Ancient traces of the old Tra Lan citadel.
Traveling along National Highway 7A one hot summer day, I began my journey to find traces of an ancient citadel that was once deeply etched in the nation's history – Tra Lan Citadel. This was an important stronghold that witnessed the victories of the Lam Son rebels under the command of Le Loi more than 600 years ago.
Tien Dong• July 28, 2025
According to ancient historical sources such as the Lam Son Chronicle and the Complete History of Dai Viet, after the victory at Bo Dang, also known as Bu Dang, the border area between Nghe An and Thanh Hoa (now Quy Chau commune), in 1424, Le Loi and the Lam Son army decided to advance deep into Nghe An to seize a foothold. According to the plan of General Nguyen Chich (some sources call him Le Chich, after the king's surname), "Nghe An is a strategically important place, with vast land and a large population… to seize Nghe An as a foothold, and then rely on the strength and resources of that land to attack Dong Do, we can then achieve the goal of pacifying the entire country."
In fact, at that time, the Ming invaders were occupying many strategic strongholds in Nghe An province. Among them, Tra Lan Citadel (also known as Tra Long), was a large fortress located in a strategically important position on the left bank of the Lam River, in the former Bong Khe commune (now Con Cuong commune).
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According to some historical records, Tra Lan citadel was an ancient citadel, the capital of Tra Lan prefecture, Nghe An province. Bui Duong Lich, in his Nghe An Ky, stated that, in addition to the four prefectures with royal authority (meaning they were subject to the king's authority and teachings), namely Duc Quang, Anh Do, Dien Chau, and Ha Hoa, Nghe An also had five ki mi prefectures (regions with loosely controlled territories, indirectly ruled through the local chieftain system), including Tra Lan prefecture (comprising Ky Son, Hoi Ninh, Tuong Duong, and Vinh Khang districts).
Tra Lan Fortress is described as being situated on a 168-meter-high mountain on the north bank of the Lam River, near the confluence of the Con River. This mountain, also known as Pu Thanh or Pu Don (pu meaning mountain), was formerly part of Bong Khe commune, Con Cuong district, and is now part of Con Cuong commune. The fortress guarded the "upper road" connecting Northwest and Southwest Nghe An, serving as a strategic point between the mountainous and lowland regions. The area is characterized by dense forests and treacherous waterways. The Ming army built this place into a crucial stronghold to control a vast upland region. The fortress was built to conform to the mountain's contours, with a circumference of approximately 2 km. It was surrounded by a moat and thick bamboo fences, and was garrisoned by the local official Cam Banh and over 1,000 local soldiers.
Following the victory at Bo Dang Mountain in October 1424, which annihilated over 2,000 enemy soldiers, including the commander Tran Trung, and captured many weapons and over 100 horses, Le Loi's army gained even greater prestige. Advancing to Tra Lan citadel, using a siege strategy and cutting off supply lines, Le Loi forced Cam Bang's troops inside the citadel into isolation. After a period of siege, without food or reinforcements, Tra Lan citadel fell.
Later, in the Proclamation of Victory over the Wu (composed in 1428), Nguyen Trai described the two glorious battles in Nghe An province in two lines of poetry: "The Battle of Bo Dang was thunderous and lightning flashed / In Tra Lan, bamboo was shattered and ashes flew." This shows the importance of these battles to the Lam Son rebels in the process of regaining independence for Dai Viet.
In fact, the Battle of Tra Lan Fortress was not only a military victory but also a powerful psychological blow to the Ming Dynasty's defense system in southwestern Nghe An. This victory marked a turning point for the Lam Son Uprising, signifying the rebels' control of the highlands of Nghe An before advancing into the vast plains.
Contrary to its historical significance, traces of the ancient Tra Lan citadel today are extremely faint. From the center of Con Cuong commune, we followed National Highway 7A westward for about 3km, crossed the Thanh Nam suspension bridge, and then followed the concrete road at the foot of the mountain along the Lam River to Tan Hoa village, which is considered by locals and many researchers to be the core area of the ancient Tra Lan citadel.
Amidst the vast expanse of acacia and melaleuca hills, the remnants of the ancient citadel have been almost completely obscured. Nevertheless, the story of Tra Lan citadel is still remembered by the local people, who have even unearthed many artifacts believed to date back to the time when Tra Lan citadel was the center of Tra Lan prefecture.
