The ancestral lineage of the Ton family in Vo Liet (Thanh Chuong)
(Baonghean) - We made our way to Vo Liet commune (Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province), a rural area rich in historical and cultural traditions and the birthplace of the Ton family in Nghe An.
Members of the Ton family council showed us a family genealogy book translated into Vietnamese by Mr. Ton Quang Phiệt (1900-1973). According to the information in the genealogy book, the founder of the Ton family in Vo Liet was Mr. Ton Dang Thuong, from Yen Ho commune, La Son district (now Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province). Mr. Ton Dang Thuong served as a district chief and governor in Quang Binh during the Le dynasty, but later, due to unrest, he moved to the Vo Liet-Thanh Chuong area to settle and establish his life. To date, the Ton family has resided in Vo Liet for 20 generations.
The Ton family genealogy was compiled by Ton Duc Tien (1795-1877), also known as Lo Xuyen, and supplemented by his grandson, Ton Quang Giap. Later, Ton Quang Phiệt translated it into the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script, adding some details and a comparison between the lunar and solar calendars for easier understanding. According to some documents preserved by descendants of the Ton family, it is known that Mr. Lo Xuyen passed the Tú tài (Bachelor's degree) examinations three times, but due to the turbulent times, he returned to his hometown to live in seclusion, opening a school and providing medical care to the poor. Being knowledgeable in Confucianism, medicine, philosophy, and mathematics, Mr. Lo Xuyen was often sought out by people from all over the region for advice when their families had important matters to attend to. He had many students, and many of them achieved academic success. Of his five children, four passed the Cử nhân (Bachelor's degree) examination and one passed the Tú tài (Bachelor's degree).
For the descendants of the Ton family, Mr. Lu Xuyen was the originator of the tradition of studiousness as well as respect for etiquette and family customs. During his lifetime, if any of his descendants made mistakes or committed wrongdoings, he would immediately take measures to educate them, determined not to bring shame to the family or affect morality and ethics. In the Ton family genealogy, Mr. Lu Xuyen dedicated several pages to admonishing and advising future generations. Regarding the management of the family, he advised: "In managing household affairs, diligence comes first, righteousness is the foundation, loyalty is the essence, frugality is paramount, and gambling and drinking are the prohibitions. If one follows these principles throughout life, one cannot become a bad person." In particular, to remind his descendants to preserve and promote good qualities and to distinguish the hierarchy between generations of the family, Mr. Lu Xuyen created a system of middle names with meanings that serve as admonitions on how to treat others and the meaning of life. These are the words: "Duc - Huy - Quang - Gia - Tich - Thien - Luong". From this, we can understand the meaning of Mr. Ton Duc Tien's statement: The Ton family's morality shines brightly because many members have done good and charitable deeds.
Following the instructions of Mr. Lu Chuan, successive generations of descendants have successively used the aforementioned characters as middle names. To date, they have completed a cycle of seven characters and returned to the character "Duc" (Virtue). It is noteworthy that the descendants of the Ton family always uphold the spirit of continuing the tradition to bring honor to their ancestors.
Perhaps, a deep understanding of their origins and ancestral traditions has created a vibrant and powerful spirit that has enabled successive generations of the Ton family to achieve glorious accomplishments. The Ton Huy generation included Ton Huy Dinh, a man with anti-French sentiments and a deep love for his country and people. He fathered and raised two children, revolutionary fighters: Ton Quang Phiệt (1900-1973) and Ton Thi Que (1905-1992). Both were awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order for their significant contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the people; Ton Quang Phiệt also received the Gold Star Order. In the Ton Gia generation, the family continued to produce individuals who embraced revolutionary ideals early on, such as Ton Gia Chung (awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order) and Ton Gia Tinh (Independence Order).
In addition, many members of the Ton Gia generation were entrusted with relatively important responsibilities by the Party and the State, such as Mr. Ton Gia Huyen (Director General of the General Department of Land Administration), Dr. Ton Gia Ngan (Director of the Literature Publishing House), Dr. Ton Gia Hoa, Ton Gia Cac (lecturers at Hanoi Pedagogical University), and Ms. Ton Thi Kim Thanh (Associate Professor, Doctor, Director of the Central Eye Hospital)... Many members of the Ton Tich generation joined the military and fought on various battlefields, and many became reputable scientists and administrators. These include Professor Ton Tich Thach (National Economics University), Professor Ton Tich Ai (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Teacher Ton Tich Long (Principal of Nguyen Gia Thieu High School, Hanoi), Ton Tich Nghe (Ministry of Finance), Ton Tich Dung (Director of Khanh Hoi Glass Factory), Ton Tich Phong (former Secretary of the Dong Da District Party Committee, Hanoi), Ton Tich Ban (Colonel of the Vietnam People's Army)... Descendants of the Ton Thien generation continue to participate in the struggle for national liberation, protect the country, and actively strive for advancement in the cause of industrialization and modernization.
Notable examples include Dr. and Colonel Ton Thien Chien (Ministry of National Defense), and MSc. Ton Thien Viet (Deputy Director of Vietnam Petroleum Insurance Joint Stock Company).
We visited from the Ton family ancestral temple in Vo Liet. The temple grounds are not large in size, but it is solemn. Outside are two memorial steles commemorating the merits of Ton Duc Tien and Ton Huy Than, carved and erected by generations of students to remember these highly respected and virtuous teachers. Besides the ceremonial objects and genealogical records, the Ton family ancestral temple also displays various medals and achievements of previous generations as examples for future generations.
Every year, on the 5th day of the first lunar month, descendants of the Ton family from all over the country return to the ancestral temple to attend the ancestral worship ceremony, offering incense to commemorate the merits of their ancestors. This is also an opportunity for everyone to reflect on the family's traditions, reminding future generations to remember their origins so that the blessings of their ancestors will never diminish.
Cong Kien
