David Lan Pham

Some earmarks of the six provinces of Cochinchina

I. A brief history of Cochinchina

In 1620 Lord Sai Nguyen Phuc Nguyen married his daughter Ngoc Van to Chey Chetta II, King of Chen La ( Cambodia ). Ngoc Van became Queen Somdach Prea Peacayo-dey Preavoreac Ksattey. In 1623 king Chey Chetta conceded Mo Xoai, Ba Ria, to the Nguyen. The early Vietnamese settlers came there right after this concession. In 1658 they began to explore Bien Hoa.

The Nam Tien (march to the South) of the Vietnamese people was implemented by force and marriage in Champa. The annexation of the Water Chenla (Cochinchina) to Nam Ha (1) took place in 1757 after a series of politico- military events: the exploitation of the Minh Huong (2) in Bien Hoa, Sai Gon-Cho Lon, My Tho, exploitation of Ha Tien on the Gulf of Siam by another anti-Manchu Chinese named Mo Jiu (Mac Cuu), Vietnamese military interference in the dispute of kingship in Chenla.

Mo Jiu opened casinos and built markets to turn Ha Tien into a commercial center. He was appointed ok-nha (governor) of Sai Mat by the king of Chenla. In 1708 Mo Jiu recognized the suzerainty of the Nguyen. Lord Quoc Chua Nguyen Phuc Chu (1691-1725) appointed him governor of Ha Tien. In 1735 Mo Jiu died. His son Mo Tian Shi (Mac Thien Tu) became governor of Ha Tien. He played an important role in the triangular relations between Phu Xuan-Lovek-Thonburi (3). His contribution to the Nam Tien (march to the South) of the Vietnamese people in the 18 th century was great.

In 1771 the Tay Son took control of Qui Nhon and Quang Nam . In 1775, taking advantage of the uprising of the Tay Son, the Trinh from Bac Ha crossed the Gianh River and expelled the Nguyen from Phu Xuan ( Hue ). Lord Dinh Vuong Nguyen Phuc Thuan (1765- 1777) fled to the South. The Dong Nai and Mekong deltas became a bloody battlefield between the Nguyen and the Tay Son. The Tay Son had their military superiority. The Nguyen were always crushed by the Tay Son under the young and invincible general Nguyen Hue. In 1777 all the members of Lord Dinh Vuong's family were killed by the Tay Son in Long Xuyen. Only Nguyen Phuc Anh, Lord Dinh Vuong's nephew, survived. He became the soul of the anti-Tay Son resistance in Cochinchina at the age of 16.

In 1801 the Tay Son were totally defeated by the Nguyen. Nguyen Phuc Anh proclaimed himself king Gia Long (1802- 1820), the founder of the Nguyen dynasty. Under the reign of Gia Long Cochinchina had 5 tran: Bien Tran, Phien Tran (Gia Dinh), Dinh Tran (Dinh Tuong-My Tho), Ha Tran (Ha Tien). In 1833 king Minh Mang changed tran to tinh (provinces). Five tran of Cochinchina became 5 tinh . A new province was founded. It was An Giang province (Long Xuyen). From then on, we had Nam Ky Luc Tinh (Six provinces of Cochinchina: Bien Hoa, Gia Dinh, Dinh Tuong, Vinh Long, An Giang, Ha Tien). Under the reign of Tu Duc (1848-1883) the French occupied Cochinchina by force. Cochinchina became a French colony according to the treaty of 1874.

Cochinchina stretched from Bien Hoa to Ca Mau. Its area is 65,000 km 2 . It was known under different names such as:

1. Gia Dinh Thanh under the reign of Gia Long.
2. Nam Ky from 1833 to 1945.
3. Nam Bo in 1945
4. Nam Viet (1949- 1955)
5. Nam Phan (1955- 1975)

Under French rule Cochinchina had 21 provinces. All the province chiefs were French. Some Vietnamese doc phu su were delegues (district chiefs). Most delegues were French, who could be military or graduates of E.N.A (Ecole Nationale d'Administration). The cai tong (canton chiefs) and xa truong (village chiefs) were Vietnamese.

In 1946 High Commissioner Thierry d'Argenlieu urged the planteurs and the separatists to found the Republic of Cochinchina in the purpose of separating Cochinchina from Viet Nam . Both Ho Chi Minh and Bao Dai (4) opposed the founding of this Republic that died in 1948 to please Bao Dai, who asked Paris to recognize Vietnam 's unity and independence before he returned to Vietnam to lead chanh phu quoc gia (national government) (5).

