Discover Muong Quang - Part 2: Amazing caves

(Baonghean) - In Quang Phong commune, Que Phong district, formerly known as Muong Quang, there are beautiful caves associated with the history of the Muong's establishment by ancient people. 66 years ago, a party cell of the Southwest region of Quy Chau district was established in a cave.

Petrified Castle

During the days of wandering around more than twenty villages in Muong Quang, I had many impressions of Chieng village, Quang Phong commune. I heard that in the past, this was the center, the residence of the head of Muong Quang. From the commune headquarters to the village, there was only one road. On one side was Pha Chieng mountain, on the other side was Quang river surrounding the village, the terrain was difficult to attack, easy to defend. I secretly praised the ancients for cleverly choosing the land to easily protect the village from enemies. In times of danger, the villagers could hide in the mountain caves, including Tham Me Mon. Perhaps thanks to this special location, this place still retains an ancient way of life. Nhuon songs, a folk song that the Thai people of Muong Quang quite like. Coming here, I just learned that in the village there are quite a few people who know the songs about the legendary cave Tham Me Mon.

Choong Nang stone slab, where legend says Vi Xom's bed was.

Hearing the conversation in Thai, knowing that our group wanted to visit Tham Me Mon, a woman sang me a few songs about this mountain cave, including a short song of only 3 verses, both to teach her daughters who were of marriageable age, and to express the irresistible attraction of the mountain cave, which is also a place for boys and girls of the village to play:

I told you to go to the fields but you said your eyes hurt.

I told you to go to the field and you said you were sick.

Tell Tham Me Mon you are as agile as a deer.

After listening to the song, my legs suddenly became nimble. After a while of climbing, Tham Me Mon appeared before my eyes. The cave was located halfway up the mountain. Looking up at the cave entrance, it did not look special because the entrance was only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. I smiled, thinking that this was a clever arrangement by nature for those who like privacy. As soon as I passed through the cave entrance, the cultural officer of Quang Phong commune stopped me and pointed to the stalactite that resembled a human on the cave entrance. Muong Quang people call the stalactite Me Man, meaning a pregnant woman. Next to the statue of Me Man is a strong man standing guard. People believe that it is the hunter god Mo Phan and the girl Vi Xom. The two lived together until they grew old and died, then turned into stalactites.

Mr. Lang Van Liem tells the story of establishing a party cell.

It is believed that thousands of people can comfortably enter the cave to play without fear of being crowded. Because the cave has 5 spacious stone chambers, each stone chamber has a different name. The outer chamber is called Phong Noc, where there are 2 stone statues, they are a faithful couple. While the wife is pregnant, the husband is always there to take care of her. Phong Cuong is the chamber with Vi Xom's bed. Mo Nin chamber is where there are stalactites shaped like a cupboard where Vi Xom dyed fabric to make clothes for her family. Panh Han chamber (fried cake - Thai) with stalactites shaped like fried cakes, an offering still seen in some Thai holidays. In addition, there is Tham Binh chamber which used to be the habitat of bats.

Muong Quang people tell each other that, during her time living in the cave, Vi Xom used a large stone slab in Phong Cuong room as a bed. Nowadays, people can still see a pair of stone pillows and the stone strands hanging down to the foot of the bed, looking as soft as silk. Phong Noc, where there are 2 stone statues used by Mo Phan for village meetings. Phong Tham Binh is tall and discreet for storing assets, weapons... The 5 stone rooms look like an ancient living space, making people easily think of the enchanted and petrified castle in fairy tales. According to Mr. Lang Van Tuan, a cultural officer of Quang Phong commune, each stalactite hanging down to the cave can create interesting musical notes when tapped. In a moment of excitement, Mr. Tuan held a stone and tapped the stalactites, creating gong sounds that echoed throughout the cave. We seemed to be drawn into the atmosphere of joyful festivals from ancient times.

Mr. Lang Van Tuan shared: In the past, in the spring days, Chieng village held the Tham Me Mon festival. On this day, the village and the caves were bustling with people going to the festival. Men carried panpipes and flutes everywhere, and flutes went up to the caves to play, calling the girls to come up to the festival to choose their spouses. Since the early 90s of the last century, the Tham Me Mon festival gradually fell into oblivion. Mr. Tuan said: Nowadays, young people are more interested in the city than the mountain caves, so no one goes to the Tham Me Mon festival anymore.

Into the cave to establish a Party cell

There is another cave in Ta village (Quang Phong commune) at the foot of Pha Ta mountain. The cave's entrance faces the poetic rice fields. According to Mr. Lang Van Ngo, a revolutionary veteran in Mong village, Cam Muon commune, the mountain cave is also called Tham Pha Ta. From afar, the cave looks like a giant wearing a turban, facing the Northeast.

The cave is quite close to the main road, the way up is dense with trees. The guide said that in the past, people in Ta village used to come here to collect bat droppings to fertilize their fields. The cave is narrow and secretive. The cave has two main entrances. According to legend, this is the place where the Phu Ta mountain god chose to hold meetings for the villagers. From here, people can also observe the people working in the rice fields, thereby learning about the experience of growing wet rice.

Tham Chan Cave is also associated with a revolutionary period in a part of Quy Chau district (old) which is now the Southwest area of ​​Que Phong district. According to Mr. Lang Van Liem, son of Mr. Lang Van Quoc, the first Party cell secretary of Cam Muon commune Party cell established on June 10, 1949, the party cell at that time had 4 party members. The person who came to build the party movement in this area was an official of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee at that time, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Sung. At that time, each commune had only 1 party cell, Mr. Lang Van Quoc was elected as Party cell secretary and Chairman of Cam Muon commune Administrative Committee. This was the first party cell in the Southwest area of ​​Que Phong district.

The Party cell was established in a cave but later moved to operate in secret headquarters in many villages throughout Muong Quang. At that time, thanks to the protection of the villagers, despite being held back by the enemy, it was still safe. This was a difficult but very proud period for the people of Muong Quang.

Mr. Lang Van Liem said: Tham Chan Cave is truly a revolutionary relic of special significance to the locality. However, many young people today do not know about it. Through talking to some young people in the village management board, they did not even know about the establishment of the party cell in 1949 in Tham Chan.

Huu Vi - Dao Tho