Restoring the "Northern Thousand-Mile Road"

In recent days, the people of Quang Dong commune, Quang Trach district, have been delighted by the news that the authorities have restored a section of the "North-South highway" connecting the Temple of Saint Mother Lieu Hanh to the Hoanh Son Quan historical site.

A nearly 1km long path with 1,000 stone steps, recently discovered by Quang Trach district, has attracted considerable attention from local residents and the public.

According to local people, in the past, on the North-South highway, when passing through Quang Binh province and wanting to go to Ha Tinh , people and their ancestors had to follow the mountain slopes to cross the towering Hoanh Son peak.

After the Ngang Pass road and tunnel were built, connecting the two provinces, the road that our ancestors used to travel on gradually became less frequented and was buried under the forest canopy.

According to historical records, the road through the Hoành Sơn mountain range was built by our ancestors at the same time as the construction of the Hoành Sơn Pass - the place that marked the boundary between Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Bình provinces in the past.

The newly discovered path, over 1km long with approximately 1,000 ancient stone steps, passes the Hạ Mã stele in front of the Thánh Mẫu Liễu Hạnh temple (Quảng Đông commune, Quảng Trạch district), winds along the mountain slope through the dense forest, and leads to the summit of Ngang Pass via Hoành Sơn Quan, on the way to Hà Tĩnh province.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Tran Quang Trung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Trach district (Quang Binh province), said that based on information from local elders in Quang Dong commune, the district conducted a survey and discovered traces of an ancient stone path built on top of each other, with footprints, connecting the Temple of Saint Mother Lieu Hanh to the Gate of Heaven (Hoanh Son Pass).

According to Mr. Trung, this discovery has cultural and historical significance, making an important contribution to helping archaeologists determine the route of the "North-South highway" and better understand how ancient people crossed the treacherous Ngang Pass.

The Hoành Sơn Pass, also known locally as the "Gate of Heaven," was built in the 14th year of Minh Mạng's reign (1833).

Furthermore, along this main road, authorities have discovered several ancient tombs with stone mounds. According to local elders, these stone tombs may be the graves of soldiers who guarded the Hoanh Son Pass gate in the past, and were later buried by the local people after their death.

According to historical records, Hoanh Son Pass was built in the 14th year of Minh Mang (1833). The pass was built on a mountain, surrounded by mountain stones, with a gate in front, and walls on the left and right sides, along with military camps.

The army that built Hoanh Son Pass consisted of 300 men, led by the Governor Tran Van Tuan. The construction took one month to complete, and after completion, 20 soldiers from Quang Binh took turns guarding it.

The Hoành Sơn Pass was once an important point guarding the "North-South highway," with its gate, over 4 meters high, beginning construction in the 14th year of the Minh Mạng reign. During this same period, the "North-South highway" was also built with 1,000 stone steps on each side for travelers to pass through.

Currently, 1,000 stone steps on the southern side of Hoanh Son Pass, approximately 1km long, a remnant of the ancient North-South highway, have been unearthed and restored by Quang Trach district authorities.

According to historical records, in March 1833, King Minh Mạng established a pass on Hoành Sơn mountain to control the population and prevent criminals from passing through, hence it was called "Hoành Sơn Pass" - the locals commonly referred to it as "Heaven's Gate". Travelers on the "thousand-mile North-South" highway had to pass through this single gate.

The pass was built on a mountain, surrounded by mountain stones, with a gate at the front, and walls on the left and right sides, along with military camps. The army that built Hoanh Son Pass consisted of 300 men, and it took one month to complete. After completion, 20 soldiers from Quang Binh took turns guarding it.

The Hoành Sơn Pass was once an important point guarding the "North-South highway," with its gate over 4 meters high, construction of which began in the 14th year of the Minh Mạng reign. During this time, the "North-South highway" was also built between the mountains of Hà Tĩnh and Quảng Bình, with 1,000 stone steps on each side for travelers to cross.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/khoi-phuc-con-duong-thien-ly-bac-nam-xuyen-qua-day-hoanh-son-hung-vi-192240924151926872.htm