The process of digging the Vinh Dinh River by the Nguyen Dynasty

Vinh Dinh is one of the eight major canals dug during the Nguyen Dynasty. The Vinh Dinh River connects the Thach Han River at the Co Thanh junction to the Luong Dien River, passing through communes in the Trieu Phong and Hai Lang districts of Quang Tri province, and flowing into the Tam Giang lagoon in Thua Thien Hue province. This was a vital inland waterway during the Nguyen Dynasty. The official history of the Nguyen Dynasty accurately reflects the construction of the Vinh Dinh River with many specific details.

A section of the Vinh Dinh River flowing through Trieu Phong district today - Photo: KHAC NIEN

The Vinh Dinh River was a major water management project in Quang Tri province under the Nguyen Dynasty. The river was not only important for agriculture and trade in Quang Tri but also directly connected to the imperial capital. The river excavation process lasted nearly five months (from March to July 1825). The project demonstrated the foresight of Emperor Minh Mang in developing the economy , trade, and defense of the capital city of Hue.

The book "Dai Nam Thuc Luc Chinh Bien" (Second Chronicle), volume 32, pages 8 and 9, records: In the spring of the 1825s, in the third month of the year of Minh Menh, the Vinh Dinh canal was dug in Quang Tri. Quang Tri previously had a canal from Trung Don to La Vi, but it was filled with sand, making it shallow and difficult for boats to navigate. The King, wanting to improve transportation routes, first sent the city inspector Do Phuc Thinh to inspect it. He then decided to open a new canal from Quan Kinh to Trung Don (more than 1,720 trượng long, with a water surface width of at most 6 trượng). Only then was Deputy Commander-in-Chief Phan Van Thuy appointed to oversee the canal digging, and given a royal envoy flag and a royal decree to emphasize the importance of the occasion (from then on, any special assignment was accompanied by a flag and a decree).

3,700 people from Thua Thien and Quang Tri provinces were assigned to dig, and were provided with money and rice (each person received 5 quan of money and 2 phuong of rice and 15 uyen of rice per month). The necessary materials had to be purchased by the officials; they were not allowed to take them from the people.

Emperor Phan Van Thuy said: “Recently there has been little rain, and the price of rice is a bit high. I truly do not want to burden the people; however, that river benefits both public and private interests, and those who come to work are provided with money and rice without any hesitation. This is also the intention of using labor to provide relief. You should explain this clearly to the people. Furthermore, the distribution of money and rice should not be entrusted solely to the officials, lest they embezzle it, so that our people may benefit from the treasury's resources and willingly come to work.”

Then, seeing the intense summer sun, they set a fixed schedule for work and rest, with periods of both hard work and leisure (every day, they would start working at 5:00 AM, stopping at 9:00 PM; in the afternoon, they would start working at 4:00 PM, stopping at 1:00 AM). They provided food every 10 days and medicine for the sick. When the digging was completed, they named it Vinh Dinh River. They ordered the officials to bring buffaloes and wine to reward the workers. They rewarded Phan Van Thuy with two record-breaking gifts, 50 taels of silver, 3 pieces of silk, and 1 piece of brocade; the officials Doan Van Truong and Nguyen Van Nam each received one record-breaking gift, 30 taels of silver, and 2 pieces of silk; and the soldiers who worked with them each received one record-breaking gift. If the digging damaged people's fields and land, they were exempted from taxes; if graves and houses had to be moved, they were given money (Trung Don, La Vi, and Quan Kinh are all names of villages).

According to the official history of the Nguyen Dynasty, the digging of the Vinh Dinh River was meticulously prepared by the Nguyen Dynasty in general and Emperor Minh Mang in particular. The work was clearly assigned by the Emperor. Despite the immense scale of the project, the river digging was completed in nearly five months, demonstrating the efforts of the court and the people involved. Later, the river was dredged and cleared many times, spanning from the reign of Emperor Minh Mang to subsequent Nguyen Dynasty emperors. The Vinh Dinh River played a crucial role in the development of the Nguyen Dynasty. Therefore, Emperor Minh Mang chose this river to be engraved on the Nine Dynastic Urns.

Today, although many sections have narrowed and silted up, the Vinh Dinh River still plays a crucial role in providing irrigation water for communes in Hai Lang and Trieu Phong districts. The construction of the Vinh Dinh River during the reign of King Minh Mang demonstrates the Nguyen Dynasty's policy of prioritizing agriculture. The Vinh Dinh River continues to be useful for irrigation, water supply for farming, and transportation, benefiting the local people.

Khac Nien

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/qua-trinh-dao-song-vinh-dinh-cua-trieu-nguyen-191183.htm