Chinese Domination  Period

After the reign of An Dương Vương, Vietnam was continuously dominated by Chinese dynasties for 10 centuries. The Chinese divided the country into counties and districts, and the current Quảng Ninh territory had these following names over a period of 1,000 years: An Ðịnh, Hoàng, Lục, Ninh Hải, Ngọc Sơn and Triều Dương… As it is now, the rich land was a maritime gate of entry to Vietnam. The region was also a gate of trade between Vietnam and China. In coastal areas, especially at the Vân Ninh and Vân Hải ports, trade was extremely animated, but of course Chinese traders reaped most of the rewards.
The Vietnamese worked hard for the Chinese, but unceasingly fought against their rule, and especially against assimilation: keeping their language and original customs and habits.

Typical leaders in the struggle against the invaders  

Around 30 A.D., under the brutal rule of Tô Ðịnh, a man from Ðông Triều named Chu Sĩ organized a rebellion in his village. Many other villages actively supported the uprising by sending weapons and food. Volunteers fought heroically and killed many enemies, but Tô Ðinh’s armies were too many. Chu Sĩ fought valiantly, but on the verge of defeat, jumped into the river ending his life. He was posthumously honoured as Chu Sĩ Ðại Vương.
Following this example, in the year 40, a woman named Lê Chân, who could not bear the oppressive rulers of Ðông Hán, assembled young men and women in the region for a rebellion.
Volunteers arrived for days and days, as Lê Chân established her base at the Cửa Cấm Estuary and defeated many enemies. At the same time, the Trung sister’s revolt broke out in Mê Linh, and Lê Chân arrived there to join the common fight. The Trung sisters were victorious, and Lê Chân was named Grand Officer of the Internal Military Force.
In the year 43, Mã Viện led an army from China to suppress the revolt. Lê Chân withdrew to Kim Bảng Mountain (now in Hà Nam Province) to establish a base of resistance, but was killed. After the war, her remaining soldiers set up camp near the Cấm River, naming it An Biên Farm. It was the first name of the centre that would become Hải Phòng Port. The Nghè Temple, which devotes to Lê Chân still stands there, is home to annual festivals in her honour and An Biên Garden there.
Another woman leader succeeded Lê Chân. Thánh Thiện, a native of Ðông Triều, led glorious attacks against Mã Viện's army, providing a major obstacle against the enemy's operations. In a violent battle near the Cầm River she fell. The Cầm Pagoda, in the Xuân Sơn Commune, Ðông Triều District, was dedicated to her.
Also responding to the Trung sisters’ revolt, was Lady Vĩnh Huy, a native of Yên Tử moutainous area. Following the Trung sisters’ request, she rounded up more than 1,000 soldiers, trained them in martial arts, and then impersonated a man and brought them to join the rest of the army.
She fought courageously but also perished in battle. There is a temple in the village of Cổ Chân, Vân Hà Commune, Ðông Anh District, suburb of Hà Nôi, dedicated to her.
Besides the women leaders who are concerned above, there were the other women leaders such as two sisters Nguyệt Thai and Nguyệt Ðộ who fought courageously but also perished in Yên Tử. Three brothers Truong family who also fought courageously but fell in Ðông Triều, then they were dedicated in Bắc Mã Pagoda.