II. Earmarks of the six provinces of Cochinchina

Water Chenla became Cochinchina that was completely Vietnamized in 1757. Sai Gon (6) was born in 1698. Cochinchina has been economically, militarily, politically, culturally important. Its contribution to the growth and development of the whole country has been considerable.

1. The Basket of Rice

Two third of the area of Cochinchina are fertile plains. The Mekong delta is the basket of rice in Southeast Asia . Cochinchina has many deep and navigable rivers such as the Mekong , the Dong Nai, the East Vaico , the West Vaico , Sai Gon River , Ong Doc River , Ganh Hao river… and countless canals and arroyos. These waterways are good for agriculture, transportation, and irrigation. They supply the dwellers with fresh water, fish, shrimp, crabs etc.

Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) and the Ca Mau peninsula are promising baskets of rice in Nam Bo although, in our time, some parts of them remain wild.

The terre rouge (red soil) in the Northern provinces of Cochinchina is good for the rubber trees, tea trees, coffee trees and tropical fruit trees such as jack fruit trees (Artocarpus heterophyllus), durian trees (Durio zibethinus), mangosteen trees (Garcinia mangostana), rambutan trees (Nephelium lappaceum). etc.

Rice production increased visibly under French rule. Some farmlands were owned by the French and by the Catholic Church. Some Vietnamese possessed immense rice fields in the Mekong delta.

In the late 18` h century the Nguyen used the Cochinchinese basket of rice to resist the Tay Son. From Cochinchina they launched attack on Qui Nhon, Phu Xuan and won the war.

In the 19 th century Cochinchina was occupied by the French. Rice shortage got serious in Tonkin and Annam . A few days after the death of king Tu Duc the Hue Court signed the treaty of 1883 recognizing the establishment of French protectorate in Tonkin and Annam . In general the treaty of 1883 and that of 1884 were similar. The treaty of 1884 did not have shameful articles required by the French in the treaty of 1883 which was signed after the fall of Thuan An.

In 1946 Thierry d'Argenlieu weakened Ho Chi Minh's strength by depriving him of the basket of rice in the South.

2. New Land of Talented Generals

Cochinchina was the new land. During the civil war between the Nguyen and the Tay Son many Southerners supported the Nguyen. Many of them became famous generals, who, after victory, received nobility titles.

Vo Tanh, a peasant, became a brave military. Appreciating his military talent Lord Nguyen Phuc Anh (future king Gia Long) married his younger sister to him. He killed himself when the Tay Son re-occupied the Qui Nhon citadel.

Ho Van Vui was a general loyal to Lord Nguyen Phuc Anh. He had many military exploits in the Cochinchinese battlefields. He was granted the highest nobility title by King Thieu Tri after his death. His daughter Ho Thi Hoa married king Minh Mang. She died after the birth of Nguyen Phuc Mien Ton, who was king Thieu Tri (1841-1847).

Nguyen Huynh Duc was a capable general trusted by Lord Nguyen Phuc Anh. He became Duke Nguyen Huynh Duc. Two of his sons were king Gia Long' s sons-in-law. Le Van Duyet was a pure military. He was marshal and governor of Cochinchina. Trusted by king Gia Long, he received the highest nobility title. He pacified Tonkin and Northern provinces of Annam and helped the pro- Vietnamese Cambodian king resist his rival supported by Siam ( Thailand ) by sending troops to Phnom Penh that was called Nam Vang by the Vietnamese.

Nguyen Van Thanh was a military and a scholar. He was marshal and governor of Tonkin . He wrote Van Te Tuong Si Tran Vong (Funeral Oration to Generals and Soldiers Dead on the Battlefields) and compiled Hoang Viet Luat Le known as the Code of Gia Long. The end of his life was tragic. He killed himself after his son Nguyen Van Thuy en was executed on account of his arrogant poem.

Do Thanh Nhan was a good general. He commanded Vo Tanh and Nguyen Van Thanh. For an obscure reason Lord Nguyen Phuc Anh killed him. Do Thanh Nhan, Chau Van Tiep and Vo Tanh were called Tam Hung Gia Dinh (Three Heroes of Cochinchina) in the 18 th century.

