Every time I return to Phu Yen , I can clearly feel the changes. Phu Yen today is the result of the immense efforts of many generations of cadres and people of Phu Yen working together to build it.
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| The Phu Yen Lantern Festival is a meeting place for poetry lovers on Nhan Mountain. Photo: DUONG THANH XUAN |
Just arrived in Phu Yen
In my childhood memories of Da Nang before 1975, Phu Yen was a remote land in the Central region. If you took the Phi Long or Tien Luc bus as the older men in the neighborhood often said, it would take several days.
From what I learned in books at that time, I knew that Phu Yen had the Ba River (also known as the Da Rang River) flowing into the sea in Tuy Hoa, had the longest Da Rang bridge in the South at that time; had the largest coastal plain in the Central region, also known as the Tuy Hoa rice granary.
In 1980, my parents took my siblings and I from our hometown of Quang Tri to the Central Highlands. The first time I knew I was close to Phu Yen was when the train arrived at Dieu Tri station in Binh Dinh. From here, it was only a few dozen kilometers, passing Cu Mong pass, we would have reached Phu Yen, but it was also the first time I could not get there. The train took my family to Quy Nhon station, from there, we boarded a bus, went to Highway 19, passed An Khe pass, Mang Yang to Pleiku, from here followed Highway 14 to Buon Ma Thuot, starting a new life...
At that time, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa merged into Phu Khanh province, the provincial capital was Nha Trang city. From Buon Ma Thuot to Nha Trang on National Highway 26 is quite convenient, the distance is more than 180km; after passing Phuong Hoang pass is Ninh Hoa, after driving more than 30km, after passing Ru Ri pass is Nha Trang city.
The main traffic between the two places is to Nha Trang and then return, rarely going up National Highway 1 to Phu Yen, which is nearly 120km from Nha Trang. However, many people from Buon Ma Thuot who travel by train to the Central and Northern regions must take the bus to Nha Trang station, from there the train goes through Phu Yen and then back to the Central and Northern regions. Everyone says that Phu Yen has beautiful scenery.
Hearing people who have passed through describe that the railway hugs the coast, sitting on the train looking down at the picturesque scenery, high sky, blue sea, smooth white sand, green coastal trees..., we young adults secretly wished to enter the world early, to fly and have the opportunity to visit new lands of our country...
Deep human love
Yet it was 13 years after my first visit to Phu Yen and then having to go all the way to the Central Highlands, in 1993, that I first set foot on Phu Yen land. I think it was a coincidence, of course. At that time, Phu Yen had been re-established for 4 years, the province was still poor, the provincial capital Tuy Hoa was small, old, not yet urbanized, and the historic flood that year caused serious consequences.
Ms. Luong Thi Thuan, Head of the Emulation and Policy Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation at that time, was a native of Phu Yen, and led the delegation of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation to provide relief to the people. The flood had passed, but it left behind horrifying traces: along the national highway, there were still straws hanging on electric wires; the high walls of the office in Tuy Hoa still had traces of mud.
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| Ganh Da Dia scenic spot. Photo: DUONG THANH XUAN |
And on both banks of the Ba River, the grass and trees were withered, the branches of ancient banyan trees in Son Giang (Song Hinh), Son Hoa still had dry reeds stuck in them, proving that when the flood came, it flooded a vast area, many places were submerged in fierce floods... The group came to rescue the people with all the love and affection of fellow countrymen, caring for each other... The flood had passed, but looking down from both banks, the Ba River was still turbulent, red...
The first night in Tuy Hoa, I fell in love with the land and people here, starting with a cup of coffee. By then, I was almost a resident of Buon Ma Thuot, the land of coffee, but I must say right away that Tuy Hoa coffee is very delicious, the owner said the coffee was brought from the highlands, the cup of coffee was strong and fragrant.
It was the first time I knew that Phu Yen did not have the concept of iced coffee. Whenever a customer ordered coffee, they would bring them a cup of filter-brewed coffee with a small cup of ice. They could add ice as they wished...
For the first time, I learned about the famous places of Phu Yen: Dong Cam Dam, Tuy An, Cung Son... Dong Cam Dam - a famous irrigation project in the Central region - is 688m long, connecting the two banks and two canals to irrigate the fertile Tuy Hoa plain.
