Abstract

This article examines the penal system under the Nguyễn dynasty, with particular emphasis on the Hoàng Việt luật lệ (1813), to elucidate its foundations, structural characteristics, and operational mechanisms. It highlights the interaction between Legalist principles and Confucian ideology in shaping the system of punishment, as well as key features such as legal specificity, hierarchical organization, and supporting judicial mechanisms. From a historical and legal perspective, the study identifies several enduring values that may inform the continued development of Vietnam’s criminal policy, particularly the need to balance rigorous law enforcement with humanitarian considerations.

Keywords: Criminal policy, Hoàng Việt Code, legal inheritance, Nguyễn dynasty law, penal system.