Great Mother

For a long time, Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan, the mother of President Ho Chi Minh, has been honored by the Vietnamese people as a great mother, the one who gave birth to the great son Ho Chi Minh – the man who brought independence to the nation, established the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and is honored as a national liberation hero and a world cultural figure. Her name has gone down in history.

Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan was born in the year Mau Thin (1868) in Hoang Tru village, Chung Cu commune, Lam Thinh district, Nam Dan county (now Tru 3 hamlet, Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan county), into a scholarly family. From a young age, she received the loving care and education of her father, Hoang Xuan Duong, and her mother, Nguyen Thi Kep. She was deeply influenced by the characteristics of compassion, kindness, and loyalty; inheriting and developing the fine traditions of both her paternal and maternal families. She was a diligent learner, equipping herself with a profound cultural knowledge. She was well-versed in the Tale of Kieu, remembered many historical allusions, and knew many folk songs of Nghe Tinh.

In her youth, Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan was a diligent, hardworking, and capable village girl. Her singing, particularly her renditions of traditional folk songs, left a deep impression on the scholar Nguyen Sinh Sac. Their secret love and shared heartbeat bound them together as a loving couple.

Touched by the deep love between his two children, Mr. Hoang Xuan Duong, a man with progressive ideas who transcended feudal customs, chose an auspicious day and month to hold their wedding ceremony.

Out of love for his son and affection for his son-in-law, Mr. Hoang Duong allocated land to build a house, creating a joyful and happy life for his two children.

Under the simple, humble thatched roof of their small house, Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan gave birth to three patriotic children:

- Nguyen Thi Thanh - 1884
- Nguyen Sinh Khiem - 1888
- Nguyen Sinh Cung - 1890 (the childhood name of President Ho Chi Minh).

In 1893, Mr. Hoang Xuan Duong passed away, a tremendous loss and immeasurable grief for his wife. Putting aside her sorrow, she encouraged her husband to pursue his literary studies to achieve success in his career, fulfilling his father's wish. In 1894, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac passed the Bachelor's degree examination, a filial act for his father-in-law and the result of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan's ten years of devoted care in supporting her husband's education.

To support her husband's education, in 1895, she and her husband and two children traveled a long distance to the imperial capital of Hue.

The old woman had to struggle with everyday life, making a living by weaving cloth to build a happy family home.

In the year of Canh Ty (1900), Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan gave birth to Nguyen Sinh Xin amidst hardship and poverty, while her husband was away supervising the provincial examination in Thanh Hoa province. She fell seriously ill, and despite the diligent care and treatment from her son Nguyen Sinh Cung and neighbors, her health deteriorated significantly. She passed away at noon on the 22nd day of the 12th lunar month of the year Canh Ty (February 10, 1901).

The life of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan is a shining example of the moral character, immense sacrifice, and compassionate tolerance of Vietnamese women. Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan embodied the virtues of diligence, beauty, eloquence, and conduct; she was a filial daughter, a capable and faithful wife, a kind mother, and a person deeply devoted to her neighbors, living a simple and honest life. Her virtues profoundly influenced the formation of President Ho Chi Minh's noble character, his love for his homeland, and his deep compassion for the people.

This year, we commemorate the 110th anniversary of the passing of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan to: "Express our gratitude to Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan - the woman who gave birth to and raised President Ho Chi Minh, who brought glory to the Vietnamese nation, and whom all Vietnamese people, from generation to generation, will forever be grateful to."

Nguyen Ba Hoe