Strive to build Anh Son to develop quickly and sustainably, affirming its position as one of the top mountainous districts of the province.

The land and people here truly blend together to create the heroic land of Anh Son, overcoming all ups and downs to constantly strive to achieve the achievements it has today.

Rural scenery of Anh Son district on both banks of Lam River. Photo: TL Quang Dung

200 years of the name of a land

Going back to the origin, Anh Son is a place where ancient Vietnamese people came to open mountains and break rocks to live very early, the traces are still clearly imprinted at the Dong Truong cave site (Hoi Son commune), Bo cave (Hoa Son commune)... During the Hung Kings' founding of the country, Anh Son was originally part of the Viet Thuong department, one of the 15 departments of Van Lang land. During the period of fighting against the feudal domination of the North, through many separations and mergers, Anh Son belonged to different administrative units. During the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the land of Anh Son today belonged to Nam Duong district, Anh Do prefecture. In the 3rd year of Minh Mang (1822), Anh Do prefecture was renamed Anh Son prefecture. The name Anh Son has existed since that day.

Diversity of flora in the buffer zone of Pu Mat National Forest. Photo: Quang Dung

When it was first established, Anh Son was the administrative place name of a large area including 5 districts: Chan Loc, Luong Son, Nam Duong, Thanh Chuong and Hung Nguyen (now the districts of Anh Son, Do Luong, Nam Dan, Thanh Chuong, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc and Vinh city).

It is not by chance that our ancestors chose the word "Anh Son" to replace the word "Anh Do". According to the Sino-Vietnamese dictionary compiled by author Thieu Chuu, the word "Anh" means the most beautiful, the most quintessential thing, the word "Son" means mountain.

Anh Son is a land with many high mountains, many layers, many veins, with beautiful shapes, which are also symbolic images of the soul, heroic spirit of the people born and raised here. That is also the cultural origin reason for the name Anh Son to be born in 1822.

New rural area in Long Son commune, Anh Son district. Photo: Quang Dung

After the August Revolution in 1945, the canton and prefecture-level administrative units were abolished to establish district and commune-level administrative units. Accordingly, Anh Son district was established, including 20 communes, belonging to Dang Son and Lang Dien cantons (Anh Son district at that time was equivalent to the two current Anh Son and Do Luong districts).

60 years of separation, construction and development

Through many historical changes, in the process of development, Anh Son has undergone many changes in terms of boundaries and administrative forms. On April 19, 1963, the Government Council of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) issued Decision No. 52/CP dividing the boundaries of Anh Son district into two new districts, Anh Son and Do Luong, to become a stable and developed Anh Son as it is today.

Harvest day in Hoi Son commune, Anh Son district. Photo: Quang Dung

When the country was newly separated, there were many difficulties ahead, then the resistance war broke out in both parts of the country. Together with the whole nation, the Party and people of Anh Son went through years of hardship, sacrifice but were extremely heroic in the long-term resistance war.

Promoting the tradition of “Unyielding Duong Xuan”, “Resilient Red Village”, the Party Committee, People and Armed Forces of the district have both produced and fought to protect the homeland, and been a solid rear base to support the great frontline. Many movements have been widely deployed such as “Each person works as two for the beloved South”; the movement “One hand plowing, one hand gunning” among farmers, “One hand hammering, one hand gunning” among workers, “Three ready” among youth, “Three capable” among women, “Three good” among the elderly...; the movement to open up land to establish new villages, welcoming hundreds of households from Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Do Luong, Thanh Chuong districts to build new homelands in Thanh Son, Binh Son, Tho Son, Tam Son, Dinh Son, Cam Son, Hoi Son communes...

During the resistance wars, more than 12,000 sons of the homeland went to fight to protect the Fatherland, of whom more than 2,000 remained permanently on the battlefield; nearly 3,000 wounded and sick soldiers left part of their blood and bones on the battlefield.

Tea material area in Hung Son commune. Photo: Quang Dung

After the victory of April 30, 1975, peace was restored throughout the country. Together with the whole country, the Party Committee and the people of Anh Son stepped up socio-economic development, protecting the socialist Fatherland (1975-1985) and the renovation process (1986 to present). At that time, Anh Son was a poor district, with many shortages in physical facilities and technical infrastructure; economic production was mainly agricultural, backward cultivation, self-sufficiency, low productivity and output; industry, small-scale industry, and services were not significant; the transportation system was divided by rivers and streams; culture, education, health care, and people's lives faced numerous difficulties...

