The heroic and scenic Lam Thanh

From Vinh city, following the road along the Lam River (also known as dike road 42 or the left bank of the Lam River), past Dung Quyet mountain, we arrived at Lam Thanh mountain to enjoy the scenery. Visiting Lam Thanh Mother Goddess Temple, we could admire the lush green rice fields, the verdant banks of young corn, and the village with its newly built, spacious houses.

Life is improving day by day, yet Lam Thanh Mountain still stands tall as a "witness," having witnessed countless ups and downs and vicissitudes of life. From the mountain's summit, one gazes into the distance, where a vast expanse unfolds with prosperous villages, endless fields, and the Lam River winding like a silken ribbon in the wind. Far in the distance, beyond the mountain range, the Hong Linh Mountains stretch seemingly endlessly, all appearing like a watercolor painting.

Lam Thanh Mountain - National historical and cultural relic. Photo: Cong Kien

Surely, Bui Duong Lich once stood at this spot to admire the scenery and wrote the evocative lines in "Nghe An Chronicle": "Below the mountain, the Lam River flows around, and the La and Minh rivers flow in. Looking from the mountain, one can see Hung Linh and Dai Hue mountains to the west, Dai Hai and La Nham mountains to the north, Thien Nhan and Hong Linh mountains to the south, and Kim Nguyen and Dung Quyet mountains to the east, all bowing towards this mountain. The river water is clean, the trees are lush, the town is near, the villages are far, the scenery is like a painting; truly a famous scenic spot in Nghe An."

According to historical records, Lam Thanh Mountain was often chosen by the kings of Dai Viet as a stopping point to prepare provisions and recruit more soldiers on their way south to suppress rebels and expand the territory. This can be explained by its strategic location on the main highway, and the patriotic and resilient traditions of the local people.

For that reason, this land has witnessed glorious victories and also the suffering in wars fought to defend the country and ensure peace for the people. Legend has it that when the Ho Dynasty suffered from "political troubles" leading to its defeat, the country fell into the hands of the Ming invaders, and the people were plunged into slavery. The foreign invaders transformed Nghe An into a prefecture and chose Lam Thanh as its capital.

Landscape of rivers, mountains, and villages as seen from Lam Thanh Mountain. Photo: Cong Kien

Faced with this situation, the royal family of the Tran dynasty secretly rallied the people to fight to reclaim their homeland. Tran Quy Khoang was crowned King (with the title Trung Quang), initially gaining some prestige, but his forces gradually dwindled, and he had to sadly watch as the Ming invaders trampled the land that his ancestors had built for generations.

Folklore and some historical records recount the story of Tran Quy Khoang sending Nguyen Bieu to Lam Thanh to meet Truong Phu, a Ming general, to request a title. The Ming general, already cunning and devious, prepared a feast of human heads to entertain Nguyen Bieu, hoping to instill fear in him. However, Nguyen Bieu calmly ate and showed no fear, even though enemy soldiers surrounded him on all sides.

Faced with the unwavering spirit and indomitable will of the Đại Việt envoy, Trương Phụ and his subordinate generals cowardly murdered Nguyễn Biểu. Initially, they tied him to a post intending to drown him in the river, but after three days the tide did not rise, they took him to Yên Quốc Pagoda to be killed. Later, King Lê Thánh Tông bestowed upon him the title of Great Righteous Warrior.

Lam Thanh Mother Goddess Temple. Photo: Cong Kien

Admiring Nguyen Bieu's willpower and meritorious deeds, the people around Lam Thanh mountain erected a temple in his honor. Today, Nguyen Bieu is worshipped at a temple in Hung Phu commune and also at Thanh Liet temple in Hung Lam commune. Both temples are recognized as national historical and cultural relics, places where people express their admiration and respect for a man who sacrificed himself for the country and its people.

Perhaps when mentioning Lam Thanh, we cannot fail to mention the Lam Son Uprising led by King Le Loi of Binh Dinh. Following Nguyen Chich's strategy, the rebel army advanced into western Nghe An province along the mountain road and achieved an initial victory: "The Battle of Bo Dang was thunderous and lightning-fast / In Tra Lan, bamboo was shattered and ashes flew."

After capturing Tra Lan citadel (also known as Tra Long, now located in Bong Khe commune, Con Cuong district), the rebel army sailed down the Lam River to capture Nghe An citadel, using it as a springboard to advance and capture Dien Chau, Thanh Hoa, Dong Do citadels, and further south to capture Thuan Hoa citadel, completely liberating the country.

After defeating the Ming-held strongholds along both banks of the river, King Le Loi of Binh Dinh ordered his troops to besiege Nghe An citadel, blocking enemy reinforcements and forcing them to surrender due to hunger and cold. Simultaneously, the military strategist Nguyen Trai wrote numerous letters to the Ming generals and officers defending the citadel, urging them to surrender to avoid further bloodshed.

In his letters urging surrender, Nguyen Trai analyzed the situation, discussed the advantages and disadvantages, and affirmed the unwavering will of the rebel army and the people, who were united in their support for justice. One by one, the generals Tran Tri, Ly An, and Phuong Chinh suffered painful defeats, handing over the defense of the city to Thai Phuc.

A section of Lam Thanh mountain peak. Photo: Cong Kien

In February 1427, when the enemy was exhausted, surrounded on all sides, unable to secure reinforcements, and terrified by the strength of the Lam Son rebels, General Thai Phuc opened the city gates and surrendered with 10,000 troops. With the capture of Lam Thanh, Nghe An was liberated, and the Lam Son rebels divided into several attack columns, spreading throughout the region to reclaim the entire territory of Dai Viet.

This event was later incorporated by Nguyen Trai into his work "Binh Ngo Dai Cao" (Proclamation of Victory over the Wu), with words brimming with pride: "The soldiers' spirits were high/The army's strength grew even greater/Tran Tri and Son Tho lost their nerve at the mere mention of it/Ly An and Phuong Chinh held their breath, praying for escape/Taking advantage of the victory, our army recaptured Tay Kinh/Recruiting troops to attack, we reclaimed the old Dong Do."

To express their gratitude for the meritorious deeds of the leader of the uprising, the people erected a temple and have offered incense year-round. Today, the temple of King Le Thai To (Le Loi) still stands solemnly and majestically in Hung Khanh commune, and has been recognized as a national historical and cultural relic. This is considered the place where the King established his headquarters when he besieged Nghe An citadel.

Thus, around Lam Thanh Mountain there are 3 temples that are national historical relics, all associated with the merits of heroes who fought against invaders and defended the country, and linked to the place name Lam Thanh.

Continuing our journey, we tried to find traces remaining from centuries ago. Only piles of stones remained, stacked upon one another like layers of history, silently enduring the boundless flow of time. But that silence spoke volumes; it was a cultural "sediment," a source of pride in our historical traditions, and a foundation for the future...