
The ancient origins of Vietnam's literature, language and culture, and the country itself, began in the north along the fringes of the Red River Delta. 5000 years of history, as old a culture as Egypt, or Ancient China
Mythological description of Vietnam's beginning
The Vietnamese People were born of a dragon and a fairy ("con rong chau tien").
The legendary Hong Bang Dynasty, the first ruling state of Vietnam, occured around 2879 BC, (and with the development of wet rice cultivation and bronze casting, on a par with Ancient Egyptians and Hittites but earlier), led to the formation of the Dong Sun culture some 800 years later.
Incorporated into the Chinese Han Dynasty by 111 BC, Vietnam remained under their ruling for the next thousand years, until 938 AD when Ngo Quyen defeated the Chinese forces, and the nation gained their independence.
