Lanterns - words of gratitude on the Thach Han River

Every time he returns to the old battlefield, Mr. Le Ba Duong quietly buys flowers and releases them into the Thach Han River to commemorate his comrades who fought in the same trenches. From this noble gesture, the government and people of Quang Tri have developed a meaningful ceremony to honor and commemorate the local heroes and martyrs - the festival of releasing flower lanterns into the Thach Han River.

Veteran Le Ba Duong (wearing glasses) and his comrades releasing flowers on the Thach Han River - Photo: LE BA DUONG

From flower rafts to comrades in the same trenches

In 1976, soldier Le Ba Duong enjoyed his first leave in his military career. From Nha Trang ( Khanh Hoa), he returned to his hometown Nghe An for only 4 days, but his heart urged him to quickly put on his backpack and return to the old battlefield of Quang Tri to find and locate the burial places of his comrades. He climbed the hills near the Truong Son National Martyrs' Cemetery, down to Ben Tat, back to Gio An, to Duoi Bridge, My Chanh River... and then ended his journey on the banks of Thach Han River to leave flowers and incense for his comrades. Wherever he went, he picked wild flowers to make rafts, and burned cigarettes instead of incense in remembrance.

That year in Quang Tri on the banks of Thach Han, there was no ferry market, and he could not buy flowers, so he had to pick some cockscomb flowers shaped like candles and release them into the river to send to his comrades. From then on, every July 27th, he returned to Quang Tri to buy flowers and release them into the Thach Han River. “In the article Feelings of July, I wrote, ‘There are two Julys, two full moon days’. In addition to the traditional full moon day of the lunar calendar to show gratitude to heaven and earth, ancestors, and grandparents, there is also another day considered a full moon of the solar calendar, which is July 27th, when drinking water, remembering its source,” Mr. Duong said, explaining the reason for returning to Quang Tri every July.

He remembered the time he returned in 1987 on the occasion of July 27. That day, his brothers and friends in Quang Tri town (now Quang Tri ward) went to attend the ceremony to celebrate War Invalids and Martyrs Day. He quietly went to the market to buy all the flowers and brought them to the bank of Thach Han river. When he finished, everyone had gone to buy flowers and asked, the people said there was a soldier with a broken Nghe accent who had just carried flowers to the river to release and stood crying. So they ran out and walked towards him... Then one time after that, when they saw him making a flower raft, the children in An Don village invited each other to cut banana leaves, pick flowers and follow him, and bring them to the river to release.

“Offering incense and flowers is a Vietnamese custom. After the death anniversary or offering prayers, people make a raft out of bananas and put flowers in a pond or river, releasing it to infinity for their loved ones or those who have passed away. I also do that ceremony so that “the incense and flowers drift to infinity, sending them to comrades who fought in the same trenches”. That is my point of view, not only for comrades but also for compatriots and comrades who fought and sacrificed,” said Mr. Duong.

Children in An Don village made flower rafts and released them on Thach Han river in 1989 - Photo: LE BA DUONG

Veteran, poet, journalist, photographer Le Ba Duong is 72 years old this year, fought in the Quang Tri battlefield from May 1968 to the end of 1973. He shared that the older he gets, the more times he has to return to Quang Tri every year, because there is "the riverbed where my friend still lies"... And for the past several decades, he has regularly returned to the old battlefield to burn incense for his comrades and carry out many other meaningful gratitude programs.

...to the gratitude festival on the Thach Han River

From the noble gesture of veteran Le Ba Duong, the government and people of Quang Tri have developed a meaningful ceremony to honor and commemorate local heroes and martyrs - the festival of releasing flower lanterns on the Thach Han River.

Former Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Quang Tri town Le Ngoc Vu, who directly participated in organizing the flower lantern release program on Thach Han river in the first years, recalled: The pilot program was organized in 2011, taking place at 6:30 p.m. - the moment of day and night harmony, the harmony of yin and yang.

At that time, on the 14th day of the lunar calendar, every household burns incense on the altar and lights lanterns on the river so that the souls of the heroic martyrs can feel warmed. On the river, 8,100 lanterns are released, symbolizing the 81 days and nights of fire in the Citadel. The program of releasing lanterns on the Thach Han River has been officially organized since 2012.

Up to now, this program has become a festival of Quang Tri province, receiving support from localities and units. Coming to the festival, lighting incense sticks, releasing flower lanterns into Thach Han river, we have the opportunity to pay tribute to the heroic martyrs who fought and sacrificed their lives to protect the Ancient Citadel, so that this land can be peaceful today.

Lantern festival on Thach Han river - Photo: DUY HUNG

The flower lantern festival on Thach Han River was successfully organized by Quang Tri, creating a great influence. However, for those who have been directly involved in organizing the festival, they are anxious to bring the festival to the goal of complete socialization. "I hope that each time the festival is organized, funds will not be used from the budget, but that people and tourists will buy flower lanterns to release into the river themselves," Mr. Vu shared.

That is also the thought and concern of Mr. Nguyen Duy Hung, an officer of the Center for Culture, Information, Physical Education and Sports of Quang Tri ward.

“In the future, we propose to prepare flower lanterns and have a box for people and tourists to freely donate. This money will be used to buy flower lanterns. People also light candles to release flower lanterns, which is more meaningful. This is a practical way of socialization, and also a way for each person to show their sincerity," Mr. Hung expressed.

I believe that the flower lantern festival on Thach Han River will soon have a successful day as shared by Mr. Vu and Mr. Hung, to make the gratitude more complete.

Quang Hai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/hoa-dang-loi-tri-an-ben-dong-thach-han-196307.htm