The church and tomb of Mr. Vuong Thuc

The church and tomb of Mr. Vuong Thuc are located about 50km northwest of Vinh City. To visit Mr. Vuong Thuc's tomb, follow National Highway 1A, turn left at the Cau Bung intersection onto Provincial Road 538, travel about 7km to Dien Thai commune, then turn left and go about 300m to reach the tomb area. To visit the church, return to Road 638, continue to the Hop Thanh intersection, turn right onto District Road 533 and travel about 4km to Xuan Dao village, Hong Thanh commune. From there, turn right onto the inter-village road and go about 500m to reach Mr. Vuong Thuc's church.

The church and tomb of Mr. Vuong Thuc are classified as historical relics, serving as a place of worship and preservation of the remains of a person who rendered meritorious service to the people and the nation: Mr. Vuong Thuc.

Vương Thức was born in 1830, the son of Vương Ngọc Kính and Hà Thị Biếm. He was from Trang Nương village, Đông Thành district, now Xuân Đào village, Hồng Thành commune, Yên Thành district, Nghệ An province.

From a young age, Vuong Thuc was known for his intelligence, integrity, uprightness, and decisiveness. His parents provided him with a thorough education. In 1859, he passed the imperial examinations. Initially, he was determined to pursue his studies and achieve success. However, when the nation's fate was in jeopardy, the French colonialists launched their invasion. First Gia Dinh, then six southern provinces, followed by Hanoi and Hue, fell into enemy hands. The Hue court was embroiled in internal conflict, with some advocating for peace and others for war, causing widespread public unrest. A number of patriotic scholars and intellectuals in Nghe Tinh, dissatisfied with their positions, resigned and went into hiding, while many prepared forces, awaiting an opportunity to revolt against the French. Vuong Thuc decided to abandon his studies and find a way to contribute to saving the country.

In 1866, Vuong Thuc joined the Van Than movement, associating with patriots such as Tran Hoan (a teacher in Dien Chau), and Le Doan Nha (a high-ranking scholar) to prepare forces for an uprising. He voluntarily sold more than 10 acres of fertile land inherited from his father to purchase weapons such as British rifles. He placed the rifles in earthenware jars with lids, sealed them with cement, and buried them in the ground. He propagated and instilled patriotism in the people of Xuan Dao village, so that when needed, they would be ready to sacrifice themselves for their country.

In 1879, the villagers of Xuan Dao elected Vuong Thuc as the village headman and chairman of the Writers' Association. He was also elected by the villagers as the village patrolman, responsible for guarding and maintaining peace in the village. Despite holding the official seal for many years, he never took a single penny of public money. He used all the rice, taxes, and levies collected by the people to purchase weapons, build fences around the village, and erect guard posts, absolutely refusing to hand them over to the French.

In 1885, in response to King Ham Nghi's call for resistance against the French, people throughout the country, under the leadership of patriotic scholars and mandarins, enthusiastically participated in the anti-French movement. A prime example was the uprising led by Nguyen Xuan On, which struck fear into the hearts of the French colonialists and their collaborators.

When the Nguyen Xuan On uprising broke out, the French colonialists established a garrison at Con Dong (now part of Con Dong village, Hong Thanh commune) and forced the people to build a road from Dap Ve to connect with the Yen Ma garrison (now part of Ma Thanh commune). That road passed through Trang Nuong village.

After receiving the royal decree calling for resistance from King Hàm Nghi, and recognizing the strategic importance of Trang Nương village, Vương Thức proactively sought out the scholar Nghè Ôn to discuss ways to fight the French and quickly established a resistance army against the French in Trang Nương village.

Under the dedicated guidance and assistance of Mr. Nghè Ôn, in his capacity as the village headman, Mr. Vương Thức quickly mobilized militia and weapons. In a short time, he summoned more than 300 people from the village, commune, and districts under his jurisdiction to join the rebel army. The main weapons were spears and machetes, along with 50 flintlock guns and more than 20 rifles that had been buried for a long time.

The inauguration ceremony of the rebel army was attended by Mr. Nghè Ôn - An Hiệp, the Grand Minister of Military Affairs. He advised changing the name of Trang Nương village to Xuân Đào village and appointed Mr. Vương Thức as the leader of the Xuân Nghĩa Team.

The Xuan Nghia Team quickly secured the vital road from Con Sat to Yen Ma. Knowing this was a major threat, the enemy immediately established a garrison at Phu Da (a village bordering the mountains, now part of Hong Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district). The French considered Xuan Dao village a dangerous location, a crucial stronghold of the Can Vuong army. Therefore, they concentrated troops from Don Sy, Thua Sung, Con Dong, Yen Ma, Phu Da… to conduct sweeps and organize strict surveillance.

After months of training, the Xuan Nghia Team went into its first battle. It was an attack on the Con Dong outpost, where nearly 100 soldiers caused panic among the enemy, with only a very small number escaping. The attack created a great sensation in the region. From then on, the name of the Xuan Nghia Team became even more widely known.

