The childhood of President Ho Chi Minh is recorded lively and exactly in his memorial relics in Kim Lien Commune, Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province.
Under the green bamboo trees in Chua Village (Hoang Tru) and Sen Village (Kim Lien) still remains the house made of bamboo and wood, the beloved relics stood for nearly a century which marked in the human history and became the invaluable property of our nation, having the national and international significance. These material and cultural heritages contribute to reflect the beauty of President Ho Chi Minh's life - the national hero of self - liberation, world cultural activists, the most notable person of Lam Hong region and Vietnam.
Heading to National Highway No.46 from Vinh City, turn left about 1km, It's Hoang Tru Village - President Ho Chi Minh's mother's village. About 1km, It's Sen Village - President Ho Chi Minh's father's village.
House where President Ho Chi Minh was born
In 1883, Nguyen Sinh Sac and Hoang Thi Loan got married. Mr. and Mrs. Hoang Duong built a 3 compartment thatched house in western corner of their garden for the new couple.
In this house, President Ho
Chi Minh was born. The first room was where Mr. Sac studied, relaxed and was taught by Mr. Duong. In the room, there are a wooden board, where he took a rest, desk, two chairs near the window, two bookshelves. The second room was where Mrs. Loan took a rest. Behind brown cotton netting curtain there is a simple bamboo bed, where she gave birth to three brilliant children for the nation. In the third room there is a weaving loom of Mrs. Loan. Besides doing farming, Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan always got up early and went to bed late to do weaving to gain some more income for her family in the hard time.
In 1894, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac passed the first degree examination and gained bachelor’s degree at Nghe school.
In 1895, he came to Hue to attend Metropolitan examination but he did not pass. Then he applied to the National University and was accepted. He immediately returned home to ask his wife and his children to come back to Hue with him to support his study. Mrs. Loan sent their first daughter Nguyen Thi Thanh to her mother and brought their two sons to Hue after passing 400 km in Thien Ly road by foot.
On February 10, 1901, Mrs. Loan died at the age of thirty three. Mr. Sac then left capital city of Hue to bring his children back to homeland Hoang Tru and lived in this 3 compartment house. Three months later, when Metropolitan examination came, Mr. Sac once again sent the children to their maternal grandmother and came to Hue to attend the examination.
This time he won “Pho Bang” (Junior Doctor degree in literature) and was granted “An tu sinh gia” title (benevolence granted by the King to good family) by King Thanh Thai as well as flag “New junior Doctor”. According to local rules and Sen villagers’ aspiration, Mr. Sac with his children Nguyen Thi Thanh, Nguyen Sinh Khiem and Nguyen Sinh Cung left Hoang Tru village to come back to his father’s village - Kim Lien village - to pay thanks to ancestors. Mr. Sac left this 3 compartment thatched house to relatives for use.
On December 9, 1961, after more than 60 years away, President Ho Chi Minh revisited this thatched house - where he was born and spent his early childhood. He looked
This 3 compartment thatched house not only witnessed the moment when President Ho Chi Minh was born but also witnessed his visit to homeland in 1961 after many years leaving home to go abroad looking for a way to save the nation. at the old objects of the family, which were preserved as before with deep emotion. After emotional time, he sat in front of the house speaking closely to the villagers.
The House of Junior Doctor Nguyen Sinh Sac
Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac won “Pho Bang” (Junior Doctor degree of literature) in Metropolitan examination in 1901. According to local rules and villagers’ aspiration, he and his children left Chua (Hoang Tru) village to lived in his father’s Sen (Kim Lien) village.
As the first man bringing great honor to the whole village, he was given 5 compartment wooden house, which was built with public funds. The house was bought from Xuan La (Xuan Lam) commune and located in Sen village’s common land. All trees around the house were planted by the villagers. Mr. Nguyen Sinh Tro dismantled his rice granary to build the outbuilding for Mr. Sac as his present. Living here, Mr. Sac used two first
compartments for worshipping and receiving visitors. The third one was Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh’s bedroom. The remaining two compartments where everyday life activities of the family took place. There are two wooden boards. The board near window was Mr. Sac’s bed. The board in fifth compartment was the bed of Nguyen Sinh Khiem and Nguyen Sinh Cung. There are some other pieces of furniture such as a jute hammock, a desk for reading and tea break, a wooden box for rice storing, a two tier - cupboard. There is a crimson food tray on top of cupboard, which often used for distinguished guests. A caster oil lamp was hung on the wall.
The three section outbuilding was kitchen. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh - the old sister of President Ho Chi Minh - was family’s housekeeper.
On May 1906, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac once again was appointed the second - grade official of the Ministry of Rituals. He could not refuse any more and had to leave homeland to come to capital city of Hue. His children Nguyen Sinh Khiem and Nguyen Sinh Cung also followed him second time. This house was managed by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh. After
a short time studying in Hue, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Khiem returned home and lived in this house with his sister.
On Sunday morning of June 6, 1957, all Kim Lien commune happily welcome President Ho Chi Minh in his first return visit to homeland after ha had been away for 50 years. After revisiting the House of Junior Doctor Nguyen Sinh Sac and looking at memorial things closely related to childhood, President Ho Chi Minh asked about Coc well, Mr. Dien’s blacksmith’s, where he usually do carrying water, forging toys, panting a pair of bellows when he was a boy. He also asked about childhood’s friends and poor family in the village, including Mr. Phuong’s family, which was the poorest household at the time he left homeland.
On December 9, 1961, the second time President Ho Chi Minh returned to visit Kim Lien. Since then, the House of Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac was become the witness of two returns visiting the native land of “great loyalty and deep love” made by President Ho Chi Minh.
Direction: From Hoang Tru Village about 2km