every October, the district and provincial officials must inspect the dikes in succession, with the Chief Dike Officer conducting re-inspections to prepare for the flood season. Dikes needing repairs would be assessed for their condition before being reported, organized for restoration, and subjected to inspection and acceptance testing.
Under Emperor Minh Mang, the efforts to manage dikes and flood control were further intensified. In the eighth year of his reign (1828), following suggestions from officials, the emperor increased staffing at the Dike Administration. However, in the thirteenth year of his reign (1833), he disbanded this agency and transferred dike management responsibilities to the provincial supervisors.
According to the book Dai Nam Hoi Dien Su Le, thanks to Emperor Minh Mang’s focus on dike management, the dike system in the Northern region developed significantly. By 1833, the total length of the dike system was measured at 333,616 truong (approximately 1,300 km, compared to 906 km in 1809).
In addition to developing the dike system, Emperor Minh Mang also prioritized timely responses to floods. He required local officials to mobilize manpower quickly when heavy rains, dike breaches, or flooding occurred.
According to the Nguyen dynasty’s official records, Volume 33, pages 18-19 (published in the book by Dr. Dao Thi Dien on the Nguyen dynasty’s records in Hanoi), in September of the tenth year of Minh Mang’s reign, upon receiving reports of rising floodwaters in Bac Thanh, the Deputy Governor of Bac Thanh, Phan Van Thuy, immediately dispatched Commander Dang Huu Chat with 500 soldiers to the Kim Quan dike (Thach That).
At the same time, he urged the provincial governors of Son Nam, Son Tay, and Bac Ninh to send local officials to mobilize troops and civilians to urgently protect vulnerable dike sections. He also dispatched Commander Tran Van Loc with 500 troops to both old and new dike sections in the villages of Tu Liem, Son Tay. Furthermore, he sent Guard Commander Dinh Mau Phong with 300 soldiers to the dikes in Thanh Oai district, all working diligently to reinforce critical dike sections to mitigate risks.
The historic flood of 1926. (Photo showing the flood threatening Hanoi during the 1926 flood season).
Clear Reward and Punishment Policies
Alongside the dike management policies and responses to floods, Emperor Minh Mang implemented clear punishment policies related to the repair and construction of dikes for flood prevention.
According to the Dai Nam Hoi Dien Su Le, in the ninth year of Minh Mang’s reign (1829), due to failure to complete the dike construction in Da Hoa commune (Khoai Chau, Hung Yen) on time, along with improper repairs to the Kim Quan dike, which fell short by 6-7 truong, the emperor demoted the Chief Inspector Le Dai Cuong by three ranks, while Assistant Inspector Nguyen Van Khoa, and Deputy Inspector Hoang Quynh and Le Thuan Tinh were each demoted by two ranks.
Also, in the tenth year of Minh Mang’s reign (1830), observing the dike workers laboring day and night at Kim Quan, the emperor ordered a monetary reward equivalent to one month’s salary for the team that worked diligently; each worker received a reward of one quan.
Not only concerned with the protection and defense of the dikes, but Emperor Minh Mang was also very attentive to the livelihoods of the people living in flood-prone areas. In several official documents published in the Nguyen dynasty records regarding Hanoi, the emperor requested local officials to check on and address the living conditions of those affected by floods and dike breaches, ensuring that essential supplies were provided. All related matters had to be reported to the emperor clearly and thoroughly.
For instance, in the Nguyen dynasty records, Volume 43, pages 120-121 indicated that in the tenth year of Minh Mang’s reign (1830), when the dike in Thuong Phuc district (Thanh Tri) broke, the emperor required local officials to “assess the water level at the broken dike, calculate and mobilize troops and civilians to reinforce it, and report the situation of the affected people, livestock, and crops to me.”
Similarly, in Volume 57, page 215 of the Nguyen dynasty records, it was noted that in the eighteenth year of Minh Mang (1837), when the Son Tay dike was breached, the emperor ordered the appointment of a palace guard to conduct inspections. The directive stated: “Except for the urgent reporting via horse riders, I am appointing one palace guard to travel to that province to inspect the exact location of the dike breach. Immediate actions should be taken to assess the situation of flooded fields, homes, and how to provide urgent assistance, ensuring detailed reporting back to me.”
The historic flood of 1926. (Photo showing the dike section downstream of Hanoi).
Consultation on Dike Protection in Northern Vietnam
During the reign of Emperor Tu Duc, the construction and inspection of dikes were meticulously regulated by the court; reward and punishment systems regarding dike protection and the delineation of responsibilities among provinces, districts, and local officials in areas with dike breaches were also reassessed.
The flooding issue was addressed by implementing a balance in water management, establishing precise water schedules, and besides dike construction, also advocating for the digging of rivers to connect major river systems. This task was assigned to local officials, utilizing labor provided by local populations.
Although the Nguyen court paid considerable attention to dike construction and protection, these efforts did not resolve the issues as expected.
Researcher Nguyen The Anh (in his book “Economy and Society in Vietnam under the Nguyen Emperors”) noted that the dikes were not built robustly, leading to frequent breaches; especially the Nhi River (Red River), where the alluvial soil caused the riverbed between the two dikes to be higher than the surrounding land. Whenever high water levels occurred, the dikes could not withstand the force of the water. Faced with this situation, the court was torn between three options: Maintain the dikes, break the dikes, and dig new rivers.
Since the time of Minh Mang, the emperor frequently sought counsel from his advisors on this matter, sometimes asking local officials and at other times consulting the court officials; however, opinions varied widely, with some advocating for dike demolition while others proposed new river excavations, resulting in so much disagreement that during the reigns of Emperors Thieu Tri and Tu Duc, signs were posted everywhere to solicit public opinions.
In 1852, Emperor Tu Duc continued to hold consultations regarding dike protection in Northern Vietnam, and once again, opinions divided into two factions: Maintain the dikes and abandon the dikes. The group advocating for dike construction on major rivers included Nguyen Duy Can, Nguyen Soan, Nguyen Van Tinh, Nguyen Cam, Bạch Tu Cuong, while those supporting dike preservation included Dang Van Hoa, Truong Van Uyển, Nguy Khac Tuan, Nguyen Khac Hoan, Nguyen Van Sieu, Bui Quy…
By 1872, provinces in Northern Vietnam continued to report on dike issues, but differing opinions persisted. These reports were compiled into volumes such as “Main Dike Records” or “New Dike Discussions.” However, due to prolonged disagreements, the court continued to maintain the dikes, which continued to breach.
Specifically, during Emperor Tu Duc’s reign, the districts of Van Giang and Tien Lu belonging to Khoai Chau province (Hung Yen) experienced dike breaches and flooding for 18 consecutive years, leading to starvation that forced residents to abandon their villages in search of food elsewhere, leaving fields abandoned and reeds growing as tall as forests.
1. Bac Thanh was a high-level administrative unit established by Emperor Gia Long in 1802. This unit managed 11 tracts (equivalent to provincial levels today), from the Ninh Binh area upwards to the North. In 1831, Emperor Minh Mang abolished this unit.
