The Story of the Mountains

BPO - It's often said that any relationship that exists is certainly a matter of fate. But whether or not you can stay together depends on destiny...

For me, "going to the mountains" is like a destiny I've embraced, and "living in the mountains" is like a "fate" I must fulfill, a "repayment" as the elders often say. Reflecting on each of us, perhaps that's not wrong, as everyone has their own destiny, from marriage and career choices to establishing a business...

From the "conquest" of Mount Ba Den...

In the 1980s, while studying at the Tran Nhan Ton Broadcasting and Television School II in Ho Chi Minh City, my group of classmates and I once "conquered" the summit of this mountain...

At that time, the tourism and service system on Ba Den Mountain was very basic and was considered a place of deep spiritual pilgrimage for visitors from all over. Few people knew about or had the opportunity to climb to the summit of this mountain because there were no roads opened for tourists like there are now...

Ba Den Mountain today - Source: Internet

According to locals, Mount Ba Den previously had two paths to the summit, both originating from local trails. One trail, located behind the Ba Den Temple, was in poor condition, difficult to navigate, and fraught with dangers such as rockslides, slippery surfaces, and venomous snakes. Another path, from the War Memorial, followed the power poles and was quite long and deserted.

To "conquer" the summit of Ba Den Mountain at that time, I and a group of 10 other siblings rode our "iron horses" (bicycles were a fairly common means of transportation for students in the 1980s) to a friend's house in Tay Ninh the afternoon before.

At dawn, our group arrived at the foot of the mountain to begin our ascent... The weather in the mountainous region was quite cold, but we were already drenched in sweat after only climbing the steps at Hang Pagoda!

Thang, our friend from Tay Ninh who was guiding us, said to us, "Now comes the real challenge... Are you guys still determined?" Seeing our determination, Thang opened his Adidas bag full of warm, homemade banana sticky rice cakes and urged us to eat them to gain strength for the climb...

...At this point, everyone suddenly remembered they hadn't brought much drinking water, only a small tin can, and there were 9 or 10 of us... Anh Chức - a retired soldier who studied with us - showed the most experience. He gave each person a capful to sip from, then assigned tasks: some tied pairs of sandals together with rope to carry; others carried food... and then we clung to each other, making our way along the steep forest path to the summit... stopping to rest at any gentler sections. It probably took us more than two hours to reach the summit.

At that time, the summit of Ba Den Mountain had nothing but a few damaged shipping containers scattered among the wild plants... However, before we could explore much, suddenly a huge, golden-yellow snake slithered out from the leaves right where our friend Tung (from Dong Nai) was sitting, causing everyone to panic and quickly descend the mountain...

Of course, at an altitude of 996m, we truly conquered this mountain and were able to gaze out at the vast landscape... Clearly, if we always stayed at the foot of the mountain, how could we see the boundless sky and earth? To achieve that, each of us must strive to overcome all challenges and difficulties to stand at the summit!

"Every mountain is within reach if you keep climbing" (Barry Finlay)

In recent years, as Mount Ba Den has received investment for tourism development with many large-scale projects, including a station and cable car system to the summit... I had the opportunity to return to this mountain peak...

Mount Ba Den today - Photo: Internet

Every time I have the chance to set foot on this mountain peak again, I still remember the old story and feel proud that I once overcame the challenge to stand on the summit of the highest mountain in the Southeast region of Vietnam...

To fulfill the "wish to conquer" Mount Ba Ra

Ba Ra Mountain - Source: Internet

After graduating, I started working at the Local Broadcasting Management Department of Song Be Radio Station (later Song Be Radio and Television Station). One day, the Director of the station at that time, Uncle Hai Dinh (now deceased), called me to his office and assigned me to go on a mission to Phuoc Long district (now Phuoc Long town).

Back then, anyone who received a private invitation from the director was very "scared" because it usually meant something important and related to them.

I was young at the time, so when I heard that, I felt "scared" and worried!

Still hesitating at the doorway, stammering and unable to utter a greeting, Uncle Hai Dinh, sitting at his desk, looked up and asked:

- Ah... Thao, is that you? ...Come in and sit here, I need to discuss something with you...

Uncle Hai meticulously questioned me about my studies at school, and outlined some necessary requirements for opening a training course for grassroots radio broadcasting staff... He wanted me to prepare "lesson plans" to "be a teacher" and give lectures in Phuoc Long...