In Tan Hoa village, we were guided by Mr. Le Thanh Hai – Party Secretary and Village Head – to see several sites where villagers had previously unearthed many ancient artifacts. Along the way, Mr. Hai acted like a tour guide, pointing out locations believed to be the ancient ramparts of Tra Lan. Mr. Hai also mentioned that four months ago, he had led a delegation from the Department of Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to survey the Tra Lan ramparts.
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According to Mr. Hai, as passed down through generations, Tra Lan Fortress stretched for more than 2 km, surrounded by a deep moat and a dense bamboo grove running from west to east, embracing many mountain ridges, from which a section of the Lam River could be seen. Its strategic location, with a river gorge in front and a dense forest behind, was truly a "heavenly fortress."
Upon arriving at the home of Mr. Le Van Phuong, located near the Lam River in Tan Hoa village, we were told by Mr. Phuong that his family moved from Thanh Dao village to this area in 1978. While digging the foundation for their house, they discovered many ancient bricks and tiles with strange patterns. Particularly noteworthy were the bricks, which were larger and thicker than the bricks commonly used today. Some even had patterns resembling chrysanthemums and lotus petals. Several elderly villagers said these were bricks used to build the citadel during the time of Le Loi.
Mr. Phuong recounted that, after many years, those precious bricks had been buried under the foundations of the house and yard, with only a few remaining, which he had carelessly discarded behind the house.
Leading us to see the ancient bricks, Mr. Phuong expressed considerable regret and said, "Back then, no one had done any archaeological research, and no one thought about preserving them. A survey team from the Department of Heritage of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also came to see them recently," Mr. Phuong said, pointing to the remaining bricks.
Mr. Phuong also said that in this area, when renovating gardens or digging house foundations, many families have discovered many long burial stones believed to have been used as foundations in the past. People have even repeatedly unearthed fragments of pottery, earthenware, porcelain, Chinese tiles, and many piles of bricks resembling old pottery or brick kilns.
It is speculated that, given its location, Tra Lan citadel served not only a defensive role but also housed civilian facilities. Given its position as the center of Tra Lan prefecture, it's easy to imagine that several buildings and houses were constructed here to serve as residences for officials and soldiers. The presence of numerous brick and tile artifacts further supports this assumption.
Although no official excavations have been conducted, the remnants scattered throughout the area suggest that a large, sturdy structure once existed here, connected to layers of historical sediments related to the Tra Lan citadel.
We learned that in 2011, the Con Cuong district government at the time compiled a dossier on the site and submitted it to relevant authorities, requesting provincial-level classification of the Tra Lan citadel area as a historical site. However, after more than a decade, this dossier has yet to be approved. The classification process has stalled due to a lack of specific archaeological evidence and a lack of a conservation plan. Meanwhile, people continue to use the land for production, and many areas have been leveled for houses and roads without knowing that these may be parts of the ancient citadel's foundations.
Mr. Phan Trong Trung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Con Cuong commune, shared: "We always believe that Tra Lan is not only a historical site but also a part of the spiritual roots of the Con Cuong region in the past. This citadel played a special role in the historical process of the nation, especially during the Lam Son Uprising. Previously, we also proposed conducting official research and archaeological excavations to restore what remains of the citadel. This is not only a responsibility to history, but also a way to awaken pride and educate future generations about our traditions. However, for many reasons, this has not yet been implemented."
Mr. Trung also believes that if restored, even if only through images, paintings, or banners erected on the old riverbank, the Tra Lan citadel, along with the Ma Nhai stele (located on the opposite side of the Lam River) and other cultural sites of the Thai ethnic group, would certainly create a tourist route that is both historically profound and reflects the unique cultural identity of the ethnic group.
Leaving Tra Lan and the Tan Hoa area as evening approached, we carried with us many thoughts and worries, knowing that this citadel no longer retained its original form and traces.
With the remaining traces, we believe we must not ignore or bury them deep within layers of memory. We must begin with the smallest pieces of brick, with each remaining section of trench and thorny bamboo fence. We must survey, measure, delineate, and preserve them.
Because restoring Tra Lan Citadel is not just about restoring a part of memory, but also about restoring a part of the soul of Vietnamese history, a place where the footsteps of the Lam Son rebels were imprinted, where the sound of battle drums and the banner of righteousness echoed like "split bamboo and flying ashes" amidst the mountains and forests of Nghe An.
