Back to the place where the mountains originate and the rivers flow

In choosing this location for their return trip, Chairman of the Veterans Association Nguyen Chi Hoa also aimed for another goal: selecting a route that would traverse three provinces—Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan, and Cao Bang—three famous places, the "Capital of the Thousand Winds" of the early days of the resistance against the French. This return trip will evoke many emotions in the hearts of the veterans after their days of teaching. It is indeed a short trip, but one that carries great significance.

The first significance probably lies in the duration of the entire trip. Although the journey was short, lasting only three days, from the morning of April 30th to the evening of May 2nd, this trip back to our roots was truly exhilarating for us. Along the way, everyone recalled the unforgettable moment 39 years ago. Among us were comrades who were present on the battlefield at that historic moment, so one can imagine how moved they were to hear the news that the country had been completely unified. Going back even further in history: 60 years ago, on the day of the Dien Bien Phu victory, a small country like Vietnam at that time defeated an enemy a hundred times stronger. The joy evoked unforgettable memories of the nation's outstanding sons and daughters: Ho Chi Minh, Vo Nguyen Giap, and many others. "Drinking water, remember the source," we all unanimously agreed to affectionately name this trip: "Returning to the Source." In Vietnamese, the phrase "returning to the source" itself speaks volumes: returning to the source means returning to what is cherished, to the place that nurtured us, to the beginning, to the people, the nation, and to ourselves. I vividly remember two years ago, amidst the scorching July sun of 2012, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the 81-day and 81-night battle of Quang Tri Citadel, the Association also had a similarly emotional and meaningful trip. Although we had left the battlefield and the sound of gunfire many years ago, every time we embark on such a trip, the hearts of these former teachers and veterans still swell with emotion. The trip didn't "cross the river," but it still "had waves," as the poet Tham Tam wrote in his poem "Farewell Journey." This year's trip was surprisingly missing a few familiar names: veteran Pham Dinh Lan, who had written moving poems about Quang Tri Citadel before setting off, was unable to join the group due to personal reasons; The veteran couple Lam Ba Nam and Vu Thi Phung were unable to attend due to family matters; veterans Tran Thuc Viet, Nguyen Ba Thanh, Ngo Van Hoan, Tran Van Nhue, Bui Duy Dan, Tran Nhat Chinh, and others were also unable to participate this year. However, this year's delegation included some new faces: Tran Xuan Hong, Duong Xuan Son, and Pham Gia Lam. Most notably, perhaps, was former principal Pham Quang Long, who, although not a veteran himself, had many years of experience managing the school, and surely had a connection to the military. Pham Quang Long is the son of a martyr from the anti-French resistance. Returning to his roots was also a way for the son of a Vietnamese Heroic Mother to reminisce about his father's heroic past. Therefore, our "return to our roots" became even more meaningful.

Unlike the pilgrimage to Quang Tri Ancient Citadel two years ago, which, despite some sections passing through the Ho Chi Minh Trail, was mostly a flat route, this trip traversed three provinces: Thai Nguyen, Bac Can, and Cao Bang. Starting from Bac Can, it was filled with winding mountain passes and steep slopes, some reaching almost to the sky (Giang Pass), others where you could hear the wind howling (Gio Pass). So, for less than 300 kilometers, our vehicle crawled along for nearly nine hours. Unexpectedly, I was reminded of To Huu's poem "Viet Bac": "Who returns, who remembers? / We return, remembering Phu Thong, Giang Pass / Remembering the Lo River, remembering Pho Rang / Remembering from Cao Lang to Nhi Ha." A beautiful picture unfolded along the entire route from Thai Nguyen, through Bac Can, to Cao Bang, and finally to the historical site of Pac Bo. Arriving in Thai Nguyen, the closest province to Hanoi, we saw a sign directing us to the ATK Dinh Hoa, the place where the central government was based during the most difficult early days. Passing through Bac Kan, we met with a group of students from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, including Nguyen Cao Son and Nguyen Duc Thanh, both now key officials at the local radio and television station. Listening to their stories as veterans and former students, we truly understood the immense effort and struggle required to achieve the modest results we have today. The country still faces many difficulties; having driven out the foreign invaders, we still have many other "enemies" to fight and eliminate. I recall the time in 1950 when President Ho Chi Minh, along with his close comrade Tran Dang Ninh, set foot in Bac Kan. The poem he sent to the 312th Youth Unit building roads in Cam Giang commune, Bach Duong district on March 28, 1951, is still widely recited among young people today: “Nothing is difficult / Only fear of a lack of perseverance / Digging mountains and filling seas / With determination, anything can be accomplished.” Indeed, the road to the former resistance capital is still “narrow” even now, but in return, the members of the group all affirmed that it was “beautiful.” Here, along steep, rocky roads, finding a restaurant was somewhat difficult, but the atmosphere and wind were incredibly “rich.” Fortunately, the group included three female members, Mai, Phuong, and Huong, and even when the ox cart climbed the winding mountain passes, no one felt any “nausea.” Excitement and joy filled all the members of the group on their pilgrimage to the source of their heritage.

