King Bao Dai visited Nghe An 6 times.
(Baonghean.vn) - According to statistics by author Pham Xuan Can, former Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology, from the time of his return in September 1932 until becoming a citizen of Vinh Thuy (August 1945), King Bao Dai had visited Nghe An at least 6 times.
King Bao Dai's visits to Nghe An were all associated with events of historical, economic, cultural and social significance to the province and localities in the North Central region.
November 1932 Tour
After the Nghe Tinh Soviet event in 1930 - 1931, Nghe Tinh became a locality that received special attention from the French protectorate and the Southern Dynasty government. Less than two months after returning home, on November 14, 1932, Emperor Bao Dai organized his first tour to the North Central region. Accompanying the king were the Central Region Resident General Châtel, the Privy Councilor Nguyen Huu Bai, Prince Vinh Can and his entourage. During this trip, the king visited Thanh Hoa, then Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, Quang Tri.
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| King Bao Dai in front of Vinh Palace in 1932. Photo collected by PXC. |
The King and his entourage arrived in Nghe An from Thanh Hoa at noon on November 17, 1932. The inauguration ceremony was solemnly held at the Palace in Nghe An citadel. In the afternoon of the same day, the King visited several places in Vinh, such as: the green-clad soldiers' barracks; the communal citadel; the French soldiers' barracks at the old Vinh College; Vinh Hospital; then the King visited the "Nguyen Truong To" school and in the late afternoon visited the Truong Thi Railway Factory.
On November 18, 1932, the king visited the districts in the province including Nghi Loc district, Dien Chau district; went up Highway 7, stopped to visit Thinh Duc station (Bao Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district), visited the construction site of Do Luong irrigation system, and entered Anh Son district. At noon, the king had lunch at Cho Rang station (Thanh Chuong). In the afternoon, the king went to Thanh Chuong, Nam Dan and then returned to Hung Nguyen district.
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| Truong Thi train factory. Photo collected by PXC |
The next morning, November 19, 1932, the king and his entourage visited Ha Tinh. That afternoon, the king returned to Vinh. In the evening, the king attended a gala dinner and watched a movie at Vinh cinema.
What is special is that during this trip, apart from symbolic or diplomatic gestures and words, King Bao Dai made almost no official statements. The person representing the king to appease (in fact, to warn) the nobles and the people was the President of the Privy Council Nguyen Huu Bai.
1934 visit
In 1934, Quang Binh, Ha Tinh and Nghe An suffered a huge flood, causing very heavy damage. King Bao Dai and a number of French and Southern Dynasty officials visited and presented relief money. This time the king wore plain clothes, with a small entourage and requested the localities in advance not to receive him in a grand manner.
According to the press at the time, this was the king's first visit and flood relief trip, unprecedented in our country. After visiting and handing over relief money in Quang Binh and Ha Tinh, at around 3:00 p.m. on November 28, 1934, King Bao Dai, along with the Central Region Resident Graffeuil, Inspector Dupuy, and Minister of the Interior Thai Van Toan arrived in Vinh.
At the Vinh Embassy, the king awarded the Third Dragon Star to Nghe An Governor Nguyen Khoa Ky and gave 200 piastres to help flood victims. The entire visit lasted only one hour. At 4 p.m., the king and his entourage got back in the carriage and headed straight to the capital Hue.
Attending the inauguration of the Bac Nghe An agricultural irrigation system in 1937
The irrigation project to bring water to the fields of North Nghe An was a project praised by the press at the time as “great”. Designed by French chief engineer Desplanque and his colleagues, the project began construction in 1930. It includes a dam to block the water of the Ca River in Do Luong (which our people still call bara Do Luong), a 500-meter-long tunnel through the mountain, a system of main and small rivers 240 kilometers long, dozens of kilometers of canals, and 1,200 meters of large and small bridges across the river.
