Mythical figure: A statue of Genenal Cao Lo at the Co Loa Citadel. — Photo www.panoramio.com

HA NOI (VNS)— A conference honouring Cao Lo, a general who lived during the Thuc dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, was held in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

Cao Lo (?-179BC) gained fame as a talented and courageous general who helped King An Duong Vuong build the country of Au Lac (as Viet Nam was known during the Thuc dynasty, from 257 BC to 207 BC) and establish Co Loa Citadel as the new capital.

The general was a skilful weaponry engineer who, legend has it, created a "magical" crossbow incorporating the claw of the Golden Tortoise that killed thousands of enemies with a single arrow. He has been worshipped for centuries in many temples in Viet Nam.

"Cao Lo is a national hero, a symbol of the courage, intelligence and strength of Vietnamese people during the early times of the foundation of the country," said President Truong Tan Sang, who took part in the conference.

"More than 2,000 years have passed, but the precious lessons of vigilance over the enemy that he taught us have not lost their value."

While Cao Lo spent time advising King An Duong Vuong to be more vigilant, the King didn't follow his advice, resulting in his defeat by Chinese warlord Zhao Tuo (Trieu Da in Vietnamese).

Many believe that Cao Lo is only a character of legend. However, Vietnamese historians taking part in the conference affirmed that the general was a real person. His magical crossbow also existed, they said, even though the detail about the claw of the Golden Tortoise might have been invented for narrative embellishment.

"Legend is in fact history, recorded with inventiveness by local people. So we should not lose our belief in the historical events just because a few details are made up," said historian Duong Trung Quoc.

Researcher Phan Huy Le said that more people should delve into the story of Cao Lo, as he should be honoured as a national cultural symbol.

In 1959, archaeologists discovered thousands of bronze arrows at the foot of the Co Loa Citadel, now in Dong Anh District in Ha Noi, 17km northwest of the city's centre. In 1982 and 2005, traces of the workshop that cast those arrows, which dates back to the time before Christ, were also discovered at the citadel. Since then, several models of the magical crossbow have been produced, although historians expect to learn more about the composition of this crossbow in the future and will adjust their reproductions accordingly. — VNS