Visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - Hung Yen Online Newspaper

On a cool, crisp autumn morning, amidst the sacred atmosphere of National Day on September 2nd, it was truly moving to be in Hanoi, the capital city, and visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

Crowds of people enter the Mausoleum to pay their respects to President Ho Chi Minh.

When I was a child, everyone in my elementary school competed to be good students and well-behaved so that on holidays, the school would organize a trip to visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. When my name was called on the list, it was a huge source of pride. I vividly remember the feeling of excitement and joy that lasted for days; I couldn't sleep the night before going to Hanoi. When Hanoi appeared, when Ba Dinh Square was before me, and the red flag with a yellow star fluttered in the bright golden sunlight, I felt overwhelmed by the solemn, beautiful, and unforgettable scene. That feeling stayed with me until later in life; whenever I had the chance to go to the capital, I longed to stop at Ba Dinh Square and visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was started on September 2, 1973, and completed on August 29, 1975. It houses the remains of President Ho Chi Minh – the great leader of the nation – along with many relics associated with his life. The overall architecture of the mausoleum is a solid square structure. The mausoleum's structure is designed to be very sturdy. The main facade of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum faces east of Ba Dinh Square. In front of the main facade, the words "President Ho Chi Minh" are prominently displayed in plum-colored ruby ​​stone. The entrance hall is clad in reddish-pink granite, providing a backdrop for the inscription "Nothing is more precious than Independence and Freedom" and President Ho Chi Minh's gold-plated signature.

The most pleasant thing is that no matter what season you visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, you will encounter a lush, harmonious natural landscape with hundreds of plant species. Each tree and flower planted here carries a very special meaning.

I still remember the song "Ivory Bamboo by President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum" that I used to sing when I was a child: "By President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, there are two clumps of ivory bamboo. Welcoming the wind and swaying, swaying. Welcoming the sun and embroidering flowers, flowers..." Every time I visit President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, I gaze at those clumps of ivory bamboo for a long time. Through the years, old bamboo dies, new shoots grow, and the golden bamboo stalks still stand together, adorning the Mausoleum. Their branches and leaves are always green, intertwined, united like the Vietnamese people, like comrades and fellow soldiers.

Every time I visit President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, I am deeply moved. Throughout his life, President Ho Chi Minh sacrificed and cared for the Vietnamese people. Even today, he remains a guiding light, illuminating the path for our nation to move forward, overcome difficulties and challenges, and stand shoulder to shoulder with the international community. Here, I met elderly Party members and severely wounded veterans paying their respects to President Ho Chi Minh; everyone was deeply moved. I also met Vietnamese and foreign children visiting the mausoleum, their relatives telling stories about him, their clear eyes reflecting their profound love and respect for him.

Visiting President Ho Chi Minh's stilt house – where artifacts from his daily life and the objects he used for work and revolutionary activities are displayed – one cannot help but admire his simplicity and frugal lifestyle. The single bed, the single pillow, the old face towel, the simple table and chairs… all seem to still bear the imprint of his presence.

The flag-raising and flag-lowering ceremonies at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum are also eagerly awaited by many. How sacred it is to witness the red flag with a yellow star fluttering in the dawn light at the start of the day. The flag-raising ceremony is a national ritual, performed at 6:00 AM every day in front of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The procession starts from behind the mausoleum, led by the "Victory" military flag. Following them is a 34-member honor guard, symbolizing the 34 first soldiers of the Vietnam Liberation Propaganda Army. The procession circles to the front to the base of the flagpole. Three soldiers of the red flag team then advance to the flagpole to prepare for the flag-raising ceremony. At this time, the mausoleum gates begin to open. When the signal is given, the flag is unfurled and flies to the sound of the national anthem, reaching the top of the flagpole. The flag-lowering ceremony takes place at 9:00 PM every day, with a similar ritual to the flag-raising ceremony. The flag-raising ceremony is performed by soldiers with the utmost solemnity and reverence to uphold the image of the national flag. On special holidays such as National Day and President Ho Chi Minh's birthday, these ceremonies become even more sacred than ever.

Autumn has arrived again, and the sun shines brightly on Ba Dinh Square. As people flock to visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the national flag is visible against the blue sky from afar, and the clumps of ivory bamboo beside the mausoleum seem to sing a melodious song in praise of Him: “I wish to be a bird singing around Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. I wish to be a flower spreading its fragrance everywhere. I wish to be a loyal and faithful bamboo tree in this place…”

Hai Trieu

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/tham-lang-bac-ho-3165758.html