My uncle instructed me: "This business trip will keep you here for about a month... Have you ever been to Phuoc Long before?... as he spoke, he pointed to the map hanging on the wall..."

I saw it as the largest and furthest area of ​​Song Be at that time...

On the day of departure, that afternoon, Mr. Vo Hung Phong, former Deputy Director of Binh Duong Radio and Television Station, who was then the Head of the Broadcasting Management Department at Song Be Radio Station, drove me to his house to stay overnight, so that I could get to the bus station early the next morning.

At 5 a.m., the first bus to Phuoc Long departed. The roads to Phuoc Long were very difficult at that time. From Phu Giao onwards, it was a winding, red dirt road full of potholes and red dust... At 5 p.m., the bus arrived at the Phuoc Long bus station, right at the foot of the majestic Ba Ra mountain. That image left a deep impression on me when I first visited this area...

Never before had I been on a long, remote assignment, especially to a mountainous area, so hearing Uncle Hai's heartfelt advice made me quite worried... Fortunately, during my stay at the Phuoc Long District Radio Station, the staff took good care of me.

Mr. Mai Trang, the station manager at the time, took care of my sleeping arrangements; Ms. Anh and Mr. Nghia took care of my meals and prepared water for bathing; in the morning, Mr. Rang and Mr. Phi took me out for breakfast... The care and attention of the staff helped me feel more at ease during my stay there.

Now, they've all retired, but the story from nearly 30 years ago still stays with me, and those are acts of kindness that I can never forget...

During my stay at Phuoc Long Radio Station, every early morning, in the cool weather, standing and looking towards the mist-shrouded Ba Ra mountain... I suddenly thought... I wish I could once again "conquer" the second mountain of this southeastern region of Vietnam!

***

A few years later – around late 1988 to 1989 – Song Be Radio Station conducted surveys to build a radio and television relay station on this mountain, aiming to provide information coverage to the people of the five northern districts of Song Be at that time (now Binh Phuoc province).

"Whenever you finish a mountain climb, there's always the next thing you can try" (Alex Honnold)

Since 1990, this project has entered the phase of "cutting through mountains and building roads," and that was also the opportunity for me to have a second chance to "conquer" the second highest mountain in the Southeast region - as I had previously wished!

…Difficulties stemming from the “inner mountain”

The day I decided to volunteer for the assignment to work in the mountains (Ba Ra), Uncle Tuyen - Mr. Ngo Thanh Tuyen, former Director of Song Be Radio and Television Station (now deceased) - called me and gave me many instructions: He warned me that there would be many difficulties and challenges; he advised me to think carefully and not rush into a decision, but to go home and discuss it with my family...

I heard they were going to work in the mountains... My mother raised her voice and shouted: "Quit! Quit!... You should quit your job... You'll die up there!... Didn't you hear what people said?!"

"First is Con Lon, second is Ba Ra!" (*) - a sacred forest region, poisonous waters! How can one survive there, let alone go up there!?...".

This saying is probably little known, and nowadays, the term "Con Lon" is rarely mentioned; people simply refer to it as Con Dao. In fact, Con Dao, or Con Son, was formerly the name used for the largest island in this archipelago.

Vietnamese historical texts before the 20th century often referred to Con Son Island as Con Lon Island (now known as Phu Hai Island). According to researchers, the name Con Lon originates from ancient Malay and was later called Poulo Condor by Europeans (internet source).

Perhaps it was fate that brought me and a friend of about the same age together, leading us to become close friends. I'll never forget the day he came to see me in the early days after the separation of Song Be province…

…Standing right at the station gate, neither of us knew the other. He asked: "Ba Thao? 'Mountain Lord' Ba Ra, right?"… I nodded slightly and asked his name and reason. He simply said he was in this province, had heard a lot about me, and wanted to meet me; if we got along, we could be friends… Later, we became close and shared many things about our lives that had similarities – except that he told me a lot about the sea and islands, while I told him about “stories of the mountains”…

Many times, we had the opportunity to go to Con Dao together. Each time, we talked about the saying: "First Con Lon, second Ba Ra." I understood him better and what he had done for this sea and island region. I also witnessed the affection the islanders showed him each time he returned. I jokingly said, "He's the 'Lord of the Island'..." The story of the "mountain" and the "island" seems to be a matter of fate. Our friendship has grown stronger over the years, accumulating many precious things, just like the word "bồ" (in Southern Vietnam) that we often use for each other…

***

Back to the topic of going up the mountain.

