Hoanh Son Quan, the gate to heaven on top of Deo Ngang Pass

Hoanh Son Quan is located in Vinh Son village, Quang Dong commune, Quang Trach district, Quang Binh province. Hoanh Son Quan is a historical relic – citadel architecture, located on the top of Deo Ngang, the border of Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces. In 1833, King Minh Mang ordered the construction of Hoanh Son Quan on the top of Deo Ngang, from here, together with Deo Ngang, Hoanh Son Quan is a strong testament to the ups and downs of history, and has become a place of great significance in the history and beauty of the country.

Currently, Hoanh Son Quan is an attractive destination for Northern Quang Binh Tourism.

See tour: Discover Northern Quang Binh

History of Hoanh Son Quan

Hoanh Son is a mountain range not as high as the Giang Man range, but this is a mountainous area with many dense forests stretching from West to East to the sea. It stands like a wall between Quang Binh and Ha Tinh. Hoanh Son used to be a border, blocking Han Hoa, and gradually became a point of direct opposition to the feudalism of the North, specifically by “advancing North” to occupy the lands north of Lam Ap, all the way to and beyond Hoanh Son. From Lam Ap, their opponents in the North gradually moved from China to Dai Viet since the Ngo, Dinh, Tien Le dynasties, also from these collisions led to the event of land ceding under the Ly and Tran dynasties.

See the old Hoanh Son Quan photo collection

From the 2nd and 3rd centuries until 1069, Hoanh Son was the natural border between Viet and Cham for nearly 10 periods. From the Ly, Tran to Ho dynasties, military clashes occurred continuously between Dai Viet and Cham. In 1400, Ho Quy Ly ascended the throne and established the Ho dynasty. The Ho dynasty from the beginning reformed many aspects, nationwide. Ho Quy Ly reorganized the entire governing apparatus, and for the two regions of Tan Binh and Thuan Hoa, the Ho dynasty implemented a number of important reforms.

In March 1402, Ho Han Thuong repaired the road from Tay Do to Hoa Chau, along the way he placed streets and post stations to transmit messages and deliver letters called Thien Ly Cu. The first official traffic route across the South and North of the feudal state was born. Therefore, the poem by Bui Ton Trai has the line: “The old citadel of Lam Ap was built, the Luc Lo Tu An was built”, (the old citadel was built by Lam Ap, the road was renovated by Tu An).

From the time the Ho Dynasty opened the Thien Ly road through Tan Binh, Thuan Hoa to the beginning of the Mac Dynasty, 125 years, Quang Binh was a land of conflict between many feudal forces. The Hoanh Son mountain range had an important military position. Therefore, Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem had a “thunder” prayer for Nguyen Hoang “Hoanh Son Nhat Dai, Van Dai Dung Than”.

Nguyen Hoang was the first person to name “Quang Binh” in the 5th year of Hoang Dinh (1640). Nguyen Hoang changed the names of the administrative areas of the two regions of Thuan Quang, changing Tan Binh prefecture to Quang Binh prefecture. The name Quang Binh started from here. The Trinh Nguyen conflict lasted 228 years, ending in 1786. Nguyen Hue was the first person to abolish the Gianh river boundary (1786), merging the two regions of Nam and Bac Bo Chinh into Thuan Chinh prefecture.

In 1831, King Minh Mang changed Bo Chinh district to Bo Trach district and established Quang Binh town as Quang Binh province. According to the book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, volume II – the mountains and rivers section, it is written: “Hoanh Son mountain: 42 miles northeast of Binh Chinh district, bordering Ky Anh district, Nghe An province, a mountain range stretches from afar in the West, the peaks piled up, stretching out to the sea, looking like a wall.

When the country was first established, the border between the North and the South was divided with Gianh River as the boundary, this mountain still belonged to the North; At the beginning of the Gia Long reign, Quang Binh citadel was established, with this mountain as the boundary, from the middle of the pass to the North belonged to Nghe An, from the South belonged to Quang Binh; In the 14th year of Minh Mang, a gate was established on the pass to station troops for defense.

Deo Ngang – Hoanh Son Quan not only bears many historical marks but is also a tourist destination. Quang Binh tourism promising because Deo Ngang was once known as the gateway to Central Vietnam because it was considered the most important strategic point during the war between Vietnam and Cham: Nguyen Hoang once considered Hoanh Son a belt; the North-South highway passed through; Hoanh Son Quan was built under the reign of King Minh Mang the 14th (1833); During the period of resistance against American imperialism, Hoanh Son Quan was a strategic target that American imperialism focused on destroying…

With the important strategic position of Hoanh Son range, history has left many traces here in both ancient, modern and modern times of Vietnam. But after each time those traces are erased when Deo Ngang – Hoanh Son Quan returns to the poetic and lyrical beauty of its inherent nature, along with the ancient and quiet beauty of the architectural landscape. Hoanh Son Gate makes the Hoanh Son Quan mountain range seem more majestic, its posture seems more beautiful, its stature seems more solid!.

