Deep within the source of the Hieu Giang River

QTO - When I was little, every time my family went to the Duoi-Phien Cam Lo market, traveling downstream on the Hieu River to the Phu Hoi, Ha Tay, and An Loi ferry terminals to return to my paternal grandparents' hometown in the coastal commune of Trieu Van (now Nam Cua Viet commune), I would often ask my father why, with so many options for getting home, we chose the river route. My father would simply reply: "From my grandparents' hometown to my house in Cam Lo, the waterway is the most convenient, because the coastal area of ​​my hometown didn't have roads back then." Growing up, traveling along the river for long enough, slowly enough, I finally understood why the Hieu River remains so deeply ingrained in people's hearts.

The Hieu River originates from small streams in the mountainous terrain on the eastern slopes of the Truong Son mountain range, at an altitude of over 1,000m at the foot of Ta Linh/Voi Mep mountain, flowing eastward through the Cam Lo and Dong Ha areas before merging with the Thach Han River at the Gia Do junction and emptying into the Cua Viet sea.

Compared to other rivers in Central Vietnam, the Hieu River is not long or turbulent. But within its seemingly gentle flow lies the ever-evolving history of an open land, witnessing expansionist campaigns, bustling trade seasons, years of fierce warfare, and powerful transformations to adapt and integrate.

That river not only flows through history and the community's consciousness, depositing alluvial soil on the fields, but also fosters a unique cultural, historical , and economic landscape in Quang Tri province.

The Hieu River flows through Hieu Giang commune - NTH

Before the existence of villages, markets, and mountain-crossing roads—the precursors of the vital National Highway 9 connecting to Southeast Asian countries—there were groups of ancient, primitive inhabitants who lived and relied on the upstream waters of the Hieu Giang River.

The discovery by archaeologists of seashells, considered to be a type of money snail—a means of exchange used by prehistoric inhabitants—in the late Neolithic cultural layer of the Hang Doi (Cam Lo) site indicates that trade relations were established between mountainous and coastal plain communities along the East-West axis in the Hieu River basin.

Before belonging to the Vietnamese, the land on both banks of the Hieu River today was part of the O and Ma Linh districts of the Champa kingdom.

From 1069, with the Đại Việt kingdom's conquest campaign against Chà Bàn, capturing the Champa king Chế Củ, a portion of land north of the Hiếu River in Ma Linh district was incorporated into the Đại Việt kingdom's map. From 1069 to 1306, the Hiếu River served as the border between Đại Việt and Champa.

In 1306, after Princess Huyền Trân married the Champa king Chế Mân with the dowry being the two provinces of Ô-Lý, the area south of the Hiếu River became part of Đại Việt territory. From then on, the migration and settlement of new Vietnamese communities officially began.

Vietnamese villages gradually replaced Cham villages, and the Vietnamese inherited, interacted with, and integrated with the indigenous Cham culture, transforming the land in the Hieu River basin into an open area. Along both banks of the Hieu River, there are still quite a number of Cham wells and wells built using Cham techniques, which effectively exploit groundwater resources. These are preserved by the people in the villages of Cam Lo Thuong, Cam Lo Ha, Nghia An, and Thuong Nghia (Dong Ha)...

During the Nguyen dynasty, as the Thuan-Quang region gradually stabilized, the Hieu River clearly demonstrated its central position as a bustling trading hub.

The Hieu River flows through Dong Ha ward - NTH

In the river system of Quang Tri province and the entire Central region, the Hieu River stands out for its commercial and trading role. Along the Hieu River, the Cham people have long engaged in trade with the outside world through the Cua Viet port. Based on these trade and trading routes, the Cham established and the Vietnamese effectively utilized these resources to stabilize and improve their lives, especially at the trading ports located downstream of the Hieu River, such as Mai Xa and Phu Hoi.

In addition, village markets and other commercial centers such as Song Market, Sai Market, and Phien Market promoted trade and exchange along the East-West corridor with the Lac Hoan-Van Tuong (Laos) tribes along the mountain road and Hieu River.