In the afternoon, standing on Da Rang bridge, looking at the green rice fields on one side and the roaring waves on the other, I secretly hoped that I would have the opportunity to return to this place more often... At night at the provincial Labor Federation headquarters, the members of the group slept soundly with the sound of waves.
Beautiful scenery, talented people
Saying goodbye to Phu Yen was full of sadness. The Central homeland is still poor but very rich in love. When we returned to Saigon many months later, we received gifts from Ms. Mai, an official of the Provincial Labor Federation, which were bottles of delicious fish sauce. We were moved to tears when we received the gifts.
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| Pulling the boat. Photo: DUONG THANH XUAN |
As time passed, Phu Yen changed more and more, becoming one of the fastest growing localities in the country, urbanization and industrialization took place rapidly, tourism and services reaped many results.
Industrial zones opened, Dong Tac airport came into operation, Phu Yen became closer to the whole country, annual achievements in local socio-economic development mentioned Phu Yen a lot.
I had the opportunity to return to Phu Yen a few years later, and visited almost all regions of the province. Later, when I read the memoirs of the famous poet and musician Truong Tuyet Mai, a talented daughter of Phu Yen, a dear sister, I could clearly imagine the scenery in each line of her memoirs, her innocent childhood, the towns along the railway, the river banks of Dong Xuan district, and of Song Cau town today...
When the film I See Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass resonated with the public, Phu Yen became a famous tourist destination nationwide, my agency organized collective activities in this land. We went to famous places in Tuy An district: Mang Lang church, Da Dia reef, O Loan lagoon. We returned to Vung Ro - Dai Lanh beach, went up to Mui Dien lighthouse to admire the immense sea and sky, the endlessly beautiful scenery. One afternoon was still not enough to listen to stories of a time, to leave beautiful images for each other with the traces and beautiful scenery that only exists in dreams...
In the following years, the Vietnam Writers Association in Ho Chi Minh City and the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association also organized many creative field trips in Phu Yen - the land of yellow flowers and green grass.
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| Dawn on O Loan lagoon. Photo: DUONG THANH XUAN |
The heroic poetry on the sacred mountain
Many famous writers of Phu Yen living in their home province, along with writers of Phu Yen living in Ho Chi Minh City, always maintain close ties with their homeland, so they often meet each other for literary activities, especially on the occasion of Nguyen Tieu, Vietnam Poetry Day held on Nhan Mountain.
Nowhere else but Phu Yen is the origin of the Nguyen Tieu poetry nights, which later became a beautiful tradition of the country's literary world. Many localities organize Nguyen Tieu poetry nights every spring. It can be said that Nhan mountain is one of the most wonderful places in the country to organize Nguyen Tieu poetry nights.
On the stage next to the ancient tower, the bright moon shines down on the river and the sea, the words of poetry resound, calming the soul. It sounds like the soul of the mountains and rivers condenses, the poetic voice is heroic and resounding. Poetry flies far, poetry stays in the consciousness of poetry lovers, Vietnamese people live in harmony with poetry...
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| A group of Ho Chi Minh City writers took a souvenir photo at Xep beach (An Chan commune, Tuy An district). From left to right: Writer Cao Chien, poet Nguyen Hung and poet Bui Phan Thao. Photo: Contributor |
Every time I return to Phu Yen, I can clearly feel the changes. National Highway 25 connects the Central Highlands with Phu Yen through prosperous villages, bustling towns and townships of Son Hoa and Phu Hoa districts.
On Highway 1, the car is about to pass through Van Ninh district, Khanh Hoa, then enter Deo Ca tunnel to reach Dong Hoa town. The coastal roads are stunningly beautiful. Tuy Hoa's streets are increasingly expanding, with many large and majestic constructions, resembling a beautiful city on the East coast.
Recently, the Nghinh Phong tower in the windy square has become a landscape highlight of the city, with the beauty of nature and people, attracting tourists to stay in the land of yellow flowers and green grass...
Phu Yen today is the result of the joint efforts of generations of cadres and people of Phu Yen. A strong and rich Phu Yen, from the highlands to the plains, with green mountains and blue waters. Phu Yen people are gentle and hospitable.
Overcoming many hardships and natural disasters, Phu Yen people are proud of their homeland, which has produced many talented people for the country. I always believe that the place that welcomes the first sunrise on the mainland of the country will also be the place that develops quickly and sustainably, as it has always been. I know that I will always return to Phu Yen with much love and affection.
BUI PHAN THAO
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