The mother of President Ho Chi Minh

Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan (1868 - 1901), mother of President Ho Chi Minh

Every year, on the 22nd day of the 12th lunar month, the Kim Lien Historical Site (Nam Dan district) holds a memorial ceremony for Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan, the mother of President Ho Chi Minh. The ceremony is solemn, simple, and warm, with the full participation of the local Party committee, government, organizations in the area, all staff and employees of the historical site, the security police team of the site, and visitors from all over who come to visit President Ho Chi Minh's hometown.

Hoang Thi Loan was born in 1868 into a Confucian family, but everyone in the family was directly involved in labor. Both her paternal and maternal families were compassionate, valued righteousness, and had a progressive outlook on life, transcending the constraints of contemporary feudal customs.

Ms. Hoang Thi Loan grew up receiving a progressive education from her family and lived in a rural area renowned for its traditional customs and long-standing cultural heritage. This area was particularly significant as the birthplace of the traditional weaving folk songs, a fascinating form of folk culture. She actively participated, mastering many melodies and possessing a deep understanding of them. She was beautiful and graceful, gentle and kind, always cheerful and amiable, diligent in her farming work and tirelessly engaged in weaving.

In late 1883, she married Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac, an orphan. She accepted a life of hardship and material difficulties so that her husband could focus on his studies and cultivate his talent. She bore four children and they shared a beautiful and loving life together. Thanks to her encouragement and support, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac was able to concentrate on his studies and, not wanting to disappoint her, he achieved success and distinction. Due to the family's extremely difficult circumstances, and especially with the noble heart of a mother who did not want her children to suffer from deprivation, and the determination of a wife who did not want her husband to stop studying for the sake of food and clothing, she worked tirelessly. Through her labor and her love for her husband and children, she sacrificed everything for them and built a beautiful life and career for them. However, due to overwork and a harsh, deprived life, she fell seriously ill and passed away at the age of 33 on February 10, 1901 (the 22nd day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Rat) in Hue, leaving behind immeasurable grief for her family, relatives, and neighbors. Her remains were initially buried on Tam Tang Mountain by the Perfume River in Hue. In 1922, her remains were brought back by her daughter, Thanh, and reburied in her garden in Lang Sen - Kim Lien. In 1942, her remains were reinterred by Nguyen Sinh Khiem on Dong Tranh Thap Mountain in the Dai Hue mountain range. In 1984, to express their profound gratitude to the woman who gave birth to and raised President Ho Chi Minh, the Party Committee and people of Nghe Tinh province (formerly) and the armed forces of Military Region 4, on behalf of the people and soldiers nationwide, built a spacious and beautiful tomb for her.

Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan had a positive impact on her children through her simple, humble nature, self-sacrifice, loyalty, love of life, and patriotism. Having some knowledge of classical literature, she devoted much effort to imparting to her children the initial understanding of the natural and social world. She meticulously and clearly explained all of their innocent and amusing questions. As a diligent and hardworking mother, she taught her children to love work and to do things appropriate for their age with passion and creativity. This simple, noble, and hardworking lifestyle was clearly reflected in the life of President Ho Chi Minh later on.

Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan influenced President Ho Chi Minh with a folk culture deeply rooted in local identity and national traditions, truthfully reflecting the aspirations, will, and qualities of the working class. She set a shining example of moral character for her children to emulate. Wherever she went, she demonstrated a pure and compassionate lifestyle, earning the love and respect of everyone. With the heart and sensitivity of a mother, she nurtured, guided, and taught her children the first lessons of life and moral principles. Therefore, from a young age, her obedient children knew how to speak and do good deeds, respect their elders, live harmoniously with others, and possess a rich sense of compassion.

All those virtues and admirable qualities accompanied President Ho Chi Minh throughout his life, and he enriched, deepened, and multiplied them many times over.

This article expresses our gratitude to her, and I'm sure that each of us shares the same sentiment as Prime Minister Pham Van Dong wrote when visiting her grave: "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to her - the woman who gave birth to and raised President Ho Chi Minh, the woman who brought glory to Vietnam, the woman whom all Vietnamese people, from generation to generation, will forever be grateful to!"

Lam Dinh Hung -Officials of the Kim Lien - Nam Dan Historical Site