Ly Bon

(also Li Bi, Li Nam-De). Born circa 510 in the village of Thai Binh, northern Vietnam; died March 548 in Quat Nui, northern Vietnam. Leader of a popular liberation uprising in Vietnam; founder of the Early Ly dynasty (544–603).

Ly Bon came from the service aristocracy. In 541 he headed a popular uprising against the Chinese administration. In 544 the Chinese vicegerent and garrison were finally driven out of the country. In the same year Ly Bon declared himself emperor, under the name Ly Nam-De, and founded the Van Xuan empire. In 545 he began a war for Vietnam’s independence with the Liang dynasty of China. Under Ly Bon’s immediate successors, the country’s independence from China was consolidated.