Yes. Nguyen Thi Due
The nearly -thousand-year history of Confucian education in Viet Nam discriminated against women. The system forbade woman from taking part in the royal exams, even at the provincial level, and from holding a Baccalaureate or Bachelor's Degree. One woman, however, did achieve the title of Doctor under the Mac Dynasty (1527-1592). Nguyen Thi Due, a native of Chi Linh District in Hai Duong Province disguised herself as a boy to go to school and take part in the exams. She succeeded in the provincial examination and became a Bachelor and later achieving the title of Doctor.
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| Nguyen Thi Due's temple |
In 1592, the Mac Dynasty was defeated and had to leave the capital of Thang Long for Cao Bang, a mountainous northern province. The so-called "Restored Le Dynasty", which lasted until 1789, nominally ascended to the throne even though all effective power remained with the Trinh Lords. To win over the hearts of his subjects and to show his esteem for education, Lord Trinh Tac dispatched an envoy to Chi Linh to invite Doctor Nguyen Thi Due to teach children of noble families in Thang Long. After her death, Lord Trinh Tac ordered a statue of Nguyen Thi Due erected in her home village, built a stupa beside her tomb on Tri Ngu Mountain, and raised her to the position of a Goddess.
Recently, the Vietnamese Government has certified Doctor Due's home as a famous historical site to honour the courageous Vietnamese woman who became the first female doctoral laureate in the nation's history.