Ton That Tung Street - Evoking the image of a new street...

(Baonghean) - How many streets in Vinh City, whose very names define their character, vitality, and development? To name a few, there's Chu Van An Street, with three schools located there; Phuong Hoang Street leading to the Phuong Hoang - Trung Do historical complex; Van Thanh Street situated next to the ancient Van Thanh Vinh historical site… Not unlike those streets, Ton That Tung Street is also a rather interesting destination…

Ton That Tung Street is one of the most distinctive inner-city streets in Vinh City. Approximately 2 kilometers long, each section reflects a different rhythm of life: bustling and vibrant at the beginning of the street, then suddenly quiet and peaceful, and finally evoking the gentle scent of the countryside towards the end – where vast fields still stretch along both sides…

A view of Ton That Tung Street.

The association between the street name Ton That Tung and the surrounding area is perfectly fitting, considering the presence of the Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, pharmacies, medical supply stores, and private clinics. Surely, everyone on that street knows the origin and meaning of the name of the street where they live and do business; and every time I pass through, whether stopping for breakfast or lingering for coffee and conversation, I can't help but associate everything with the street name. This shows that naming a street isn't simply about having something to call or remember, but also carries significant educational meaning, shaping the mindset of the street's inhabitants to live up to its prestigious name.

The beginning of the street is always bustling and crowded until late at night. Nowhere else does the cycle of "birth, aging, sickness, and death" apply as perfectly as in this area with its concentration of hospitals and clinics. All kinds of vehicles jostle in front of 19 Ton That Tung Street – the location of the Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, a year-round traffic junction causing considerable disruption to urban life. Each vehicle carries a heavy load of faces reflecting a multitude of emotions. I've passed through that street many times, at any hour, and easily witnessed anxious parents rushing to the hospital gates with their children in their arms, along with tears, smiles, sadness, and joy… all spread across the busy road. Surely, many city dwellers, like me, have felt their hearts sink at the sight of this multifaceted and varied rhythm of life.

Ton That Tung Street is nestled in the heart of the former Yen Dung Thuong area, now part of Hung Dung ward. The Yen Dung Thuong area is steeped in history, bearing many traces of the Dong Son civilization and considered a "frontier" during the period when Emperor Quang Trung established his capital in Nghe An. In the last two decades, along with general development, the Yen Dung Thuong area has become prosperous and transformed day by day. Ton That Tung Street, in the memory of locals, was once a rice paddy, sugarcane fields, and mulberry plantations, but now it radiates a new vibrancy. Tall, imposing buildings stand side by side, agricultural land is shrinking, giving way to bustling shops, businesses, and services. Its prime location near Vinh Medical University and a number of public and private hospitals has provided residents of Ton That Tung Street with many new business opportunities, including the rental of rooms. Many residents of this neighborhood gradually abandoned, and then completely gave up, their farming livelihoods to capitalize on the abundant demand from students and young families starting their own businesses. Accompanying services, both large and small, such as restaurants and grocery stores, also flourished, transforming the once desolate and quiet road leading to the fields into a vibrant and modern urban landscape.

Few streets are quite like Ton That Tung Street, with its many twists and turns, bearing the imprint of the development of a brave and resilient land. The initial section is bustling, then slows down slightly in the middle, at the intersection with Nguyen Gia Thieu Street and a branch leading to Phong Dinh Cang. The Viet Duc restaurant is located at this corner, but the occasional hustle and bustle of the shops and restaurants doesn't seem to overshadow the street's tranquil atmosphere. Further on, there's a long, deserted stretch leading to the fields, reminiscent of the landscape of several decades ago.

Many people jokingly, with a hidden meaning of praise, say that according to feng shui, Ton That Tung Street has a "wider at the back" shape. This means it's narrow at the front and wide at the rear, implying that someday, this desolate stretch of road at the end, with its barren fields, will flourish and become a "golden land" in the real estate market. And indeed, at the end of this smooth asphalt road, before it branches off into the dirt road leading to the agricultural residential areas behind, stands the Dong Dau Project Management Board – a housing and apartment project for low-income earners. Several construction projects are already visible, with clearly demarcated plots of land, silently nestled in the tranquil afternoon fields. Silent, but not sad, seemingly patiently waiting for the real estate market to show signs of warming up, this area will soon undergo a transformation.

Residents of Ton That Tung Street also enjoy many pleasant things that people elsewhere rarely experience. These include the flights from Vinh Airport hurtling past, cutting through the wind. In the afternoons, a cool breeze blows from the fields, and the elderly on the street leisurely pull up chairs to chat with each other in front of their houses, occasionally gazing up at the endless sky and gently smiling at the changing times...

Phuoc Anh