LAND WHERE THE DRAGON DWELLS
Up to this point, the northernmost point of Vietnam is still associated with Lung Cu peak in Dong Van district, Ha Giang province, where the famous Lung Cu flagpole is located. This is because the exact northernmost point is located more than 3 kilometers north of the flagpole, at the coordinates: Latitude: 23°22'59 North - Longitude: 105°20'20″East.
This coordinate is a rocky ridge located in the middle of the majestic and rugged Nho Que River, which is the natural territorial border between Vietnam and China. This point is located in Seo Lung village, Lung Cu commune. On the other side of the river is Me Do village, Moc Uong town, Phu Ninh district, Yunnan province (China).
To get to this stone cave is not a simple matter. From the road to the stone cave is only over 1 kilometer but it takes more than 2 hours to get there following the spontaneous trail across the sloping fields along the hillside to the banks of the Nho Que River, which is dense with trees and grass.
That is the exact northernmost point of Vietnam, not Lung Cu Flagpole on top of Dragon Mountain, because it is the northernmost piece of the country. However, Lung Cu Flagpole is often identified with the northernmost point for many reasons.
Firstly, the location of the flagpole is the Dragon Mountain peak, in an independent position, completely separated from the undulating mountain ranges like a curtain here, so it is convenient for observing the entire border area. And it is also the highest point to the North with a favorable terrain to place the national flagpole, a supreme symbol marking the territory and sovereignty of Vietnam.
Second, Lung Cu Flagpole can be considered the spiritual North Pole of Vietnam because of the traces that evoke the legendary image of the “dragon” in this land. Dragon Mountain and Dragon Eyes (which are two freshwater lakes on both sides of Dragon Mountain) are closely related to the origin of the Dragon Fairy of the Vietnamese people.
We can consider the northernmost point in the middle of Nho Que River as the dragon's nose, and Lung Cu Flagpole as the dragon's forehead with two eye points located in Then Pa village and Lo Lo Chai village, forming a complete Long Thu (dragon's head) shape, always looking up to the North. Thus, the northernmost point is unified both geographically and spiritually.
That is why Lung Cu Flagpole always brings a feeling of overwhelming, emotional, and proud when standing on the top of Dragon Mountain, eyes looking up to salute the bright red national flag flying in the blue sky, always swirling with the north wind that can erode the cat's ear rocks but cannot erode an inch of the border land.
The flagpole was not erected recently, but it has been there since the Ly Dynasty, although it may not have been in the same location as it is now. Documents related to the history of Lung Cu Flagpole show that, a thousand years ago, after quelling the rebellion in the border region, Grand Chancellor Ly Thuong Kiet ordered the flagpole to be erected on the top of Dragon Mountain and stationed troops there.
The flagpole kept falling down and was erected with straight samu trees standing tall in the cold through each dynasty. During the Tay Son period, Emperor Quang Trung further increased the importance of this land by building border posts and a communication system using bronze drums, called Long Co (meaning dragon drum or king's drum).
These bronze drums are still kept in the homes of the Lo Lo shamans living at the foot of Dragon Mountain. Although Long Co is no longer in its original shape, it still makes the sound of hundreds of years ago, like the roar of a dragon during traditional ceremonies of the Lo Lo people.
In 2000, Lung Cu Flagpole was built with reinforced concrete instead of the traditional samu trunk, with a 54m2 flag, symbolizing the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. Lung Cu Flagpole was recognized by the State as a National Historical Relic on November 18, 2009.
One year later, the Government approved the reconstruction of Lung Cu Flagpole with a more magnificent and complete system. The current Lung Cu Flagpole was completed on National Day, September 2, 2010, with a total height of 35 meters. At the foot of the flagpole are 8 reliefs depicting the process of building and defending the country, along with 8 sides of the Long Co bronze drum of Emperor Quang Trung.
Lung Cu Flagpole forms a wonderful symmetrical point with the Hanoi Flagpole at the southernmost tip of Ca Mau Cape. If we connect the two flagpoles, we will create a majestic sacred road running from North to South like the spine of a dragon with its head resting on thousands of high mountains, its tail hanging down to the endless blue sea.
THE SOUND OF THE BRONZE DRUM STILL ECHORIZES
It can be said that, among the four extreme points of Vietnam, the North Pole has a beauty that overwhelms people's hearts. From Ha Giang city, the National Highway 4D leading to Dong Van district, about 150 kilometers long, is a spectacular road, worthy of being considered the most beautiful and majestic route in the country.
It is not too much to imagine the road as a dragon. The road winds with hundreds of hairpin turns, passing through the Heaven Gate to enter the territory of the Hmong people in the middle of the magnificent stone plateau. Walking on the road, it feels like riding a dragon because white clouds suddenly cover the surrounding area.
That road leads to Vuong's house (Sa Phin commune, Dong Van) then you see a fork and turn left to Lung Cu. The road from here to the North Pole is only over 20 kilometers but is enough to show all the splendor of the mountains and rocks. I have been stunned many times by the thousands of sunset-colored mountain peaks in Ma Le, but my heart still longs and is eager for the spring.
At the end of that road is the incredibly beautiful village of Lo Lo Chai, with its warm yellow earthen-colored houses covered with black roofs. I love sitting in Lo Lo Chai village to look up at the top of Dragon Mountain and watch the flag fluttering proudly like a dragon in the strong wind.
Lo Lo Chai changed very quickly when Lung Cu Flagpole became one of the tourist attractions of Dong Van. The houses in Lo Lo Chai village have transformed into homestays and coffee shops to welcome tourists to "check-in" the northernmost scenic area.
But in my mind, Lo Lo Chai is still the same as when I first set foot on this sacred land in the 2000s. Sinh Di Gai - the village chief of Lo Lo Chai - had just gotten married at that time, and his two children were still young. However, now he looks like an "old man of the people", and his children are also married.
Sinh Di Gai House is the first household to do tourism in Lo Lo Chai village along with the Cuc Bac coffee shop sponsored by an old Japanese friend named Yasushi Ogura. Now, the whole Lo Lo Chai village is doing tourism using the cultural heritage of the nation and it has brought about sustainable development.
Sinh Di Gai still preserves the folk songs of the Lo Lo Hoa people with a deep awareness that these are the things that attract tourists to his homestay. Sinh Di Gai took me to visit the shaman's house to see the bronze drums that are still carefully preserved to be used as musical instruments during worship.
The Long Co bronze drum of Emperor Quang Trung still resonates with sounds urging people to protect their homeland and national culture. Long Co - Long Cu - Lung Cu have cleverly combined into a thousand-year-old immortal spiritual value in this land of the border.
And in the middle of the cobalt blue Nho Que river like two whiskers around a dragon's nose, the zinc rocks in the water waves carve a wordless message: This is the northernmost point of Vietnam!