However, with dynamism, creativity, perseverance, daring to think and act, the Party Committee, the government, the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations of Anh Son district have constantly strived, united, joined hands, and unanimously overcome difficulties and challenges, steadfastly and steadily applied and effectively implemented the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws into local practice, creating solid progress through each period, achieving many important achievements in all fields.

Glucose liquid sugar factory in Anh Son. Photo: PV

The district's economy has continuously developed, the economic structure has shifted in the right direction, up to now the proportion of agriculture is 29.99%, the construction industry has reached 33.04%, the trade and services have reached 36.97%; focusing on investing in building infrastructure systems such as electricity, roads, schools, stations; many large-scale projects, applying advanced technology and techniques have been implemented; cultural and social activities have received due investment, achieving positive results; the material and spiritual life of the people has been increasingly improved.

In 2022, Anh Son's economic growth rate will reach 8.6%; the average added value will reach 43.7 million VND/person/year. Agriculture will continue to have new developments in the direction of applying science and technology to production, associated with processing factories and product consumption. Industry and construction will continue to develop; trade and services will be expanded and increasingly diversified. Investment attraction will achieve positive results, and infrastructure construction will continue to be focused on.

In implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Construction, civilized urban areas have been closely and practically directed, creating a clear movement to fundamentally change the appearance of the homeland to keep pace with the development of the new period. The Party Committee, government and people are excited to continue to strive and join hands to promote the development of the district. The whole district now has 14/20 communes meeting the new rural standards (reaching 70%). Cultural, artistic, sports and information and propaganda activities are well organized and implemented. Health care, population - family planning work is regularly focused on, continuing to promote the application of science and technology in medical examination and treatment.

Leaders of Anh district inspect the teaching facilities at Khai Son Kindergarten. Photo: Hoang Vinh

Social security work, campaigns, donations, and support for the poor and those in difficult circumstances have been promoted. Policies for people with meritorious services and social protection have been fully and promptly implemented. The poverty rate has now decreased to 5.9%. National defense and security have been maintained.

The work of Party building and political system building has been regularly paid attention to and taken care of. The leadership methods of Party committees at all levels towards the political system continue to have many innovations and positive changes, achieving many important results. Emulation movements and campaigns at localities, agencies and units have been widely deployed, attracting the participation of many classes of people.

"All for the rich and beautiful homeland of Anh Son"

Suspension bridge in Anh Son and rural road construction. Photo: Quang Dung - Hoang Vinh

In the exciting atmosphere towards the 200th anniversary of the Anh Son title (1822-2022), the 60th anniversary of the district's separation (1963-2023), in the past time, along with the organization of many exciting emulation activities to celebrate the country's major holidays, the entire Party, the entire army and the entire people in the district have launched the emulation movement "All for the rich and beautiful homeland of Anh Son", from which there have been 501 works with welcome signs with a value of 143,995 billion VND; new rural areas create a new look, civilized urban areas continue to be built and decorated.

The spirit of “All for the rich and beautiful homeland of Anh Son” on this important occasion of the locality, the existing achievements in Anh Son homeland also contain the heroic spirit of the land and people who always know how to rise up from the crystallization of cultural, historical and revolutionary traditions; high solidarity and unity; dynamism, creativity, enthusiasm, and efforts of many generations of cadres, party members, and people of Anh Son across the country and abroad; is the spiritual foundation, a great source of encouragement, and an important premise for the district to firmly move forward on the new path.

Applying scientific and technological advances to agricultural production in Anh Son. Photo: Hoang Vinh

Honored and proud of the glorious tradition of 200 years of the name Anh Son, 60 years of the district's separation, today's and future generations always consider it a priceless asset, a source of strength, a great motivation for the Party Committee, government and people of Anh Son to continue to promote the spirit of solidarity, unity, high determination, great efforts for the development of the district, to achieve the highest goal: "Improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of the Party Committee; promoting democracy, the combined strength of the entire political system, fostering trust and consensus among the people; solidarity, innovation, creativity; ensuring national defense and security; exploiting the potential advantages of the district to promote the construction of new rural areas and civilized urban areas. Strive to build Anh Son to develop quickly and sustainably, affirming its position as one of the top mountainous districts of Nghe An province" as set out in the Resolution of the 21st District Party Congress.