When I was in high school, I longed to visit the Bach Dang Giang Historical Site, the Trang Kenh - Bach Dang area in Thuy Nguyen district, Hai Phong city. That dream has now come true, as at nearly 60 years old, I had the opportunity to join the delegation attending the 9th National Sports Congress in 2022 to visit this place.
Stepping onto this sacred land, a place steeped in history, preserving the glorious victories of our ancestors, associated with numerous historical and cultural events, and home to many timeless poems about the tradition of loving peace and the determination to protect the nation's independence and sovereignty, all members of the delegation felt deeply moved.
Visiting the museum, where historical artifacts are displayed, I witnessed for the first time a lightweight boat made from ironwood that had survived for centuries; ironwood piles that were thousands of years old…
I had studied history, but when I saw those ancient artifacts, an indescribable emotion welled up inside me; for it was those simple boats, those wooden stakes, along with the will, ingenuity, and unity of a nation that had repeatedly defeated invaders; an army that had conquered almost all of Asia and many European countries. The tour guide's inspiring introduction further moved the visitors; everyone was orderly, quiet, and listened attentively to every word.
The Bach Dang Giang Historical Site Complex – which includes the statues of King Ngo Quyen, King Le Dai Hành, and Hung Dao King Tran Quoc Tuan in Victory Square – always attracts a large number of tourists and students.
At Victory Square stands a monument to three national heroes: King Ngo Quyen, King Le Dai Hanh, and Hung Dao King Tran Quoc Tuan. From my memories, the history lessons my teachers taught me resurfaced. The immortal words of Tran Quoc Tuan's "Proclamation to the Soldiers" still resonate: "...I often forget to eat at mealtime, I toss and turn in bed at midnight, my heart aches as if it were being cut, tears stream down my face; I only regret that I cannot yet tear apart the flesh, skin, liver, and blood of the enemy; Even if a hundred bodies of mine were left exposed on the fields, a thousand corpses wrapped in horsehide, I would still be content..." From the pain and anguish of that king, the king and his subjects united, chose the right moment, and achieved a glorious victory, forever etched in history.
Beyond the Bạch Đằng River, the thousand-year-old stake field remains. These stake fields, built with a spirit of unity, strategic planning, and indomitable will, contributed to three glorious victories: In 938, King Ngô Quyền led the people to victory, restoring national sovereignty to the Vietnamese people and ending over 1,000 years of Chinese rule. In 981, King Lê Đại Hành recreated the stake field, achieving victory and securing the independence of Đại Cồ Việt. In 1228, the largest naval battle in Vietnamese history, under the brilliant command of General Trần Quốc Tuấn (Hưng Đạo Vương), resulted in a decisive victory that terrified the enemy.
Stopping beside the stone stele inscribed with Nguyen Trai's poem "Bach Dang Estuary," I read the poem, feeling proud of the wisdom and talent of our ancestors. The poem not only expresses courage but also embodies the noble humanistic spirit of the Vietnamese people: "The sea trembles, the north wind blows fiercely / Lightly raising the sails, the poetic journey across Bach Dang / Whales and crocodiles chop up mountains into many pieces / Spears and swords sink and break on the shore in countless layers / The strategic pass is placed by heaven / Heroes and their fame once existed there / Turning back on the past, alas, they are gone / Gazing at the scenery along the river, my heart is filled with melancholy."
While visiting the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Temple, I happened to overhear a history teacher giving a lecture to a class. The lecture was so engaging that even from a distance, I listened attentively. The teacher recounted the extremely difficult times the country faced after the successful August Revolution of 1945. At that time, the nation was in grave danger, its situation hanging by a thread due to famine, illiteracy, and hostile forces attempting to undermine the fledgling independence of our people. When the teacher read President Ho Chi Minh's "Call to Arms for National Resistance," the students and visitors alike listened with deep emotion: "...No! We would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country, than be enslaved. Fellow countrymen! We must rise up! Regardless of gender, age, religion, political affiliation, or ethnicity, anyone who is Vietnamese must rise up to fight the French colonialists and save the Fatherland…" Uncle Ho's call back then has now become a "national treasure," inspiring patriotism and unity among the entire nation. It serves as a constant historical lesson for present and future generations.
Our tour program only allowed two hours to visit Bach Dang River, so we tried to go as fast as possible, hoping to see everything and capture as many images and stories on this sacred land as possible with national pride and self-respect.
Along with the tour groups, at the Bach Dang Giang Historical Site, there were many groups of students being taken by their teachers to learn and experience history. Watching the children's quick, eager steps as they went to each historical site and attentively listened to the tour guides and teachers' explanations of history, I felt that: The more diligently the previous generation teaches and nurtures history, the more proud and appreciative the next generation will be of history.
And in the context of current international integration, focusing on educating about national history and culture will inspire a desire to contribute in the younger generation, helping to firmly protect national sovereignty.
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