Traces of Ly Long Tuong, and Descendent of Ly Dynasty in Vietnam

Abstract

There had been some works on Ly Long Tuong. The first one was published by Kim Yeong-geon who was working at the EFEO. After a fieldwork at Ongjin in summer in 1936, Kim Yeong-geon collected legends about Ly Long Tuong and some ducuments such as Hwasan Yi ssisebo, Hwasangun bonjeon and Ongjin-bu eupji. 20 years later, another author, Choe Sang-su, a ethnologist, also came to Onjing region for his fieldwork around 1939 to re-examine the documents and thanks to the occasion, he tried to re-examine legends on Ly Long Tuong by his discoveries Hwasan Yi sii sebo, Hwasangun bonjeon (in Hwasan Yi ssi gajieon silrok) and Suhangmun gijeokbi unlike notes used by Kim Yeong-geon. Besides, there has another study which is Hwasan Yi ssi-ui seonjo Yi Yong-sang-edaehayeo (on Ly Long Tuong - ancestor of the Ly Hoa Son family) by Professor Yi San-baek. Its contents seem to be simpler than other two studies mentioned above. This article, based on all above-studies, tries to re-consider in detail what is the figure named Ly Long Tuong and how did he came to Goryeo. There existed different elements of above mentioned documents, and unsuitable to historic facts of recorded in Vietnamese annals, for example: What is the true rank of the prince of Ly Long Tuong as a son of the King Ly Anh Tong? in my opinion, Ly Long Tuong was second son of the King Anh Tong Thien To not that seventh son raised by some studies earlier.