Some people believe that the sound "Tra" originates from the Cham language (Tra/Cha), and "Khuc" represents the continuous bends and turns of the river from its source to the sea ( Tra giang cuu khuc hoi hoan - poem by Cao Ba Quat).
Thien An Mountain on Tra Khuc River
Rivers in the Central region in general, and the Tra Khuc River in particular, have small basins, narrow and steep riverbeds, and fast-flowing water, leading to a low capacity for storing groundwater in the dry season. Meanwhile, due to the influence of weather and climate conditions, rainfall varies greatly between the two rainy and dry seasons. Drought in the dry season (January - August) and floods in the rainy season (September - December) have become frequent threats to the lives of residents on both banks of the river. There have been many historical floods that have caused environmental, property and human life disasters, such as the terrible floods in the years of Mau Dan (1878), Giap Thin (1964), and Ky Mao (1999).
But also from such harsh natural conditions, the virtues of patience, perseverance, talented minds, skillful hands and sense of community cooperation of Quang Ngai people have been highly promoted. From generation to generation, green bamboo hedges have been planted along both banks of the river, protecting villages against the fierce waters of flood season; hundreds of kilometers of canals have divided the water from Tra Khuc river into many directions to both irrigate the fields in the dry season and to divert flood water in the rainy season.
Casting nets on Tra Khuc river
The Tra Khuc River is also a river traffic route between the estuary, the delta and the upstream, between the residents of the Ve River Delta and the residents of the Tra Khuc River Delta and more broadly, the sea route between the mainland and Ly Son Island (about 18 nautical miles northeast of the coast), further between Quang Ngai and the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos as well as with regions and areas in the country and Southeast Asia through the Dai Co Luy estuary. This is an important condition for the formation of the "Tra Khuc River cultural sub-region" with unique spiritual culture, including a rich folk song and folklore, including many folk songs and melodies associated with the agricultural production environment and river trade.
Many historians believe that the land of Co Luy Dong (Chiem Luy Dong) that the King of Champa offered to the Ho Dynasty in 1402 only stopped at the north bank of the Tra Khuc River. Also on the north bank of the Tra Khuc River, a long time after King Le Thanh Tong established the Quang Nam governorate (1471), successive feudal dynasties chose it as the place to build administrative agencies for the Quang Ngai region: During the Le Dynasty, the Tam Ty citadel was located within the old Cham citadel in Chau Sa (now Chau Sa village, Quang Ngai city, on the left bank, downstream of Tra Khuc river); until the beginning of the Nguyen Dynasty (before 1817), the capital of Quang Ngai province was still located in Phu Nhon village, now Quang Ngai city, on the left bank of Tra Khuc river.
Tra Khuc River goby specialty
Among the 12 natural landscapes that the ancients called "wonderful" in Quang Ngai (Quang Ngai Twelve Landscapes), there are 4 scenic spots located along the Tra Khuc River (Thien An Niem Ha, Long Dau Hy Thuy, Co Luy Co Thon, Ha Nhai Van Do) and many other scenic spots that appear within sight from the viewpoint of Thien An Mountain (the number one scenic spot in Quang Ngai) such as: Thien But Phe Van, Thach Bich Ta Duong, An Hai Sa Ban, Thach Ky Dieu Tau, Vu Son Loc Truong...
Poetry Land
For Quang Ngai people, Tra Khuc is the largest river, a symbol of their homeland, so when saying " Tra River ", like when saying "An Mountain - Tra River" or "An Tra", everyone understands that it is Tra Khuc River, not Tra Bong River or Tra Cau River (2 other, smaller rivers flowing through Quang Ngai). Quang Ngai common people "carve" into their hearts the image of Tra River, An Mountain, Long Dau Mountain with folk songs imbued with homeland sentiment: Tra River next to Long Dau Mountain/That water flows forever, dragons in the past/Long Dau Mountain leaves its name for posterity/Thien An Pagoda is the seal of the queen/Whoever returns to Quang, let her follow.
Tra Khuc River also brings significant and unique benefits to the coastal residents such as the profession of making mung bean sprouts on the sandbanks along the river (Van hamlet bean sprouts village), mussel digging, don raking, transportation, river trading, fishing, especially catching Thai Bai fish and goby fish. Tra river goby fish stewed with pepper has long become a famous specialty throughout the country: When you go, you miss your homeland/Remember the Tra river goby fish stewed with pepper.
From folk songs to written literature, through many generations, it is difficult to count all the poems and poets associated with the Tra Khuc River. Bich Khe, a talented but ill-fated poet, was so infatuated with the river that she rented a boat to live drifting for many days and months up and down the lower reaches. It is strange that a poet whose verses and poems were so innovative compared to her time and long after, but had such classical verses like hers, exactly like the "Tra River, An Mountain": For thousands of years the An fruit has lain bare/A strip of the Tra River flows dark green. (On An Mountain, looking at the Tra River) . (to be continued)
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ke-chuyen-dong-song-xu-quang-tra-khuc-dong-song-me-185241118220829044.htm
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