Judicial System and Emperor in traditional Vietnam: A case study of Le Thanh – tong’s reign (1460 – 1497 A.D.)

Abstract

Study of the history of Le Vietnam has been limited due to a scarcity of sources beyond the commonly used official Annals. This lack of sources has caused stagnation in the study of the Le dynasty. This research uses a new source however, in the form of the law of the Le dynasty, The Penal Code of The National Dynasty, or Quoc Trieu Hinh Luat, to explore political, economic and socio-cultural aspects of the dynasty. The study focuses on major topics such as bureaucracy, officialdom and politics, land management, private ownership, trade, Confucianization of law its and impact on society, and family and the status of men and women. The research reveals that the laws of the Le dynasty can be used as a significant source for investigating previously ignored aspects of the Le dynasty history, including economic and socio-cultural aspects.