Nanyue, or Nam Việt in Vietnamese was an ancient kingdom founded by the Chinese general Zhao Tuo, whose family continued to rule until 111 BC. Nanyue's geographical expanse covered the modern Chinese subdivisions of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau, southern Fujian and central to northern Vietnam. Zhao Tuo, then Commander of Nanhai Commandery of the Qin dynasty, established Nanyue in 204 BC after the collapse of the Qin dynasty. At first, it consisted of the commanderies of Nanhai, Guilin, and Xiang.
A hufu 虎符, or Tiger Tally, made of bronze with gold inlay, found in the tomb of the King of Nanyue (at Guangzhou), dated 2nd century BCE, during the Western Han era of China; tiger Tallies were separated into two pieces, one held by the emperor, the other given to a military commander as a symbol of imperial authority and ability to command troops.
Statue of Zhao Tuo, in front of Heyuan Railway Station
Zhao Mo's jade sarcophagus with red silk
Lamellar armour and reproduction, from the tomb of Zhao Mo
Zhao Tuo (Chinese: 趙佗; pinyin: Zhào Tuó; Cantonese Jyutping: Ziu6 To4; Wade–Giles: Chao4 T‘o2) or Triệu Đà in Vietnamese, was a Qin dynasty Chinese general and first emperor of Nanyue. He participated in the conquest of the Baiyue peoples of Guangdong, Guangxi and Northern Vietnam. After the fall of the Qin, he established the independent kingdom of Nanyue with its capital in Panyu (now Guangzhou) in 204 BCE. Some traditional Vietnamese history scholars considered him an emperor of Vietnam and the founder of the Triệu dynasty while some contemporary historians contest that he was a foreign invader.
Statue of Zhao Tuo
A statue of Zhao in front of Heyuan Railway Station
A statue of Zhao Tuo in Hebei, China
Triệu Đà statue at đình Xuân Quan, Hưng Yên, Vietnam