Despite navigating the winding hairpin bends all the way from Bac Kan, we finally arrived in Cao Bang city at 1:30 PM. Cao Bang now, compared to nearly 40 years ago, when I also had the opportunity to visit, is completely different. The city, though not large, is well-maintained and beautiful. Fortunately, we were accommodated at the Bang Giang Hotel, a six-story building located right next to the Bang Giang River that divides the city. After resting for about 30 minutes, we were able to regain our strength to continue our journey back to our roots. The road back to our roots is also completely different now. Although still narrow, it is flat, and in just over an hour, we reached the Pac Bo historical site, where 83 years ago, President Ho Chi Minh and several Vietnamese revolutionary comrades crossed the Chinese border to reach this place. Many documents from that time recorded: “In early 1941, Uncle Ho and a number of comrades crossed the border between Vietnam and China at milestone 108 to return to Vietnam to directly lead the Vietnamese revolution after 30 years of wandering in search of a way to save the country. Initially, Uncle Ho stayed at the house of Mr. Ly Quoc Sung, but later, to ensure safety and secrecy, he decided to move to Coc Bo Cave, Lung Lan Cave, and Khuoi Nam hut. Many important events of the Party and State took place here, such as the 8th Central Committee Conference, the decision to establish the Viet Minh Front, the construction of revolutionary base areas, and guerrilla warfare…”. The entire Pac Bo historical site is now much more spacious and well-maintained than when Uncle Ho and the Central Committee comrades first stayed there. The road leading from the outside to Coc Bo Cave, along the Lenin stream, has now been paved with concrete. The stream mentioned in Uncle Ho's poem ("In the morning, to the stream bank, in the evening, back to the cave / Corn porridge and bamboo shoots are always ready / On a precarious stone table, translating the Party's history / A revolutionary life is truly glorious") is still crystal clear, allowing you to see schools of fish swimming playfully. The scenery of mountains, forests, plants, and water remains exactly as it was when Uncle Ho lived there. To say that visiting Pac Bo is like returning "to the roots" is absolutely true. Far from urban civilization, everything here possesses a pure, "crystal clear" beauty, just as its name suggests: Pac Bo – the root of the mountain, the source of the river.

After work, Uncle Ho often sat here fishing (1941).

Visiting Pac Bo, a journey back to our roots, we not only revisited the place where our beloved leader Ho Chi Minh lived and worked in his early days, but also visited many other historical sites of the country: Ban Gioc Waterfall, a pristine natural beauty, sacred and majestic, affirming national sovereignty; Kim Dong's tomb, which I visited nearly 40 years ago as a simple mound of earth, now looks magnificent... Perhaps there are many other historical sites we didn't have time to visit due to the limited time. But even though it was brief, this trip back to our roots at this historical moment has left indelible memories in the hearts of us, the veterans of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. These are also valuable assets that will help us work better in the days to come.