The Legend of Con Ran Island

(Baonghean) - On the road to Tien Hoa village, Thanh Xuan commune (Thanh Chuong district), there is a raised mound of land covered with lush, dense vegetation in the middle of the field. This is Con Ran - a familiar image associated with a legend and belief that has long been intertwined with the lives of the local people.

According to the elders, during the feudal era, the people of Tien Hoa village had short lifespans, with the longest-living individuals only reaching 40 years old. Therefore, when villagers went out to study, work, or serve in the imperial army, they would often return to their hometown in their forties to prepare for their funerals. One time, a geomancer on his way to Bich Trieu district (now Thanh Xuan commune) met a soldier also on his way back to Tien Hoa village. The geomancer inquired about the people and life in his hometown, and the soldier honestly recounted his story. The geomancer asked to accompany him to investigate further. After many days traveling throughout Tien Hoa, he noticed that the land resembled a large buffalo, but it lacked a "resting place" (locally meaning "shed") for the buffalo to rest in, causing it to frequently damage the land, thus contributing to the villagers' short lifespans. The geomancer advised the villagers to dig and build a mound of earth in the middle of the field, planting lush green trees on it to counteract this. Indeed, when the trees flourished, growing tall and spreading their branches wide, the lifespan of the villagers of Tien Hoa increased, with many even living to over ninety years old. Everyone remembered the geomancer's kindness and named the mound Con Ran, constantly cultivating, planting, and protecting it so that Con Ran would become ever greener and more prosperous. This story is still remembered by the people of Tien Hoa village and is always considered a symbolic image of their homeland with deep pride.

From a geographical perspective, the Con Ran area is located north of Tien Hoa village. Without Con Ran, this would be a vast, flat plain stretching to Dai Hue mountain and the Lam River, surrounded by other mountain ranges. This type of terrain is called the "northern frontier" – during hot and cold seasons, strong mountain winds blow from all directions, carrying harmful organisms and infectious diseases directly into the village. At that time, medical facilities were limited, making it easy for diseases to germinate and spread. By building a raised mound of earth in the middle of the flat field and planting tall, wide-canopied trees, the mound became a natural screen, not only protecting against harmful winds but also acting as a green lung, providing fresh air to the entire village. Therefore, the increased life expectancy of the villagers is easily understandable. Therefore, we see that the fictional portrayal of the geomancer and the theory of feng shui associated with Con Ran by the people of Tien Hoa village in the past was solely for the purpose of making the storyline easier to transmit and deeply ingrained in folklore.

There was a time when, due to extremist views, the trees on Con Ran Island were cut down, and the island was gradually leveled. But later, the people of Tien Hoa village continued to build up Con Ran Island, planting more trees to make it greener and regulate the climate for the village. For generations, the people of Tien Hoa village and Thanh Xuan commune have always been proud of Con Ran Island, considering it a beloved symbol of the village, and have a strong sense of responsibility to protect it.

Van Thang