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The Six Provinces of Southern Vietnam (''Vietnamese:'' Nam Kỳ Lục tỉnh, 南圻六省 or just Lục tỉnh, 六省) is a historical name for the region of Southern Vietnam, which is referred to in French as Basse-Cochinchine (''Lower Cochinchina''). The region was politically defined and established after the inauguration of the
Nguyễn dynasty The Nguyễn dynasty (chữ Nôm: 茹阮, vi, Nhà Nguyễn; chữ Hán: 阮朝, vi, Nguyễn triều) was the last Vietnamese dynasty, which ruled the unified Vietnamese state largely independently from 1802 to 1883. During its existence, ...
, and called by this name from 1832, when Emperor
Minh Mạng Minh Mạng () or Minh Mệnh (, vi-hantu, 明 命, lit. "the bright favour of Heaven"; 25 May 1791 – 20 January 1841; born Nguyễn Phúc Đảm, also known as Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu) was the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty of V ...
introduced administrative reforms, to 1867, which culminated in the eight-year French campaign to conquer the Six Provinces. The six provinces, which in 1832 Emperor
Minh Mạng Minh Mạng () or Minh Mệnh (, vi-hantu, 明 命, lit. "the bright favour of Heaven"; 25 May 1791 – 20 January 1841; born Nguyễn Phúc Đảm, also known as Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu) was the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty of V ...
divided Southern Vietnam into, are: * Phiên An, later changed name to
Gia Định ''Gia'' is a 1998 American biographical drama television film about the life and times of one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth ...
(provincial capital city:
Sài Gòn , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...
), * Biên Hòa (provincial capital: Biên Hòa), * Định Tường (provincial capital:
Mỹ Tho Mỹ Tho () is a city in the Tiền Giang province in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam. It has a population of approximately 169,000 in 2006 and 220,000 in 2012. It is the regional center of economics, education and technology. The majorit ...
) *
Vĩnh Long Vĩnh Long () is a city and the capital of Vĩnh Long Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Vĩnh Long covers and has a population of 147,039 (as of 2009). The name was spelled 永 隆 ("eternal prosperity") in the former Hán Nôm writing syst ...
(provincial capital:
Vĩnh Long Vĩnh Long () is a city and the capital of Vĩnh Long Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Vĩnh Long covers and has a population of 147,039 (as of 2009). The name was spelled 永 隆 ("eternal prosperity") in the former Hán Nôm writing syst ...
), * An Giang (provincial capital: Châu Đốc), *
Hà Tiên Hà Tiên is a Provincial city in Kiên Giang Province, Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Its area is and the population as of 2019 is 81,576. The city borders Cambodia to the west. Hà Tiên is a tourist site of the region thanks to its beaches and la ...
(provincial capital:
Hà Tiên Hà Tiên is a Provincial city in Kiên Giang Province, Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Its area is and the population as of 2019 is 81,576. The city borders Cambodia to the west. Hà Tiên is a tourist site of the region thanks to its beaches and la ...
). These provinces are often subdivided into two groups: the three eastern provinces of Gia Định, Định Tường, and Biên Hòa; and the three western provinces of Vĩnh Long, An Giang, and Hà Tiên.


History

The
Mekong Delta The Mekong Delta ( vi, Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long, lit=Nine Dragon River Delta or simply vi, Đồng Bằng Sông Mê Kông, lit=Mekong River Delta, label=none), also known as the Western Region ( vi, Miền Tây, links=no) or South-weste ...
region (the location of the Six Provinces) was gradually annexed by Vietnam from the Khmer Empire starting in the mid 17th century to the early 19th century, through their
Nam tiến Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...
territorial expansion campaign. In 1832, Emperor
Minh Mạng Minh Mạng () or Minh Mệnh (, vi-hantu, 明 命, lit. "the bright favour of Heaven"; 25 May 1791 – 20 January 1841; born Nguyễn Phúc Đảm, also known as Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu) was the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty of V ...
divided Southern Vietnam into the six provinces ''Nam Kỳ Lục tỉnh.'' According to the
Đại Nam nhất thống chí The ''Đại Nam nhất thống chí'' ( chữ Hán: 大南一統志, 1882) is the official geographical record of Vietnam's Nguyễn dynasty written in chữ Hán compiled in the late nineteenth century. It also contains historical records of m ...
(Nguyễn dynasty national atlas) of the ''Quốc sử quán'' (official Nguyễn-era compilation of Vietnamese history, geography and people from 1821–1945), in 1698 the lord
Nguyễn Phúc Chu Nguyễn Phúc Chu ( vi-hantu, , 1675 – 1 June 1725) was one of the Nguyễn lords who ruled southern Vietnam (Dang Trong) from 1691 to 1725.Anh Thư Hà, Hồng Đức Trần ''A Brief Chronology of Vietnam's History'' 2000 Page 163 "Nguy ...
established the prefecture ( phủ) of Gia Định. In 1802, emperor
Gia Long Gia Long ( (''North''), ('' South''); 8 February 1762 – 3 February 1820), born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (阮福暎) or Nguyễn Ánh, was the founding emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty, the last dynasty of Vietnam. His dynasty would rule the unif ...
turned Gia Định prefecture into a township, and in 1808, he renamed Gia Định prefecture into a governorate containing the five townships of Phiên An, Biên Hòa (or Đồng Nai), Định Tường, Vĩnh Thanh (or Vĩnh Long), and Hà Tiên. In 1832, emperor
Minh Mạng Minh Mạng () or Minh Mệnh (, vi-hantu, 明 命, lit. "the bright favour of Heaven"; 25 May 1791 – 20 January 1841; born Nguyễn Phúc Đảm, also known as Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu) was the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty of V ...
renamed Phiên An Citadel into Gia Định Citadel, and the 5 townships were turned into the six provinces of Phiên An, Biên Hòa, Định Tường, Vĩnh Long, Hà Tiên, and the newly established An Giang. Thus, the Six Provinces was created in 1832; and in 1834 the Six Provinces were collectively called ''Nam Kỳ'' (''"Southern Region"'', which would eventually be known in the West as ''Cochinchina''). Phiên An province was renamed to Gia Định province in 1835. After the French colonial invaders, led by vice-admiral Charles Rigault de Genouilly attacked and captured the three eastern provinces of Gia Định, Định Tường, and Biên Hòa in 1862, and invaded the remaining western provinces of Vĩnh Long, An Giang, Hà Tiên in 1867, the
French Empire French Empire (french: Empire Français, link=no) may refer to: * First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon I from 1804 to 1814 and in 1815 and by Napoleon II in 1815, the French state from 1804 to 1814 and in 1815 * Second French Empire, led by Nap ...
abolished the administrative divisions created by the Nguyễn Dynasty. At first, the French used '' départements'' instead of prefectures, and ''
arrondissements An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissements'', ...
'' in place of districts (''huyện''). By 1868, the former ''Nam Kỳ Lục tỉnh'' had over 20 arrondissements (districts). Cochinchina was ruled by a French government-appointed governor in Saigon, and each county had a ''Secrétaire d’Arrondissement'' (en: "''County Secretary''", vi: "''thư ký địa hạt''" or "''bang biện"''). Bạc Liêu county was created in 1882. On 16 January 1899, the counties were changed into provinces per a French government decree, each with a provincial
premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
(fr: "''chef de la province''", vi: "''chủ tỉnh''") who is head of provincial government.


French division into 21 smaller provinces, discontinuation of the ''Six Provinces''

The French government divided the original six provinces into 21 smaller ones. Following the 1899 decrees, starting 01/01/1900 Nam Kỳ would be divided into the following 21 provinces: *
Gia Định province ''Gia'' is a 1998 American biographical drama television film about the life and times of one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth M ...
was divided into the 5 provinces of:
Gia Định ''Gia'' is a 1998 American biographical drama television film about the life and times of one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth ...
,
Chợ Lớn Chợ Lớn (, zh, 堤岸), usually anglicized as "Cholon" in English sources, is a quarter of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It lies on the west bank of the Saigon River, having Bình Tây Market as its central market. Chợ Lớn consists of the ...
,
Tân An Tân An is the capital city of Long An Province in Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. It was upgraded from town status to city status on 26 August 2009. The population of Tân An is 165,214 as of 2009, with an area of 81.79 km2. It comprises n ...
, Tây Ninh, and Gò Công. * Biên Hòa province was divided into the 4 provinces of: Biên Hòa, Bà Rịa,
Thủ Dầu Một Thủ Dầu Một () is the capital city of Bình Dương province, Vietnam, located at around . The city has an area of 118.66 km², with a population of 417,000 (as of 2018), and is located 20 km north of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, on ...
, and Cap Saint-Jacques (later Vũng Tàu province). Cap Saint Jacques was created on 30/04/1929 and dissolved 01/01/1935; in 1947 the province was re-established under the name Vũng Tàu until 1952 when it was dissolved again. * Định Tường province became Mỹ Tho province. * Vĩnh Long province was divided into the 3 provinces of:
Vĩnh Long Vĩnh Long () is a city and the capital of Vĩnh Long Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Vĩnh Long covers and has a population of 147,039 (as of 2009). The name was spelled 永 隆 ("eternal prosperity") in the former Hán Nôm writing syst ...
,
Bến Tre Bến Tre () is the capital city of Bến Tre Province, in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam. Located southwest of Ho Chi Minh City, the city covers an area of 65.75 km2 (25.39 sq mi) and has a population of 124,499 at the ...
, and Trà Vinh. *
An Giang province An Giang () is a province of Vietnam. It is located in the Mekong Delta, in the southwestern part of the country. Geography An Giang occupies a position in the upper reaches of the Mekong Delta. The Hậu Giang and Tiền Giang branches of ...
was divided into the 5 provinces of: Châu Đốc,
Long Xuyên Long Xuyên () is the capital city of An Giang province, in the Mekong Delta region of south-western Vietnam. History In 1789, a group of explorers established a small outpost in the Tam Khe canal, naming it Dong Xuyen. Sooner after a marketpl ...
, Sa Đéc,
Sóc Trăng Sóc Trăng () is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Sóc Trăng Province. It was upgraded from a town (thị xã) to a city following decree 22/2007/NĐ-CP on 8 February 2007. Name The name is believed to be derived from the Khmer langu ...
, and Cần Thơ. *
Hà Tiên province Hà is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as He in Chinese and Ha in Korean. Ha is the anglicized variation of the surname Hà. It is also the anglicized variation of Hạ. Notable people with the surname Hà *Hà Kiều Anh, Mis ...
was divided into the 3 provinces of:
Hà Tiên Hà Tiên is a Provincial city in Kiên Giang Province, Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Its area is and the population as of 2019 is 81,576. The city borders Cambodia to the west. Hà Tiên is a tourist site of the region thanks to its beaches and la ...
,
Rạch Giá Rạch Giá () is a provincial city and the capital city of Kiên Giang province, Vietnam. It is located on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, southwest of Ho Chi Minh City. East of city, it borders Tân Hiệp and Châu Thành town ...
, Bạc Liêu. *On 11/05/1944 Tân Bình province was created, carved out of Gia Định province. The reason for this division into 21 provinces was because the French Empire intended to erase the name "Lục tỉnh" from the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people and language, and cut any feelings of attachment and Vietnamese nationalism with this region to avert potential local revolution or rebellion. However, in 1908 the newspaper ''Lục Tỉnh Tân Văn'' ("Six Provinces News") whose editor was Gilbert Trần Chánh Chiếu, still commonly used the names "Lục Tỉnh" and "Lục Châu". The French Empire called Southern Vietnam (''Nam Kỳ'') Cochinchine, Northern Vietnam (''Bắc Kỳ'') Tonkin and Central Vietnam (''Trung Kỳ'') Annam. "Cochinchina" was the name used by English speakers at the time.


Administrative divisions

Sources for entire table:Đại Nam nhất thống chí, quyển XXXI, tỉnh Gia Định, trang 204.


See also

* Cochinchina * French Indochina * Provinces of Vietnam *
Đại Nam nhất thống chí The ''Đại Nam nhất thống chí'' ( chữ Hán: 大南一統志, 1882) is the official geographical record of Vietnam's Nguyễn dynasty written in chữ Hán compiled in the late nineteenth century. It also contains historical records of m ...
* Gilbert Trần Chánh Chiếu *
Siamese–Vietnamese War (1841–1845) The Siamese–Vietnamese War of 1841–1845 ( th, อานามสยามยุทธ (พ.ศ. 2384 – พ.ศ. 2388), vi, Chiến tranh Việt–Xiêm (1841–1845)) was a military conflict between the Đại Nam, ruled by Emperor Thi ...
* Post-Angkor Period


References


Further reading

*Choi Byung Wook (2004). ''Southern Vietnam under the Reign of Minh Mang (1820–1841): Central Policies and Local Response''. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.


External links


Official website
on the Six Provinces, used by archaeologists, historians and researchers.
Notes on the Six Provinces
written by Professor Lâm Văn Bé.
Extensive Geographical and Brief Historical Information on the Six Provinces, from the French National Library (French)

Map of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and its provinces

Map of Vietnam and its provinces
{{Authority control Provinces of Vietnam History of Vietnam Geography of Vietnam Regions of Southeast Asia