TAP DINH DAN LY TAI DALAM PEMBERONTAKAN TAY SON

The Tay Son Uprising (17711802) did not only worsen the political situation in Dang Trong and Dang Ngoai in Annam but also brought about the involvement of the Chinese community in the political turbulence. The fact that the Chinese community was actively involved in the uprising was evident through the participation individual or groups. At the beginning of the Tay Son Uprising, Tap Dinh and Ly Tai, two prominent Chinese merchants from China, had established important ties with Tay Son and played a dominant role in the success of the uprising. Nevertheless, their role was short lived, as Ly Tai later betrayed and defected to support the Early Nguyen family. This article attempts to examine the involvement of Tap Dinh and Ly Tai in the Tay Son Uprising. It further explores the reactions of the Tay Son troop and the Early Nguyen family regarding the two Chinese merchants in the early days of the movement. It was found that their primary contribution was in the form of military manpower, which eventually resulted in the success or failures of each party.