Nguyễn Thị Duệ

Nguyễn Thị Duệ has courtesy name Ngọc Toàn (玉全), pen name Diệu Huyền (妙玄), Đào Hoa Am (桃花庵). She was born in 1574 at Kiệt Đặc village, Bằng Châu, Dương Kinh. When was a child, she was known as intelligent and beautiful girl. However, Nguyễn Thị Duệ was only interested in the study.

In 1592, the capital Đông Kinh was captured by the Trịnh army but then he recaptured it year later. The Mạc now lost all of Việt Nam except for the areas around Cao Bình county which was under the formal protection of the Ming army. New Mạc leader was Mạc Kính Chỉ, then his son Mạc Kính Cung. They proclaimed as Vietnamese emperors.

In this time, Nguyễn Thị Duệ's family ran after Mạc lords to live in Cao Bình. In 1594, disguised as a man to take the Civil Service Exams by pseudonym Nguyễn Thị Du (阮氏瑜). She has passed the exam in rank doctor. However, her gender was discovered by emperor Mạc Đại Tông at the imperial party. Then the emperor only complimented and asked her to teach his wives. Some months later, she also became the consort Nội-thị cung-tần (內侍宮嬪) by hereditary title Star Consort (星飛).

When Mạc's enemy annihilated her dynasty, Nguyễn Thị Duệ was taken captive. Instead of executing her, the invader installed her as an imperial tutor out of admiration for her intellect. At the court of emperor Lê Thần Tông, she became the consort Chiêu-nghi (昭儀) by order of a new hereditary title Officer Nghi-ái (儀愛官).