The childhood of President Ho Chi Minh (1890-1911)

His father was Nguyen Sinh Sac (Nguyen Sinh Huy), born in 1862 and died in 1929, from Kim Lien village (commonly known as Sen village), in Chung Cu commune, now Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province. Nguyen Sinh Sac came from a peasant family, orphaned at a young age, and was hardworking and studious from childhood. Therefore, the Confucian scholar Hoang Xuan Duong in Hoang Tru village asked the Nguyen Sinh family to take him in and raise him.

Being studious and intelligent, and receiving devoted care and guidance from the Confucian scholar Hoang Xuan Duong, he passed the imperial examination and earned a living as a teacher. He instilled in his children a sense of hard work and learning to understand the principles of being a good person. As a young man, like many ambitious people of his time, he diligently studied the classics, determined to take the imperial examinations. But the more he studied and understood life, the more he realized: "The officialdom is the slave among slaves, and even more so."

Therefore, after passing the imperial examination and being given a minor official position, but possessing a patriotic and upright spirit, he often opposed the higher-ranking officials and the French colonialists. Consequently, after a period of service, he was dismissed and removed from office. He went to Southern Vietnam to work as a physician, living a simple and honest life until his death.

His mother was Hoang Thi Loan, born in 1868 and died in 1901. She was a diligent, capable, and kind woman who earned her living by farming and weaving, and who wholeheartedly loved and cared for her husband and children.

His sister was Nguyen Thi Thanh, also known as Nguyen Thi Bach Lien, born in 1884 and died in 1954. His brother was Nguyen Sinh Khiem, also known as Nguyen Tat Dat, born in 1888 and died in 1950. His younger sibling was little Xin, born in 1900, who died prematurely due to illness.

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His older siblings were all influenced by their grandparents and parents, hardworking and compassionate, patriotic, and participated in the patriotic movement, being arrested and imprisoned by the French colonialists and the feudal court.

From birth until the age of five, Nguyen Sinh Cung lived in his hometown, receiving loving care from his maternal grandparents and parents. He grew up surrounded by the fine traditions of his homeland: studious, hardworking, compassionate, and unwavering in the face of enemies. Nguyen Sinh Cung was inquisitive, enjoyed listening to stories, and frequently asked about new things, from natural phenomena to the fairy tales his grandmother and mother often told him.

In 1895, Nguyen Sinh Cung and his family moved to Hue for the first time when his father, Nguyen Sinh Sac, went to the capital to take the imperial examination. From the end of 1895 to the beginning of 1901, Nguyen Sinh Cung lived with his parents in Hue, staying at the house of an acquaintance inside the citadel (now house number 112, Mai Thuc Loan Street). Those were years of hardship and deprivation for Mr. Sac's family. Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan worked as a weaver, while Mr. Sac, in addition to his studies, had to work as a copyist to earn a living, pay for his studies, and prepare for the examinations.

In 1898, Nguyen Sinh Sac took the imperial examination for the second time but still failed. His family's life became even more difficult. Towards the end of 1898, at the invitation of Nguyen Si Do, Nguyen Sinh Sac returned to teach some students in Duong No village, at the house of Nguyen Si Khuyen (Nguyen Si Do's younger brother), Phu Duong commune, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien province, 6 km from Hue city. Nguyen Sinh Cung and his brother followed their father there and began learning Chinese characters in their father's class.

In late 1900, Nguyen Sinh Sac was appointed to supervise the provincial examination in Thanh Hoa. He took Nguyen Sinh Khiem with him, while Nguyen Sinh Cung returned to live with his mother in Hue. Mrs. Loan gave birth to baby Xin in difficult and impoverished circumstances, fell ill, and passed away. Soon after, baby Xin, too weak, also died. At only 11 years old, Nguyen Sinh Cung suffered the pain of losing both his mother and his younger sibling.

Having lived in the imperial city of Hue for over five years, Nguyen Sinh Cung witnessed many new things. Compared to his hometown of Nghe An, Hue had many grand and beautiful houses, and majestic palaces. Nguyen Sinh Cung also saw diverse classes of people in Hue: the arrogant, domineering, and cruel French rulers; the dignified Southern officials in their brocade robes, velvet shoes, and winged hats, yet timid and submissive; and the majority of laborers sharing a common fate of suffering and humiliation. These included the ragged farmers whom the French called country bumpkins, porters, rickshaw pullers, and poor children wandering the streets... These images were deeply imprinted in Nguyen Sinh Cung's memory.

