The legend of the Can Vuong martyrs who could not be penetrated by bullets

(Baonghean.vn) - According to folk legend, General Lang Van Thiet always carried a protective object called "chong khut". Thanks to that, no bow, arrow, gun or bullet could harm him.

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According to history books, General Lang Van Thiet was one of the very few ethnic minority patriots who responded to King Ham Nghi's Can Vuong edict and rose up against the French in the late 19th century. The locals called him General Thiet.

Doc Thiet was born in 1850 in Chieng village, Gia Hoi village, Dong Lac commune, now Chau Hoi commune, Quy Chau district (Nghe An). Coming from a wealthy family, from a young age Doc Thiet had extensive contact with feudal dignitaries in the northwest of Nghe An and western Thanh Hoa. He had the merit of leading the people to fight against the invasion of the Xa people.

Lang Van Thiet General Memorial Site in Chau Hoi Commune, Quy Chau District. This site was granted a National Historical Relic certificate by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1998. Photo: Tran Ngoc Lan.

During their trip to China, King Ham Nghi and Ton That Thuyet stopped at Doc Thiet's camp. Here, the king assigned him the task of coordinating with Cam Ba Thuoc's army in the Thanh Hoa mountains to rise up against the French.

The uprising led by General Lang Van Thiet was eventually bloodbathed by the feudal-colonial government. General Thiet was assassinated in Thanh Nga village (Chau Nga commune - Quy Chau today) at the age of 47. His name is now given to a street in Vinh city (Nghe An).

Today, there are still many folk tales that Doc Thiet was a hero with unparalleled strength. The legends are somewhat different from those recorded in history books. But through them, we can see the enduring vitality of the image of the hero Lang Van Thiet.

Mrs. Sam Thi Khiem, resident of Xang 2 village, Chau Binh commune, Quy Chau district, is considered by the villagers as a living source of folk knowledge of the community. She remembers hundreds of folk tales, including folk tales about Doc Thiet.

Mrs. Khiem, in the past, the Thai people in Quy Chau used to tell the story of "Lai Doc Thiet". (Doc Thiet story). In this story, Doc Thiet did not lead the French army but fought against the Hoan and Thua bandits. This was a warlike tribe that specialized in looting mountain villages, led by two men named Hoan and Thua.

Doc Thiet always carried with him a talisman called “chong khut”. Thanks to this magical thing, he had unparalleled strength, no sword, spear, or bow or arrow could harm him. Thanks to “chong khut” and the support of an army, he defeated the “Hoan and Thua invaders”.

Doc Thiet's tomb. According to legend, he was murdered in Thanh Nga village, nearly 10km away. Later, his descendants moved the tomb to its current location. Photo: Tran Ngoc Lan.

According to Mrs. Khiem, the chief of the Hoan and Thua tribes was Hien Muong (head of the village) in today's Quy Chau region and his life was so difficult that he had to flee to Laos to live and establish a tribe specializing in looting. Later, his subordinates sent troops back to their old homeland to loot and kill innocent people.

Hoan and Thua's fort was in Tong Tau field in Chau Tien commune, Quy Chau district today. At that time, Mr. Lang Van Thiet, who held the position of Inspector in the area, led troops to fight and suppress the enemy. He selected people who were good at martial arts and brave in the area to practice day and night to prepare for battle. In the end, Inspector Thiet only chose 3 people to go with him to attack the enemy fort. One was a Thua Phai officer, the other 2 were village chiefs named Phu and Quynh.

Thanks to the protection of the “chong khut”, Doc Thiet’s 4-man army defeated the bandits and forced them to abandon their posts. After returning, Doc Thiet thought that the bandits would return for revenge. He immediately took his wife and children and fled to his wife’s hometown in western Thanh Hoa. Ly Quynh and the Thua Phai surnamed Sam took Doc Thiet’s family and fled.

On the way to the border area of ​​Thanh Hoa, Doc Thiet suddenly felt dizzy and had a nosebleed. He knew his fate was over, so he handed his wife and children over to Ly Quynh and said: “I know I will die. Take my wife and children back to my mother’s family, don’t let the family line die out. Then you should marry my wife and love and care for her on my behalf.”

Doc Thiet returned to Muong Mun (Chau Nga commune - Quy Chau today) and stopped to rest overnight in a stilt house. That night, while Doc Thiet was careless, he threw away his sword and "chong khut" went out and was shot dead. At that time, the enemy general ordered his soldiers to cut off Doc Thiet's head and hang it on an apple tree. Today, the place is the relic site of Doc Thiet Temple in Chau Hoi commune (Quy Chau).

Next to the tomb of General Lang Van Thiet is an apple tree, which is said to be the place where the French hung his severed head as a sign of power. According to the local people, this apple tree has a strong vitality. It has been cut down many times but has grown back after only a short time. Photo: Tran Ngoc Lan.

The people of Phu Quy Chau still pass down many stories about Doc Thiet, most of which are legendary. It is said that Doc Thiet always carries a magic charm that makes him become iron-skinned, bullet-proof, and cannot be pierced by guns or arrows. In addition, there is the story of Doc Thiet beating up the girl Xanh Hanh, who, although a woman, had extraordinary strength and specialized in doing evil.

Every year on War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27), the local government still organizes for good and studious students to gather at Doc Thiet tomb to review the heroic tradition in the national defense of the people of Nghe An highlands.

You Wei