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| Construction site of irrigation works to bring water into the fields of Bac Nghe An (Bara Do Luong). Photo collected by PXC |
The project has excavated 9 million cubic meters of soil; 30,000 m3rock; dump 64,000 m3concrete; used up to 9,700,000 working days, total cost 3 million 800 thousand francs. The project ensures irrigation for over 35,000 hectares of Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Dien Chau and Quynh Luu districts.
On June 2, 1937, the Governor General of Indochina, King Bao Dai and the Resident General of Annam presided over the inauguration ceremony. King Bao Dai awarded medals to French engineers, Annamese officials and contractors who had devoted themselves to the project. Afterwards, the King attended the ceremony to announce the names and award prizes to the poetry and literature contest on “Irrigation in Nghe An”.
Visit on June 9, 1938
On June 9, 1938, King Bao Dai and the Resident of Central Vietnam, M. Graffeuil, went to Nghe An. During this trip, the king paid attention to small irrigation projects and newly built markets.
On the morning of June 9, the king went to Do Luong on Highway 7. At 7:30 a.m., the king attended the inauguration ceremony of Yen Trach dam, and at 7:45 a.m., he visited Long Thai dam (both dams are in Thai Son commune, Do Luong district). At 8:30 a.m., the king returned to Do Luong, visited the new market and the ferry.
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| Thai Son irrigation dam project (Do Luong). Photo collected by PXC |
The king then passed through Phu Quy. Here, the king visited the irrigation works and the newly built market. At 11:00, the king awarded prizes to the stalls displayed at the Ke Bang Fair. At 11:30, the king visited Cao Hau Doai village (now Dien Doai commune, Dien Chau district) and had lunch at the communal house there. At 2:30 p.m., he attended the inauguration ceremony of the new Cau Giat market. Here, the king awarded medals to those who had contributed. At 4:00 p.m., the king returned to Vinh and rested at the Embassy's summer house in Cua Lo.
During this short trip, the king gave an edict to the people. It is worth noting that most of the content of the edict was intended for the intellectual class. He suggested that intellectuals should know how to devote themselves to developing the economy from agriculture to industry and trade, contributing to creating livelihoods for the people.
Attending the festival in Quy Chau on February 24, 1939
During the Thai spring festival in Quy Chau, that year the locality opened an exhibition of handicrafts. King Bao Dai, Queen Nam Phuong and the Resident General of Central Vietnam Graffeuil and his wife attended the ceremony. Here, the king and queen and guests visited the handicraft stalls, especially silk, brocade and rattan products. After that, the king visited Bua cave and watched games and performances.
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| Gate Fence (Tuong Duong). Photo by Vo An Ninh, collected by PXC |
Visiting Tuong Duong Palace on April 9, 1940
This time, the king and the Central Resident and his entourage traveled from Hue to Vinh on the Saigon - Hanoi train. Right after getting off at Vinh station, at 7 o'clock, the king and his entourage departed for Cua Rao (Tuong Duong). Along the way, the king was heavily guarded.
At 10 o'clock, the group arrived in Tuong Duong. People of all ethnic groups heard the news of the king's accession and came in great numbers. At Cua Rao, the king attended the festival of the Meo people.
According to other sources, at Cua Rao, the people built a very long and beautiful bamboo bridge for the king to enter Cua Rao temple to perform the ceremony. That night, the king and his entourage stayed at Tuong Duong palace. The next morning, they returned to Vinh and went to Thanh Hoa.
The last time Bao Dai came to Nghe An
On September 2, 1945, as a citizen Vinh Thuy from Hue to Nghe An, stayed in Vinh to go to Hanoi the next day to be an advisor to the Government at the invitation of President Ho Chi Minh. The revolutionary government of Nghe An province welcomed him, along with Lao Prince Suvanuvong at the Grand Hotel (on Le Hong Son Street, Vinh City today).
This was the first time he came to Nghe An not as a king, but only as a citizen of an independent country. And, it was also the last time he came to Nghe An.
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