Upon hearing of his wife's death, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac hurried back to Hue and brought his children back to their hometown. After arranging things for his children, and with encouragement from relatives and villagers, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac returned to Hue to participate in the imperial examination of the year Tan Suu. This time, he took the exam under the new name Nguyen Sinh Huy.

In May 1901, Nguyen Sinh Huy passed the Tan Suu imperial examination, earning the title of Pho Bang (Associate Scholar). Around September 1901, Nguyen Sinh Cung and his family moved back to his ancestral village. Nguyen Sinh Huy held a ceremony to introduce his two sons to the village, giving them new names: Nguyen Tat Dat (Sinh Khiem) and Nguyen Tat Thanh (Sinh Cung).

Back in his hometown, Nguyen Tat Thanh was sent to study Chinese characters with teachers Hoang Phan Quynh, Vuong Thuc Quy, and later Tran Than. All of his teachers were patriots. Nguyen Tat Thanh heard many stories through discussions of current affairs between his teachers and other patriotic scholars.

Nguyen Tat Thanh gradually came to understand the times and the anguish of his elders over the loss of their country and the destruction of their homes. Among those whom Mr. Sac often met was Phan Boi Chau. Like many patriotic Confucian scholars of the time, Phan Boi Chau was also troubled by the current state of the country and the fate of the nation. This passionate man, when drunk, would often recite two lines of poetry by Yuan Mei:

"Each meal is unforgettable, only the bamboo remains.

The lowest form of self-cultivation is literature.”.

Mean:

"Each meal should be recorded in history books.

The most humble way to make a living is through literature.”.

The poem had a profound impact on Nguyen Tat Thanh and helped guide the young man towards his early aspirations.

As he grew older and became more involved in the lives of the local people, Nguyen Tat Thanh increasingly understood the plight of the people who had lost their country. This included heavy taxes and forced labor building roads within the province, such as the road from Cua Rao to Xieng Khouang (Laos), a remote and dangerous area. These journeys were fraught with uncertainty, leaving the people in misery and despair.

In the spring of 1903, Nguyen Tat Thanh accompanied his father to Vo Liet commune, Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province, and continued his studies in Chinese characters. There, Nguyen Tat Thanh had the opportunity to hear about current affairs from scholars who came to discuss matters with his father.

In late 1904, Nguyen Tat Thanh accompanied his father to Du Dong village, Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province, where Mr. Sac came to teach. Besides his studies, Nguyen Tat Thanh often accompanied his father to various areas in the province, such as Dong Thai village, the birthplace of Phan Dinh Phung, and visited historical sites like the Luc Nien citadel and the shrine of La Son Phu Tu Nguyen Thiep…

In July 1905, Nguyen Tat Thanh accompanied his father to Kien Xuong district, Thai Binh province, on the occasion of Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac meeting with scholars in that area.

Around September 1905, Nguyen Tat Thanh and Nguyen Tat Dat were enrolled by Mr. Nguyen Sinh Huy in the preparatory class (préparatoire) at the French-Native Primary School in Vinh City. It was at this school that Nguyen Tat Thanh first encountered the slogan.Liberty - Equality - Fraternity.

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These journeys broadened Nguyen Tat Thanh's horizons and thinking. He observed that everywhere the people were suffering from hardship and poverty, and it seemed as if sparks of fire were smoldering within them, yearning to burn down the oppressive colonial and feudal forces. Faced with the people's suffering, he soon developed the ambition to "drive out the French colonialists and liberate his compatriots."

After years of delaying his official career, in late May 1906, Nguyen Sinh Huy went to the capital to take up his post. Nguyen Tat Thanh and his older brother accompanied their father. In Hue, Nguyen Tat Thanh and his brother were sent by their father to study at the French-Vietnamese primary school in Thua Thien province, in the preparatory class (cours préparatoire, September 1906) and the elementary class (cours élémentaire, September 1907).

