Exiled Prince of Vietnam Offers Political Ideology


November 22, 2004
by Vanessa Hoffman
Sun Staff Writer

Last Saturday night brought His Imperial Highness Prince Nguyen Phuc Buu Chanh of Vietnam, Regent of the Imperial Dynasty and President of the Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League, to Cornell. The Prince, a member of the Vietnamese imperial family gave a lecture, entitled "Revival of Vietnamese Culture: The Nguyen Dynasty," before a crowd of about 50 people.

Maria Nguyen '05, vice president of the Cornell Vietnamese Association sang the American national anthem and then played the national anthem of South Vietnam. Aided by PowerPoint slides, Prince Buu Chanh then began his lecture speaking from a podium draped with the American flag and the flag of South Vietnam. He talked about Vietnamese history and culture, focusing on the 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last Vietnamese dynasty spanning 143 years that ended with Emperor Bao Dai in 1945. He then spoke on the future role of the Vietnamese monarchy and stressed the will of the people: "When we are not devoted to serve the people, we cannot have the right to ask for favors from the nation," Buu Chanh said.

He presented a certificate to Dean of Students Kent Hubbell '69 thanking Cornell for hosting him. "For those of us who grew up in the '60s and '70s, Vietnam has a special place in our lives because of the war. It's a unique event to have members of the Vietnamese royal family here. Personally, [this event] makes me wonder what's happening in Vietnam now and why we don't hear about it much in the news," Hubbell said.

The Prince also gave certificates to the president and vice president of the Cornell Vietnamese Association, thanking the University and CVA for hosting him.

Maria Nguyen said, "This was not meant to be a political seminar. People think about Vietnam as just the war, but it's so much more than that. We want people to know about the culture."

"I was pretty touched by his ideals about the nation and the Vietnamese people. It's a rich history dating back to the 14th century; a lot of people don't know how many generations of emperors we've had," said Thientu Ho '05.

Reacting to how the Prince answered questions, Xem Bui '08 said, "When he was answering questions, he was saying the same things over and over, saying that the government would be determined by the will of the people."

Students differed in opinion on what the Prince said. "I didn't exactly agree with everything he said. I resented that he was trying to get back into power and that he kept saying he was working for the good of the people. I thought the people should decide what they want," said a student who asked not to be identified. The Prince and his family were exiled from Vietnam in 1975, when Communist rule began in Vietnam. The Prince did not say outright that there are problems with the current Communist regime in Vietnam, but according to a grad student who wished to remain anonymous, "if you fly the flag of a former regime, it's symbolic that the current one isn't legitimate."

Nguyen said that one of the Prince's chancellors wrote a letter to Cornell, which was forwarded to the CVA asking if he could speak at Cornell. She was also primarily responsible for planning the event and introduced the Prince at the lecture along with the three other imperial family members present: Her Imperial Highness Princess Phan Lien of Vietnam, His Imperial Highness Prince Nguyen Phuc Vinh Vu and Countess Nguyen Phuc Dong Ingalls. The ladies wore ao dai, the traditional dress of Vietnam.

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Hmm... I appreciate that the prince actually presented Vietnamese culture and traditions, but wanting support from people so that he could get back to power. Erh... I don't think that will work. LOL.



Playing the American national anthem first before the old South Viet national anthem? LOL. Way to go. They might as well turn this into an American culture lecture. What's the point of playing the American national anthem in the first place? Sure, it's America, but do they really need it? LOL.

And I love how these Viet students react to his presentation.



LOL. Way to go prince. Well, of course it would be determined by the will of the people. LOL. You can't expect the people to support you when you expect them to support you when you go around and praise the old South Viet when the majority of the people don't even care about it or even want you to govern their lives. And what have this prince done to Vietnam except wanting his people's support?



Exactly. The good of the people? His father (Bao Dai) and his grandfather (Khai Dinh), and his greatgrand-father (Dong Khanh) were all useless to Vietnam. I resented that he was trying to get back into power and that he kept saying he was working for the good of the people. I thought the people should decide what they want. LOL.



Exellent, if they want the current Viet flag to be illigitimate, then what's going to represent 80-plus million Vietnamese and most Viets around the world. I know I wouldn't want that old South Viet flag to represent me.

LOL. I have nothing against South Viet loyals, but it really irritates me when those guys running around protesting Vietnam and halting it from growing. Nor do I support the communist government.

I completely agree with you.

Who is he eventually ? An ordinary man, no better than most of us . The fact that his ancestors ruled Vietnam doesn't grant him any right and he should be ashamed of bearing the blood of those cruel tyrants. What has he done so far for Vietnameses inside and outside Vietnam ? He is just another politician who wants to gain influence, counting on support from those stupid royalists.

Just remember that the Vietnamese culture began declining with the advent of Ngyê~n Dynasty.

50 people?? I thought that a prince would get a little more attention then that.. *shrugz*

I don't want Vietnam to be a monarchy. I don't even consider him a prince since he has no power over Vietnam at all. I consider him the same level as all of us.

Some people say, that the only throne he and his family could claim, is that one they have in their bathroom...

Grow up and get use to it people.

Vietnam is now governed by one party: The Communist. The communist is a well known father of fascist and dictatorship regimes. They don't respect human rights and accept democracy. Look at Cuba and Fidel Castro. Vietnam today is listed as one of most repressive countries in the world according to United Nations. They jailed their citizens for nothing.

Vietnam is better governed by many parties. With your ignorant, you can laugh at them all you want Si Fu, but the Prince and his people should have their rights to exist in a democratic systems... somedays.

Uhm if he can actually do anything, then i'll believe more, but now I don't give him much of attention