Truong Tan Buu was marshal after he defeated the Tay Son and wiped out the pirates in the Gulf of Tonkin . He was granted the nobility title right after the country' s unity.

Nguyen Van Nhan followed the Nguyen after the massacre of the Nguyen by the Tay Son in Long Xuyen for he was a Long Xuyen native. He defeated the Tay Son in Quang Ngai and had good contributions to the victory of the Nguyen over the Tay Son. He was the first governor of Cochinchina. His successor was general Nguyen Van Truong.

Truong Minh Giang passed the huong thi (regional contest) under the reign of Gia Long but he excelled in the military career. He repressed the revolt led by Le Van Khoi in Sai Gon in 1835, crushed the Siamese troops. He was appointed governor of Tran Tay Thanh ( Cambodia ).

3. Land of Freedom

Like America , Cochinchina became the land of freedom in Viet Nam . It was exploited by adventurous Vietnamese, who refused to accept dictatorship imposed by Lords Trinh in the North, and by the Chinese (Minh huong), who failed to fight the Ching for China 's independence and sovereignty.

Governor Le Van Duyet was opened- minded. He opposed stern policies of the Hue Court (anti-Catholicism, closed-door policy). He had good relations with the Catholics and welcomed American captain John White of Salem while king Minh Mang banned the propagation of Catholicism and was faithful to the closed-door policy treasured by the Ching (Qing). The revolt led by Le Van Khoi, Le Van Duyet's adoptive son, in 1833 was a violent reaction to king Minh Mang' s intolerance and stern policies.

Under French rule laws in Cochinchina were more democratic and liberal than laws promulgated by the Hue Court . Undoubtedly the French rulers did not grant freedom of speech to the colonial people but the French-educated Vietnamese intellectuals could have freedom of speech when they wrote articles in French for the French newspapers in Sai Gon. Nguyen An Ninh used La Cloche Felee to attack French colonialism in Vietnam . Phan Chu Trinh, Phan Van Truong, Nguyen Phan Long had their revolutionary and journalistic activities in Sai Gen. Phan Chu Trinh was from Quang Nam ( Annam ). Phan Van Truong and Nguyen Phan Long were from Tonkin . The former was a lawyer. The latter was a journalist, who was well known for his polemics. Bui Quang Chieu founded La Tribune Indigene to exhort his Phap-Viet De Hue (Franco­Vietnamese Cooperation). In the 1930s Ta Thu Thau used his La Lutte to struggle for socio- political changes.

4. New Land: New Culture

The Minh huong contributed to the development of Bien Hoa, Gia Dinh, Cho Lon, Thu Dau Mot, My Tho, Ha Tien, Rach Gia, Long Xuyen, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu. Vo Truong Toan, Trinh Hoai Due, Ngo Nhan Tinh, Le Quang Dinh, Phan Thanh Gian… were Minh huong.

Vo Truong Toan was a prestigious scholar. All the scholars in Gia Dinh (Cochinchina) in the 18 th century were his disciples.

Trinh Hoa Duc, Ngo Nhan Tinh and Le Quang Dinh played important roles under the reign of Gia Long and Minh Mang. They were disciples of Master Vo Truong Toan. They were called Gia Dinh Tam Thi Gia (three greatest poets of Cochinchina).

Phan Thanh Gian was the first Cochinchinese to pass the doctoral contest in the 19 th century.

In the late second half of the 19 th century Sai Gon was under French control. In the 1860s Cochinchina became a French departement prolonge. It was soon Westernized to receive Western culture.

Sai Gon was a Paris in the Far East . All the buildings, offices, streets in Sai Gon were built by the French. The Sai Gon River was compared to the Seine . The biggest Cathedral in Sai Gon was called Nha Tho Duc Ba translated from Notre Dame.

French and quoc ngu were taught in Cochinchina in the 1860s. Quoc ngu was invented by Alexandre de Rhodes and improved by Pigneau de Behaine. Both of them were French and Catholic bishops. The former was expelled from Dang Ngoai by the Trinh in the 17 th century. The latter signed the treaty of Versailles in 1787 with the French minister of foreign affairs, De Montmorin, on behalf of Lord Nguyen Phuc Anh and in presence of prince Canh. He recruited French mercenaires to help Nguyen Phuc Anh during the civil war.

