Hậu Lý Nam Đế (後李南帝, bornLý Phật Tử (李佛子), c. 518 – 602) was the last king of theEarly Lý dynasty, founded by his cousinLý Nam Đế. He reigned inVạn Xuân (present-day north Vietnam) from 571 to 602.^[1]

Phật Tử was a cousin ofLý Nam Đế, whose ancestors were said to be of northern descent (Chinese) who fled south duringWang Mang's usurpation during the 1st century AD and had become localized after seven generations.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} However, Phật Tử was referred as aLĭ (俚) barbarian (man) whereasLý Bí was not. According to Michael Churchman, this may have been the result of a process in which purported Chinese lineages became localized over time and were attributed uncivilized foreigner status by Tang writers.^[7] It may also mean Lý Phật Tử was a leader ofTai-speakers,^[8] who historically inhabited theRed River Delta from 200 AD to 700 AD.^[9][10]

Lý Phật Tử andTriệu Việt Vương had a peace agreement in place; however, Lý Phật Tử had ambitions to claim to the entire territory of Việt people. Around 570 AD, Lý Phật Tử's army overranLong Biên, a region that belonged to Triệu Việt Vương, and seized it. Triệu Việt Vương was caught by surprise and defeated, he retreated to the river Đại Nha (now inNam Định Province, northern Vietnam) where he killed himself. Lý Phật Tử then proclaimed himself the Later Lý Nam Đế and went on to ruleVạn Xuân (Vietnam) as an independent state for the next 32 years.

In 589 AD, the newSui dynasty emerged as the sole power in a unified China after having defeated theChen dynasty. In 602 the new emperorEmperor Wen of Sui sent a 120,000-man army to invadeVạn Xuân and re-claim dominion over the Viet people. Lý Phật Tử realized his army would not be strong enough to engage in a major conflict with the Sui invading force. At the same time, he also received enormous pressure from his ruling administration to avoid any confrontation with the emerging Sui Dynasty. In the winter of 602, when the Sui force marched on Vạn Xuân, Lý Phật Tử decided to surrender in exchange for stability in the region.

The Early Lý dynasty, although defeated, proved that it was capable of independence and self-rule. Through more than 60 years of rebellion and defiance, the national sentiment of the Viet people was awakened. When the northern imperial power began showing signs of weakness and disunity at the end of theTang dynasty, the Việt people would seize the opportunity to slip from Chinese rule.

• Chamberlain, James R. (2000)."The origin of the Sek: implications for Tai and Vietnamese history"(PDF). In Burusphat, Somsonge (ed.).Proceedings of the International Conference on Tai Studies, July 29–31, 1998. Bangkok, Thailand: Institute of Language and Culture for Rural Development, Mahidol University.ISBN 974-85916-9-7. Retrieved29 August 2014.
• Churchman, Catherine (2016).The People Between the Rivers: The Rise and Fall of a Bronze Drum Culture, 200–750 CE. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.ISBN 978-1-442-25861-7.

• Early Lý dynasty kings
• Hoa people
• 510s births
• 606 deaths
• 6th-century monarchs in Asia
• 6th-century Vietnamese people
• 7th-century Vietnamese people
• Vietnamese monarchs

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