Historically, the Hieu River has always been closely associated with the mountain pass – a trail and precursor to today's Highway 9 and the Trans-Asian Highway. This was a trade route for tools, spices, and salt, running east-west, and was established very early on.

During the Nguyen Dynasty, the busiest trade route in Quang Tri was the Cua Viet-Cam Lo-Ai Lao route. Cam Lo became an important border crossing, and the Cam Lo market on the banks of the Hieu River was the most bustling trading center in the Tan Binh and Thuan Hoa regions during this period.

The scholar Le Quy Don, in his "Phu Bien Tap Luc," described this route as follows: "Cam Lo commune, Dang Xuong district, is located upstream of the Dieu Ngao River, connected to Cua Viet below and bordering the Sai Dat Ai Lao upstream; all the roads of the Man people originate from there."

"Far away, the countries of Lac Hoan, Vientiane, Tran Ninh prefecture, Quy Hop district, and the Laotian tribes all had trade routes from here, making it very strategically important." Trade and exchange of goods in Quang Tri was not limited to the domestic market but extended to the South, reaching the North, and even to countries in the region such as Laos, China, Japan, India, and Western countries.

Boats entering Cua Viet brought goods from the coastal areas and other places along the Thach Han and Hieu rivers to trade with the midland and mountainous regions; at the same time, through the Ai Lao border gate, they collected goods from Laos and the mountainous regions to trade with the plains and coastal areas, creating a very busy trade flow by land and sea.

Agarwood, ivory, sandalwood, wood ear mushrooms, bird's nests, cinnamon, rhinoceros horns, pepper, lacquer oil, tung oil, precious wood... were famous specialties along the East-West trade route in Quang Tri, highly sought after by foreign merchants. During the Nguyen dynasty, with the policy of "closed borders," trade on the Hieu River stagnated. Under French colonial rule, along with the opening of Highway 9 in 1920 to exploit the colony, the Hieu River became a transit route connecting the Cua Viet seaport to Highway 9 in Dong Ha and Cam Lo.

Today, trading on the Hieu River is no longer common, but along the riverbanks, traces of past trading ports and ferry terminals remain, imbued with the colors of time. Localities along the route have developed projects and plans to revive festivals associated with the trading ports and large markets along both banks of the Hieu and Thach Han rivers, serving the development of experiential tourism .

The history of the Hieu River has been marked by numerous ups and downs. From its role as a border between Dai Viet and Champa, to the thousand-mile journey of Princess Huyen Tran opening up the O-Ly region, and then becoming a bustling trade artery by land and sea during the Nguyen dynasty, the Hieu River is a vital link connecting layers of cultural, historical, and economic sediments. It's where memories flow alongside the present and paves the way for the future of this newly expanded land. More than just a trade route, the Hieu River has also been linked to many significant turning points in the nation's history.

In 1885, Tan So citadel, located in the Cam Lo area of ​​the Hieu River basin, was chosen as the resistance capital of King Ham Nghi, marking the beginning of the Can Vuong movement against French colonial invasion. Nearly a century later, Vinh Ninh citadel in Cam Lo became the headquarters of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (1972-1975), ushering in a period of fierce struggle on the diplomatic front with the US imperialists, leading to final victory, the complete liberation of the South, and the reunification of the country on April 30, 1975.

Throughout history, few regions have displayed such a strong spirit of innovation and change as the people living along the banks of the Hieu River. From ancient riverside markets to modern residential areas, from trading boats to the long lines of vehicles on National Highway 9 during the integration period, all demonstrate the continuity of this spirit of commerce and integration.

The Hieu River flows silently through villages and cities, through historical and cultural sediments, carrying the mission of connecting and producing people who yearn to embrace new things, with innovative, dynamic, and creative thinking, a desire for development, and a worthy continuation of the historical values ​​forged over generations.

Thanh Hai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202603/sau-tham-mach-nguon-hieugiang-d2f0fe5/