Phan Boi Chau - the man who awakened a generation of Vietnamese youth

(Baonghean.vn) - In his life of patriotic activities and fighting against the French, Phan Boi Chau always paid attention to the youth, considering them a particularly important revolutionary force. In return, the Vietnamese youth at that time also had special feelings for Phan Boi Chau.

Vietnamese youth actively supported, responded to and participated in the patriotic and anti-French activities initiated by Phan Boi Chau. They believed in Phan Boi Chau's pure patriotism and his fervent spirit of fighting the French to save the country. They wholeheartedly followed Phan Boi Chau in the Dong Du movement and actively joined the Viet Nam Quang Phuc Hoi organization. All of Phan Boi Chau's patriotic activities were followed, responded to and admired by the youth.

Phan Boi Chau Memorial Site in Nam Dan Town, Nam Dan District. Photo: Thanh Cuong

During his life, Phan Boi Chau wrote many works that had a great impact on the scholars in the country such as “Viet Nam vong quoc su”, “De tinh quoc dan hon”, “Hai ngoai huyet thu”…. His works created a new wave that encouraged many patriotic youths to participate in the Dong Du movement, to study abroad to find a way to fight against the French.

Under the leadership of Phan Boi Chau, a wave of enthusiasm arose to "find a way to save the country" and they were the core of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association later on.

Image of Phan Boi Chau and friends at Huu Biet Bridge (now Muou Bridge in Nam Giang Commune, Nam Dan District) in 1905 before going to Japan. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In 1907, Phan Boi Chau founded the Viet Nam Cong Hien Hoi, a movement with the participation of more than 100 students studying in Japan. This was symbolic because the students had the opportunity to collaborate with each other as Vietnamese people (not as people from Tonkin, Cochinchina or Annam, which the French had deliberately divided them into). While the Dong Du movement was progressing well, France and Japan colluded to expel the Vietnamese students back to their country.

In 1908, the Japanese government began to expel Vietnamese students. But a large number of young people refused to return home. They tried every way to stay in Japan, willing to endure hardships in studying, hunger, cold, avoiding the pursuit of the Japanese police, and persistently fighting side by side with Phan Boi Chau.

In 1912, Phan Boi Chau and his comrades founded a new patriotic organization, the Vietnam Restoration Association. Upon hearing this news, many patriotic youths left Vietnam for China to join the organization. Phan Boi Chau valued the youths who had participated in the Dong Du movement and appointed them to hold important positions in the Vietnam Restoration Association.

The house displays relics related to the life and revolutionary career of Phan Boi Chau at the memorial site in Nam Dan. Photo: Thanh Cuong

On June 30, 1925, he was kidnapped by French colonialists in Shanghai and secretly brought back to Vietnam to be killed. However, in the face of the people's struggle movement nationwide demanding the release of Phan Boi Chau, the French colonialists were forced to re-try Phan Boi Chau's case to appease the people's spirit of resistance.

Taking this opportunity, students across the country actively mobilized the people to fight to put pressure on the government. Thousands of people, most of whom were students, attended the trial. In response to public opposition, the French colonialists reduced the death sentence to life in prison. Thus, Phan Boi Chau escaped the death penalty thanks to the people's struggle, and the credit goes to the students. Once again, to appease public opinion, the French colonialists sent Phan Boi Chau to Hue for exile.

During his time in Hue, especially in the beginning, many students visited Phan Boi Chau, supporting him both spiritually and materially. Phan Boi Chau continued to inspire patriotism in the youth during his time in Hue. In early spring 1927, students from the National School and the Hue Convent School came to celebrate Phan Boi Chau's 60th birthday.

In the patriot's reply, there was a poem "New Year's greetings to the youth". The newspaper "Tan the ky" published on February 3, 1927 introduced the full text of the poem written in the form of a double-verse song, the poetic tone was both passionate and strong, the song encouraged and motivated the youth to set out to save the country. "New Year's greetings to the youth" were Phan Boi Chau's heartfelt words sent to the youth generation, the youth must "wash away the stain of slavery with hot blood".

The lines in the guestbook placed at the Exhibition House of the Phan Memorial Site in Nam Dan show the respect and admiration of the younger generation for his personality, intelligence and devotion to the country. Photo: Archive

In general, Phan Boi Chau was a person who knew how to promote the strength of youth in the cause of national liberation. He always took care of the youth, fostered patriotism, hatred of foreign invaders and determination to fight to eliminate slavery for the nation.

He was the one who awakened a generation of patriotic Vietnamese youth, preparing human resources for the struggle for national liberation in Vietnam in the early 20th century. On the contrary, Vietnamese youth worshiped him as an idol. They enthusiastically followed him to stand up and fight for national liberation. They always stood shoulder to shoulder with him in times of difficulty and continued to light the flame of patriotism that he had passed on to them./.

Nguyen Van Bich

(Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum)