Trung Sisters

Quick Facts: Who was Trung Sisters?

Subject:

Trung Sisters

Known for:

Vietnamese queens and military leaders who led a rebellion against Chinese rule.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Trưng sisters, Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị,, known in Vietnamese as Hai Bà Trưng (Vietnamese pronunciation: [haj ɓà ʈ͡ʂɯŋ], 𠄩婆徵, "Two Ladies [named] Trưng") or simply Hai Bà ("The Two Ladies"), c. 14 – c. 43), were Lạc Việt military leaders who ruled for three years after commanding a rebellion in AD 40 against the first Chinese domination of Vietnam. Trưng Trắc was the first female monarch in Vietnam, and she was posthumously recognized Queen Trưng in the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư. They are regarded as national heroines of Vietnam. The Trưng sisters were born to a wealthy aristocratic family in Jiaozhi (Giao Chỉ), a commandery of the Chinese Han dynasty in modern-day northern Vietnam. Following the death of Trưng Trắc's husband at the hands of the Chinese governor, the sisters rose up in rebellion, which quickly spread from the Red River Delta to a broader area stretching from Hepu to Rinan.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

At the height of the uprising the sisters and their allies controlled some sixty-five towns and settlements, with Trưng Trắc being proclaimed queen regnant. In 42 AD, Emperor Guangwu of Han sent a punitive expedition force led by general Ma Yuan to crush the rebellion. The sisters were defeated a year later, after which they either were executed or committed suicide. The former Qin commander Zhao Tuo (Trieu Da in Vietnamese) established the state of Nanyue in 204 BC and had conquered Âu Lạc in 180 BC, incorporating the Vietnamese realm into his own. In 112 BC, Emperor Wu of Han dispatched soldiers against Nanyue and the kingdom was annexed in 111 BC during the ensuing Han conquest of Nanyue.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Nine commanderies were established to administer the region, three of which were located in what is now northern Vietnam. Revolts of local tribes against the Han began in 40 AD led by the Trưng sisters. The Trưng sisters were daughters of a wealthy aristocratic family of Lạc ethnicity. Their father had been a Lạc lord in Mê Linh district (modern-day Mê Linh District, Hanoi). Trưng Trắc's husband, Thi Sách (Shi Suo), was also the Lạc lord of Chu Diên (modern-day Khoái Châu District, Hưng Yên Province).

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Trung Sisters

True or False: “The primary source detailing the sisters' rebellion is the Vietnamese chronicle, Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư is a key popular source, the earliest detailed account comes from the 5th-century Book of the Later Han.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Trung sisters' rebellion — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Vietnamese uprising led by Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị against Han Chinese rule (40-43 CE).
• Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A former UN administered territory in Micronesia, governed by the US from 1947 to 1994.
• Trygve Haavelmo — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Pioneering Norwegian econometrician and Nobel laureate.
• Trygve Lie — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Norwegian politician, Labour leader, and first Secretary-General of the United Nations.
• Tsai Ing-wen — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Taiwanese politician and legal scholar, 7th President of the Republic of China.
• Tsai Ming-liang — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Pioneering Malaysian-Taiwanese filmmaker celebrated for Slow Cinema and the Second New Wave.

Frequently Asked Questions about Trung Sisters