Reforms of Lê Thánh Tông of Vietnam

Timeline

1. 1483–1485Thăng Long · VietnamLê Thánh Tông promulgated the Hồng Đức Code (Hồng Đức Thiên Chính Luật) in 1483, and by 1485 extended its implementation across all circuits and prefectures. Covering criminal law, households and marriage, land, and military administration, it regulated social order by Confucian ethics and is one of the most complete codes in Vietnamese history.
2. 1485Thăng Long · VietnamLê Thánh Tông reformed the bureaucracy, severely punished corruption, expanded the scale of examination recruitment, and appointed Confucian scholars as local officials. Around 1485 the civil service system was further perfected and central control over the circuits markedly strengthened.
3. 1485Red River basin · VietnamThe court implemented equal-field and tax adjustments, registering households and measuring land to lighten farmers' burdens while securing treasury revenue. Agricultural reform and irrigation repairs proceeded together, laying the foundation for population growth and economic prosperity during the Hồng Đức era.