Vinh Dinh is one of the eight major canals dredged under the Nguyen Dynasty. Vinh Dinh River connects Thach Han River at the Co Thanh intersection to Luong Dien River, passes through the communes of Trieu Phong and Hai Lang districts of Quang Tri province, and flows into Tam Giang lagoon of Thua Thien - Hue province. This is an important inland waterway under the Nguyen Dynasty. Through the official history of the Nguyen Dynasty, the excavation of Vinh Dinh River is truthfully reflected with many specific details.
A section of Vinh Dinh River flowing through Trieu Phong district today - Photo: KHAC NIEN
Vinh Dinh River is a major water control project of Quang Tri province under the Nguyen Dynasty. The river is not only important for agriculture and trade of Quang Tri but also directly related to the capital. The process of digging the river lasted nearly 5 months (from March to July 1825). The project demonstrated the foresight of King Minh Mang in developing the economy, trade and defending the capital Hue.
The book “Dai Nam Thuc Luc Chinh Bien” (De Nhi Ky), volume 32, pages 8 and 9, records: At Dau, Minh Mang 6th year (1825), spring, March, dug Vinh Dinh river in Quang Tri. Quang Tri used to have a canal from Trung Don to La Vi, then a lot of sand filled it up and it became shallow, making it difficult for boats to travel. The King wanted to clear the transportation route, so he first sent the city supervisor Do Phuc Thinh to inspect it. Then he discussed opening a new canal from Quan Kinh to Trung Don (more than 1,720 truong long, the water surface was 6 truong wide at most). Only now did he send Deputy Commander Phan Van Thuy to supervise the river digging, and give him the imperial envoy’s flag and the imperial envoy’s plaque to add more importance to the matter (from now on, when there were special missions, flags and plaques were given).
3,700 people from Thua Thien and Quang Tri were sent to dig, and money and rice were provided (each person was given 5 quan of rice per month, 2 phuong and 15 quan). The necessary materials had to be purchased by the mandarins, not taken from the people.
Phan Van Thuy said: “Recently there has been little rain, the price of rice is a bit high, I really do not want to tire the people; only that river is beneficial to both public and private interests, and the people who come to work also provide money for rice, without any hesitation about waste, that is also the idea of using public money to replace charity. You should take that idea and make it clear to the people. As for the money for rice, do not entrust it exclusively to the officials, but let them cut it down, so that our people can rely on the warehouse and be happy to come to work.”
Then, seeing that the summer was hot, he set a time limit for work and rest, when he was tired and when he was free (every day, he came to work at half past the 5th watch, the clock went down to 9 times then he rested, in the afternoon, the clock went down to 4 times then he came to work, when it was half past the 1st watch he rested), he gave food every 10 days; when he was sick, he gave medicine. When the digging was finished, he named it Vinh Dinh River. He ordered the royal court to bring buffalo and wine to treat the workers. He rewarded Phan Van Thuy with 2 records, 50 taels of silver, 3 pieces of silk, 1 piece of bamboo, the Inspectors Doan Van Truong and Nguyen Van Nam with 1 record, 30 taels of silver, 2 pieces of silk, and the officials who followed him to work with 1 record. If the digging took away people's land, they were exempted from taxes, and if graves and houses had to be moved, they were given money (Trung Don, La Vi, Quan Kinh are all commune names).
The official history of the Nguyen Dynasty shows that the digging of Vinh Dinh River was carefully prepared by the Nguyen Dynasty in general and King Minh Mang in particular. The work was clearly assigned by the king. With such a massive task, the digging of the river was completed after only nearly 5 months, showing the efforts of the court as well as the people participating in digging the river. Later, the river was dredged and cleared many times, from the reign of King Minh Mang to the reigns of the following Nguyen Dynasty kings. Vinh Dinh River played an important role in the development of the Nguyen Dynasty. That is why this river was chosen by King Minh Mang to be engraved on the Nine Urns.
Today, although many sections have been narrowed and filled up, Vinh Dinh River still plays a very important role in providing irrigation water for communes in Hai Lang and Trieu Phong districts. From the Vinh Dinh River excavation project under the reign of King Minh Mang, we can see the agricultural policy of the Nguyen Dynasty. Vinh Dinh River today still plays an important role in irrigation, water supply to fields and transportation, bringing benefits to the people.
Carving Years
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/qua-trinh-dao-song-vinh-dinh-cua-trieu-nguyen-191183.htm
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