| The Vietnamese Trend Toward Monarchy By Joseph A. Crisp II |
| To almost any observer it seems clear that the days of the communist state in Vietnam are numbered. More and more of the former communist revolutionaries are turning against the party and demanding increases in economic freedom and political liberty to go along with it. The prosperous utopian society promised by Ho Chi Minh has clearly not been delivered and even many of his devoted admirers have come to face the fact that the Socialist Republic has failed Vietnam. The recent death of General Tran Do clearly illustrated the depth of public discontent toward the communist regime and the number of people who are willing to defy the authorities and demand the basic freedoms enjoyed by other nations. However, in addition to the decline in communist ideology we are seeing an increased interest in a much older and much more Vietnamese institution: the monarchy of the Nguyen Dynasty. Only a few years ago the United Nations declared the Holy Citadel of Hue, the former imperial capitol of Vietnam, to be a world history and cultural landmark. With money granted by the U.N. as well as increased tourism, Vietnam has began to rediscover its monarchist roots, in spite of communist party attempts to convince them they are living in the "ideal" society already. As any visitor to Hue can usually attest, it was not uncommon to see Vietnamese within the "Yellow Enclosure", usually older gentlemen, in the traditional ao dai kneeling in the shrines of the Nguyen emperors, burning incense and leaving offerings before the portraits of the men once called the "Son of Heaven". However, recently even greater attention is starting to be paid to the ancient roots of Vietnamese culture, all of which were built around the traditional monarchy. On special occasions the streets are filled with musicians in the traditional red tunics of the Nguyen court and dancers perform traditional steps from the imperial era with pre-communist banners decorating the streets. It has finally been recognized to what great extent the Nguyen Dynasty sponsored the arts and music unique to Vietnamese culture. Interested individuals have even gone to great expense to restore the imperial robes and court costumes of the Nguyen monarchy. Even the traditional ao dai, for men as well as ladies, is growing in popularity.Clearly the increased interest in the monarchy demonstrates that the people are feeling something missing from their country which no amount of communist propoganda can fill. Starting in 1987 even the communist leaders of the nation have been forced to notice the upsurge in royal interest and have attempted to associate themselves with honored memories from the imperial past. It was in that year that the remains of the heroic Emperor Duy Tan were returned to Hue after 71 years in exile. Amidst all of the pomp and ceremony of the happier and more colorful days of the monarchy His Majesty was laid to rest in the tomb of his sacred imperial ancestors. For the first time in decades the people of Vietnam were given a taste of the nation's former monarchial splendor and majesty as well as the almost forgotten rich cultural traditions associated with the Nguyen poet-kings. This occasion was evidently so successful that the Communist government later sent a delegation to France to confer with HIH Princess Nhu Ly on the return of the remains of her father, the equally heroic and popular Emperor Ham Nghi, to Hue City for burial. Also, for the first time since the communist takeover, a film of 25-episodes is being produced about the life of His Majesty Bao Dai, the last emperor of Vietnam. Although such a film will undoubtedly have the bias of the authorities included, it does make it clear to any reasonable observer that interest in the monarchy and the imperial traditions of the Nation and the Nguyen Dynasty have been increasing steadily in recent years. One of the reasons for the increased government attention is obviously tourism. The Imperial City of Hue has become a major tourist attraction for the Vietnamese state. With the economy in such turmoil from years of ridiculous Marxist policies the government must take capital from anywhere they can get it, and although it must hurt their socialist pride deeply, it is the color and harmony of the ancient monarchy which attracts visitors to Vietnam. The clumsiness of the government effort to squeeze in Ho Chi Minh and the communist revolution among the monarchist traditions is painfully obvious, and indeed almost laughable that their great leader would need to compete with the prestige of the past emperors. There is also the very painful and obvious fact to Hanoi that many of their older party members, who fought with Ho Chi Minh, are turning against the Communist Party. They heard many promises of a Marxist utopia but instead have seen massive government corruption, oppression against the people, the loss of basic human rights, selling out to Communist China, and the increasingly foreign attitudes of the nation's youth. The communist government failed Vietnam and the people are finally being forced to take notice. A return to the Saigon-based Republic of Vietnam is certainly not an option most in modern Vietnam would consider. The long war between north and south left both sides too bitterly divided. Perhaps though, a constitutional monarchy, based on democratic freedoms and the restoration of Vietnamese national culture, could be just the thing to bring the nation out of oppression and into a state of growth, national dignity and human liberty. August 19, 2002 |
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