To Dong Hai
It can be said that one of the major functions of “huong uoc” (village code) is to organize the village society, making the village community stable and strong. Being formulated at the time when the feudal State apparatus was established, “huong uoc” contributed to the building and consolidation of social organizations at the village level - the grassroots administrative level of the feudal regime, which was considered the foundation of the social order.
It is known that as from the Le dynasty, the feudal regime abolished the positions of village mandarins and considered villages self-managed social units where villagers themselves nominated their own representatives, called “xa truong” or “ly truong” (village chiefs) to manage the villages and settle the relationships between the villages and the State. Working by the village chief’s side was a council of villagers’ representatives, called “Hoi Dong Toc Bieu” (the Council of Clans’ Representatives), if its members represented the clans in the village; or “Hoi Dong Huong Chinh” (The Council for Village Affairs), or “Hoi Dong Ky Muc” (The Council of Village’s Notables).
The village chiefs and such councils were responsible for monitoring the observance of “huong uoc” provisions set by villagers and their representatives, including provisions on organization of the village society, which touched upon a wide range of matters related to the organizations of “Hoi Dong Toc Bieu”, “Hoi Dong Huong Chinh” or “Hoi Dong Ky Muc”, the personnel, the activities of village notables, etc.
“Huong uoc” of Phu Nghia village, Hoan Hau commune, Phu Hau canton, Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province, which was compiled in 1897, clearly defined: “Hoi Dong Huong Chinh” is composed of a village representative, the village chief and two deputy-chiefs, the heads of population groups, the village mandarin in charge of public labor and other obligations. The Council must well take care of all affairs and invite village notables for discussion only when there are important affairs. The organization and operation of the village administrative apparatus was prescribed clearly and transparently in “huong uoc”. According to some “huong uoc”, the village chiefs were elected by local people for a term of 10 years or 20 years to take care of the village affairs together with other leading village officials. They might convene meetings of village notables at communal houses to discuss village affairs if such were important ones, or decide by themselves after consulting with village dignitaries, if such were minor affairs.
Many “huong uoc” also heeded the monitoring of operations of the village leading apparatuses by setting forth clear-cut regulations. For instance, “huong uoc” of Dai Huu commune, Tan Dinh canton, Tien Hai district, Thai Binh province, stated clearly: “Those who work devotedly and impartially shall be commended. Those who work lazily, perfunctorily, authoritatively or abuse their powers shall be reprimanded. If the village council makes impartial judgment and/or wrong accusations, it shall be accused thereof.”
In “huong uoc”, the provisions on organization of the village society were very strict and specific, which can be considered the crux of “huong uoc” and greatly contributed to the maintenance of village and State disciplines and law. Death and birth were strictly prescribed in almost all “huong uoc”: Those who give births to babies (boys or girls) must, within one month, declare them with the village secretaries for recording in registers. Those who fail to do so shall be fined. Any villagers who reach the age of 18 (the age prescribed for military conscription, public labor) must report themselves before the village councils and shall be given identity cards. Those who shirk such declaration would be severely punished. Persons whose relatives die shall, within three days, have to declare such with the village secretary. The land portions allocated to the deceased persons must be returned to the village for allotment to persons who have just come up the age of eighteen.
Under “huong uoc”, marriages had also to be declared with the village secretaries for book entries. Families with sons or daughters getting married and failing to declare marriages with the village secretaries had to pay fines to the villages; or the newly weds had to contribute several hundred bricks for paving of village roads, building culverts or schools, as specified by some “huong uoc.”
Another important affairs economically governing the village society, namely the payment and collection of taxes, was also clearly defined in “huong uoc”: The tax levels must be set equally and impartially for all people, regardless of their relationships with village mandarins or their farming, and must be publicly posted up. Upon any complaints, the village administrative apparatuses must set up councils to study and settle them in accordance with sentiments and reasons.
Such provisions aimed to prevent any additional collections or surcharges by local mandarins and tax collectors.
Also seen in a number of “huong uoc” the provisions on virtues and social ethics such as the respect for the aged people, the ban on oppression of commoners by influential people, of the weak by the strong, of the poor by the rich, the ban on gambling,…
With the building of a stable society in villages as one of its major functions, “huong uoc”, ancient or modern, has contributed to educating village inhabitants in the observance of village rules, in the building of good virtues and social ethics for themselves, in contributing their material and human resources for the society… It is these provisions of “huong uoc” that the State apparatus has been consolidated with the participation of the village administrations which have actively participated in organizing the society effectively.-