At that time, my mother was so resolute, while my father gently advised, "If possible, I want you not to go!...".

My older brother listened to the story, remained silent and thoughtful, then invited me for coffee to talk more...

The coffee cup was empty, several weeks had passed since we last drank tea, and both of us remained silent... Feeling impatient, I spoke up: "Do you support me?... I know living in the mountains is very difficult, but I want to challenge myself..."

Seemingly still hesitant, he said, "My parents' disapproval is understandable... because it's a sacred, dangerous area... they love me, that's why they're against it... Let me try to convince them... You should think carefully too... Consider your limits, because once you've made a decision, you can't give up!... You must try your best despite the hardships and difficulties..."

A few days later, I sat with Uncle Tuyen and Uncle Hieu to tell them about going up the mountain... Both of them were very happy, but kept asking what I had told my family? And Vinh? (my older brother)...

Uncle Bay said, "There must be filial piety and gratitude!"... You should stay there for about 3 years, and when everything is settled, they will bring you back!

"The hardest mountain to climb is the one on the inside." (J. Lynn)

Uncle Út kept patting my head: "...I feel so sorry for you!... Honestly, I didn't want you to go to the mountains, but hearing that you've decided to accept the mission, I feel relieved... just try your best, son...".

... The day we went up the mountain

At that time, the mountain road from the foot of the mountain up to Bang Lang Hill was being built... The house on this hill was also having its interior finished.

At that time, Trong, Su, Phong, and Lon were also involved in this construction process... These are the brothers who later became like family to me...

The car carrying the station's management team and me went up the mountain and stopped right at the steps of the house on Bang Lang hill... as soon as I opened the door and stepped out, I was surprised to meet an old high school friend from my hometown...

- Hey...Damn it, Thao!?...

- Force...!?...

- It's me!!!...

- Hey... What are you doing here!?...

- Damn it... I'm building a house for you to live in right now...

- ...!???...

- Today, I heard Thao's name mentioned that she'll be the station manager here... but I didn't think it would be you...!!!

We quickly hugged and patted each other on the shoulder, much to the astonishment of everyone and… of both of us – a reunion that couldn't have been more unexpected between two high school students from years ago…

***

..."Boom, boom!"... "Clang, clang!"... Mr. Phu's Chemistry class, my homeroom teacher of 9A2, was "quiet" during homework time... suddenly those "strange" sounds rang out...

- "We're doomed!"... I thought to myself, when I saw Luc sitting in front of me banging on the table "boom, boom"... and then Phu Hai clanging two pieces of metal together "clang, clang"!... Following the sound, Mr. Phu came to my table, asked who it was!?... and it wasn't difficult to "make" my two friends stand up to be punished...

During my middle school years, Luc was considered a "troublemaker" because of his disruptive behavior in class and his tendency to bully his classmates... but for some reason, Luc was very fond of me, defended me, and "protected me"...

***

I never expected that, amidst the mountains and forests of Bà Rá, in this unfamiliar land and among strangers, I would meet Lực again, that I would have someone to "protect" me like before...

Listening to Luc's story, I learned that after dropping out of school, Luc became a construction worker... and then, by fate, he ended up on Ba Ra mountain, working as a master builder, constructing a "house" for me to live in.

During the construction of the Ba Ra Monument, I can never forget the cement slabs used to make the steps that Luc carried, lifted, and built all the way to the summit... The isolation transformer weighing tens of kilograms that Luc shouldered to the mountaintop for me... or the days when Luc and I waded through waterfalls and ventured deep into the forest... and Luc climbed high up into dry branches to pick wild orchids for me...

However, a few years after the Ba Ra Radio Station began operating, I never had the chance to see Luc again because of the terrible cancer he was suffering from...

That year, I went to Lực's family home in Lò Muối hamlet, Dĩ An... to light an incense stick and bid farewell to my friend!

On the day I went up the mountain, Bang Lang Hill was chosen as the gathering point for construction materials such as sand, stone, cement, iron, and steel... from there, people would continue to carry and transport them up to the summit of Ba Ra Mountain to build the building for the transmission station.

