HA NOI — Quang Binh, Ha Noi, HCM City and the southern province of Dong Nai will be commemorating the 310th anniversary of the death of royal mandarin Nguyen Huu Canh from now until June 19.
Canh (1650-1700) served in Lord Nguyen Phuc Tan's court from his early 20s. He was born in Phong Loc, in today's Quang Ninh District, in the central province of Quang Binh.
According to Le Hung Phi, director of central province of Quang Binh's culture department, activities will include a traditional culinary week and dances from An Giang and HCM City at various locations in Quang Binh.
Viet Nam Television will show footage of Canh's tomb in Quang Binh, Ha Noi's Ly Thai To Park, Nguyen Huu Canh Street in HCM City and Binh Kinh Temple in Dong Nai Province, where the mandarin is traditionally honoured.
Between 1690-91, Canh was assigned the task of bringing peace to the bordering area of today's Binh Thuan Province. He brought royal troops to the location, fought against enemy invaders and established Thuan Thanh Town.
He then moved to Binh Khuong Palace in today's Binh Thuan Province.
In 1698, Canh was sent to the Dong Nai area, then barely inhabited. Canh managed to tame the hostile land and set up local administrative offices. He also ordered Gia Dinh Palace to be built.
The area was later populated by people from central regions.
He named Phuoc Long District in the southern province of Dong Nai and Tan Binh near Sai Gon after two existing districts in Quang Binh.
In 1700, Canh moved to Cay Sao Islet in today's An Giang Province, where he died in the same year. His body was buried in Hiep Hoa, in Dong Nai. In 1802, his tomb was moved to his homeland in Quang Binh's Truong Thuy Commune, which has been classified as a site of national historical significance.
Posthumously, Canh was awarded the title of high-ranking merit mandarin by King Minh Mang (1820-41). No other person in the history of Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta has received such an honour.
Temples commemorating his life and achievements can be found in An Giang, Quang Nam, Bien Hoa, HCM City, Can Tho and Quang Binh. — VNS