Son Duong - The old bass guitar

It's raining today. Spring rain. Maybe the wind chases the clouds away so quickly that "Anh Du on TV" couldn't "predict" it in time, because last night he still said it would be sunny, but we already made an appointment so let's go.

This time, we will visit Dong Dang cave, Nui Boc cave, Dia Thau cave - mostly in Son Duong commune, where the Quang Ninh Provincial General Hospital, Hoanh Bo District Hospital (now in Ha Long city) and the Navy Military Hospital were evacuated. Mr. Vuong Binh, a long-time commune official and also a local, was responsible for showing the way.

Son Duong is a mountainous commune, located in the northwest of Ha Long city, about 20km from the city center. Son Duong's terrain has many hills, caves and lush valleys interspersed. According to the History of the Son Duong Commune Party Committee, during the period of 1964-1968, which was the period of fighting against the destructive war of the American imperialists in the North, Son Duong commune was a safe evacuation site for the Provincial Party Committee, some departments and branches of the province, Hoanh Bo district and the Navy Command (Northeastern Military Region). Some units remained until 1972 and withdrew after 1972.

The author on the way to Dong Dang cave.

At that time, the provincial hospital was evacuated to Dong Dang cave, Dong Dang village, Son Duong commune, Hoanh Bo district (old). It is commonly called Dang cave. Dang cave has Dang stream flowing inside the mountain from Dan Chu commune. Outside the cave, there are two quite wide entrances. Before the 90s of the last century, Dang cave belonged entirely to the administrative area of ​​Son Duong commune. Then, for unknown reasons, it was transferred to Dan Chu commune (adjacent to Son Duong commune) for management, although the fields and gardens around Dong Dang mountain range still belonged to Son Duong commune. Thus, Dong Dang mountain does not belong to Dong Dang village, just as Van Phong pagoda is now not located in Vuon Cau village, which was formerly called Van Phong village, old Son Duong commune.

The Dong Dang rocky mountain range is surrounded by a range of dirt mountains, on the other side is Khe Dung dam, providing irrigation water for Dong Dang village (Son Duong commune). When the provincial hospital took over this place, it had a rather favorable location, relatively convenient for setting up shelters, camps, treating patients, eating, sleeping, and avoiding American planes.

Unfortunately, some of the rocky mountains in Son Duong commune, including Dang cave, have been given to private companies for limestone mining. When we visited this place again, there were still two cave entrances, with white reeds fluttering. Dang stream still flowed quietly between the worn-out rocks. Above, the rough, sharp rocks were waiting to be "killed" by mines, broken into gravel and boulders to serve construction projects. Mr. Binh pointed to the top of the mountain and said that in the past, they often climbed up there to get some medicinal plants such as mountain bird's foot plant, mouse dung plant... which are precious traditional medicinal plants, treating many diseases such as hepatitis, bone pain, and increasing vitality. It is very possible that the doctors at the provincial hospital at that time also applied the precious medicinal resources of the local people to prevent and treat diseases for patients during that period?

Dang Stream, flows inside Dong Dang Cave.

Anyone who has been here, especially during the evacuation period in Dang Mountain, will never forget the beautiful scenery here. The majestic rocky mountains with a clear stream flowing right inside the mountain. The convenient and poetic cave doors welcome and protect people from the sun and rain. The mountain also protects the living beings in the scene of falling bombs and stray bullets. Now, the Dang Mountain range does not “die” because of war, but has to “sacrifice” in the scene of peace .

Fortunately, the 5-8 Hospital of the Navy in Dia Thau Cave (today's Vuon Ram Village) is still in quite good condition. This cave has a fairly large area and is almost completely preserved. During the war, civilians took a shortcut from the Northwest via a dirt road along the foot of the mountain to the cave. The cave entrance is full of jagged rocks, and inside the cave, the rocks and soil are rough. The highest point of the cave is about ten meters high, and the widest area is about 200 square meters.

Next to Vuon Ram village is Vuon Cau village. Initially, the Provincial Hospital and the District Hospital were evacuated around the edge of Boc mountain. It is a limestone mountain that probably dates back to ancient times, at the same time as Bai Tho mountain, standing pensively right at the entrance of Vuon Cau village. Boc mountain also has a cave, with two cave entrances connecting from the Southeast to the Northwest. The northwest entrance is called Cua Trau, the other door is Cua Chap. On the southwest side of Boc mountain, Da Ban mountain (Mo Dong village) discreetly shields the evacuation area. The hospital's barracks are built around the cave. Whenever the alarm sounds, everyone takes cover in the cave. The local people often remember the grace of Saint Tan for protecting this area. During the period when the hospitals were evacuated, there was not a single case of death here due to American bombs.

Like the surrounding mountain system, Da Ban Mountain is also a limestone mountain. The mountain got its name from a legend about King Dong Quanh, that at that time, this large area was under the control of King Dong Quanh. One day, the king was on a tour passing by here and his soldiers were tired. The surrounding mountains and forests were dense and there was no place to rest. The king pointed his sword at the top of the mountain. Then a huge rock rolled down from the mountain. There was enough room for him and his soldiers to rest. Today, there are still traces of the old rock, as big as several mats, in Mo Dong village, next to the inter-commune road.

The elderly people in the commune still remember clearly the time when the hospitals were evacuated here. At first, both the provincial and district hospitals set up camps around Boc Mountain. The Trau cave, about a hundred square meters wide, was used as an operating room. The provincial hospital had doctors Ngo Lan, Mai Lan, Kha, Nguu, Thinh… The district hospital had doctors Dam, Mien, Mieu, Giang, Van who specialized in delivering babies… Some doctors and nurses stayed at local houses. At that time, many villagers still remembered the wedding of doctors Khue and My. Doctor Ay played the guitar and sang the song “I dig the trenches again” at the wedding, which was very joyful. After that, the provincial hospital moved to the larger Dong Dang cave.

Now, only Dia Thau cave, where the military hospital is stationed, has a concrete road that is easy to access to the cave entrance. The concrete road winds along the mountainside to avoid the steep slope. The inside and outside of the cave have been paved, and the entrance is now completely concreted. Along the way up, cinnamon and acacia trees are sprouting new buds next to the green rocks from the beginning.

The entrance to Boc mountain cave is still covered with trees and gloomy. Even if they were lucky, not many people would dare to go all the way through the cave in the past. Some houses at the entrance to Trau are still there. They and the old cave arches are like low musical notes, forever vibrating a heroic song, reminding us of a time when the Party's righteousness, the people's warm love protected us, united together to overcome countless difficulties and hardships, to move towards a complete victory of the people and the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee at that time.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/son-duong-cung-tram-mot-thuo-3232581.html