Warm Spring in Uncle Ho's Hometown

(Baonghean.vn) -In the first days of the new year, streams of pilgrims come to the Kim Lien-Nam Dan relic site. Whether they are far or near, of different ages and jobs, they all share the same thought of lighting incense on the altar of Uncle Ho, offering fresh flowers to commemorate the immense merit of the Father of the nation, praying for a peaceful and happy new year...

After nearly twenty years away from home, this year, Ms. Nguyen Hai Van from Ho Chi Minh City and her extended family had the opportunity to return home to celebrate Tet. Ms. Van said that she had been working in Ho Chi Minh City for more than twenty years, and this was the first time her extended family had the opportunity to gather together like this. Before returning to her paternal hometown in Thanh Hoa with her husband and children, she and her husband took their children to the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial House at the Kim Lien-Nam Dan Relic Site to offer him incense, and took their children to visit Uncle Ho's paternal and maternal hometowns, and the tomb of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan. “My children were born and raised in the South, and it has been a long time since they had the opportunity to visit their hometown. On the traditional Tet holiday of the nation, I took them to Uncle Ho's hometown so that they could better understand Uncle Ho's life and career, and his contributions to the country. Not only that, I see that Uncle Ho's hometown is changing more and more, it is not only a historical site but also a very impressive spring destination for many families. My children are very happy that in the first days of the new year they can come to such a meaningful place like this" - Ms. Van shared.

Peach tree stump donated by Mr. Ha Dao's family (Hanoi) at Kim Lien Relic Site



Souvenir shops open to serve tourists visiting Uncle Ho's hometown on the first day of Spring.



During Tet holidays, Huy Hiep Company workers are on duty to beautify the Kim Lien Relic Site.

Sharing the same thoughts as Ms. Van, Mr. Nguyen Van Dat's family in Do Luong, although he is over 70 years old this year, in the first days of the new year, he and his children and grandchildren chose Kim Lien, Uncle Ho's hometown, for a spring outing. Talking to us, Mr. Dat said: "My family placed Uncle Ho's altar in a solemn position. During holidays, my family always burns incense to commemorate him. The new year is an occasion for the whole family to reunite and also an occasion for us to remind our children and grandchildren about the tradition of the nation's origins and the contributions of our fathers and brothers to the country. Coming here to remember Uncle Ho, so that our children and grandchildren can see his great sacrifice for life as it is today, I find it very sacred and touching. From then on, the generations of children and grandchildren are aware of their responsibility to build their homeland and country."

For Vietnamese people, each person has a different way of expressing their sincere gratitude to leader Ho Chi Minh. Although they live far away, every Tet, Mr. Ha Dao's family in Nhat Tan ward, Hanoi, also offers 3 peach trees to Kim Lien Relic Site. After Tet, his family brings these 3 peach trees back to Hanoi to take care of and restore, and on the occasion of the following Tet, they bring them back to offer to Kim Lien Relic Site. This year, the beautiful peach tree that his family brought to offer is solemnly displayed in Kim Lien Relic Site, attracting many people to visit, admire, and take souvenir photos. Huy Hiep Company Limited voluntarily sends workers to beautify the grounds of the Relic Site every day. It has become a tradition that every year on New Year's Eve after patrolling, the Mobile Police Team of Nghe An Provincial Police offers incense to commemorate Uncle Ho at Kim Lien Relic Site... Many people around New Year's Eve also go to Kim Lien Relic Site to burn incense to commemorate Uncle Ho, then return to burn incense at the family altar.

Mr. Lam Dinh Hung - Deputy Head of the Kim Lien Relic Site's Professional Department said: "During the Tet holidays, the Kim Lien Relic Site arranges staff to be on duty all day to welcome visitors, offer flowers and incense to commemorate Uncle Ho, and activities still take place normally. This year, the Tet holiday is long, so groups of visitors from far away arrive later than usual, however, in the first two days of the new year, more than 150 groups have registered to offer flowers and incense to commemorate Uncle Ho.

In the cold weather, with light spring rain, people still flocked to Kim Lien Relic Site to burn incense in memory of Uncle Ho and enjoy the spring, including the elderly, the young, young men and women, students, and children... They came here with a sincere heart, hoping to burn incense and offer it to Uncle Ho on the first day of the new spring.

Coming to Kim Lien Relic Site on the first day of the new year, we can listen to songs about Him echoing and spreading among nature, grass, trees, flowers, and leaves, the lyrics are deeply engraved in the minds of each of us. Those familiar images and lyrics remind generations of children to remember the tradition and origin of the nation like a continuous stream, like tree roots deep in the ground, forever remembering the great merit of President Ho Chi Minh.

Le Thanh