The name Việt Nam () is a variation of Nam Việt (Southern Việt), a name that can be traced back to the Trieu dynasty (2nd century BC).[1] The word "Việt" originated as a shortened form of Bách Việt, a word used to refer to a group of ancient peoples consisting of the Vietnamese as well as several other peoples who lived in what is now southern China. The word "Việt Nam" first appears in the 16th century in a poem by Nguyen Binh Khiem. "Annam", which originated as a Chinese name in the seventh century, was the common name of the country during the colonial period. In 1945, Emperor Bao Dai adopted "Việt Nam" as an official name. In English, the two syllables are usually combined into one word, "Vietnam." However, "Viet Nam" was once common usage and is still used by the United Nations and by the Vietnamese government.
Throughout history, there were many names used to refer to Vietnam. Besides official names, there are names that are used unofficially to refer to territory of Vietnam. Vietnam was called Van Lang during the Hung Vuong Dynasty, Âu Lạc when An Dương was king, Nam Việt during the Triệu Dynasty, Van Xuan during the Anterior Lý Dynasty, Đại Cồ Việt during the Dinh Dynasty and Anterior Lê Dynasty. Starting in 1054, Vietnam was called Đại Việt (Great Viet).[2] During the Hồ Dynasty, Vietnam was called Đại Ngu.[3]
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The word "Việt" originated as a shortened form of Bách Việt (Chinese: 百越; pinyin: Bǎiyuè; Cantonese Yale: Baak Yuht; literally "hundreds more"), a group of ancient peoples who lived in what is now southern China and northern Vietnam.[4] This term first appears in the encyclopedia Lüshi Chunqiu, compiled around 239 BC.[5] The character 越 may be read as pinyin: Yuè; Cantonese Yale: Yuht; Wade-Giles: Yüeh4; Vietnamese: Việt; Early Middle Chinese: wuat; literally: "more".[6] It was derived by combining the pictogram 走 (pinyin: zǒu; literally "walk" or "leave") with the phonetic 戉 (pinyin: yuè; literally "battle-axe").[6] In 207 BC, Triệu Đà founded the Trieu Dynasty in Pānyú (modern Guǎngzhōu) and named his kingdom as Chinese: 南越; pinyin: Nányuè; Vietnamese: Nam Việt; literally: "Southern Việt". This kingdom was "southern" in the sense that it was located south of other Bách Việt kingdoms such as Mǐnyuè, which was located in modern Fujian. Several later Vietnamese dynasties followed this nomenclature even after these more northern peoples were absorbed into China and this original meaning forgotten.
The poem "Sấm Trạng Trình" (The Prophecies of Trạng Trình) by Nguyen Binh Khiem (1491 – 1585) states, "Vietnam is being created" (Vietnamese: Việt Nam khởi tổ xây nền).[7] At this time, the country was divided between the Trịnh Lords of Hanoi and the Nguyễn Lords of Huế. By combining several existing names, Nam Việt, Annam (Pacified South), Đại Việt (Great Việt), and Nam quốc (southern nation), Khiêm could create a new name that referred to an aspirational unified state. The word "nam" no longer implies Southern Việt, but rather that Vietnam is "the South" in contrast to China, "the North".[8] This explanation is implied by Ly Thuong Kiet in the poem Nam Quốc Sơn Hà (1077): "Over the mountains and rivers of the South, reigns the emperor of the South." Researcher Nguyễn Phúc Giác Hải found the word "Việt Nam" on 12 steles carved in the 16th and 17th centuries, including one at Bảo Lâm Pagoda, Haiphong (1558), and another at Cam Lộ Pagoda, Hà Tây (1590).[8] Nguyen Phuc Chu (1675–1725) used the word in a poem: "This is the most dangerous mountain in Vietnam" (Vietnamese: Việt Nam hiểm ải thử sơn điên).[9] It was used as an official name by Emperor Gia Long in 1804-1813.[10]
The use of "Vietnam" was revived in modern times by nationalists beginning with Phan Boi Chau's Viet Nam Quang Phuc Hoi (Vietnam Restoration League), founded in 1912. However, the general public continued to use Annam and the name "Vietnam" remained virtually unknown until the Yen Bai mutiny of 1930, organized by the Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang (Vietnamese Nationalist Party).[11] By the early 1940s, the use of "Việt Nam" was widespread. It appeared in the name of Ho Chi Minh's Viet Nam Doc Lap Dong Minh Hoi (Vietminh), founded 1941, and was even used by the governor of French Indochina in 1942.[12] It was again adopted as the country's official name by Emperor Bao Dai on 12 June 1945.[13]
The modern Chinese name for Vietnam (Chinese: 越南; pinyin: Yuènán) can be translated as "Beyond the South", leading to the folk etymology that the name is a reference to the country's location beyond the southernmost borders of China. Another theory explains that the nation was termed as such in order to emphasize the division of those who stayed in China in contrast to the people living in Vietnam.[14]
Below are the official names of Vietnam since the foundation of Vietnam. These names are recorded in history books and/or officially used in international diplomacy.
Controversial titles include:
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