In the 19 th century only the Vietnamese Catholics and new converts knew French and quoc ngu. Petrus Truong Vinh Ky, Paulus Huynh Tinh Cua, Truong Minh Ky, Diep Van Cuong were the early Vietnamese to write books and newspaper in French and quoc ngu.

Petrus Truong Vinh Ky was a extraordinary linguist. He founded Gia Dinh Bao, the first Vietnamese newspaper, in 1865. He was author of many books in French and quoc ngu. He translated books in French and Chinese characters into quoc ngu. His contribution to the growth and development of quoc ngu in Viet Nam was undeniable.

Diep Van Cuong taught at Lycee Chasseloup Laubat. His wife was princess Thien Niem, king Duc Duc's sister. It was he who supported the enthronement of Buu Lan, his wife's nephew, after the death of king Dong Khanh in 1889. It was king Thanh Thai. Diep Van Cuong founded Phan Yen Bao in imitation of the Gia Dinh Bao (Gia Dinh News) for Phan Yen means Phien An (Gia Dinh).

Bui Quang Chieu studied in Algeria , then in France . He was the first Vietnamese ingenieur agronome. He founded the Constitutionalist Party in 1923. With Phap-Viet De Hue he was considered pro-French bourgeois.

Luu Van Lang, Ta Thu Thau, Nguyen Van Tao, Duong Bach Mai, Tran Van Giau, Ho Huu Tuong, Phan Van Hum, Pham Ngoc Thach, Tran Van Trai, Nguyen Huu Tho, Phan Ngoc Phuong, Nguyen Huu Thi Lan (Queen Nam Phuong)… were educated in France. Some of them became Francophobe in the 1930s and 1940s after learning something from the land of socialism and revolution.

Cochinchina was the birthplace of Luc Van Tien, a popular work by Nguyen Dinh Chieu. The beggars recited verses taken from Luc Van Tien to excite popular patriotism and Francophobia.

Ho Bieu Chanh, a doc phu su (administrateur), was the first Vietnamese novelist. He took inspiration from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Le Cid by Corneille, Andromaque by Racine … to write his novels with their lovely local color.

Phu Duc born Nguyen Duc Nhuan became a Vietnamese Alexandre Dumas with Chau Ve Hiep Pho.

Nguyen An Khuong, Nguyen An Ninh's father, ran Nong Co Min Dam and translated Chinese stories into quoc ngu.

The Southerners supported the Journey to the East Movement (7) and the Modernization Movement (7) actively. Gilbert Tran Chanh Chieu, a naturalise doc phu su, founded Minh Tan Industry Company and Minh Tan Hotel to bring financial assistance to these movements. He was arrested by the French Secret Police on account of his clandestine contacts with Phan Boi Chau. Tran Chanh Chieu was editor of Luc Tinh Tan Van (New Literature in Six Provinces of Cochinchina), Le Moniteur des Provinces.

In response to Phan Boi Chau's appeal, Nguyen Hao Vinh, a native of Can Tho (Phong Dinh), left Vietnam to study in Japan . After the signing of the Franco-Japanese treaty he left Japan for Hong Kong . He was the first Vietnamese to graduate from the British College in Hong Kong .

Cochinchina became the cradle of hat bo like the NO in Japan or Chanson de Geste in France , of cai luong (reformed theater) and of vong co which expressed nostalgia and sorrows from the bottom of the hearts of those people who suffered bitterly in remembrance of their lovely past.

Food is abundant and delicious in the South. Its has its local earmarks. Cochinchina was the intersection point of Chinese culture, Vietnamese culture, Hindu culture (Khmer) and Islamic culture (Cham) and French culture. The banh chung (8) in Tonkin and Northern Annam became the banh tet (8) in Cochinchina. The banh khot and banh beo are almost the same. Like Thailand , Cambodia , Malaysia , Indonesia and the Philippines , Southern Vietnam has had many plantations of coconut palms. For that reason, usually there is a certain quantity of coconut juice in Cochinchinese food. In Tonkin and Annam people use pure nuoc mam (fish sauce) with red pepper. In Cochinchina people prepare a bowl of nuoc mam by mixing it with vinegar, sugar, red pepper and garlic. The Vietnamese in Tonkin and Annam eat mam tom (shrimp paste) while the Vietnamese in Cochinchina eat mam ruot and mam nem (9). Food in Cochinchina is spicy. The Southerners like Indian or Malaysian curry and French ragout. More and less they were influenced by the peoples in South Asia . Their hu tieu My Tho is different from Chinese hu tieu (rice noodle) and pho (beef bowl). It consists of pork, seafood (shrimps, crab meat). People eat it with ot hiem (10), tan o (Chrysanthemum coronarium) and pickled garlic.

Ca nuong lui, bi cuon, banh beo bi, nem nuong, bo bay mon, phuong hoang ap trung, chao long, nem chua, bi nem, luon um, vit hap chao, ga xoi mo, ga hap muoi, goi rua, goi ran. nuoc mam me, bo nuong la lot, chim se quay, hot vit lon…. are favorite food in Cochinchina.

The Southerners eat various kinds of aromatic and tropical vegetables. The Northerners cannot eat gia (bean sprouts) and rau giap ca (Houttuynia cordata). The Southerners can eat kinh gioi (Schizonepeta tenuifolia), rau day (Corchorus olitorius), la mo (Paederia tomentosa) and thi la (Anethum graveolens) but these vegetables are rarely served in their daily meals.

Most Minh huong in Cochinchina were from Kwang-tung ( Guangdong ) of which the capital is Canton or Kwang-chow ( Guangzhou ). Cantonese cuisine was so good that the Chinese used to say:

Eating food in Kwang-chow,

Having a wife from Sou-chow,

And dying in Hang-chow.

There were may Chinese restaurants in Cochinchina especially in Sai Gon and Cho Lon. Delicious and uncommon food was served there. The Vietnamese dreams were found in the following slogan:

Eating Chinese food,
Marrying a Japanese lady.
Living in a French villa,

The Southerners used plain Vietnamese in their conversation. They used less Sino-Vietnamese terms than the Northerners. There is no difference in the pronunciation of V,D, GI in the South. They pronounce DO instead of VO (come in). In the immense space the sound DO is stronger and louder than that of VO.

Unlike the Northerners,. the Southerners did not call their oldest brothers anh ca. They called them anh hai (brother # 2). We find something absurd and illogical at this point. The Cochinchinese accepted this absurdity not to hurt the huong ca (11). The nickname of bishop Pigneau de Behaine, a confidential friend of Lord Nguyen Phuc Anh, was ‘Cha Ca'. His grave in Tan Binh near the Tan Son Nhut airport was called ‘lang Cha Ca' (Mausoleum of the high priest). In order to avoid the names, middle names of the lords, kings or of any local powerful men the Southerners used other sounds to pronounce them. As a result, sometimes we have two different words having the same meaning. For example, ‘Phuc' and ‘Phuoc' have the same meaning. So do ‘Hong' and ‘Huong'.

Some Southerners are proud of their ‘sacred land.' There were many local religions or religious sects in Cochinchina where all the mountains are dotted with Taoist or Buddhist temples.

Doan Minh Huyen known as Phat Thay Tay An founded Buu Son Ky Huong, a Buddhist sect teaching Tu An (Four Gratitudes) (12) in 1849. The Four Gratitudes combine Confucian teachings with Buddhist philosophy.

Buu Son Ky Huong was the precursor of Hoa Hao Buddhism founded by Huynh Phu So in 1939 when he was 20 years old. Hoa Hao was the birthplace of Master Huynh, who was be believed to be reincarnation of Doan Minh Huyen i.e. Phat Thay Tay An. Hoa Hao Buddhism has some million followers in the Mekong delta. Hoa Hao Buddhism was reformed Buddhism. Its flag is purple. This color stands for peasantry. In Tonkin peasants wear purple clothes.

Caodaism was founded by Ngo Van Chieu (13). It is the combination of Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity. Some great men such as Sun Yat-sen, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Winston Churchill… are mentioned in this religion. Its first Pope was Le Van Trung.

Caodaism had many followers in Cochinchina and even in Annam . Prime minister Nguyen Phan Long, Dr. Trinh Dinh Thao, Truong Nhu Tang, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Bich, prime minister Nguyen Van Loc, chief of state Phan Khac Suu...were Cao Dai

5. Land of the First Ladies

During the civil war between the Nguyen and the Tay Son, Nguyen Phuc Anh lived in Cochinchina. Of course, he had many wives there. Princes Canh and Dam (future king Minh Mang) were born in Cochinchina. Prince Canh died in Hanh Thong Tay, Gia Dinh province.

King Minh Mang married Ho Thi Hoa, a native of Binh An district, Bien Hoa province. She was daughter of Duke Ho Van Vui and mother of king Thieu Tri.

King Thieu Tri married Tu Du Pham Thi Hang, a native of Tan Hoa village, Go Cong province. She was daughter of Pham Dang Hung and mother of King Tu Duc. She witnessed historic events from the reign of Minh Mang (1820-1840), Thieu Tri (1841-1847), Tu Duc (1848-1883), Duc Duc (1883), Hiep Hoa (1883), Kien Phuc (1883-84), Ham Nghi (1884-85), Dong Khanh (1885-89) to the reign of Thanh Thai (1889-1907). She died in 1901.

Bao Dai married Nguyen Huu Thi Lan, a native of Go Cong. She was daughter of Nguyen Huu Hao, a rich Catholic in Cochinchina. She became queen Nam Phuong in 1934. Nguyen Huu Thi Lan was a beautiful and intelligent lady educated in France . Her grand father Philippe Le Phat Dat of huyen Si (Si is a title, an abbreviation of hoc si <educated man>) was one of the four richest men in Cochinchina in the late 19 th century and early 20 th century.

Duong Van Minh, Phan Khac Suu, Nguyen Van Thieu were chiefs of state in South Viet Nam after the coup d'etat of November l st ,1963. Their wives were natives of My Tho (Dinh Tuong).

In the Mekong delta people used to say:

There are many handsome men in Nhan Ai (14)
There are many beautiful ladies in Long Xuyen.

Tham Thuy Hang, a beautiful movie actress, was a native of Long Xuyen. Her beauty justified what the Southerners talk about Long Xuyen.

David Lan Pham (Pham Dinh Lan), F.A.B.I.

*****

(1) Nam Ha was the area controlled by the Nguyen after the country's partition in 1672. (2) Minh huong: countrymen of the Ming. In 1679 some thousand Chinese under the command of Chen Chang-tchuan (Tran Thuong Xuyen), Huang Tien (Hoang Tien), Yang Yen-ti (Duong Ngan Dich) arrived in Da Nang and asked Lord Hien Vuong Nguyen Phuc Tan (1648- 1687) for political asylum after they failed to resist the Ching (Qing). Lord Hien Vuong sent them to the South to exploit the new land which had belonged to Chenla.

(3) Phu Xuan: capital of Nam Ha; Lovek: capital of Chenla; Thoburi: capital of Siam after Ayuthia was destroyed by the Burmese troops.

(4) Bao Dai resigned on August 25, 1945 and became advisor to Ho Chi Minh. In 1946 he was sent to Chungking as a congressman. He lived in exile in Hongkong.

(5) He returned to Vietnam after the signing of the Elysee agreement (March 8, 1949).

(6) The city name was translated from Khmer ‘Preikor' (forest of kapok trees). Sai: wood. Gon: kapok tree.

(7) The Journey to the East Movement (Phong Trao Dong Du) was born in 1905 and headed by Phan Boi Chau (Sao Nam ). Phan Chu Trinh was considered to be the soul of the Modernization Movement (Phong Trao Duy Tan) (1907).

(8) The ingredients of the ‘banh chung' and ‘banh tet' are the same (sweet rice, mung beans, pork). Their shapes are different. The ‘banh chung' are square. The ‘banh tet' are cylindrical. To make ‘banh chung' people use ‘la dong' (Phrynium parviflorum). People use banana leaves when making ‘banh tet'.

(9) ‘Mam ruot' is made from pounded shrimps. ‘Mam nem' is made from salted small fish.

(10) ‘Ot hiem' are ofgenus Capsicum. They are small but very hot.

(11) The communal council of notables had 12 members. Of them the ‘huong ca' was the head.

(12) 1. Gratitude to the ancestors 2. Gratitude to the country 3. Gratitude to Buddha 4. Gratitude to the countrymen.

(13) Ngo Van Chieu was a doc phu su; Le Van Trung a member of the Sai Gon Municipal Council. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Bich was son of Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, leader of an important sect of Cao Dai in Ben Tre.

(14) Nhan Ai: a village in Long Xuyen province (An Giang).