Cholon: The Rice Empire That Forced the Colonial Government to Negotiate
In 1679, more than 3,000 people sailed on roughly 50 boats from southern China to Đàng Trong. They were Ming loyalists who refused to serve the Qing, led by Trần Thượng Xuyên and Dương Ngạn Địch. The Nguyễn ruler allowed them to settle and clear land. One group went to Mỹ Tho; Trần Thượng Xuyên’s group went to Đông Phố, in what is now Biên Hòa. From a population fleeing a defeated dynasty, they built docks, markets,
⬛ CONFIDENTIAL CDMediaKhamPha 8/31/2026 1 min read
In 1679, more than 3,000 people sailed on roughly 50 boats from southern China to Đàng Trong. They were Ming loyalists who refused to serve the Qing, led by Trần Thượng Xuyên and Dương Ngạn Địch. The Nguyễn ruler allowed them to settle and clear land. One group went to Mỹ Tho; Trần Thượng Xuyên’s group went to Đông Phố, in what is now Biên Hòa. From a population fleeing a defeated dynasty, they built docks, markets, and a trading network linking the Đồng Nai River to the sea.
In 1679, more than 3,000 people sailed on roughly 50 boats from southern China to Đàng Trong. They were Ming loyalists who refused to serve the Qing, led by Trần Thượng Xuyên and Dương Ngạn Địch. The Nguyễn ruler allowed them to settle and clear land. One group went to Mỹ Tho; Trần Thượng Xuyên’s group went to Đông Phố, in what is now Biên Hòa. From a population fleeing a defeated dynasty, they built docks, markets,
In 1679, more than 3,000 people sailed on roughly 50 boats from southern China to Đàng Trong. They were Ming loyalists who refused to serve the Qing, led by Trần Thượng Xuyên and Dương Ngạn Địch. The Nguyễn ruler allowed them to settle and clear land. One group went to Mỹ Tho; Trần Thượng Xuyên’s group went to Đông Phố, in what is now Biên Hòa. From a population fleeing a defeated dynasty, they built docks, markets,
In 1679, more than 3,000 people sailed on roughly 50 boats from southern China to Đàng Trong. They were Ming loyalists who refused to serve the Qing, led by Trần Thượng Xuyên and Dương Ngạn Địch. The Nguyễn ruler allowed them to settle and clear land. One group went to Mỹ Tho; Trần Thượng Xuyên’s group went to Đông Phố, in what is now Biên Hòa. From a population fleeing a defeated dynasty, they built docks, markets,
In 1679, more than 3,000 people sailed on roughly 50 boats from southern China to Đàng Trong. They were Ming loyalists who refused to serve the Qing, led by Trần Thượng Xuyên and Dương Ngạn Địch. The Nguyễn ruler allowed them to settle and clear land. One group went to Mỹ Tho; Trần Thượng Xuyên’s group went to Đông Phố, in what is now Biên Hòa. From a population fleeing a defeated dynasty, they built docks, markets,