The family tree book has been lost.

The lost family tree of Major General Ho Sy Hau was published nationwide by the Vietnam Women's Publishing House in the third quarter of 2023.

The novel tells the story of Tiem village, a scholarly village with a rich revolutionary tradition in Central Vietnam. The family tree of a large clan in the village was lost during wartime and was only found in 1975.

Through the journey of tracing the family tree, the book recounts the history of the village over a period of about 90 years (1885-1975).

A part of the history of the Party and the country is reflected at a miniature level in the history of that particular village: the Can Vuong uprising, the De Tham rebels being brought back to the village and executed; the anti-French resistance movement led by Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh in the early 1920s.

The impasse faced by the literati when the imperial court abolished the examination system, and the uprisings against the protectorate government were severely suppressed by the French. The establishment of the Party branch and the losses suffered by the Party in the village during the years 1930-1931.

The next generation of young people joined the revolution and resistance. Many endured imprisonment, and some became key figures in the Party. There were ironic and tragic circumstances when land reform was implemented in the village.

Cuốn gia phả bị thất lạc - 1 — Book cover of "The Lost Family Genealogy" (Photo: Vietnam Women's Publishing House).

"It seemed his thoughts were drifting into a hazy, semi-real realm. He told himself: I must return to the village!"

As soon as he reached the end of the alley, he saw his house on fire. He rushed in, reaching for the small box containing the family genealogy book, but a burning beam fell on it, setting the box ablaze. And so the family genealogy book was burned to ashes.

But where was his son? He rushed out of the house, running and shouting: "Tan, where are you...!" He ran and ran...

He found himself at the village temple. The temple was shrouded in smoke from burning straw, making it impossible to enter and search for his son. He ran to the Hien Tu shrine, where the village worshipped those who had achieved academic success and held high moral standing. "Is my son here with the deities?" he wondered. There was no answer, only a chaotic mess of broken and damaged ritual objects.

He ran to the temple where the village worshipped Confucius: "My son often reads your books, sir. Has he been here?" Confucius could no longer answer. His statue had been smashed by the Heretics.

He ran off again to look for his son.

The entire village was engulfed in raging wildfires. A group of left-wing soldiers began to pursue him. They shouted, "Kill him! Kill him!" There was a whistling sound in his ears; clearly, they were firing at him.

He slipped through the bamboo hedge at the edge of Gieng village. They were still chasing him. He ran across the main road, heading west. The sound of the enemy's footsteps grew closer and closer.

He suddenly tripped over the edge of a bell hanging in the middle of the road and fell. When he looked up, he saw a hideous face, and a spear aimed directly at his chest, ready to pierce him…”, excerpt from the work.

Cuốn gia phả bị thất lạc - 2 — "The Lost Family Genealogy" by Major General Ho Sy Hau was released nationwide in the third quarter of 2023 (Photo: Vietnam Women's Publishing House).

The lost family genealogy also recounts the post-August Revolution (before 1975) social ills in the village: the destruction of temples and pagodas, the suppression of private businesses that caused centuries-old crafts such as silk weaving and noodle making to decline, and the once bustling village market to become deserted.

Throughout those nearly 100 years of turbulent times, generations of people in Tiem village consistently demonstrated intense patriotism, love for their homeland, and commitment to the revolution. They made significant contributions to the revolutionary cause, much like many other villages with rich traditions across the country.

The author, Major General Ho Sy Hau, 77 years old, was formerly the Director of the Economic Department of the Ministry of National Defense .

During the war against the US, he was an engineer who designed and constructed the oil pipeline across the Truong Son Mountains, and is recognized for his significant contributions to the oil industry during the years of the war for national liberation.

The novel "The River Carrying Fire " (2012) by Major General Ho Sy Hau won the B prize from the Ministry of National Defense for its theme of armed forces and revolutionary war, "a heroic epic about the Trường Sơn oil and gas soldiers".

Major General Ho Sy Hau is the son of Mr. Ho Viet Thang - former Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and former Minister of Food and Foodstuffs.

Mr. Hau lived with his father in the Viet Bac war zone and had a close relationship with President Ho Chi Minh during their time there.

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