Located in the middle of the wild and majestic natural space of the Northwest mountains and forests, the National Monument - Memorial Site of the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment at Na Bo hill, Moc Chau town, Son La province is a historical witness, marking the sacrifice and bravery of revolutionary soldiers in the resistance war against French colonialism. This "red address" helps today's young generation learn and understand more about the heroic revolutionary tradition of our nation in the resistance war against French colonialism in the years 1945 - 1954. Tay Tien relic site was built in 2016, with all the respect and infinite gratitude of the ethnic people of Son La province towards the volunteer soldiers who sacrificed and lost their youth for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.

 Photo gallery, artifacts about the 52nd Tay Tien Regimentat Na Bo hill

Memories of the Tay Tien army through historical artifacts

During the journey to visit the revolutionary "red address", the first destination is the area displaying images and artifacts of the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment, visitors can witness valuable relics of the Tay Tien soldiers who participated in the resistance war against French colonialism in the years 1945 - 1954. In the space of the house with the architecture of the Northwest ethnic stilt house, the documents and artifacts are divided into content sections: "General Vo Nguyen Giap" space; "Tay Tien once and forever" introduces images and relics of the Tay Tien Regiment past and present, including artifacts such as: Guard shirt, lamp, identity card of poet Quang Dung; in the content section "Tay Tien heroic and talented" includes many images and artifacts recreating the image of the soldiers of the Tay Tien regiment in the past.

Among the valuable artifacts is a photo of General Vo Nguyen Giap and soldiers of the Tay Tien regiment, which is solemnly preserved here. Or the artifact - the painting "Nuoi dau vong binh" by artist Quang Tho (political commissar of the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment), which was drawn by the author from a true story about the solidarity between the army and the people during the resistance war against the French.

Ms. Lo Thi Muon - a guide of the Management Board of the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment said: Colonel Tran Ky - a soldier of the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment recounted that during a march to fight the enemy, after struggling for many days, his comrade in the same squad collapsed on the roadside, he pointed to his breast pocket and whispered, Tran Ky, I'm so tired I can't walk anymore, please deliver this letter and tell my uncle and aunt that I always think of my family. Starving, my limbs were weak, I could only encourage my comrades to try harder, but tears kept flowing. Luckily, an ethnic woman living in Hoa Binh carrying her baby on her back to the fields met her. She quietly took off the back of her baby, put her baby on the side of the road and did not hesitate to squeeze out the drops of milk from her body to save the soldier in critical condition. Those drops of milk were so warm with human love, warm with the love between the army and the people. The painting is a deep gratitude of artist Quang Tho in particular and of Regiment 52 to the people of the Northwest.

Northwest mountain forest spacepoetic,full of nostalgia associated with the stagemarching route ofWestern Army

Returning to the revolutionary relics today, each person's heart is filled with emotion, as if going back in time to the heroic years in the struggle for national independence and freedom. The verses in the poem "Tay Tien" by poet Quang Dung - a soldier of the old army still echo deeply, engraved in time, engraved in the space of the Northwest land and sky: "Going to the battlefield without regretting the young life / The robe replaces the mat, he returns to the ground / The Ma River roars a solo song...". The poem evokes pride and deep gratitude for the Tay Tien soldiers of the old days who devoted their youth to the noble revolutionary ideal, an image of a heroic period in the history of the revolution.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha, a tourist from Hanoi, shared: “In front of the relics and artifacts that were once associated with the Tay Tien soldiers, I am very grateful for the blood sacrifices of our ancestors to gain independence and freedom as today. The relic is not only a place to mark history but also evokes in each person national pride and gratitude towards the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed and lost for the Fatherland.”

Record a heroic revolutionary journey

Along with the artifacts and touching stories about the Tay Tien army at the Exhibition Area, visitors have the opportunity to be guided by the Monument Management Board to follow 52 stone steps to the highest position of the National Monument. The stone steps are designed with straight sections and curved sections, symbolizing the march of the Tay Tien army in the past, overcoming extremely dangerous steep slopes and deep ravines. 5 reliefs designed in the monument complex record touching stories about the feats of the Tay Tien Regiment.

The memorial is located at the highest position of the relic complex, designed in the shape of a cluster of bayonets, symbolizing the will and spirit of determination to fight and win of the Tay Tien Regiment. In front of the memorial are two symbols associated with the march of the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment, which are That Luong - a symbol of the culture and spirit of the Lao tribes sent to the Tay Tien Regiment and the reed flower - a forest plant associated with the march of the Tay Tien soldiers, creating a poetic and magical space of the Northwest mountains and forests. Located not far from the memorial, the memorial stele house is designed in the architecture of the "Arc de Triomphe", this is a symbol of the feats as well as the aspirations for the day of victory.

Memorial52nd Tay Tien Regimenton Na Bo hill

In front of the Memorial is the Nostalgia Area, the memorial tower is designed with transparent glass cover, opening up an airy space. From here, visitors can observe the poetic and magical space of the Northwest mountains and forests along with the whole view of Moc Chau town. Standing on the high platform to admire the Northwest mountains and forests, visitors will be nostalgic about the Tay Tien Regiment with the gallant, romantic and extremely brave Hanoi boys, ready to sacrifice their youth for the country.

Visiting the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment Relic at Na Bo Hill, visitors not only admire the majestic natural beauty but also deeply feel the great historical values. Each rock, each path, each step depicts the arduous life of the soldiers, the people who left their youth on the fierce battlefield. The statues, reliefs, and historical records are not only reminders of the heroic days but also the pride of today's generation about the glorious past of the nation.

Deputy Director of Pha Luong Tourism Joint Stock Company Dinh Hong Phuc - the management unit of the relic site, said that the National Relic Site - Memorial Site of the 52nd Tay Tien Regiment, a place to preserve and introduce artifacts and images associated with the people, achievements and imprints of the Tay Tien Regiment, always attracts the attention of visitors from near and far. This place welcomes an average of over 30,000 visitors each year, and is a "Red Address" for students, university students and officials to visit and study. In the orientation, the Relic Site will always innovate, promote research, collection and exploitation of stories associated with the Tay Tien Regiment, improve the quality of the tour guide team, promote communication and promotion, connect with travel companies to attract visitors to the relic site, contributing to creating an attractive cultural destination in Moc Chau plateau.

View of the relic site

This revolutionary “red address” is helping to connect history and the present, and has educational significance about the revolutionary spirit, where every year delegations, veterans, visitors, and students from all over the country come to remember, learn, and better understand the sacrifices and losses, and the indomitable will on the revolutionary path of past revolutionary generations. Here, the spirit of Tay Tien still echoes forever like a heroic song in the mountains and forests of the Northwest./.

Article and photos: N. Duong