(QBĐT) - Quang Binh province is known as a place with many relics and scenic spots. Famous among them is Quang Binh Quan (Chinese: 廣平關), which means Quang Binh Pass. Quang Binh Quan not only symbolizes Quang Binh province but is also considered a "witness of history" as it has witnessed and followed many changes in Quang Binh homeland. Through the Nguyen Dynasty Woodblock Heritage, let's learn more about Quang Binh Quan.
Quang Binh Quan is an important pass in the Luy Thay system, completed by the founding hero Dao Duy Tu in the year Tan Mui (1631). The wooden block of Dai Nam Thuc Luc Tien Bien, volume 2, engraved on 20 pages, also recorded about Luy Thay as follows: “In the fall, the 8th month, Nhat Le rampart (now Quang Binh Great Wall) was completed. First, the lord sent Dao Duy Tu and Nguyen Huu Dat to Quang Binh to examine the terrain of the mountains and rivers. Duy Tu and his group went to Quang Binh to examine all the shapes of height, width, and narrowness. When they returned, Dao Duy Tu told the lord: “I see that from Nhat Le seaport to Dau Mau mountain, outside there is stream water, deep mud, and we use it as a ditch; In the meantime, build the Truong Duc rampart. The Lord was afraid of the difficulty. Duy Tu pretended to be sick, and poured his thoughts into poems to compare, the words were very encouraging. The Lord immediately did it. Duy Tu and Huu Dat supervised the work. Duy Tu arrived, calculated the merits, gathered the people to start building the long rampart. The rampart was 1 truong 5 thuoc high, the outside was made of ironwood, the inside was made of earth, with five steps, elephants and horses could walk on, leaning against the mountain along the stream, more than 3,000 truong long, each truong placed a gun on the mountain, every 3 or 5 truong set up a fortress, placed a large-bore gun. The gunpowder was stored like a mountain. After several months, the rampart was completed, creating a place to completely block and divide the North and South .
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Regarding the name "Quang Binh Quan" given by King Minh Mang in the year of Giap Than (1824), up to now, the name Quang Binh Quan has been exactly 200 years old. The wooden block of Dai Nam Thuc Luc Chinh Bien De Nhi Ky, volume 25, engraved on pages 7 and 8 recorded this event as follows: " The citadel was completed and a long rampart was built (from Dau Mau mountain to Nhat Le sea gate), the rampart gate was named Quang Binh Quan. Outside the gate there was a bridge also called Quang Binh bridge. Nguyen Van Tri was rewarded with 100 quan of money, 3 pieces of silk, 1 kind of record; the officers and soldiers were rewarded according to their ranks ".
By February, At Dau year (1825), King Minh Mang had started to build bricks at Quang Binh Quan and some other projects. The wooden block of Dai Nam Thuc Luc Chinh Bien, second period, volume 31, engraved on page 26, recorded: “ Building Quang Binh Quan gate, Quang Binh bridge and the outer guard tower. The gate is 2 truong 1 thuoc long, 2 truong 5 thuoc wide, the inside of the gate is 10 thuoc 8 tac high, 8 thuoc 1 tac wide; the bridge is 5 truong long, 12 thuoc high in the middle, 8 thuoc high at both ends, 16 thuoc wide, the guard tower is 14 truong 6 thuoc long, 3 thuoc wide, 3 thuoc high. Ordered the mandarin to take soldiers from Chan Oai and Tuan Thanh guards to do the work. Follow the gate and bridge regulations of the capital. When finished, reward everyone with more than 3,000 quan of money. Also, when it was not a harvest season, ordered people to build a stone bridge on the mandarin road, and provided money and rice every day .”
Regarding the scale of Quang Binh Quan, the woodblock of Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, volume 8, engraved on page 40, recorded: “ Quang Binh Quan: Located to the east of Dinh Bac Great Wall. The gate is 2 truong 1 thuoc long, 2 truong 5 thuoc wide, the fort outside the gate is 14 truong 6 thuoc long, 3 thuoc high, built of stone in the 6th year of Minh Mang (1825)… ”.
After its construction, Quang Binh Quan was considered a project of great military value not only for Quang Binh province but also for the general defense line protecting the capital Hue. Therefore, in addition to building a solid Quang Binh Quan, King Minh Mang ordered the placement of soldiers and animals here for solid protection. In September 1825, King Minh Mang ordered the placement of a Governor at Quang Binh Quan. In November 1830, King Minh Mang continued to assign a defense position at Quang Binh Quan.
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The woodblock of Dai Nam Thuc Luc Chinh Bien, Second Period, Volume 70, engraved on the 4th side, records: “ Additional defense positions were established at the passes, with the rank of Fourth Rank. The Captain of the Long Wu Hau Guard, Vo Van Duong, was appointed as the Hai Van Guard Commander to manage the soldiers stationed there; the Captain of the Tiger Oai Huu Guard, Nguyen Tien Vien, was appointed as the Quang Binh Guard Commander; the Quang Binh Guard Commander, Nguyen Huu Huu, was appointed as the Vu Thang Guard Commander. The town officials were ordered to arrest and arrest 15 soldiers from the Quang Binh Guard and 10 from the Vu Thang Guard to guard the gates. The stone gate of the Great Wall near Nhat Le Gate was assigned to the town guard and manager to be locked tightly .”
Seven years later (in the year of Dinh Dau (1837), King Minh Mang ordered the carving of the image of Quang Binh Quan on the Nghi Dinh along with other images such as: Nam Dau star, Thuan An seaport, Bach Dang river, Cuu An river, mandarin ducks, elephants, butterflies, blue fish, crabapple flowers, apricot trees, sea beans, cinnamon trees, sandalwood trees, lychee trees, pirate boats, and rifles. The Nghi Dinh was placed solemnly in front of the The Mieu temple yard by the king.
During the reign of King Thieu Tri, in the year of Nham Dan (1842), during his royal trip to the North, when visiting Quang Binh province, the king advised the Ministry of Public Works: “ A long stretch of ramparts, above Dau Mau mountain, below reaching the coast, our previous sages had deep plans and plans, and worked hard to build it. Our Holy Ancestor Nhan Hoang Emperor further renovated it, making it a permanent place of dangerous and charming beauty. Now, considering the entire situation, we should renovate it once more to make the border stable. Regarding the gun factory on the citadel, we should follow the method in the capital .”
The King said again: “ The construction of the rampart began during the reign of our Emperor Hieu Van, when a founding hero, Hong Quoc Cong Dao Duy Tu, began planning it. After Emperor Thai Tong Hieu Triet, we defeated the Northern army twice and Emperor The To Cao defeated the Northern invaders twice, both at this place. We should name the rampart “Dinh Bac Great Wall” to make the name legitimate .”
Through many ups and downs of history, Quang Binh Gate has been degraded and severely damaged. After many renovations, Quang Binh Gate has now been restored to almost its original state. Quang Binh Gate is considered the most important relic in the military defense system from the early days to the present of Quang Binh province.
Thom Quang
References:
1. File H20, Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks - National Archives Center IV;
2. File H21, Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks - National Archives Center IV;
3. File H22, Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks - National Archives Center IV;
4. File H23, Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks - National Archives Center IV;
5. File H24, Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks - National Archives Center IV;
6. File H48, Nguyen Dynasty Woodblocks - National Archives Center IV.
Source: https://www.baoquangbinh.vn/dat-va-nguoi-quang-binh/202407/di-tich-quang-binh-quan-qua-moc-ban-trieu-nguyen-di-san-tu-lieu-the-gioi-2219605/
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