In Hue, a memorable event occurred in Nguyen Tat Thanh's life. In April 1908, he participated in a peasant protest against taxes in Thua Thien province, marking the beginning of his lifelong struggle for the rights of the working people. Because of his patriotic activities and participation in the peasant struggle, Nguyen Tat Thanh was closely monitored by the French colonial authorities. His father, Nguyen Sinh Huy, was also reprimanded for allowing his son to engage in anti-French activities.

However, in August 1908, Nguyen Tat Thanh, under the name Nguyen Sinh Con, was still admitted to the school by the headmaster of Quoc Hoc Suke (Chouquet). In September 1908, Nguyen Tat Thanh entered the second-year class (cours moyen) at Quoc Hoc Hue School.

During his time at Hue National School, Nguyen Tat Thanh had extensive exposure to French books and newspapers. His teachers included both French and Vietnamese individuals, as well as patriotic figures like Mr. Hoang Thong and Mr. Le Van Mien. It was the influence of these patriotic teachers and progressive books and newspapers that fueled his desire to travel to the West to learn about the situation in other countries and the achievements of human civilization. Around the same time, Nguyen Tat Thanh also heard about the actions of patriotic kings like Thanh Thai and Duy Tan, and discussions among patriotic scholars about the path to national salvation.

Around June 1909, Nguyen Tat Thanh left Hue National School and followed his father to Binh Dinh, where he was appointed District Chief of Binh Khe. During his time in Binh Khe, Nguyen Tat Thanh was often taken by his father to visit local scholars and historical sites in the Tay Son region.

At the end of 1909, Nguyen Tat Thanh was sent by his father to continue his studies in the upper-level program (cours supérieur) at the French-Vietnamese primary school in Quy Nhon. Nguyen Sinh Sac understood his second son's abilities and aspirations, and therefore provided him with the opportunity to continue his education.

In June 1910, Nguyen Tat Thanh completed his primary school education. After hearing that his father had been dismissed from his position as District Chief of Binh Khe and recalled to the capital, he did not return to Hue with his father but decided to continue south. On his way from Quy Nhon to Saigon, Nguyen Tat Thanh stopped in Phan Thiet. There, he applied to work as a teaching assistant (moniteur), teaching several subjects and also in charge of extracurricular activities at Duc Thanh School, a private school founded in 1907 by Nguyen Trong Loi and Nguyen Quy Anh (sons of Nguyen Thong, a patriotic intellectual).

Outside of class hours, Nguyen Tat Thanh sought out valuable books in the bookshelf of his grandfather, Nguyen Thong, to read. For the first time, he was exposed to the progressive ideas of French Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu. This exposure to new ideas further motivated him to seek a way to go abroad.

In February 1911, Nguyen Tat Thanh left Phan Thiet for Saigon. He temporarily stayed at the offices of Lien Thanh Company's branches in Saigon, such as house number 3, Tong Doc Phuong Street (now number 5, Chau Van Liem Street); and house number 128, Khanh Hoi Street. During his short time in Saigon, he often visited poor working-class neighborhoods, befriending young people his age. Everywhere he went, he saw the suffering and misery of the working people. Nguyen Tat Thanh also frequently visited shops near Saigon port, which specialized in washing clothes for sailors on French ships, hoping to find work on a ship and fulfill his dream of traveling far.

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Nguyen Sinh Cung - Nguyen Tat Thanh was born and raised when Vietnam was under French colonial rule and had become a semi-feudal colony. The people were enslaved, starving, and suffering. His homeland had a tradition of heroic struggle against foreign invaders. Ten years living in Hue, the cultural and political center of the country, and being exposed to a new culture and the Duy Tan (Modernization) movement, gave Nguyen Tat Thanh much new knowledge.

Looking back at patriotic movements such as the Can Vuong movement, exemplified by the Huong Khe uprising led by Phan Dinh Phung; the Dong Du movement of Phan Boi Chau; the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc movement; the Yen The uprising led by Hoang Hoa Tham; the reform movement of Phan Chau Trinh; and the anti-tax movement of Central Vietnamese peasants, Nguyen Tat Thanh greatly admired and respected these predecessors, but he did not follow that path.

The practical failures of patriotic movements in the early 20th century raised many questions and influenced Nguyen Tat Thanh's aspirations, leading him to make a correct and bold decision to go abroad to find a way to save the country.