Tu Duyen (Nguyen Van Duyen, 1915-2012), 越南絲綢版畫“保義王陳平仲”

The Warrior Trần Bình Trọng
Print on silk, artist's signature and seal to upper right corner; framed and glazed.
H: 34 ½ in.; W: 20 5/8 in. (sight)

Lot Essay

In the year 1279, the Yuan army of China won a decisive victory over the Southern Song in the battle of Yamen, marking the end of the Song dynasty and resulting in the total control of Kublai Khan over China. The Mongols then began to expand to the south. In 1284, the second Yuan's invasion of Đại Việt was opened under the command of Kublai Khan's prince Toghan. Their Vietnamese opponant, Trần Bình Trọng (陳平仲) (1259–1285) was the general of the Trần Dynasty defending against the invasion. After a ferocious battle, Trần Bình Trọng's infantry was defeated, and he was captured by Toghan. The latter attempted to convince the Đại Việt general to surrender by offering Trần Bình Trọng a lucrative position of minister's post in the Yuan court. However, the general rejected his proposition by the inspiring phrase “寧為南鬼，不為北王(I'd rather be a ghost in the south than a king in the North)”. Toghan raged and had him executed. Today, he is widely known as Marquis Bảo Nghĩa, and still consider to be the finest example of patriotism in Vietnam. His story has been eulogized by generations of Vietnamese. Notably, numerous places and even a flagship in Vietnam are named in honor of this national hero.