Following orders from General Nghè Ôn, Vương Thức's rebel army retreated to Thừa Sủng to coordinate with the rebel forces of Chiêu Hoạt (Nghè's eldest son) and Admiral Phan Bá Niên to fight the enemy at Thừa Sủng – Đồng Mờm (the border area between Yên Thành and Diễn Châu districts today), eliminating hundreds of enemy soldiers.

Following the victory at Thua Sung - Dong Mom, Commander Nguyen Xuan On and Deputy Commander Le Doan Nha organized a ceremony to commend Team Leader Vuong Thuc and Xuan Nghia Team, and presented the families who contributed to the uprising with the calligraphy of the scholar Nghè, bearing the words "Saving the Nation".

It can be said that, with the leadership of Captain Vuong Thuc and his flexible, unpredictable, and elusive tactics, his rebel army inflicted numerous hardships on the enemy. The battle using the "luring the tiger out of its lair" tactic to draw the enemy away from Con Dong and the guerrilla warfare tactics that terrified the enemy at Don Cong have gone down in history as a tragic and heroic event in Xuan Dao village. The people throughout Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Nghi Loc... were filled with joy and excitement.
By the end of 1886, the Can Vuong movement in the northern and central provinces of Vietnam was facing difficulties. In an unequal battle, the leader, Nghe On, was seriously wounded and had to be treated at Len Da Vu Ky.

On July 25, 1887, Toc, a bounty-seeking thug, led the French troops to capture the scholar while he was still in his sickbed. Captain Vuong Thuc fought back with all his might to protect his commander. However, he himself was captured and imprisoned in Dien Chau, Vinh for several years. At the end of 1889, he was released and returned to his hometown in a state of physical and mental exhaustion.

On July 1, 1890, Mr. Vuong Thuc passed away. Before his death, he left a dying wish: to be buried at Con Troi, located in the area of ​​Con Sat village, the hometown of Mr. Nghe (now Dien Thai commune, Dien Chau district), and to encourage the young and strong resistance fighters to continue fighting under the banner of Phan Dinh Phung's rebellion.

The ancestral temple of Mr. Vuong Thuc is a place that commemorates many historical events of the nation.

In 1874, when Tran Tan and Dang Nhu Mai raised the banner of rebellion, the people of Xuan Dao village, led by village headman Vuong Thuc, promptly responded. He used his house as a meeting place, urging the people to barricade the village, erect guard posts, and purchase weapons, waiting for the opportune moment to revolt. Particularly, when the Can Vuong banner flew over the mountains of An Son (Huong Khe, Ha Tinh), the struggle of the people of Xuan Dao further developed. The Xuan Nghia Team was formed, with Mr. Vuong Thuc as its leader. Mr. Vuong Thuc's house then became the headquarters of the rebel army. This place once welcomed General Nguyen Xuan On during the inauguration ceremony of the Xuan Nghia Team, serving as a meeting place, a forum for discussion, and a gathering point for forces; all the rebel army's plans were discussed here.

During the fierce resistance wars against the French and Americans, the people of Xuan Dao village also rose up in strong struggle, especially in the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement of 1930-1931. The ancestral temple of Mr. Vuong Thuc, situated on a high and spacious plot of land amidst a prosperous and bustling village, became a gathering place for the people to demonstrate. A prime example is the struggle on February 7, 1931, when the people of Xuan Dao village, along with the people of other villages in Van Tu commune, thwarted the enemy's plot to gather the masses and issue "submission cards." This victorious struggle not only motivated and encouraged the people in the district but also resonated throughout the province.

The ancestral temple of Mr. Vuong Thuc, now known as the Vuong Thuc Ancestral Temple, serves as a cultural and spiritual center for the family, connected to the ancestor worship tradition. Many important annual ceremonies are held here, such as the Full Moon of the First Lunar Month, the Full Moon of the Seventh Lunar Month, and the anniversary of Mr. Vuong Thuc's death (the 1st day of the 7th lunar month).

The ancestral home of Mr. Vuong Thuc was built in the early Nguyen Dynasty, facing south. Initially, it consisted of a three-bay, two-wing house made of ironwood with a yin-yang tiled roof. Over time, descendants have renovated and restored the house many times. Currently, the site covers an area of ​​503 square meters.², including structures such as: gates, courtyards, front halls, and rear halls.
In accordance with the wishes of Mr. Vuong Thuc, his descendants buried him at Con Troi, located in Con Sat village, the hometown of Mr. Nghe On (now part of Dien Thai commune, Dien Chau district). The tomb faces east and covers an area of ​​74 square meters.².

Over time, and due to the impact of natural disasters such as storms and floods, as well as war, the church and tomb of Mr. Vuong Thuc suffered significant damage. However, thanks to the attention of the government, the people, and descendants, the relic has been restored, contributing to the preservation of cultural values ​​and meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people. Currently, the church and tomb of Mr. Vuong Thuc have been recognized as a provincial-level historical relic.