Nguyen Trai (pseudonym Uc Trai) was born in 1380 in Nhi Khe, Ha Dong province (North Vietnam), son of Nguyen Phi Khanh, a scholar and official who had been forced to go to China after the occupation of Minh dynasty, and Tran Thi Thai.
When Le Loi raised a revolt against the Ming in 1418, Nguyen Trai escaped from confinement, join the liberation army, and became Le Loi's closest adviser and the primary strategist of the latter's victory over the Chinese in 1428. Many letters and pronouncements written by him and sent in Le Loi's name to the Ming generals have been preserved in "Quang Trung Tu Menh Tap" (letters and commands from the time of military service). His best known poem is in Chinese, Binh Ngo Sach (Book on Defeating the Wu) written after victory, became Vietnam's declaration of independence. With his clever propaganda and profound writings, he contributed greatly to making Le Loi a hero in his own time.
After victory in 1428, Nguyen Trai served the new emperor as a high official in the bureaucracy. Nguyen Trai promote integrity, righteousness, and purity of purpose.
Nguyen Trai retired after the death of Le Thai To and the accession of the latter's son Le Thai Tong. He came back home at Con Son where he lived a simple life with integrity. Such high moral standards aroused resentment and jealousy among his colleagues in the bureaucracy and even aroused the suspicion of Emperor Le Thai To himself.
Nguyen Trai married to Nguyen Thi Lo, a beautiful talented country girl. King Le Thai Tong became very fond of her. In 1442, King Le Thai Tong came to Con Son to visit Nguyen Trai's family. The day later the King died misteriously. Nguyen Thi Lo was accused of regicide, therefore, Nguyen Trai was executed along with his entire family.
Twenty years later his name was rehabilitated by King Le Thanh Tong.
Source: nguyentrai.net
