On Wednesday, a celebration of the 189^th death anniversary of the talented Vietnamese General Nguyen Van Thoai, also known as Thoai Ngoc Hau, took place right at a namesake temple in honour of him located at 15 Ha Thi Than in Son Tra District’s An Hai Tay Ward.

In attendance at the event were municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, and representatives from the An Giang Province which was considered the general’s second home, and a large number of residents from An Hai Tay Ward.

The event featured solemn rituals, including incense offerings to commemorate the ancestors and heroes for their great devotion to their homeland. 

Thoai Ngoc Hau was born on 26 November 1761 in An Hai Village, Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province (now called An Hai Tay Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang).

He has always been highly praised and respected for his creativeness in reclaiming land, founding villages, and promoting economic development and border protection.

The legendary mandarin was one of the meritorious officials during the reign of Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyen Dynasty.

In particular, the General became actively involved in founding new villages and building canals and embankments in the southern region. He himself founded An Giang Province’s Thoai Son Village (now called Thoai Son District), and directed the digging of the over 100km of Thoai Ha and Vinh Te canals in the province, which faciliated the trading activities of the residents.

Good mandarin Thoai Ngoc Hau visited his hometown in An Hai Village in 1827, 2 years before his death.

During his stay in the village, he directed the construction of the Ha Than market, the An Phuoc Pagoda, and the An Hai Temple, and appealed for donations from the general public to restore worshipping houses for ancestors.

The late General’s cultural and spiritual heritage has been passed down through many generations, especially his spirit of hard-work, special emotional attachment to his hometown, creative thinking, and kindness.