"Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi," "Dong Khanh Du Dia Chi," and many foreign writings about Quang Nam all acknowledge the intelligence, diligence, and hard work of the people of Quang Nam.
"Joyfully doing good deeds, enthusiastically serving the public."
Driven by patriotism, the people of Quang Nam possess a spirit of dedication. Intellectuals, scholars, and citizens of Quang Nam, when engaging in the greater good for the nation and its people, are often willing to accept danger, even their lives, such as Hoang Dieu, Tran Quy Cap, Tran Cao Van, Thai Phien, Phan Thanh Tai, Ong Ich Khiem, Ong Ich Duong... This also explains why Quang Nam has the highest number of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and martyrs in the country…
The spirit of joyfully doing good deeds and enthusiastically serving the public is clearly demonstrated by Pham Phu Thu's petition to Emperor Tu Duc to allow officials from Quang Nam to return to their hometowns to fight the French alongside the people (1858-1860).
From then on, a series of officials from Quang Nam suddenly feigned illness or resigned from their positions to return to their hometowns in order to secretly participate in the Can Vuong movement, such as Tran Van Du, Do Dang Tuyen, etc.
In the fight against foreign invaders and in nation-building, tens of thousands of young people from Quang Nam province volunteered to fight the enemy, "vowing to die for the Fatherland," exemplified by the "Youth Volunteer Movement - Nguyen Van Troi." In 1965 alone, 5,100 young people secretly went to the base. In addition, people from Quang Nam contributed 52 kg of gold to the "Gold Week" movement (1946) launched by President Ho Chi Minh. Tens of thousands of young people participated in the movement to "extend the Phu Ninh dam" at the "Phu Ninh large-scale irrigation project"...
Scholars are characterized by their strong character, outspokenness, hot temper, and argumentative nature.
It is this spirit of righteousness and unwavering determination that makes the people of Quang Nam often willing to face danger to support the king and serve the country.
The spirit of "enthusiasm for public service," "toughness," and "boldness in speaking out" shows that the people of Quang Nam - especially the intellectual class - seem "fearless" - or rather, dare to express their thoughts to superiors and those in power.
The characteristic of being "arguable" is "not easily accepting one-sided imposition, always respecting the realities of life and respecting independence of thought" (Nguyen Ngoc - "Understanding the People of Quang Nam"). Perhaps it is because of this personality that for hundreds of years, the number of people from Quang Nam in the "four pillars of the court" can be counted on the fingers of one hand!
The argumentative nature of the people of Quang Nam stems most clearly from the governing philosophy of the Nguyen emperors. They lacked faith in the "scholars and people of Quang Nam," suspecting that the people of Quang Nam had collaborated with the "usurping regime" of Quang Trung for nearly 25 years and were complicit in the capture of Crown Prince Nguyen Phuc Duong by the Tay Son at O Gia (in Dai Loc district) and his subsequent assassination by Nguyen Hue in Vinh Long .
Therefore, from Emperor Gia Long to Emperor Tự Đức, officials from Quảng province were "appointed" to garrison remote, dangerous, and disease-ridden areas to "prepare for the future." To survive, they had to "fight to the end" whenever they were falsely accused or framed!
Quang's "miracle" character
People from Quang Nam have the advantage of being outspoken, truthful, proactive, and innovative. Because of this, their contributions have gone down in the nation's history in many different ways.
They are strong-willed, keep public and private matters separate, dislike flattery and sycophancy, and readily take action or wholeheartedly support anything that benefits the nation and its people. Therefore, they often overlook principles, easily making mistakes regarding "royal law," and are easily used by opponents to impeach (accuse) them before the court.
However, in perilous situations, especially in the face of foreign invasion, if used at the right time, the people of Quang Nam often handle things very decisively and effectively, typical examples being Ong Ich Khiem, Huynh Thuc Khang…
The intellectual class in Quang Nam, especially those holding official positions and enjoying the benefits of the state, often possessed extensive and profound knowledge, and were acutely aware of current events. They quickly identified policy flaws and mistakes made by superiors and were ready to argue or find alternative solutions to avoid harming the people and the country.
Mr. Ich Khiem dared to condemn the court for "hiring Chinese aid when the enemy comes." Minister Pham Phu Thu advised Emperor Tu Duc so severely that he was stripped of all his titles and sent to work on irrigation projects. Phan Chau Trinh pointed out "seven reasons" that led to the execution of Emperor Khai Dinh.
More recently, Comrade Vo Chi Cong knew how to seize the opportunity to launch the "village liberate village, district liberate district, province liberate province" campaign to end the war in his homeland. Ho Nghinh skillfully "avoided" the policy of "eradicating superstition" to preserve My Son and the ancient town of Hoi An...
Later, it was this spirit of "enthusiasm for public service," of daring to think and act, that created the industrial centers of Chu Lai, Tam Ky, and Dien Ngoc; creating a "livable" Da Nang... This is truly a miracle of the "Quang character."
Perhaps now more than ever, the people of Quang Nam need to uphold the traditions of "diligent farmers," "hardworking students," "enthusiastic public servants," "joyful doing good deeds," and "bold speech" of each citizen...
Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/nguoi-quang-bao-noi-3139034.html
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