Forget the ancient stone rampart of Ky Lac on Hoanh Son range?

VHO - The ancient Ky Lac stone rampart is a unique military structure during the Trinh - Nguyen conflict. Over the course of history, the harshness of time, and human impact, this unique stone rampart is now deteriorating and at risk of becoming... ruins.

The door and the barracks are connected items, a special feature in the structure of the stone rampart.

The ancient stone rampart of Ky Lac ( Ha Tinh ) is located on the northern slope of the Hoanh Son range, stretching from East to West for over 30 km. Currently, the intact ancient stone rampart is located in Ky Lac commune and Vung Ang ward. The ancient stone rampart of Ky Lac is also known as Lam Ap or Ong Ninh.

Rare ancient stone rampart

Following the mountainside, when climbing to the starting point of the stone rampart, appearing before our eyes is an ancient stone rampart that was built quite elaborately with millions of slate stones stacked on top of each other and extending to the top of the mountain. This ancient stone rampart starts from the foot of Deo But slope, stretching about 1 km along the mountainside to the top of the pass belonging to Tram Huong mountain, located in the Hoanh Son range in Ky Lac commune (Ha Tinh).

According to researchers, the ancient stone rampart dates back to the Champa period. In the 17th century, during the Trinh - Nguyen conflict, realizing that this stone rampart was located in a high, steep mountain range, an ideal defensive terrain to guard against the Nguyen army from Dang Trong, Lord Trinh Toan consolidated and built it into a solid military defense line.

The rampart was built entirely of natural stone from this land, which the local people call "son stone" (because when polished, the stone has a red color like lipstick). No adhesive was used because this type of stone is soft and smooth. Over time, the stone powder decomposes to form a very strong adhesive.

The rampart faces south, the highest point is 6m on the southern surface; the highest point on the northern surface is 3m; the rampart surface is 3m wide; the base of the rampart is 5m wide. In particular, every 3m at the foot of the rampart or on the rampart body, there is a square funnel-shaped hole, the front side is 1m in size, the back side is 0.8m, which serves as both a drainage hole and a fire signal like an arrow hole running through the rampart body.

This is a rather interesting detail and is raising questions for researchers about the function and purpose of the builder of the rampart. These square holes were built with a rather unique architecture: The inside, both on the ceiling and on both sides of the wall are paved with natural, flat stones; in particular, the mouth of the hole is designed to be sturdy with a horizontal beam to support the weight of the entire structure. After that square hole, the rampart is built outward to form a combat pit, also known as a "military pit", which can accommodate 4-5 people.

Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong, Deputy Director of Ha Tinh Museum said: “This is a rare ancient stone rampart. In terms of construction techniques, the ancients took full advantage of nature, which is the rugged terrain of the majestic Hoanh Son range. The project was built extremely carefully by talented commanders and a team of highly skilled soldiers and workers, so the quality and architectural art are much higher than the ancient stone rampart systems that have been discovered in other provinces.”

The ancient stone rampart in Ky Lac, also known as Ong Ninh rampart, has left its mark on the country's historical process. It is a part of the ancient architecture and archaeology of Vietnam that still exists intact to this day. It is a relic of great historical, cultural and scientific value that needs to be invested in, researched and preserved to promote its value. The ancient stone rampart in Ky Lac is not only valuable in terms of culture, but also a historical relic, expected to be an attractive tourist destination.

Stone rampart seen from above

Please do not forget the ancient stone rampart of Ky Lac

With outstanding values in terms of art architecture, archeology and cultural history, in 2014, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 4105/QD-BVHTTDL recognizing and ranking Ky Lac stone rampart as a national art architectural relic. This is a project of great significance in preserving and promoting cultural values, serving tourism as well as research programs on ancient ramparts in Vietnam.

At the scene, the ancient stone rampart of Ky Lac has seriously degraded, with many sections broken and displaced. Many construction items such as the rampart wall system, square holes, steps, and military trenches are covered and obscured by vines and trees.

Talking to us, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ngoc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Lac Commune (Ha Tinh) said: "With high-level architectural techniques and cultural and historical values, the ancient stone rampart has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national architectural and artistic relic. It is a project of great significance in preserving and promoting cultural values, serving tourism as well as research programs on ancient ramparts in Vietnam, but the relic is increasingly seriously degraded. We are very worried but lack funds to restore and hire people to look after and protect it...".

According to Mr. Nguyen Tri Son, Chairman of the Ha Tinh Historical Science Association, “this is a rare ancient stone rampart in the country in general and in the North Central region in particular. Currently, no rampart system has been found in our country with a unique structure and scale like the ancient stone rampart in Ky Lac. It is a relic of great architectural, historical, cultural and scientific value that needs to be invested in research and conservation to promote its value.”

The majestic and imposing Hoanh Son mountain range lies there. Amidst the vast forests, acacia and cajuput hills, traces of ancient stone accumulations have been almost hidden, covered and degraded.

Leaving the ancient stone citadel of Ky Lac in the late afternoon, we carried with us many thoughts and worries about a national architectural and artistic relic. With its current state, many opinions say that the project is showing signs of being forgotten in terms of both management and value promotion.

It is time for authorities at all levels and functional agencies of Ha Tinh province to urgently have a plan to restore, preserve and repair degraded items of the ancient stone rampart architectural relic.

If not timely, it is very possible that in the near future, a valuable national architectural work of art like the ancient stone citadel of Ky Lac will turn into... ruins.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/lang-quen-luy-da-co-ky-lac-tren-day-hoanh-son-162515.html