There is a version of Vietnamese history that gets told over and over. Battles and dynasties and emperors and dates. And somewhere in the margins, almost as a footnote, are the women who actually held things together.
Hai Bà Trưng led an armed uprising against an empire in the year 40. Ỷ Lan governed a nation while the king was away and did it well enough that he left her in charge a second time. Nam Phương became empress at 20 and carried herself with more grace than anyone around her seemed to deserve. Dương Vân Nga made a decision that saved her country and spent centuries being misunderstood for it.
Then there are the women who built things with words instead of armies. Hồ Xuân Hương wrote poetry in the 18th century that was clever and bold and sometimes scandalous, and she published it anyway. Xuân Quỳnh wrote about love and longing in a way that still makes people stop and feel something real.
These are not just figures from a history book, they are proof that Vietnamese women have always been thinking, leading, writing, fighting, and refusing to disappear, even when the world made it hard.
If you grew up without knowing these names, this is a good place to start. If you already know them, there is always more to discover. Check out our collection right here.
Cover Photo: Camelia Pham
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