The authors of traditional Vietnamese chronicles paid close attention to chronological information when compiling their works, and already in ancient times they developed clear rules for submitting this information [see, for example, Daivet shy ki toan thy, 2002, p. 72 et seq.]. This was due to the fact that, according to local historiographers, in this way it was possible, even without introducing special comments, to give their own assessment of the legitimacy or illegitimacy of a particular dynasty or ruler1help strengthen the authority of individual " good "rulers by artificially increasing the duration of their rule by reducing the duration of the rule of"bad" ones rulers2.
The chronological heading of each weather article in the Vietnam chronicles consists of the lunar year designation, the name of the ruler or the name of the era of government, and the ordinal number of the year of government or the era of government. In addition, the main element was always accompanied by a comment (in small characters in a double line), which indicated the data (dynasty, name of the ruler, era of government and ordinal number of the year) of the Chinese emperors who ruled at that time, and not all of them, but only those with whom the Vietnamese maintained relations, as well as information on changes in these parameters (introduction of new eras of government, coming to power of new sovereigns) for both Vietnamese and sometimes Chinese states. In the same commentary, a double line, even before chronological information about the Chinese, also contained information about Vietnamese rulers, whom historiographers considered illegal. Thus, during periods of interruptions in the "legitimate succession of power" [see: Daivet shy ki toan thy, 2002, p. 167, note 125], including a significant part of the era of "Northern Dependence", the main element of the chronological heading of the weather article consisted only of the designation of the astronomical year according to the lunar ...
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