Thay rampart – Legendary historical and military architecture relic

Thay rampart, also known asDao Duy Tu rampart, is a famous military structure associated with the talented military man Dao Duy Tu. With an important role in the Trinh – Nguyen war, Thay rampart is not only a solid citadel but also a symbol of intelligence and resilience in Vietnamese history.

From the villagers to the Confucian scholars of the past, there were few who did not know the folk song: “Luỹ Thầy ai đắp mà cao – Sông Gianh ai bới ai đào mà sâu”.

Thay rampart – an important historical heritage of Quang Binh

Thay rampart was built in the 17th century under the command of Dao Duy Tu, a son of Hoa Trai commune, Tinh Gia district, Thanh Hoa province. He planned to build this defense system to protect the land of Dang Trong from the attacks of the Trinh army. With three prominent defense lines: Truong Duc, Nhat Le, and Truong Sa, Dao Duy Tu’s rampart contributed greatly to protecting Quang Binh during the civil war between the two forces Trinh – Nguyen.

1. Duc school defense line

Truong Duc rampart was built in 1630, stretching from Than Dinh mountain, along the Long Dai river bank and through the villages of Xuan Duc, Truong Duc, Co Hien, to Binh Thon. This rampart is 10 km long, 3 m high, 6 m wide, built of clay, to prevent Trinh army from attacking from the North into Dang Trong.

2. Nhat Le Defense Line

In 1631, after completing Truong Duc rampart, Dao Duy Tu continued to build Luy Nhat Le. This rampart is 12 km long, 6 m high and reinforced with ironwood stakes. The rampart is divided into two sections, with the first section extending from Dau Mau mountain to Cau Dai and the second section running from Cau Dai to Nhat Le gate, now in Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh.

3. Truong Sa rampart

Truong Sa rampart was built in 1633. Historical records do not clearly state how many meters long or how many meters high or wide it is, but only say that it runs along the coast of Bao Ninh commune (Dong Hoi town), from Nhat Le estuary to Hai Ninh commune (Quang Ninh district).
On the 3000 truong (12km) length of the rampart from Dau Hau to Nhat Le gate, there are currently only 3 gates left:
– Tan Nhat Le gate
– Ly main gate Dai quan mon, later changed to Vo Thang Quan, also known as Thuong gate.
– The entrance to Quang Binh Palace is also called Quang Binh Quan.
Together with the three defense lines above, Quang Binh Quan was built to strengthen the defense line and traffic for the people in the citadel. Quang Binh Quan was rebuilt by King Minh Mang with bricks and stones in 1825. The gate is 2 truong 1 thuoc (8.4m) long, 2 truong 5 thuoc (10m) wide, 5 thuoc (2m) high, the outer wall protecting the gate is 14 truong 6 thuoc (58.4m) long, 3 thuoc (1.2m) high. Today, Quang Binh Quan has been beautifully restored and majestically restored right next to National Highway 1A, a few hundred meters north of Cau Dai.

Success in the Trinh – Nguyen war

Dao Duy Tu rampart proved its solidity and strategic strength during the Trinh-Nguyen war. During the Trinh army’s attacks, Thay rampart was never defeated, and even dealt the Trinh army heavy blows. Typically, in the battle in 1633, the Trinh army was defeated miserably at Nhat Le estuary, and in the battle in 1648 at Truong Duc rampart, the Trinh army suffered great losses with more than 3,000 soldiers and many generals were taken prisoner.

National Monuments and Historical Values

With its great historical and military values, Dao Duy Tu rampart has been recognized by the State as a national monument. Although today, due to war and time, many sections of the rampart have been destroyed, the remaining vestiges, especially the rampart section near the mouth of Nhat Le and Truong Duc rivers, still contribute to the natural beauty and attractive landscape in Quang Binh.

Nowadays, although Dao Duy Tu rampart is no longer intact as it used to be, and many sections have even been completely lost due to erosion and war, there are still some sections that still retain their vestiges, most clearly the section of rampart near Nhat Le river mouth still has traces of a high mound, with lush green trees, contributing to the landscape of the town; or the section of Truong Duc rampart today has been planted by the people to block the wind, helping to limit natural disasters.

Thay rampart today and Quang Binh Tourism

Today, tourists coming to Quang Binh can visit and admire the remaining vestiges of Dao Duy Tu citadel, thereby better understanding this great military structure. In addition, folk festivals such as the Cu robbery festival and the Tra swimming festival, originating from the Nguyen Dynasty’s naval teams, are also activities that help preserve and promote the cultural values ​​related to Dao Duy Tu citadel.

Thay rampart is not only a historical relic but also an attractive tourist destination, contributing to the development of tourism economy in Quang Binh, attracting tourists to visit and learn about a major military project in Vietnamese history.

Quangbinhtourism.com