Lady Triệu Facts for Kids

For the fictional character of the same name, see Lady Trieu (character).

Quick facts for kids Lady Trieu
Folk art depiction of Lady Trieu
Native name	Triệu Ẩu (趙嫗); Bà Triệu
Born	c. 226 Yên Định District, Jiuzhen, Jiaozhou
Died	c. 248 (aged c. 22) Hậu Lộc District, Jiuzhen, Jiaozhou
Buried	Tùng mountain (Triệu Lộc Commune, Hậu Lộc District, nowaday Thanh Hóa province)

Lady Trieu

Vietnamese name
Vietnamese	Bà Triệu; Triệu Ẩu
Hán-Nôm	趙嫗

Lady Triệu (born around 226 AD, died around 248 AD) was a brave warrior from Vietnam in the 3rd century. She led a fight against the Chinese Eastern Wu dynasty, who ruled Vietnam at that time. She is also known as Triệu Thị Trinh.

Lady Triệu is famous for a powerful quote. She said, "I want to ride storms and kill orcas in the open sea. I want to drive out the invaders and take back our country. I will never be a servant or a wife who bows to any man." This shows her strong spirit and desire for freedom.

Why Did Lady Trieu Fight?
Lady Trieu's Brave Rebellion
- How Lady Trieu Fought
- Her Famous Words
What Happened After Her Fight?
Different Stories About Lady Trieu
Lady Trieu's Lasting Legacy
Images for kids
See also

Why Did Lady Trieu Fight?

In the 3rd century, Vietnam was under the control of the Chinese Eastern Wu dynasty. The Chinese rulers often sent troops to keep control. In 226 AD, the Chinese sent 3,000 soldiers to take back direct control of a region called Jiaozhi. They were very harsh, killing many people and families.

The Chinese also divided the land into new provinces. They continued to send generals to "pacify" or control the local people. This made many Vietnamese people unhappy and ready to rebel.

Lady Trieu's Brave Rebellion

In 248 AD, people in the Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen areas of Vietnam rebelled against the Chinese. A local woman named Triệu Ẩu, who lived in Jiuzhen, became their leader. She gathered many followers, including a hundred local chiefs and about fifty thousand families.

The Chinese sent a general named Lu Yin to stop the rebellion. After several months of fighting, Lady Trieu was defeated.

How Lady Trieu Fought

Vietnamese stories say that Lady Trieu was a very strong and smart person. She was known for riding a war elephant into battle. She often wore yellow clothes. She called herself "The Lady General clad in Golden Robe."

One story says she was very tall, about 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall. It also says her voice sounded like a temple bell. She was incredibly strong and could walk very far in a day.

Her Famous Words

Lady Trieu's brother, Trieu Quoc Dat, also joined the rebellion. At first, he tried to stop her from fighting. But Lady Trieu told him:

"I only want to ride the wind and walk the waves. I want to slay the big whales of the Eastern sea. I want to clear our borders and save our people from trouble. Why should I be like others, bowing my head and being a slave? Why should I do only housework?"

After hearing her brave words, her brother decided to join her fight.

What Happened After Her Fight?

Lady Trieu fought the Chinese forces for about five or six months. But her army was smaller and they fought alone. Eventually, she was defeated. She fled to a place called Bồ Điền and then took her own life.

Even though she was defeated, Lady Trieu became a hero to the Vietnamese people. Later, a Vietnamese emperor named Lý Nam Đế honored her. He called her the "Most Noble, Heroic and Virgin Lady." He also ordered a temple to be built for her. Today, there is still a temple for her in Phú Điền commune in Thanh Hóa province.

Different Stories About Lady Trieu

Most of what we know about Lady Trieu comes from Vietnamese stories. Chinese historical records from that time do not mention her directly. They only talk about a rebellion in the region and how a Chinese general named Lu Yin stopped it.

Historians believe that the Chinese records didn't mention Lady Trieu because they saw her rebellion as just a small, unimportant event. But for the Vietnamese people, her uprising was a very important moment.

Lady Trieu's story was passed down through generations in Vietnam. She was remembered as a remarkable and brave leader who fought for her people's freedom. Even centuries later, her spirit continued to inspire Vietnamese people who resisted Chinese rule.

Lady Trieu's Lasting Legacy

Lady Triệu is a greatly celebrated hero in Vietnam. Many streets in Vietnamese cities are named after her. You can find Bà Triệu streets in Huế, Hà Nội, and Ho Chi Minh City, among other places.