A Beautiful Lake, a Beautiful Valley and a Dark History
Here is an interesting thing to see that is definitely not on the tourist trail. A large lake, filling a small valley and surrounded by pine trees. A memorial on the top of a nearby hill. Mountains rising close by. Great views over the surrounding area. It sounds like tranquil and bucolic place, and today it is. But that memorial is built in memory of some awful events that happened right near here over 60 years ago. This area today, the site, the lake, the area, are known as Vinh Trinh, and for those people who have seen most of the more common sites and want to see something a little different, this is a good option. It takes a little more than an hour to reach by good roads, and can be done either as a short trip by itself, or as a mission with other stops along the way.
So what is it that makes this place worth a visit? Well, for starters there is the natural beauty. The lake, called Ho Vinh Trinh, fills a valley between the monocline ridges of Duy Xuyen. The ridges on either side are covered in a mix of lowland evergreen, second or third growth, and pine forests. The latter, pine forests, are somewhat rare in for the greater Da Nang area; while they are more common to other parts of Vietnam, in this area they are not common so it's nice to see the substantial groves here. The view to the north is great as well, and on a clear day you can see all the way to the Truong Son, Son Tra & Ba Na Hills, as well as a great view over the Thu Bon-Vu Gia River floodplain. Finally, the old growth covered mountains of Que Son rise behind the ridges that hold the lake.
But the real point of interest here is the Vinh Trinh memorial. In 1955, intelligence agents of the ARVN, or Army of the Republic of Vietnam [South Vietnam], rounded up some 38 people from the local Duy Xuyen area. These people, (including one pregnant woman) were suspected of being Viet Cong, or Viet Cong sympathizers, and were then brutally tortured and killed. Among other atrocities, the victims had their eyes removed, so it would be harder for the victims families to identify the bodies. This horrible massacre was done in a time of nationwidel political and cultural upheaval, and is just one sad incident among many others that occurred during the long and brutal 30 Year War of freedom.
Today the memorial stands quiet and peaceful in the pines. A large square has been cleared from the forest, most of which is occupied by a large shallow square basin. In this are 38 lotus blooms (concrete, not real) to represent those who were murdered, and one unopened lotus blossom to represent the unborn child. Standing tall over the whole thing is a large statue of a bound prisoner that is quite tall- perhaps 15 m / 40 feet. During times of memorial ceremonies candles are lit and placed on each lotus, and the basin is then filled with water to simulate floating lotus blossoms.
Vietnam's history is a painful one, and it is sites like this one that help everyone to remember the struggle Vietnam and it's people have endured over the years to enjoy the peace they now have. While the history here is sad, the memorial itself doesn't feel too bad. Instead, it's quiet location among the whispering pines makes it feel like a place of reflection- a place to give a quiet thanks to those who sacrificed everything, even their very lives, in the long struggle for peace. Whether you come here as a quick side trip on the way to My Son, or as part of a trip around the area (perhaps to the nearby Duy Son Road), or you come here specifically for this site, it's an interesting and rarely visited place that is most definitely off the regular track.
Vinh Trinh is found in Quang Nam's Duy Xuyen District. To get here is actually really easy; this site is just off the road between My Son and Hoi An, allowing for quick and easy access. To reach it, go down the highway to Nam Phuoc, and make the turn like you are going to My Son. Follow this highway (the DT-610) for about 15-20 minutes, until the town of Tan Phong. Turn left, and follow this nice concrete road all the way to the dam. Once on the dam, turn right and drive down to the opposite end of the lake, where you will see the memorial.
A Small Map
All photos copyright Kit Davidson.
All maps copyright and courtesy Google MyMaps.
All maps copyright and courtesy Google MyMaps.