Emperor Ly Thanh Tong
		Ly' Tha'nh To^ng, son of Ly Thai Tong, was the third Vietnamese emperor of the Ly dynasty and reigned from 1054 to 1072. He was thirty two years old when he succeeded to the throne upon the death of his father. One of the most obvious events of his reign was his changing of the name of the country from Dai Co Viet to Dai Viet. Although his reign was in large part a continuation of the policies of his father, it was nonetheless the start of a new era for the Dai Viet Empire, particularly in relation to the far south.           Emperor Ly Thanh Tong worked to further establish the government of Vietnam, train good civic officials and strengthen imperial control over society; building up the national infrastructure. He was committed to building his empire on the principles of Khong Tu (Confucius) with the exaltation of leadership by moral authority and granting power based on merit rather than on factional or family status. As part of this, he ordered the great Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) to be built in Thanh Long (modern Ha Noi) in 1070. For many years to come this beautiful Confucian temple would be used to instruct mandarins in virtuous leadership, wise decisions and reverence for the principles that gave society law, order and moral clarity.           However, as was often the case in Vietnamese history, it was national defense which most occupied Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. The Chinese were a continuous threat in Tonkin, but the Vietnamese managed to defend them-selves and keep China out of their borders. However, the most significant event came as a result of the increasing attacks in the south by the old enemy of Vietnam, the Kingdom of Champa. Finally, in 1068, Emperor Ly Thanh Tong ordered a massive invasion of Champa. The war proved to be a stunning success for the Vietnamese and a crippling defeat for Champa. Their capital city was seized and their king was taken prisoner. In order to win the release of their monarch, the Champa gave Ly Thanh Tong three border provinces, which today correspond with the provinces of Quang Binh and Quang Tri.           In all, the reign of Emperor Ly Thanh Tong was a period of success for Dai Viet. The Confucian infrastructure was further established and the foundation laid for a government by wise and principled men. The Chinese were kept from invading the north and the empire was expanded to the south. After a successful reign, Ly Thanh Tong died in 1072, leaving the throne to his seven-year-old son Emperor Ly Nhan Tong.