Spring trip to Uncle Ho's hometown
(Baonghean.vn) -With gentle sunshine and a cool, spring-like atmosphere, a stream of pilgrims made their way to the Kim Lien Historical Site. Whether from the south or the north, they shared a common desire to offer fresh flowers and fragrant incense to Uncle Ho, expressing their deep respect and love for him…
Traveling nearly 30 kilometers, early on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year), Mr. and Mrs. Pham Trong Doi from Nghi Hoa commune, Nghi Loc district, arrived at the Kim Lien Historical Site in Nam Dan district. Offering flowers and incense to President Ho Chi Minh on this traditional Tet holiday was a heartfelt wish of the couple. Although they had never met President Ho Chi Minh, Mr. Doi always felt a strong sense of closeness, familiarity, and reverence for him. Touring the area, the scenery was incredibly familiar to him; he remembered the exact locations of the artifacts related to President Ho Chi Minh, yet each time he visited, Mr. Doi would gaze at them repeatedly as if it were his first time. Despite living far away, every year during Tet, his wife always thinks of President Ho Chi Minh, and the Kim Lien Historical Site is their chosen destination for their New Year's visit.
Lighting incense to express reverence to Him.
At 75 years old, Mrs. Le Thi Nam, originally from Duc Chau commune, Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province, still gathers with her children and grandchildren around the memorial site of President Ho Chi Minh, lighting incense for him during the first days of the new year. Mrs. Nam takes her children and grandchildren to visit the historical site, while telling her grandchildren in Hanoi about the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh. Her children and grandchildren only know about him through books and stories she tells, but seeing the thatched house where he spent his childhood and the radiant smile on his face brought the image of President Ho Chi Minh to life through her stories. At home, next to the ancestral altar, Mrs. Nam's family places a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh in a prominent position, and on holidays and festivals, they prepare a feast to offer to their ancestors and commemorate him. During these family gatherings, she often educates and reminds her children and grandchildren to always remember the immense contributions of President Ho Chi Minh. Ms. Nam said: “Every year, as Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, I prepare a meal to thank heaven, earth, our ancestors, and President Ho Chi Minh. We have the peaceful life we have today thanks to his immense contributions. Proud to be a Vietnamese citizen, a descendant of President Ho Chi Minh, every time I visit him, I feel an extraordinary warmth in my heart. I hope my children and grandchildren will always respect the traditions and customs, so that when our generation passes away, future generations will know and remember his contributions.”
Visiting the memorabilia related to President Ho Chi Minh.
Like Mrs. Nam's family, many families from different rural areas consider the New Year a time for family reunions after a year of studying and working. And in the first days of the new year, they make a pilgrimage here to light incense and pay respects to President Ho Chi Minh, expressing their deep gratitude and reverence for the brilliant leader of the Vietnamese nation, who steered the Party's revolutionary ship to glorious shores. Every time Tet (Lunar New Year) comes around, we think of our loved ones and families, and we cannot forget his contributions in bringing about the peaceful life we enjoy today. People flock here, even those who have never met him, but seeing the artifacts associated with his life and hearing the sounds and melodies about him makes them feel his closeness and intimacy, as if he wants to hold them back. Each person wants to capture this moment with their memory of him. The lyrics of the song "Remembering Uncle Ho makes my heart purer" resonate in the air, reminding me to live in a way that is worthy of the immense contributions of the man who sacrificed his entire life for the happiness of the nation.
Workers maintain the grounds of the historical site, keeping them clean and beautiful.
This year, the Kim Lien Historical Site is honored to be recognized as a Special National Historical Site. Besides visiting to pay respects to President Ho Chi Minh, it is also a popular destination for people from all over the country to celebrate the Lunar New Year. To welcome visitors to President Ho Chi Minh's birthplace during Tet, the Kim Lien Historical Site has arranged staff to assist with sightseeing activities. Souvenir stalls are open from the first day of the new year for visitors to shop. In addition, Huy Hiep Greenery Company assigns workers to clean the grounds daily to ensure cleanliness and beauty. As a tradition, every year during the Lunar New Year, Mr. Ha Dao's family donates beautiful peach blossom branches, adding a touch of spring to President Ho Chi Minh's garden.
More than 40 years have passed since Uncle Ho's passing, but every time Tet (Lunar New Year) arrives, the entire Party, army, and people of Vietnam fondly remember him. In remembrance of his immeasurable contributions, generations of cadres, Party members, and the Vietnamese people pledge to forever learn from and follow his revolutionary moral example, striving to build a more prosperous and beautiful Vietnam.
Text and photos: Thanh Le
