Lê Quý Đôn was a mandarin serving under the Lê trung hưng (Revival Lê or Later Lê Restoration) dynasty. He was also a renown poet and a great scholar in Vietnam’s feudal history. 
Lê’s life was spent in the turmoil of the 18th century. The court was deeply corrupt, and the common people lived in difficult poverty. One would have thought Lê might never have a chance to realize his full potential. But Lê Quý Đôn was also a man with great willpower and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Lê Quý Đôn thrived in the face of adversity. His name lived on as one of the great minds in Vietnam’s history. His life was one of utmost virtue.