President Ho Chi Minh celebrated his 59th birthday in Thai Nguyen.

Ban Khuoi Chang, located in Ban Peo hamlet, Binh Trung commune, Cho Don district, Bac Kan province (now Nghia Ta commune, Thai Nguyen province), is a historically significant site within the Cho Don Safe Zone (ATK) historical relic system. According to the records of the Cho Don ATK Special National Historical Relic, this is where President Ho Chi Minh stayed and worked from May 12, 1949 to June 1, 1949 – a full 20 days during the arduous years of the resistance war against French colonialism.

The postcard, published by the Hanoi Fine Arts and Music Publishing House, has the following note on the back: "Every day Uncle Ho dedicates time to research and writing (Bac Kan, May 1949)".

According to documents, the Khuoi Chang relic is a small, two-room house, approximately 4m x 6m in size, built with local materials such as wooden posts, bamboo walls, and a palm leaf roof. The house sits on a plot of land about 1,000m², right next to the Pho Day River, with a high mountain range behind it covered in dense trees – a secluded location ideal for revolutionary activities. Currently, only the foundation and the stone that President Ho Chi Minh once used as a step remain, but its historical value remains intact.

During his time operating in the Cho Don Resistance Zone, President Ho Chi Minh frequently moved his residence and workplace to ensure secrecy and safety, while also promptly directing the resistance war. Upon arriving at Khuoi Chang, he and his delegation traveled by raft on the Pho Day River, choosing to stop and temporarily renovate an abandoned house belonging to the Dao ethnic group to use as a workplace.

On the occasion of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday (May 19th), the staff planned to celebrate with him. When they presented their wish to celebrate his 59th birthday, President Ho Chi Minh spontaneously recited a few verses as a token of gratitude.

"For the sake of the country, one should not think about one's home."

Fifty-nine years old is still not old.

Let's wait until the resistance movement succeeds.

You will celebrate my birthday."

The newspaper Cuu Quoc, issue 1257, dated June 1, 1949, published a thank-you letter from Uncle Ho, which included the following passage: “However, unlike previous years, this year I have decided not to celebrate my birthday. Because I hope that from May 19th this year, all compatriots and all soldiers will strive even harder in the patriotic emulation movement to intensify the resistance and fully prepare for the general counter-offensive.”

These simple, witty, and intimate verses not only express Uncle Ho's gratitude to the comrades who served and protected him, but also affirm the victory of the arduous resistance war against French colonialism, contributing to encouraging and motivating the comrades to believe that this difficult struggle would surely lead to complete victory.

Today, Khuoi Chang is not only a historical site but also a "red address" related to President Ho Chi Minh; it contributes to shedding light on the arduous yet heroic years he led the nation's resistance war.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/mien-nui-vung-cao/202605/bac-ho-don-sinh-nhat-tuoi-59-o-thai-nguyen-7016fb7/