“Bridge” connecting history and present

To promote the value of the special national relic system - which marks important historical events in the struggle for independence and national unification, Quang Tri province strives to build an ideal destination for tours and activities to return to the source. Besides investment in infrastructure, the important factor to achieve this goal is the team of tour guides and site managers. They are the "bridge" leading the way for historical memories to come back to life, to remind people of gratitude and appreciation.

Narrator Tran Thi Phuong Lan vividly recounts historical stories to the young generation - Photo: LE TRUONG

Telling history with emotion

That is the sharing of Deputy Head of the Management Board of the General Secretary Le Duan Memorial Site and Quang Tri Ancient Citadel - tour guide Tran Thi Phuong Lan. After graduating from the University of Foreign Languages, in January 2007, Ms. Lan worked at the Management Board of the Ta Con Airport and Lao Bao Prison relics.

The initial confusion because the job was not related to her expertise forced her to explore, learn and improve herself. After being transferred to work positions at Ta Con airport, Vinh Moc tunnel and now Quang Tri ancient citadel, she has matured.

“The job of a narrator may not be difficult, but telling stories at the place where the event took place in accordance with history and bringing moving emotions to the listeners is the difficult part. Therefore, I studied history, searched for documents, and met witnesses to supplement and bring the story details to life. What is also important is the way of expression and voice when narrating so that the listeners feel like they are witnessing the event,” Lan confided.

It has become a tradition that every July, Quang Tri in general and Quang Tri Ancient Citadel in particular welcome thousands of visitors every day to pay their respects. This is both a joy and a pressure for Ms. Lan and her colleagues.

“Through history, I tell stories so that people can understand and be grateful to the previous generations. Because Quang Tri Citadel is the “common grave” of thousands of martyrs; a symbol of sacrifice, courage, and indomitable will of an entire generation of Vietnamese youth.

Visitors come from many different classes and ages, so I always try to innovate and select knowledge to have a unique way of guiding each audience. Besides, I also use body language and facial expressions to touch their emotions," Lan added.

Following the guide Phuong Lan, I could feel all the emotions in each introduction and story she conveyed to everyone.

Joining the crowd visiting the Citadel, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Dan in Thuan Thanh Ward, Bac Ninh Province said that this was the second time he had come to this historical site. Each time he came, he had different emotions, because the guide helped him understand and feel more clearly about the glorious fighting time and the sacrifices and losses of his predecessors.

“Each word, way of speaking and expression of Ms. Lan when explaining seems to lead the listener into the historical story. Her attitude of respecting the past and her sincere gratitude in the tone when talking about the letter left by the heroic martyrs made me extremely moved,” Mr. Dan shared.

" Relatives" of martyrs

Through the wars of national defense, Quang Tri became the eternal resting place of tens of thousands of heroic martyrs who are children of the locality and all over the country with 157 large and small martyr cemeteries, including 2 national martyr cemeteries: Truong Son and Road 9.

Over the years, the Party Committee, government and people of the province have always promoted the tradition of “When drinking water, remember its source”, and well implemented the policy of “Repaying gratitude”. On this journey of gratitude, there are contributions from the caretakers who are representing thousands of families to take care of the martyrs’ graves in a thoughtful and complete manner. For them, this is not only a pure job but also a responsibility and gratitude towards those who have sacrificed their blood and bones for the independence and freedom of the nation.

Mr. Hoang Thanh takes care of pigeons at the National Martyrs Cemetery on Road 9 - Photo: LE TRUONG

Through the introduction of the Center for Nursing the Meritorious and the management of the National Martyrs' Cemetery in Quang Tri province, I went to the National Martyrs' Cemetery on Road 9 to meet Mr. Hoang Thanh, one of the people who has been involved in the work of the cemetery for many years, and is considered a "relative" of the martyrs.

Having been involved in this job since 2010, after more than 15 years of dedication, Mr. Thanh has experienced many different emotions when witnessing touching stories of families and comrades of martyrs finding each other. Or the difficult-to-explain spiritual stories that make him more determined to fulfill this sacred responsibility and duty.

During that time, along with the task of taking care of the martyrs' graves and guiding visitors and relatives, Mr. Thanh was trusted by his superiors with the important responsibility of organizing the funeral ceremony.

Mr. Thanh shared: “With the same amount of information, but every time I stand on the podium to perform the funeral ceremony for delegations over the past decades, I have to think of appropriate ways to express it. To fulfill my duties, I try to cultivate, learn more information, and exchange with veterans when they come to pay their respects. From the stories, I string them together to become instructions, and share them with delegations and the martyrs' families when they need them.”

Quang Tri Ancient Citadel seen from above - Photo: LE TRUONG

Coming to the National Highway 9 today, many people feel the spaciousness, cleanliness and beauty with rows of green trees. This is the effort of the staff working here, including Mr. Thanh.

Director of the Center for Nursing for Meritorious People and Management of the Provincial NTLS Nguyen Vu Quang said that the unit currently has 47 officials and employees in charge of different fields. Of which, for the 2 national NTLS, there are 25 officials and employees in charge.

Not only do we do a good job of welcoming and visiting here, we also focus on training and fostering our staff and workers so that they can become "bridges" to lead tourists closer to the history of the nation.

“Despite his advanced age, Uncle Thanh is still very dedicated and attentive to his daily work such as changing incense burner sand, cleaning graves and monuments, taking care of pigeons; receiving and classifying martyrs' remains, updating information on the martyrs' management system...

In particular, with the understanding, experience and knowledge accumulated over the past decades, Mr. Thanh is the driving force to teach the younger generation of the unit to make more efforts and develop more in their work to become "relatives" to watch over the heroes and martyrs to rest in peace", Mr. Quang confided.

Every July, thousands of visitors come to visit national historical sites and historical relics in the province to understand and pay tribute to national heroes. The more visitors, the more staff at the relics have to work continuously, without the concept of off-time, all out of responsibility and gratitude. They are taking on the task of leading people to history, to understand and pay tribute to the sacrifices of those who remain on the heroic land of Quang Tri.

Le Truong

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/nhip-cau-ket-noi-lich-su-va-hien-tai-196367.htm