VIỆT SỬ CƯƠNG GIÁM KHẢO LƯỢC 越史綱鑑考畧 BY NGUYỄN THÔNG - AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT TO AFFIRM VIETNAM’S ISLAND AND MARITIME SOVEREIGNTY

Abstract

Nguyễn Thông 阮通 (1827-1884) was a poet and historian in the Nguyễn Dynasty. He served in positions such as the principal of the imperial academy, the administrative commissioner of Quảng Ngãi Province and the administrative commissioner of Bình Thuận Province. He was the author of 越 史通鑑綱目考略 (Việt sử thông giám cương mục khảo lược/A Brief Revision of the Comprehensively Reflected Chronicles of Việt History), usually shortened as 越史考略 (Việt sử khảo lược/A Brief Revision of Việt History), after being assigned to revise the series 欽定越史通鑑綱目(Khâm định Việt sử thông giám cương mục/The Imperially Commissioned Comprehensively Reflected Chronicles of the Việt History), which had been collectively composed under imperial order. In Việt sử khảo lược, Nguyễn Thông dedicated a section to Vạn Lý Trường Sa 萬里長沙, consisting of both the Hoàng Sa and the Trường Sa archipelagos (internationally known as the Paracel and the Spratly archipelagos, respectively). Studies of Vietnam’s islands and maritime sovereignty have barely mentioned this important document. This article introduces Việt sử khảo lược and its significance in confirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagos.