Dong Nai province (Vietnam) – cultural facts and destinations

Dong Nai is a southern province of Vietnam, with area about 6.000 km2 and population of more than 3 millions (2022), divided into 9 districts: Long Khanh, Cam My, Dinh Quan, Long Thanh, Nhon Trach, Tan Phu, Thong Nhat, and Trang Bom; and two provincial cities: Bien Hoa and Long Khanh.

The story of Dong Nai can be traced back to the early 17^th century, when it was still territory of Champa kingdom.

At that time Vietnam was undergoing political power division between Trinh Lord, the house ruling the north, and Nguyen Lord controling the south. Both recognized royal dignity of Ly dynasty who kept the throne as pupet. And both oftern made wars with each other over land and power, setting a chao period in Vietnam history.

But, “the south” at that time was limited to a place somewhere in the middle land of Vietnam today, as you can see in the map below, while Dong Nai is far below.

So, through decades, under pressure of war, and also as south-forward policy of the Nguyen Lord, Viet people slowly moved and settled in the southern lands which belonged to Champa. They either mixed with local people or cleared new settlement. Year after year, number of Viet people appeared on this land increased and made impact on culture and tradition anywhere they settled.

Following the people, the Nguyen Lords adeptly employed a combination of diplomacy and military tactics to gradually incorporate the lands of the Champa Kingdom, including areas like Dong Nai, into their territory. They initially gained the Champa King’s acceptance for the settlement of Vietnamese people through diplomatic maneuvers, simultaneously granting these settlers various privileges to facilitate their integration.

This incremental approach, later termed by historians as the “silkworm eating mulberry” strategy, mirrors the feeding habit of a silkworm, which consumes a mulberry leaf gradually from the edges towards the center. This analogy illustrates the methodical and steady expansion of the Nguyen Lords, who subtly extended their influence and control over Champa territories.

Following the Nguyen Lords, subsequent Vietnamese dynasties adopted this strategy. By 1832, under the reign of Emperor Minh Mang of the Nguyen Dynasty, the Champa Kingdom was completely absorbed into Vietnamese territory. As a result, the entire region of Champa, including Dong Nai, became an integral part of Vietnam.

Dong Nai through periods

The etymology of “Dong Nai” is a subject of scholarly debate. A prevalent theory suggests that it literally means “a field of deer.” However, another perspective argues that it originated from the Ma language, spoken by a minority ethnic group in the area, referring to the river Da Dong that flows through the region. Over time, this name might have been mispronounced or altered, evolving into the current name, Dong Nai.

Historically, the southern part of present-day Vietnam, including Dong Nai, was largely undeveloped, with sparse settlements. As a newly annexed area, a comprehensive administrative system had not yet been established. Consequently, the Vietnamese government initially used “Dong Nai” as a collective term for all southern territories, not just a specific location.

In the early 19th century, during the reign of King Gia Long, the area that is now Dong Nai was part of the Gia Dinh district. This district was subsequently split into Tran Bien and Phuoc Long. Under Emperor Minh Mang, Tran Bien was renamed Bien Hoa province. French colonial rule later subdivided this province into Bien Hoa, Thu Dau Mot, and Ba Ria. Post-liberation from France, Bien Hoa was further divided into Bien Hoa, Long Khanh, and Phuoc Tuy provinces. Following the reunification of Vietnam in 1975, these three provinces were amalgamated to form the current Dong Nai province.

Moving in Dong Nai