The hill was named Bang Lang Hill by the station's management at the time. The reason for this name is that when the road was being built towards the summit, the area that reached this forest was a gently sloping, fairly flat area with many Bang Lang trees, which could be used to make doors, beds, etc., for the construction project.

The uncles recounted that after many attempts and selections of locations for building a road up the mountain, the chosen starting point was Mr. Hai Lang's cashew orchard (near the area of ​​the current Immaculate Conception statue). Compared to previous survey points in the Phuoc Binh forest area, this location was more favorable because it had a moderate slope, fewer steep cliffs, making it easier to bring in bulldozers to build the road; it also facilitated access, transportation of construction materials, and significantly reduced construction costs...

Bang Lang Hill, 452 meters above sea level, faces northeast. Nestled against the mountainside, if not obstructed by forest trees, one can see the shimmering silver surface of the Thac Mo hydroelectric reservoir and, in the distance, shrouded in clouds, the final mountain ranges of the Truong Son Mountains... Right at the foot of the mountain, on the 1.5km road leading up to Bang Lang Hill, is the Thac Me Bridge with the shallow stream of Thac Mo flowing gently across it. Before the hydroelectric dam was built, every time I went up the mountain and passed by, I would stop here to admire the water droplets dancing in the swirling mist, accompanied by the melodious sounds... It truly is a vibrant natural landscape that people should enjoy... Back then, it was still pristine, and every morning, from Bang Lang Hill, one could still hear the murmuring sound of the Thac Me waterfall...

***

During the years of road construction, Bang Lang Hill only had one single-story house (originally used as temporary accommodation for the project management team, technical staff, and construction workers. Later, it became the residence for the technical staff operating the Ba Ra Broadcasting Station).

The area surrounding the house was still undeveloped at that time. In front was a leveled courtyard of red gravel connecting to a winding, zigzag road that snaked up from the foot of the mountain; behind and to the sides of the house were rolling hills and rocky outcrops, interspersed with dense forests of bamboo and reeds...

To create more space in front of the house and for "increased production," the members of the Board of Directors at the time leveled an additional low-lying area in front of the house, right up to the edge of the forest near the "elbow" bend leading up to Bang Lang hill. Afterward, they planted pomelos, mangoes, vegetable gardens, and trellises of fragrant gourds...

***

Days in the mountains…

...Every few days, my older brother would take the bus up to visit me. Sometimes he would stay in the mountains with the others until the next day before returning home... and he would always slip some money into my hand...

Later, I learned that every time my older brother came to visit me in the mountains, he would hide the truth from our parents when telling them about my hard life... it wasn't until 5 or 6 years later that my parents had the chance to come to the mountains... Although living conditions in Ba Ra Mountain later became quite comfortable and well-off, the perspective of the elderly is always profound... After walking around Bang Lang Hill, my father quickly wiped away his tears and turned his face away so I wouldn't see...

***

The day I went up the mountain, following Uncle Bay Hieu - Mr. Nguyen Trung Hieu, former Director of the Radio Station (deceased), Brother Hai Sang (Mr. Truong Van Sang, former Deputy Director of the Radio Station), Ms. Thu Ha from the Planning Department and the survey team that opened the road, was a valuable experience for me in terms of skills, life experiences in the mountainous forest environment and the determination of people to conquer nature...

How could I forget the joy of following Uncle Tuyen (Mr. Ngo Thanh Tuyen, former Director of Song Be Radio Station) and his colleagues from the mountains, venturing deep into the forest to connect sections of plastic pipes to bring water to Bang Lang Hill... The hurried meals on long slopes in the forest with the team pulling electricity up the mountain... Or the days when the water receded at the end of 1991, when I and the technical team at the time carried and hauled equipment and machinery, along with hundreds of villagers, up and down the mountain to carry bricks, bags of sand, cement... up the slopes and through the forest from Bang Lang Hill to the mountaintop to meet the deadline for completing the broadcasting station and putting it into operation that spring...

***

In the mountains…

The spring of 1991 was perhaps the spring that I and my brothers in the mountains at that time will never forget…

On the morning of the 30th of Tet (Lunar New Year's Eve), "Bang Lang Hill already has spring flowers" - a few branches of apricot blossoms gifted by a local family at the foot of the mountain had been carefully singed at the base by me and the Ba Ra brothers, and we chose a suitable vase to put them in and decorated them quite satisfactorily.

