Emperor Mac Phuc Hai

Before dawn, a young examination candidate hurries down the road to the exam ground, a lantern in his hand. In his bag are an ink stick, a brush, and an excitement that keeps pounding in his chest. Today is the day of his exam.

It is still dark, with a light, cool wind. Early dew rests on the grass beside the road, and the lantern sways with every step. Ahead, shapes of other candidates his age crowd together, each one hugging a box of brushes and ink, their eyes bright. They have come from many different villages, and they carry with them many long nights of study by lamplight.

This boy lives in a time when the court prized talented people. It is the time of an emperor named Mạc Phúc Hải.

Historical records say he was the third emperor of the Mạc dynasty. His father was Emperor Mạc Thái Tông, also called Mạc Đăng Doanh. His grandfather was Mạc Đăng Dung, who had founded the dynasty. So three generations, grandfather, father and grandson, followed one another in looking after the country.

He took the throne in 1540 and reigned for about six years, until 1546. His reign name was Quảng Hòa, a name that already sounds like a wish for generosity and peace. After he died in the capital, Thăng Long, people honored him as Hiến Tông. Thăng Long is the city now called Hanoi.

Six years is not long. Yet in those short years he found time for something that made many students glad. He opened examinations, to find able people who could help the people and the country.

Back at the exam ground, the young candidate sits down, grinds his ink, lays out his paper, and listens for the drum to mark the hour. He knows that somewhere far away, an emperor is waiting for people like him. If he studies well and writes well, even a poor family's son can use his learning to serve others.

During his six years on the throne, Emperor Mạc Phúc Hải opened two examinations like this. In the exam of 1541, the top candidate was Nguyễn Kỳ. In the exam of 1544, the top candidate was Vũ Khâm. They were diligent students who had passed through many tests to become accomplished men.

The Mạc dynasty kept the custom of examinations very steadily, one every three years. Because of that, in every generation there were boys like him, carrying lanterns to the exam ground while the sky was still dark. The dynasty kept its capital at Thăng Long from 1527 all the way to 1592, and through those years one group of students after another followed. Father sat the exam, then son, then grandson, and so it stretched on.

This emperor did not care only for lamps and books. He also cared for farmers with mud on their hands and feet. His court worked at giving public land to the people who farmed it. By the old custom handed down, there were fields set aside as rewards, and fields shared out equally among the people and the soldiers, so that everyone had a piece of land to sow.

On one side, a student bends over a sheet of paper, dreaming of passing. On the other, a farmer goes out to the field at first light, to the plot he was given. One looks after the written word, the other after the grain of rice, and both are cared for by the same court.

Students had a place to work hard, and farmers had fields to plant. Each had a task, and together they made quiet, peaceful days.

Every exam season, some boy sets out along the road with a lantern before the first rooster crows. A fragrant ink stick in his bag, lantern light shining on wet grass, and a whole sky of dreams ahead. Through many harvests and many lifetimes, that picture has stayed beautiful.