Trang Bang and the story of Mr. Ca

From the pristine land of Binh Tinh village, the ancestors of the Dang family gradually reclaimed and developed it into Trang Bang ward and the surrounding communes that have flourished as they are today. The Dang family in Trang Bang has left an unforgettable mark on the glorious history of nation-building and national defense of Tay Ninh province.

Mr. Dang Van Tach recounted the story of Mr. Dang Van Truoc, a prominent figure who contributed to opening up the land and establishing the village of Trang.

Heading south to clear land and establish a livelihood.

Before the 17th century, due to the Trinh-Nguyen civil war and the ongoing conflict, many people from Central Vietnam left their homeland to settle in the South. Among them was Mr. Dang Van Truoc (given name Dang Uy Dua), from An Nam district, Binh Dinh province.

Mr. Dang Van Tach, 84 years old - a fifth-generation descendant of the Dang family in Trang Bang, and Head of the Ritual Committee of the Dang Van Truoc Ancestral Temple, said: In 1811, Mr. Dang Van Truoc stopped at Ben Don (now Hung Thuan commune) to reclaim land. Because the land was rocky and sandy, making cultivation difficult, in 1818, Mr. Truoc and a number of prominent figures went to Binh Tinh village (now Trang Bang ward, Tay Ninh province) to request the transfer of some land plots to reclaim and establish a village called Phuoc Loc village.

In the following years, migrants from various places gathered to live in Phuoc Loc village. At that time, Trang Bang was a wild, densely forested area with many wild animals. In 1821, Mr. Truoc led the people in digging a canal connecting to the Trang Bang stream to open a trade route and establish a market there. He expanded the roads, transforming the barren land into a prosperous agricultural area and a thriving commercial center. Along with the growing needs of the residents, Mr. Truoc bought more land to expand the boundaries of Phuoc Loc village.

In 1836, the 17th year of Minh Mạng's reign, Phước Lộc village was renamed Gia Lộc village. At this time, Cambodian invaders frequently crossed the border to harass and plunder the villagers' property, but they were always repelled by Mr. Đặng Văn Trước and the militia. The village enjoyed peace and prosperity. Mr. Trước was granted the title of "Cả" (village headman). On March 5th, 1826 (the year of Bính Tuất), Mr. Đặng Văn Trước passed away. After his death, the villagers buried him and built a tomb at his first stop in Bến Đồn.

Gia Loc Temple, where Mr. Dang Van Truoc is worshipped.

Every year, on the night of October 11th and the early morning of October 12th (Lunar Calendar), local people and the Kiến clan gather to visit the graves and light incense to commemorate those who contributed to the development of the Trảng region. The people venerate Mr. Đặng Văn Trước as the tutelary deity and, together with the local government, built Gia Lộc communal house (now in Trảng Bàng ward) to worship him. During the reign of Bảo Đại VIII, in 1933, this communal house was bestowed the title "Dực bảo trung hưng linh phù chi thần" (Guardian of Restoration and Divine Protection). In 1994, Gia Lộc communal house was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a national historical and cultural relic.

Commemorating the public opening of the Trang Bang region.

Trang Bang Ward is thriving today.

Besides Gia Loc communal house, descendants of the Dang family also established a temple dedicated to Mr. Dang Van Truoc in Trang Bang ward. In 2004, the temple dedicated to Mr. Dang Van Truoc was recognized by the Provincial People's Committee as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic. Every year, on the 5th and 6th of March (Lunar Calendar), the temple's management board organizes a memorial ceremony for Mr. Dang Van Truoc at the temple. The ceremony includes traditional activities such as offering sacrifices to ancestors, chanting prayers for peace, and the main ritual. After the memorial ceremony, from March 14th to 16th (Lunar Calendar) each year, the Ky Yen festival is held at Gia Loc communal house to commemorate Mr. Dang Van Truoc.

To commemorate the contributions of their ancestors who pioneered the settlement, established villages, and defended the land, the local government named the primary school and a road in Trang Bang ward after him. Mr. Dang Van Tach added that, in honor of Mr. Dang Van Truoc, there are now about 60 places in the country that have established ancestral temples of the Dang family. Many former residents of Trang Bang who now live abroad visit the temple to pay their respects whenever they return to their homeland.

According to Mr. Phi Thanh Phat, a member of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association and a researcher of the Dang family in Trang Bang town, the Ky Yen Gia Loc Temple festival includes a procession of the sacred effigy of Mr. Dang Van Truoc from the temple to the communal house, followed by a ceremony of returning the effigy on the afternoon of March 16th (Lunar Calendar). In 2012, the Ky Yen Gia Loc Temple festival was included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The festival is held every three years on a large scale. During major festivals, in addition to the usual rituals, traditional opera performances are also organized. Mr. Phi Thanh Phat said: “Because of the reverence of the people of Trang Bang for Mr. Dang Van Truoc, in daily communication, when there are words like 'truoc' (before) such as 'to go first' or 'to do first', many locals change it to 'trac' (a pre-determined word).”

As a local resident, Ms. Chung Thi Thu Trang shared that every year, on the anniversary of Mr. Ca's death, she and her family, along with many other people, come to light incense to commemorate the merits of the person who pioneered the development of Trang Bang. "During the Ky Yen Grand Ceremony at Gia Loc Temple, many people from both within and outside the locality attend. Each time the Ky Yen Grand Ceremony takes place, the Organizing Committee has to cook about 3 tons of sticky rice to give to the people," Ms. Trang said.

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Source: https://baolongan.vn/trang-bang-va-chuyen-ve-ong-ca-a200987.html