The story of an orphan girl who contributed to the defeat of the Ming invaders in Phu Quy land

(Baonghean.vn) - Bu Che Mountain is a mountain over one hundred meters high, located in the South of the former Chieng Yen village (now Dong Nai hamlet, Chau Quang commune, Quy Hop). The middle section of Chieng Yen village with Bu Che Mountain is the Nam Huong river and alluvial plains that have been deposited over thousands of years.

Today, on Bu Che Mountain, there are still traces of roads from the foot of the mountain to the top, in a spiral shape. Many sections can still be easily recognized, although there are ancient tree stumps blocking the path. This area used to be a fortress and a guard station, believed to have existed since the Le Loi era.

Pu Chieng Yen Temple in Yen Luom hamlet, Chau Quang commune (Quy Hop). Photo: Sam Van Binh.

“Quy Hop District Gazetteer” states that Lam Son’s army entered Nghe An in late September and early October 1424 and stopped at Bai Tap (Quy Hop) in late 1424 and gathered here for “about a month at most” (p. 114). The passages related to the place name Bu Che mountain are also written as follows:

"... In the early 15th century, when Le Loi led the Lam Son army into the mountains of Nghe An, in Quy Hop, there were girls from Le village and boys from Phay village (in present-day Chau Quang commune) gathered under the flag of the uprising.

A little girl from Le village was captured by the Ming invaders and taken to the fortress on Bu Che mountain to serve them. The insurgents stationed in Le village and contacted the girl to destroy the enemy. Later, people built a temple to worship the girl at the foot of Bu Che mountain, called Nha Pom...”

People attend the Choong Temple Festival (Quy Hop). Photo: Internet

In the past, people living in the village often told the following story: "At that time, there was a Thai girl who was orphaned by both parents. The enemy captured her and took her to the fort to serve them, to cook for them... At that time, the jungle had many mosquitoes and poisonous animals, and there were no mosquito nets, so at night the enemy had to sleep in pre-made cloth bags.

The girl's job was to go to each bag to tie the mouth of the bag, then open it in the morning. Grasping the situation and the enemy's living rules in the fort, a local leader who was later honored as Pu Chieng Yen made a plan to destroy Bu Che fort. Mr. Pu secretly contacted the girl and the Chet Chai brothers in the Phay village area to organize forces, along with a number of strong men determined to destroy the enemy.

One night, as agreed in the battle plan, Pu Chieng Yen commanded the force to attack Bu Che station, assisted by the girl as an insider and the Chet Chai brothers.

The bandits in the fort were sleeping soundly and did not know anything. So in just one night, Bu Che fort was destroyed. The local people came to help, carrying the enemy's bodies and throwing them into Vang Ben abyss (now in the East of Le village, Chau Quang commune).

After the victory, life in the area returned to peace. The people in the area wanted to show their gratitude to those who had contributed so that future generations would remember and worship them.

The characters identified as having great merit, praised by the people in the region and later worshiped and offered sacrifices were Pu Chieng Yen.,the girl (revered as Nha Pom) and the seven Chet Chai brothers.

Beauty contest at Choong Temple Festival (Quy Hop). Photo archive.

The location of the old fort gate was the place to worship Nha Pom. Normally, the worship of Nha Pom was undertaken by the Don people (now Dong Mong hamlet, Chau Quang commune), because Nha Pomare descendants of the Don people. On the day of worshiping Nha Pom, the Don people always join the "chau dam" of the Le village to worship together.

Pu Chieng Yen was the organizer and commander of the force attacking Bu Che fort, so he was given the first credit. The place where Pu is worshiped is in Chieng Yen village, where a church was built... (This church is now located in the south of Yen Luom hamlet (Chau Quang).

The place of worship of the Chet Chai brothers is located in Phay village, at Nong Han lagoon, next to Heo May cemetery... However, currently, the Chet Chai brothers are only called to attend worship ceremonies at the Huong Pu church of Phay village (Chau Quang commune).

Sam Van Binh