On top of the "horn of heaven"

Our car rumbled along the mountain pass, gliding past the lush green carpet of forest, dotted with the pink blossoms of Tớ dày flowers – a characteristic flower of the mountainous region – stretching along the Khau Phạ road. In the lingering mist, terraced rice fields shimmered with the purple of mint flowers covering the rice stalks. Clouds drifted here and there, interspersed with rays of sunlight that stretched across the mountain slopes.

The higher you go, the more vibrant and colorful the Tớ dày flowers become, blooming brightly along the road back to the village, on the path to the fields, on the mountain slopes, swaying in the spring breeze by the porches of houses, and in the schoolyards amidst the cheerful chatter of children. This poetic scenery has captivated the hearts of many tourists visiting Mù Cang Chải. The Hmong people call the Tớ dày flower "pằng tớ dày" - wild peach blossom, a symbol of the blossoming spring, signaling the arrival of the Gầu Tào festival season.

We quietly made our way up the winding mountain pass through the "heavenly" cloud-covered "kingdom" of Tớ Dày. Through the car window, peaceful villages in the mist glided by, and Hmong boys and girls, dressed in their colorful traditional clothing, celebrated the spring festival. Khau Phạ, in the Thái ethnic language, means "horn of the sky."

Seen from afar, the majestic peak of Khau Pha mountain, with its sharp, pointed peak, resembles a horn reaching towards the clouds. In the minds of the local people, the mountain pass is considered sacred. Whenever the harvest fails, the villagers climb to the summit of this "horn of the sky" to offer prayers for peace, favorable weather, and a bountiful harvest.

The journey to Khau Pha evokes different thoughts in each person, but the most genuine feeling is experiencing the harmony between heaven and earth, fulfilling the desire to conquer nature. The people of Lao Cai are always proud of their homeland, "the source of the river, the majestic peak of the mountain." After the merger, Lao Cai and Yen Bai share one roof, connecting the heritage region and bridging administrative boundaries.

At the summit of the "Horn of Heaven," flowers bloom in all four seasons, each with its own unique characteristics, attracting tourists from all over. The special national heritage sites of Mu Cang Chai, Che Cu Nha, La Pan Tan... gently curve towards the sky and clouds. Pung Luong, with its undulating mountains and swirling clouds, and the ancient Shan Tuyet tea forests hidden in the mist. The fragrant rice fields of Tu Le, like a golden silk ribbon along the heritage route. The road to the summit of the "Horn of Heaven" is like a thread draped across the mountain, shrouded in mist, with golden sunlight fanning out like a fan over the To Day forest, breathtakingly beautiful, stirring countless hearts.

Only by traveling and experiencing it firsthand can one truly appreciate the grandeur of the mountains, rivers, and sky. Khau Pha Pass evokes a range of impressive emotions, from thrilling thrills to apprehensive anxieties due to its hairpin bends, deep ravines, and heart-stopping curves… Then comes the overwhelming wonder of the forest and flowers. Amidst the myriad of vibrant colors, the rhythmic swaying of the Hmong girls' traditional brocade, the graceful headscarves, the slender waists adorned with butterfly-shaped buttons worn by the Thai girls of Tu Le, and the melodious sound of the flute calling out to friends, all fill every step with joy.

At the summit of the "heavenly horn," we also heard stories about an old soldier couple and their love of nature, which made me dream. They are Mr. Nguyen Khanh Tung and Mrs. Le Thi Ha ( from Hanoi ). Leaving behind the conveniences of city life, they chose the misty, windswept mountaintop as their place to enjoy their old age.

In conversations with tourists, we learned that it was the beauty of the landscape, the sky, and the wind that captivated Mr. Nguyen Khanh Tung. From the mountaintop once covered in endless reeds, a rest stop for tourists and the Khau Pha Guerrilla Team Memorial have now been established. Two rows of houses, built with natural materials and designed simply but beautifully, serve as a resting place for tourists to admire the scenery, visit the historical site, enjoy local specialties, and "hunt for clouds." Furthermore, Mr. Tung voluntarily acts as a guide, introducing the legendary mountain pass during the resistance against French colonialism.

The vibrant colors of spring are bursting forth on the summit of Khau Pha, the "horn of heaven," beckoning visitors. This place is gradually becoming an impressive destination on the Northwest Vietnam route. From a previously wild, rocky, and reed-covered roadside area, it has now transformed into a small ecological park with lush green spaces and flowers blooming year-round. Features such as scenic walkways, cloud-covered photo spots, small bridges, and a tower marking the summit's coordinates have been invested in and installed comprehensively. From here, beautiful images, lively videos, and the legendary story of the "horn of heaven" summit spread far and wide with visitors.

Presented by: Thanh Ba

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/tren-dinh-sung-troi-post893548.html