Visit Bau Cheo ancient cemetery

Incense offering ceremony and congratulation speech at the inauguration of Bau Cheo cemetery gate.

Remembering the old days, Gia Binh village was officially established in 1845 after the decision of the acting Governor of Tay Ninh Cao Huu Duc. At that time, Gia Binh was one of 12 newly established villages belonging to Ham Ninh commune, Quang Hoa district, Tay Ninh prefecture. In the process of establishing Gia Binh village, the contributions of the ancestors who are resting at Bau Cheo cemetery were preserved.

Notable are the two tombs of Mr. Duong Tan Phong - the ancestor of the Duong Gia Binh clan, and Mr. Duong Tan Qua, who reclaimed land, opened up a career, gathered people to establish villages, and built cultural and social institutions in Gia Binh. With such great contributions, they were honored by the residents as the local tutelary gods and worshiped at Trung Gia Binh communal house.

In the cemetery, there are still relics of a pond and hundreds of graves, belonging to many generations. Besides the graves of the two ancestors of the Duong family, there are also many graves of famous figures such as Dai Huong Ca Le Van Thuan, famous painter Ta Van Kien (often called painter Nam Kien, stage name Hoa Binh)...

The cemetery still has many ancient tombs made of laterite, greenstone, composite... with artistic features, tombstones engraved with Chinese characters, later most of the tombs were engraved in both Chinese and Vietnamese or purely in Vietnamese. The designs of the tombs bear the characteristics of each ethnic group, family and each period of time from ancient to modern.

Elders, relatives, people and youth union members attended the inauguration ceremony of Bau Cheo cemetery gate.

In September 2022, researcher Duong Cong Duc - Deputy Head of Bau Cheo Cemetery Management Board, together with local people, erected a memorial stele "Bau Cheo Ancient Cemetery" to show respect and commemorate the 177th anniversary (1845 - 2022) of Gia Binh village's establishment. The stele is engraved with the words: "I wish to forever remember the virtues and contributions of our ancestors".

By the end of 2024, researcher Duong Cong Duc built the gate and road leading to Bau Cheo cemetery. The gate was built in the ancient architectural style of the South, with a tiled roof, the front was engraved with the words "Bau Cheo Cemetery. Gia Binh - Trang Bang - Tay Ninh", the back was inscribed with "Forever grateful for the merits of our ancestors".

Trung Gia Binh Communal House's Celebration Committee and local people pay respects to the graves of ancestors at Bau Cheo cemetery.

The project was completed and inaugurated by Gia Binh Ward Youth Union on the 27th of the Lunar New Year. The ceremony was solemnly held according to traditional rituals with the presence of comrade Cao Van Thanh - Vice Chairman of Gia Binh Ward People's Committee, researcher Nguyen Quoc Viet - former Vice Chairman of Tay Ninh Province Literature and Arts Association, Trung Gia Binh Communal House Festival Committee, Bau Cheo Cemetery Management Board, Duong Gia Binh family, elders, relatives, people and youth union members.

Wearing traditional ao dai, everyone offered incense at the altar in the middle of the cemetery gate. After offering at the gate, everyone lit incense on the graves in the cemetery.

Elders, relatives and people attended the ceremony to pay respect to the ancestors.

Letting Gia Binh Ward Youth Union organize the inauguration ceremony is also a wayto educate the younger generation about the tradition of remembering the source of water when drinking, and being grateful to the ancestors who have contributed a lot to Gia Binh homeland.

After the Lunar New Year of At Ty, researcher Duong Cong Duc and local people continued to restore the tombs of the two ancestors Duong Tan Phong and Duong Tan Qua, adding to the landscape in the cemetery. By mid-April (agricultural calendar), the work was completed. The two tombs were restored in a grand style in the ancient tombs of the Southern region with screens, walls surrounding the tombs, tombstones, and lotus decorations on the tombs, painted in traditional colors. Only the tomb of the predecessor Duong Tan Phong has a low entrance gate for visitors to bow to their ancestors.

At the tomb of the ancestor Duong Tan Qua, there is still a blue stone stele from the time the tomb was first built, with the content "Duong Phu. Cao Huyen Thuong Co Duong Tan Qua. Chi Vi". Some surrounding tombs have also been restored. The cemetery also has large trees planted in the grounds, and a guest house built for relatives to visit the tomb, prepare offerings, rest and chat.

Tomb of the late sage Duong Tan Qua after restoration.

On May 18, 2025, Bau Cheo Cemetery Management Board held a grave-sweeping ceremony. The ceremony took place with the participation of Trung Gia Binh Communal House Festival Committee, Gia Binh Ward Youth Union, elders, relatives and local people.

People come to pay respect to the graves and bring flowers, fruits, incense, lamps, roast pork, boiled chicken, banh it, sponge cake... The grave-paying ceremony is performed by Mr. Vuong Van Mum - Head of the Festival Committee and Trung Gia Binh Communal House Festival Committee according to tradition, then the younger generations come in turn to offer incense and visit the graves of their ancestors. After the ceremony, the elders meet at the cemetery to agree on the continued restoration and renovation, set out regulations for taking good care of the cemetery and choose the 25th of Tet every year from 7am to 10am as the time for the clans to visit the graves together.

Thanh Phat Fee

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/ve-tham-nghia-trang-co-mo-bau-cheo-a191085.html