(Baonghean.vn) - Going back in time to the 1980s, when the Tan Xuan (Tan Ky) area was dry and cracked, causing immense hardship for the people, Chan Well remained full of cool, refreshing water to help the villagers through their time of need. Chan Well has remained there for hundreds of years, never once drying up, and has become a sacred well in the hearts of the local people.
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| Chan Well is the name given by the Thai people, describing a large well located on flat land. According to the elders in the village, Chan Well is hundreds of years old; in the past, it was a large water source at the foot of Vinh Dong mountain. Later, in 1988, the local people built it into its current shape. |
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| In the 1980s and 1990s, the vast Vinh Dong mountainous region encompassed Tan Xuan. Later, people came here to clear land and develop farms, and only then did people settle there. At that time, Chan well was the only source of fresh water in the area because even after drilling dozens of meters deep, the locals could not find water. If they did find water, it was very acidic due to its high alum content. |
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| The water in the well is very clear and sweet, and it's especially abundant throughout all four seasons. During periods of severe drought in Tan Ky, people from all over Tan Phu, Tan Xuan, and other areas come here to fetch water. |
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| The well has a small opening, where water from the groundwater seeps into the well. Around the well, approximately 21 households live and regularly use the water source. They all enjoy good health, and notably, 25 elderly people, nearly 80 years old, remain remarkably alert and healthy. |
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| The well is about 4 meters deep, and its banks are covered with lichens and green moss, adding to the ancient appearance of this sacred well. |
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| Even now, many people in the Tan Xuan (Tan Ky) area still install water supply systems from Chan wells to serve their production and daily lives. Pictured is a water storage pond fed by the well of Mr. Tran Van Thuan's family (Vinh Dong hamlet, Tan Xuan). |
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| According to local accounts, Chan Well is very sacred and many mysterious stories surround it. Therefore, many people still frequently visit to light incense and pray. Because of this need, more than 20 years ago, the locals built this shrine for convenient incense offerings. |
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| Next to Chan Well stands a rock called "Dung" (Stopping Rock). Local people say that a man once lived there and guarded the well. He was killed and eaten by a tiger while returning from the forest. Since then, people have regularly offered incense and prayed for the deceased to rest in peace. The Dung Rock and Chan Well have become a sacred complex, highly valued and preserved by the people of Tan Xuan in particular and Tan Ky district in general for generations. |
Thanh Quynh
