A Study on the Vietnamese Land Distribution Regulation of 1804

Abstract

 The process by which State-owned rice fields of the 15th century became communal land by the 19th century is analyzed based on an examination of the text of Gia long quân cầp quan điền pháp or the Land Distribution Regulation of 1804.
Part I. In the early 19th century, holdings of công điền , or Statc-owned rice fields, in the Red River delta varied between villages. For example, some villages had no công điền , while in others all the ricefields were công điền . In the 19th century, the transfer system of công điền , which had been prohibited in the 15th century, became wider-spread throughout the delta villages. Furthermore, the central government could not control the peasant society because it could not make accurate land rolls and registers, and because the number of peasants who abandoned their legal residence increased sharply. Thus, it is doubtful whether the Land Distribution Regulation of 1804 was put into effect.
Part II. The Hồng Dư'c and Vĩnh thanh Regulations had included many detailed acts concerning the distributors of công điền , the governors and tax collectors. But the Gia Long Regulation included no such acts. The former regulations i. e. Hong Du'c and Vĩnh thanh had divided all villages into two types, công điền xã and tù' điền xã , but in the Gia Long Regulation this distinction was not drawn. This indicates that the Gia Long was a nominal regulation which was ineffective in controlling the distribution of công điền .
Part III. Central and provincial government officials and soldiers are divided into 18 grades, and the number in each grade is multiplied by the allotment of công điền for that grade to give the total allotment for each grade. These are very small compared with the total công điền possessed by the numerically superior peasants. The regulation was effective only in that it defined a social hierarchy in which the officials and soldiers were distinguished from peasants by their greater individual allotment of công điền.
Part IV. The distribution of công điền to peasants under this Regulation is analyzed, công điền was distributed according to the capitation tax roll. This system aimed at bringing the social order of villagers under central government control.
  In conclusion, it appears that by this Regulation the Central Government aimed at introducing national order into the villages.
  L'École Francais d'Extreme Orient is acknowledged with thanks for authorizing the use of its invaluable manuscripts in the form of microfilms, which are now preserved in the Toyo Bunko.