Rites for/of Power: Research on the Harmony of Three Teachings in Vietnam during the Former LL (LL SB) Dynasty (1428—1527)

Abstract

This article studies the harmony of Three Teachings in Dai Viet during the period of the Former Lê dynasty (Lê Sơ period) (1428–1527). Most of the previous studies have suggested that Lê Sơ was the period advocating for the monopoly of Confucianism and rejecting Buddhism and Taoism. However, this article will prove that the Lê Sơ dynasty was thoroughly using Confucian classics under the Song dynasty, applying the model of Confucian state of the Great Ming dynasty, while still developing management policies on Taoism and Buddhism. The “The Convergence of Three Teachings” was a dynastic policy, in which Confucianism played a major role in ideological, political and cultural activities, while Buddhism and Taoism played a supporting role in ritual and religious activities of the dynasty and folklore. The results show that the “The Convergence of Three Teachings” is a constant of Vietnamese history from the Lý – Trần dynasties onward. The Lê Sơ royal court both developed Confucian cultural institutions and managed Buddhist and Taoist monasteries, temples and rituals. This can also be considered the foundation for the Three Teachings to come together in the later stages.