Nguy?n Tr?i, also known under his pen name ?c Trai (13801442) was an illustrious Vietnamese Confucian scholar, a noted poet, a skilled politician and a master tactician. He was at times attributed with being capable of almost miraculous or mythical deeds in his designated capacity as a close friend and principal advisor of L? L?i, Vietnam's hero-king, who fought to free the country from Chinese rule. He is credited with writing the important political statements of L? L?i and inspiring the Vietnamese populace to support open rebellion against the Ming Dynasty rulers. He is also the author of the declaration of independence from China, 'B?nh Ng? ??i c?o' ('Great Proclamation upon the Pacification of the Wu [Ming China]). Nguy?n Tr?i was born in 1380 in Th?ng Long (present day Hanoi), the capital of the declining Tr?n Dynasty. Under the brief H? Dynasty, he passed examination and served for a time in the government. In 1406, Ming forces invaded and conquered Vietnam. Under the occupation, Ming China attempted to convert Vietnam into a Chinese province and ruthlessly quashed all rebellions. In 1417, Nguy?n Tr?i joined a rebel leader named L? L?i, who was resisting the occupation from a mountainous region in Thanh H?a Province south of Hanoi. Nguy?n Tr?i served as the chief advisor, strategist and propagandist for the movement. The war of independence leading to the defeat of the Ming and the inauguration of the L? Dynasty lasted from 1417 to 1427.