Our Family Vietnam History and Legacy

The Dang

The Dang (Vietnamese: Đặng) has a long history in Vietnam, they originally came from An Đế town, Thái Bình province. Starting from the Hùng Vương dynasty, (BC 2879–258), some of the notable names in the Dang family are:

1. Đặng Hoàng Đại Vương: A Hùng Vương 6th general, his records can be found at the Hùng Vương Royal Annals (Vietnamese: Phủ Quốc Oai) in present day Hà Nội[1].
2. Đặng Oang Đại Vương: A Hùng Vương 18th general, his records can be found at the Hùng Vương Royal Annals (Vietnamese: Phủ Quốc Oai) in present day Hà Nội[1].
3. Đặng Công Oanh Đại Vương: Another Hùng Vương general, his records can be found at the Hùng Vương Royal Annals (Vietnamese: Phủ Quốc Oai) in present day Hà Nội[1].
4. Đặng Thi Sách: The husband of the elder Trưng sister, Trưng Trắc, and lord of Châu Diên, who began to plot against the Chinese empire domination.  When he was executed by the Chinese governor, his wife and her younger sister revolted and ruled the country for three years (AD 39–43)[3].
5. Đặng Nghiêm: One of the Ly Dynasty mandarins, who was known for his knowledge of ancient writings (Vietnamese: Tiền Hiền). His records can be found at National Academic Archives (Vietnamese: Quốc Tử Giám) in present day Hà Nội[1].
6. Đặng Van Cáp: One of the Nguyen family's generals who strengthened the Nguyen territorial claim in central Vietnam during the conflicts with the Trinh family in the north and the Champas nation (1613-1635). He was the original founder of Bác Vọng, the Đặng family town in Thừa Thiên.

While Thừa Thiên is the province that is home to the old capital Huế, Bác Vọng is another town in the southwest.  The town was divided into two sections: east and the rest of the town, which were known as Bác Vọng Đông and Bác Vọng. The Buddhists live in the surrounding areas and the Catholics live in the east side, Bác Vọng Đông, due to the distance to a pagoda and church. The people of Bác Vọng town are Buddhists and maintain an ancestral home to pay homage to their founding member.

Đặng residence in Bác Vọng, Huế.

Like other traditional Vietnamese houses, the courtyard displays the central theme of the house. The Đặng family crest shows twin phoenixes surrounded by dragons, signifying their accomplishments for the country.

Đặng courtyard in Bác Vọng, Huế.

References:

1. UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Vietnam - Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi
2. National Geographic: Descendants of Ancient Rulers of South China Sea Watch Maritime Dispute From Sidelines.
3. Britannica - Trung Sisters