Paying tribute to National Heroes and Martyrs in July

July is a time when millions of grateful hearts turn toward the heroic martyrs who laid down their lives for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. In the sacred land at the northernmost tip of the country, the Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetery stands solemnly amidst the mountains and forests, like an epic carved in stone.

The Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 1,900 outstanding soldiers who bravely laid down their lives to defend the northern border. These soldiers fought with unwavering courage, “clinging to the rocks to fight the enemy in life, turning into stone in death,” to defend every sacred inch of the Fatherland. Their names are not only etched into the rugged rocks of the borderlands, but also flow through the nation’s lifeblood - living forever in the hearts of the people and in every glorious page of the country’s history.

The Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetery is located along national road 2, in group 18, Vi Xuyen commune, Tuyen Quang province.

The cemetery was established in 1990. After multiple rounds of restoration and renovation, it has become a solemn and tranquil memorial garden - where every step is imbued with gratitude and remembrance.

The memorial monument - a sacred focal point of the cemetery - features three main pillars symbolizing three burning incense sticks, with seven circles above representing seven rising trails of smoke. From a distance, the monument resembles three upright AK rifles - a familiar image from soldiers’ moments of rest during wartime.

Today, the Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 1,900 individual martyr graves and one collective grave.

Each headstone tells a heroic story. Some bear names and birth years, while others are simply inscribed with “Martyr - Identity Unknown.” Within the cemetery grounds, there are currently 433 graves of unidentified martyrs.

The graves are arranged in neat rows, surrounded by greenery, forming a sacred and solemn space, like a silent epic echoing the glorious years of battle and sacrifice.

Mr. Phan Van Luong, a veteran of Regiment 148, Division 316, shared: “Nearly 40 years since I left the trenches of Vi Xuyen, I still make it a habit to visit the cemetery and offer incense every July. Some comrades rest here, others have yet to be found, but in my heart, they have never left.”

Not only war veterans and relatives of fallen soldiers, but also thousands of people from across the country visit the cemetery each year to pay tribute to the heroic martyrs. The largest number of visitors comes in July, with an average of over 40,000 visits during the month.

The youth of Tuyen Quang province offer incense in tribute to heroic martyrs - a meaningful activity that reflects the nation’s time-honored tradition of “remembering those who came before.”

For the younger generation, each stick of incense is not only an expression of gratitude to the heroic martyrs, but also a solemn pledge to uphold their forefathers’ legacy and contribute to building a stronger homeland and nation.

Every day, cemetery caretakers carefully clean and sweep each burial area, helping maintain the cemetery’s serene and green atmosphere.

Tran Ke