Nanyue in the context of "Jiaozhi"

The Baiyue, Hundred Yue, or simply Yue, were various ethnic groups who inhabited the regions of southern China and northern Vietnam during the 1st millennium BC and 1st millennium AD. They were known for their short hair, body tattoos, fine swords, and naval prowess.

During the Warring States period, the word "Yue" referred to the state of Yue in Zhejiang. The later kingdoms of Minyue in Fujian and Nanyue in Guangdong were both considered Yue states. During the Zhou and Han dynasties, the Yue lived in a vast territory from Jiangsu to Yunnan, while Barlow (1997:2) indicates that the Luoyue occupied the southwest Guangxi and northern Vietnam. The Book of Han describes the various Yue tribes and peoples can be found from the regions of Kuaiji to Jiaozhi.

Vietnam under Chinese rule or Bắc thuộc (北屬 lit. "belonging to the north") (111 BCE–939 CE, 1407–1428 CE) refers to four historical periods during which several portions of modern-day northern and central Vietnam were governed by successive Chinese dynasties. Vietnamese historiography traditionally dates the beginning of this period to 111 BCE, when the Han dynasty annexed Nanyue (Vietnamese: Nam Việt). Chinese control continued in various forms until 939 CE, when the Ngô dynasty was established, marking the end of what is usually referred to as the main phase of Chinese rule. A later period of occupation by the Ming dynasty from 1407 to 1428 is often treated as a distinct episode. Notably, parts of Vietnam were under Chinese rule for longer than several territories that now form the modern provinces of China, underlining the longevity and depth of Chinese influence in the region over many centuries.

The historiography of this period has become a subject of scholarly debate, particularly concerning how national and cultural identities have been retroactively applied. Historians such as Catherine Churchman, Jaymin Kim, and Keith W. Taylor argue that many narratives about Bắc thuộc are shaped by modern constructs, often influenced by nationalist or anti-colonial sentiment. These scholars emphasise that the idea of an unbroken narrative of resistance or subjugation simplifies a more complex historical relationship, which included periods of accommodation, syncretism and local autonomy. Recent research critiques the use of this history as a tool for contemporary nationalist and irredentist projects in Vietnam, China and elsewhere.

Âu Lạc (chữ Hán: 甌貉/甌駱; pinyin: Ōu Luò; Wade–Giles: Wu-lo Middle Chinese (ZS): *ʔəu-*lɑk̚ < Old Chinese *ʔô-râk) was a supposed polity that covered parts of modern-day Guangxi and northern Vietnam. Founded in 257 BCE by a figure called Thục Phán (King An Dương), it was a merger of Nam Cương (Âu Việt) and Văn Lang (Lạc Việt) but succumbed to the state of Nanyue in 179 BCE, which, itself was finally conquered by the Han dynasty. Other historical sources indicate that it existed from 257 BC to 208 BC or from 208 BC to 179 BC. Its capital was in Cổ Loa, present-day Hanoi, in the Red River Delta.