Those who silently preserve the legacy of Ho Chi Minh.

Preserve the "warmth" of the Leader in each memento.

One May afternoon, as the summer sun cast a golden glow on the old thatched roofs of Lang Sen village, I met Mr. Tran Dinh Thuc - an employee of the Collection, Inventory, Exhibition and Preservation Department, Management Board.Kim Lien Historical SiteAt that moment, he and a few colleagues were quietly lighting incense at the ancestral altar of Mr. Nguyen Sinh Nham - the grandfather of President Ho Chi Minh.

Amidst the gentle fragrance of incense, the scene at Kim Lien unfolds like a serene painting. There, 19 staff members from the Collection, Inventory, Exhibition, and Preservation Department of the Kim Lien Historical Site Management Board are like 18 members of a large family, silently acting on behalf of President Ho Chi Minh's family to look after each house, carefully tend to each memento, and maintain the ancestral altar. This work, seemingly simple, demands special affection and cannot be done merely out of a sense of duty.

As one of the longest-serving members of the historical site, Mr. Thuc was born and raised right in Kim Lien. His mother belongs to the Nguyen Sinh family, so from a young age, the image of President Ho Chi Minh was close and familiar, like blood and flesh. Having been involved with the site for 32 years, he sees it not just as a job, but also as a source of inspiration, a place where he belongs.

Every day, before 7 a.m. – the time the historical site opens to visitors – Mr. Thuc and his colleagues complete the sweeping, cleaning, and inspection of each thatched roof, wooden frame, and artifact. The work is quiet but disciplined, requiring meticulous attention to even the smallest details. On rainy days, in the scorching sun, or during storms, those "guarding" Uncle Ho's home must carefully inspect and adjust each pillar, beam, and wall to ensure everything remains intact and sturdy as it was in the beginning.

Recounting his work experiences, Mr. Thuc recalled: Once, while guiding tourists, a Japanese politician asked his permission to touch the wooden bed where President Ho Chi Minh used to rest. "I want to feel the warmth of President Ho Chi Minh," the visitor said, unable to hide his emotion. At that moment, Mr. Thuc understood more clearly than ever the meaning of the work he was doing.

Besides preserving artifacts, Mr. Thuc was also tasked with selecting trees for heads of state to plant as commemorative gifts at the historical site. When asked why he didn't choose a banyan tree for General Secretary Do Muoi's birthday, he replied: "Because every year on President Ho's birthday, this type of tree will bloom, as a beautiful congratulatory message to him." That answer greatly pleased the General Secretary. That golden flame tree, now tall and towering over the surrounding trees, displays its vibrant blossoms every May.

Among the younger generation in the Collection, Inventory, Exhibition, and Preservation Department, Tran Thi Hoai Thuong, born in 1997, is the youngest. When she first started, she felt overwhelmed by the demanding requirements. But gradually, through each dusting session and each inspection of the items, Thuong realized that working in this space steeped in historical value, listening to and recounting stories about President Ho Chi Minh, was a rare stroke of luck.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hue, Head of the Collection - Inventory - Exhibition and Preservation Department, shared: "The historical site is like our second home. Every time we welcome visiting groups, every time we light incense, we feel a quiet sense of pride. We understand that preserving historical sites is not just about preserving the material, but also about preserving intangible values ​​- memories, emotions, and lessons about the character of the people."

People who help mementos "tell stories"

At the Kim Lien Historical Site, among the 19 people who quietly preserve each thatched roof and artifact day after day, one person undertakes a particularly special mission: preserving, systematizing, and continuing the story of President Ho Chi Minh through each document, each photograph, and each memento. That person is Ms. Vuong Thi Nga - a petite woman, yet persistent and quiet, just like the work she pursues.

After graduating from the History Department of Vinh University and working for over 10 years at the Ho Chi Minh Museum (Hanoi), in late 2023, Ms. Nga decided to return to her hometown of Nam Dan and applied for a position in the Collection, Inventory, Exhibition, and Preservation Department of the Kim Lien Historical Site. There, she is the only person responsible for all archiving, inventorying artifacts and documents, and developing thematic exhibitions about President Ho Chi Minh.

Ms. Nga's work began with seemingly simple details: managing the archives, organizing, classifying, and updating each artifact and original file. But behind it all lay a silent pressure: how to ensure that no piece of memory was overlooked, and how to preserve each artifact as accurately and properly as possible, given that they all carry the breath of history.

For her, organizing an exhibition is a challenging journey. She says the most difficult part isn't the display itself, but rather choosing the theme and developing the outline. "Before coming up with an idea, I sometimes toss and turn all night, because each theme must reflect the depth of President Ho Chi Minh's character, while also being fresh and relatable to the people," she shared.

Once the outline was formed, the next step was even more rigorous: searching, compiling, and verifying every line of documentation and every photograph, ensuring absolute authenticity. Sometimes, to select just a few representative photographs for a particular topic, Ms. Nga had to sift through thousands of archival photos, working simultaneously on multiple computer screens, taking notes, and comparing every minute detail. If she didn't finish at the office, she'd bring the work home. Those long, drawn-out evenings under her desk lamp, those endless days meticulously checking every printout and every small caption under each artifact, became a familiar part of her life.

"Every photograph, every exhibit must be powerful enough to tell a story about Uncle Ho - simple yet profound," she said, her eyes shining with passion.

Beyond simply displaying the exhibits, Ms. Nga also places special emphasis on conveying the values ​​of President Ho Chi Minh to the audience.children– the future generation of the country. She skillfully weaves together small stories and simple, everyday details about President Ho Chi Minh, making his image familiar, approachable, and exemplary in the pages of the children's newspaper. Nga's work is not flashy or extravagant, but it contributes significantly so that every visitor, every generation, upon returning to Kim Lien, can see a President Ho Chi Minh who is approachable, great, yet very ordinary.

Amidst countless changes, there are still people here who choose to stay and preserve. They preserve not only their homes and mementos, but also the memories of a person, a nation. So that with every step back home...Kim Lien, the echoes of history can still be heard./.