A whole pork leg and a large piece of pork shoulder that the guys from Phu Van gave us were divided up among us: braised in soy sauce, stuffed with bitter melon. The fatty parts were used to make banh tet and banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) and cooked since the night of the 29th. I secretly read through a few pages of the cookbook I bought at the newsstand in front of Phuoc Long market, which described "Tet dishes"... and then, together with the guys from Ba Ra, we organized a pretty delicious cooking session. Everyone was celebrating Tet away from home, so I wanted everyone to have three days of Tet here, just like at home...

We also had a few more crates of beer that Uncle Ba Khiem sent (Mr. Pham Van Khiem, then Chairman of Phuoc Long District). The Tet celebration in the mountains was now quite complete and fulfilling. Six Dung (Nguyen Van Dung, former Deputy Radio Chief of Ba Ra) opened a crate of beer, put two cans in his backpack, and chuckled: “Let’s take them up to the summit to offer as a New Year’s Eve sacrifice. After our shift tonight, Uncle Ba and I will toast!”

The night of the 30th on the summit of Ba Ra mountain.

It was already 10 o'clock at night. Leaving Six Dung in the broadcasting control room, I prepared the offering tray to place outside the control room. It wasn't much, just a boiled chicken, some fruit, sweets, and two cans of beer that Six Dung had brought with him in his backpack. I set up the altar on the stone table in front of the station. Then, I went to the base of the milkwood tree in front of the station – where I had temporarily set up an altar on the tree trunk – to light incense. There were still people lying under that tree at the time, whom I had discovered during the leveling and construction of the station. Therefore, Uncle Ut Tuyen (Mr. Ngo Thanh Tuyen, former Director of Song Be Radio Station) had asked me to perform the ritual. I remembered his words: “Many people fell on this mountaintop. That's what war is like! Tell your colleagues, whenever you come up here on duty, to light incense for them, and pray for their blessings so that you may be healthy and safe to complete your assigned tasks…”

…A gust of wind swept through, sending a chill down my spine. The night in the mountains grew even colder as it deepened… I hurried back inside; outside – below the mountain – many places were already brightly lit by the sound of New Year's fireworks… Suddenly, I felt a deep longing for home, for the New Year's Eve nights spent with my family, offering prayers to our ancestors and watching the long, resounding bursts of fireworks…

On TV, firecrackers exploded, signaling the arrival of New Year's Eve and a new spring… On the walkie-talkie, Uncle Bay Hieu's voice could be heard wishing the brothers in the mountains a Happy New Year… The brothers' voices could be heard wishing Uncle Bay well… The walkie-talkies crackled as the brothers on Bang Lang Hill and the mountaintop called out to each other… Six Dung and I also wished each other a Happy New Year, our eyes welling up with tears…

***

The spring of 1991 was perhaps the happiest spring for the people of the five northern districts of Song Be province (now Binh Phuoc province) when the waves of the Ba Ra River merged with the Thac Mo power source to bring the light of culture to the remote villages; extending the sounds and images of the homeland to Phuoc Long in particular and Binh Phuoc today.

For me, the images of Mount Ba Den and Mount Ba Ra have always been a source of pride, because even in those early, undeveloped days, I conquered two of the three highest mountains in the Southeast region (in order: Mount Ba Den in Tay Ninh - Mount Chua Chan in Dong Nai - Mount Ba Ra in Binh Phuoc). It must have been fate!

"Climbing a mountain is not about the world seeing you, but about you seeing the world" (David McCullough)

For me, it's also an unforgettable milestone in my nearly 40 years in the industry, and Ba Ra Broadcasting Station is a memorable historical landmark in the development of the radio and television industry of Song Be in the past and Binh Duong - Binh Phuoc today.

The Ba Ra Radio and Television Relay Station is a cultural project born from the "will of the Party and the aspirations of the people." Construction began in the 1980s and it was officially inaugurated and put into operation on December 18, 1991, with the initial function of relaying radio and television channels from Song Be Radio Station, VOV, and VTV1.

Ba Ra Peak was also the location where the first Binh Phuoc radio and television programs were broadcast on January 1, 1997 - marking the beginning of the formation of the Binh Phuoc Radio and Television Station. In October 2017, a spiritual tourism area was developed here, and the Ba Ra Radio Station completed its historical mission.

Binh Phuoc, May 2025

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/19/173288/chuyen-cua-nui