Many people mistakenly believe that Mr. Truong De is a true son of Quang Tri because of his extensive knowledge of history and culture, along with his deep love for his homeland. But he smiles and says, "I just 'formed a connection' with Quang Tri!" He was born in Phong Son commune, Phong Dien town, Thua Thien Hue province (formerly), into a family with seven children, so the circumstances were very difficult. From a young age, he did all kinds of jobs, even going to Vinh City (formerly), Nghe An province, to study and work as a car repairman.
At that time, noticing that many customers from the former Quang Binh province often brought their vehicles to his repair shop, he saw the potential for development in this new land. He traveled alone to the former Dong Hoi City (then a town), rented a motorbike, explored the town, and even spent hours on the highway counting the number of cars passing by each day. Finally, seizing the opportunity, in 2004, he decided to bring his wife and children there to start a business. Initially, it was a small auto repair garage in Ly Trach commune, Bo Trach district (formerly). Thanks to maintaining a good reputation and ensuring quality service, he gradually expanded his business and stabilized his life.
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| The YouTube channel "Returning to the Past" has attracted the attention of many young people passionate about learning about culture and history - Photo: MN |
Mr. Truong De confided that his love for history had "re-emerged" at that time. In fact, this love had begun in his childhood when his grandfather, who knew classical Chinese, often told him stories about local history and culture. That connection gradually seeped in, and later, despite being busy with making a living, he still dedicated a little time each day to learning about and reading books on history and culture, especially about the land and people of Quang Binh (formerly). He sought out, read, and studied many valuable books so as not to "miss out on the golden knowledge" of his ancestors.
By 2020, he harbored the desire to create a YouTube channel to introduce the historical and cultural landmarks of Quang Binh (formerly) to viewers, especially young people. Guided by his daughter, a journalism student, on how to film and edit video clips, he persevered in learning and gradually practiced.
“Starting my research at the age of 50 was incredibly challenging, but thanks to perseverance, patience, and a burning passion, I completed my first video clip introducing the renowned figure Dao Duy Tu and the Lu Thuy fortress system within 10 days. I created a YouTube page called “Returning to the Past” to upload the video clip. Surprisingly, many people visited the page and watched the video, leaving many encouraging comments. That's how I continued creating other products, especially about historical sites and prominent figures from the former Quang Binh province that are not yet well-known to young people… To date, more than 80 video clips about the former Quang Binh province have been released. I have also expanded to include landmarks, prominent figures, and historical and cultural sites in the former Quang Tri province, Hue City, Ho Chi Minh City…,” Mr. Truong De shared.
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| Mr. Truong De on his journey to rediscover the past - Photo: MN |
Throughout his journey to rediscover his past, he met and conversed with many individuals who left a deep impression on him: cultural and historical researchers, kindred spirits with a shared passion for culture and history, and descendants eager to introduce their ancestors to the world. Each trip, though arduous, brought him joy and fulfilled his passion for exploring and understanding the history of his homeland.
One of his most memorable experiences was visiting the burial place of Truong Van Hien, the teacher of the three Tay Son brothers (Nguyen Nhac, Nguyen Hue, and Nguyen Lu) in Nhan Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province (formerly). While casually researching historical documents, he came across this information, which piqued his curiosity and prompted him to seek out the descendants of the Truong family. He eventually stopped at the tomb of this very special figure.
This is little-known information, because after King Gia Long ascended the throne, documents about the Tay Son dynasty became very scarce. Reflecting on the tomb of his teacher, considered a major influence on the "Tay Son Three Heroes'" determination to "change the country," Mr. Truong De vowed to create a meaningful video clip to introduce this figure. After searching for rare documents, meeting with researchers and descendants of the Truong Van family in Nhan Trach, he released the video clip, which received many views and comments expressing admiration and amazement at the extraordinary discovery.
"In the future, I will hone my knowledge and skills to continue releasing more video clips introducing the land and people of Quang Tri, because there are still many places I haven't had the chance to visit and many cultural and historical figures who are not yet widely known to the public," Mr. Truong De said.
Another unforgettable memory for Mr. Truong De is from 2023, when he created a video clip introducing the tomb of the renowned figure Nguyen The Truc, who served as an official under three dynasties (the Nguyen Lords, the Tay Son Dynasty, and the Nguyen Dynasty), originally from Loc An village, An Thuy commune, Le Thuy district, Quang Binh province (formerly). Professor Tran Ich Nguyen from National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, happened to see this video clip.
At that time, the professor discovered that the anonymous author of the "Sứ trình thi tập" (Collection of Poems on the Mission) from the Tây Sơn dynasty was Nguyễn Thế Trực (also known as Nguyễn Viết Trực). The professor found this to be the tomb of the author of the book and traced the historical traces back to Lệ Thủy, returning to the descendants of the Nguyễn Thế family.
“The image of the head of the Nguyen The clan, Dr. Nguyen The Hoan, kneeling in the rain to recite a poem by the renowned figure Nguyen The Truc before the tomb of Nguyen The Truong (the grandfather of the renowned figure Nguyen The Truc) is an image that will never fade from my mind. I realize that my actions are truly meaningful, connecting generations and different countries, all to honor our ancestors who contributed to the nation,” Mr. Truong De said emotionally.
According to Truong Quang Phuc, Chairman of the Quang Tri Han Nom Club, Mr. Truong De has made great efforts in researching and introducing historical and cultural relics and figures to viewers through his YouTube channel "Searching for Ancient Traces." He has also actively collaborated with the club in clarifying valuable related documents. This is a commendable effort from someone who has dedicated much passion and enthusiasm to the heritage of his ancestors.
Mai Nhan
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202509/mai-miet-tim-ve-dau-xua-90e54f8/
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