While premodern Vietnamese scholars accepted the “Story of Hồng Bàng Clan” as an explanation for the birth of the nation, they reserved some skepticism about its origin and reliability. Such skepticism reflects the normal nature of intellectuals and would strike a chord with the scientific practices of the present. However, this skepticism would be unacceptable to rulers or power-seekers who want to embellish the legend to attract public support and augment their power, as ambitious and power-hungry politicians often do.