Quang Binh Ha Tinh Tour 2 days 1 night

Not only has history put a range of Hoanh Son into the chronicles, but the mountains and seas have also put Deo Ngang into poetry, not only Quang Binh – Ha Tinh but also the whole country and people of Vietnam “Step to Deo Ngang in the late afternoon”, not only is it touching with the Grass and trees mixed with leaves, rocks and flowers”, but also the sadness and sorrow “Missing the country, the heart aches with the cuckoo”, as well as the sorrow of the fate of the people who lost their country “Missing home, the mouth is tired of the old man”. Not only is it the sympathy between nature and people “Stopping to stand still in the sky, mountains, water”, but also the harmony between the love for the country, the people and the love for the trees and grass “A piece of love just for me and me”

Ngang Pass – Hoanh Son Quan has great potential for tourism development.

The ancient Deo Ngang leaves deep impressions of gratitude in people’s hearts. Today, Deo Ngang – Hoanh Son Quan is returning to its original poetic beauty and becoming a complex of relics – scenic spots with great potential for tourism and cultural development of Quang Binh in particular and the whole country in general.

The Hoanh Son Gate can be described through ancient documents as follows: The sources of documents mentioning Hoanh Son Quan are very few, but very valuable. According to Dai Nam Thuc Luc – Chinh Bien – 2nd period, volume XII: “The gate was established at Hoanh Son mountain. Hoanh Son is connected to high mountains above and to the sea below, at the junction between the two provinces of Quang Binh and Ha Tinh.

The pass is on the top of the mountain, surrounded by a stone wall, 11 truong 8 thuoc long, 5 thuoc high, with a door in front, with walls on the left and right, built according to the shape of the mountain, the left side is 36 truong long; the right side is 39 truong long, some places are 3.4 thuoc high, some places are 5.6 thuoc high. Inside, a 3-room barracks was built for the border soldiers to guard. 300 border soldiers from Quang Binh and Ha Tinh were hired to do the construction, and the deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Works, Doan Van Phu, was sent to supervise. When Phu left, the King said: “Now the North and the South are one family, the four directions are safe, with the Quang Binh and Vu Thang passes being dangerous places, we can rely on them.”

This Hoanh Son pass was established only to interrogate traitors, and is also a defense post. You should carefully consider the situation and plan your work to save costs.” Later, because the Ministry of Public Works had a lot of work, he ordered the Quang Binh Governor Tran Van Tuan to take charge of everything, and called Phu back. After a month of work, he sent a pair of soldiers and 20 Quang Binh soldiers to guard it, and they took turns every month.” According to Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi (Part of the Gate and Tan So), it is recorded: “The gate Hoanh Son Quan: at Ngang Pass To the north of Binh Chinh district, the gate was built of stone, the platform was 11 truong 8 thuoc, 5 thuoc high, the middle was the gate, the left and right sides were built with a wall 75 truong long, 4 thuoc high, the left, right and back sides were built with a wall 12 truong 2 thuoc long, built in the 4th year of Minh Mang.

Vung Chua – Yen Island, the resting place of General Vo Nguyen Giap

Thus, Hoanh Son Quan was built in the 14th year of Minh Mang (1833), the gate was built on the mountain, surrounded by mountain stones, with a gate in front, walls on the left and right, and a military camp. In particular, we know that the construction team consisted of 300 people, led by the Governor Tran Van Tuan, the completion time was 1 month, after completion, 20 Quang Binh soldiers took turns guarding.

Hoanh Son Quan is associated with the North-South highway, Luy Hoan Vuong… Especially during the Nguyen Dynasty – King Minh Mang built Hoanh Son Gate with the appearance of the large gates in Hue Citadel. Hoanh Son Quan was built more than 180 years ago, but still stands the test of time.

This is truly a secret of architectural techniques, construction of citadels and passes of the Nguyen Dynasty. It is valuable in research on design and construction. In particular, the research on construction materials such as bricks, adhesives, dome design, etc.; it is also of great value in research on the history of development of citadels and passes of Vietnam in general, Quang Binh in particular.

During the resistance war against the US, to save the country, Hoanh Son Quan – Deo Ngang was the target of fierce attacks by the US imperialists, who dropped thousands of tons of bombs of all kinds on this place, in an attempt to prevent the North from supporting the liberation of the South. Today, Hoanh Son Quan is located in the complex of historical relics and landscapes of Deo Ngang, Hoanh Son Quan, Luy Hoan Vuong, Vinh Son Communal House, Hon La Island, to the Holy Mother Lieu Hanh, Quang Dong beach, Vung Chua Yen Island… This is a cluster of relics of great value in contributing to the development of Quang Binh’s tourism economy.

Currently, Quang Binh Travel is the unit organizing the tour to visit Hoanh Son Quan on the top of Deo Ngang Pass. Tourists will have nearly 1 day to experience the North of Quang Binh.