Bored with the school scene, she returned to Tinh Diem to take care of her elderly mother
Lan Ong Le Huu Trac (1720 - 1791), also known as Chieu Bay, alias Hai Thuong Lan Ong, was born on January 12, Canh Ty year (1720) in a great clan (with grandfather, father, uncle, uncle, brother, and stepbrother). successively passed their doctorate) in Van Xa village, Lieu Xa village, Duong Hao district, Thuong Hong district, Hai Duong town (now Hung Yen province). Mr. Le Huu Trac is the 7th son of Mayor Le Huu Muu and Mrs. Bui Thi Thuong from Bau Thuong, Tinh Diem commune, Huong Son district, Duc Quang district, Nghe An town (now Quang Diem commune, Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province).
When he was a child, he was studious and well-known in the country with aspirations of becoming famous through the academic path: "When he was young, Le Huu Trac was soon famous for his extensive learning and good writing. Not yet 20 years old, he took the Huong exam and passed Tam Truong. But when his father died (1739), he had to quit school and come home to mourn" (Famous People of Ha Tinh, p. 281).
Historical events pushed Mr. Trac to abandon the academic path. In 1740, peasant leader Hoang Cong Chat rebelled, captured Khoai Chau palace, threatened Duong Hao, Mr. Le Huu Trac ran back to Tinh Diem to escape the sword and learn martial arts, pondering the art of war: "On the occasion of During this time, he studied martial arts, read military books passionately, and a few years later, he applied to join the army, thinking he would show off his talent to the world. He proved to be a promising young military general, loved by the general Trinh" (Book cited p. 282).
Youth is full of energy, full of ambition to help the people, help kings keep the country peaceful, and stabilize society with their own strength and talent. Mr. Le Huu Trac, with the responsibility of martial arts general, carrying a bow and sword, embarked on conquests to suppress rebellions in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Son Tay, Hung Hoa... with the view of pacifying the people for the sake of the king.
But the emptiness in the sky counted. After many years of fighting and killing, he was disappointed and depressed: "But after several years of fighting, he was tired of the chaotic society and hated taking killing as a career. Later recalling this period, he wrote: "Why would you sell yourself for sale? You'd be angry at God for forcing you to work so hard" (Tui Y Ton Tam linh)" (p. 282). Taking advantage of the death of his biological brother, Le Huu Trac used the excuse of having to take care of his elderly mother and raise young children, so he asked to leave the army and return to his homeland.
Opportunity to become a physician
Discharged by Lord Trinh, in 1746 Le Huu Trac returned to his mother's hometown in Tinh Diem commune to hide. Leaving his military career and returning to the mountains and forests, he felt light. But the path forward is still unclear. Then an opportunity came to Le Huu Trac, giving the direction and turning point to help the young, ambitious man pursue a career as a physician to cure diseases and save people.
Returning to my mother's hometown by the Ngan Pho river, Minh Tu mountain is beautiful but at that time it was still wild and deserted, famous for its "blue mountains and miasma". Unfortunately, Mr. Le Huu Trac became seriously ill and was taken to the house of physician Tran Doc, famous in Lam Thanh. Scholar Thai Kim Dinh wrote in the article "Le Huu Trac": "Then he got seriously ill and had to stay for treatment at physician Tran Doc's house in Ru Thanh (Nghe An town) for a year. He had the opportunity to read medical books and learn from the experiences of physicians. Thanks to his high education, he learned medical principles easily and deeply. He discovered his new abilities, and also discovered a career path. Indeed, the profession of a physician suits his strengths and thoughts" (Famous Ha Tinh p. 282).
After a year of treatment and learning the medicine profession at Tran Doc's physician's house, when he returned to Tinh Diem, Mr. Le Huu Trac continued to research classic remedies in medicine books, communicating with good physicians in Nghe An. and exchange treatment experiences with them. At the same time, learn about local medicinal herbs and prepare medicine for the villagers. With the virtue of perseverance, both studying, applying and drawing from experience, in just a short time, physician Le Huu Trac became famous in the Huong Son region and spread throughout Nghe An, all the way to the capital.
The book "Famous People of Ha Tinh" records: "In 1750, Nguyen Huu Cau's insurgent army attacked Nghe An. Lord Trinh's navy could not fight, so Pham Dinh Trong sent someone to invite him to lead the army to attack the rear, promising that when he won the battle he would be crowned a marquis. But Le Huu Trac was attached to the profession of medicine, using healing to save people and turning disasters into blessings as his goal. He considered fame and fortune like flowing water and clouds, and even hated fighting and fighting. Using the excuse of having to take care of his elderly mother, he resolutely refused" (p. 283).
Since then, Mr. Le Huu Trac took the nickname Lan Ong (Mr. Lazy) with the purpose of expressing his intention to distance himself from officials. He also made a couplet to hang in front of his house: "The good is far away, but the evil is gone / Precious due to impurity, may the sorrow and poverty arise" (translation: Good is not yet fulfilled, even evil / Sang is not even concerned, why worry about poverty) .
“Raising a crimson flag in the medical world”
According to scholar Thai Kim Dinh, Lan Ong called himself "Mr. Lazy", just hiding his noble purpose, pursuing the medicine profession that he was passionate about, seeing it as a benevolent act. In the preface of the medicine book "Hai Thuong medicine sect tam leader", Le Huu Trac affirmed his work: "Raising a crimson flag in the medical world". From now on, Le Huu Trac focused on medical research, curing diseases and saving people.
In 1754, after his mother died, Lan Ong went to the capital to find a teacher, find friends to learn more about medicine and buy medical books, then returned to Tinh Diem commune, Huong Son: "I returned to Huong Son again." built a house on the edge of the forest, determined to learn medicine, read books, worked hard day and night, regretting every moment" (Tam field). Throughout his life, Lan Ong studied and pondered medical techniques and ethics, while preparing medicine to save patients from death. Read books to judge what is right and what is wrong. Study in the right place. Where there is a mistake, find out the cause and fix it.
He pored over classic medical books, collected notes on magical remedies and healing experiences from Vietnamese folk, Laotians and Dutch missionaries. From practical medical experience, climate, human body, and medicinal herbs, Lan Ong formed an effective treatment method. He also recorded medical and death records to find the errors of physicians, promoting the physician's responsibility to the patient.
In the medicine book "Medicine Tong Tam Lanh", Lan Ong wrote: "The profession of medicine is humanity, the doctor must take the job of helping people do good things", "The doctor is the one who protects human life. Life and death are held in one hand, misfortune and happiness are held in the other hand. So how can one not have complete knowledge, not perfect virtue, not have a big soul, not be careful in behavior, but dare to risk learning that noble profession?
“Curing a disease can only save one person, but writing a traditional book can help countless lives. But the broader the effect, the greater the responsibility. If you make a mistake, the disaster will not be small" (Tui Y Tong Tam Lan). From those perspectives, Lan Ong composed the medicinal book "Hai Thuong y sect tam linh". The book became a handbook for the Oriental medicine industry. For 26 years, Le Huu Trac "worked hard day and night, regretting every minute", successfully composing the massive book "Hai Thuong y Tong Tam Lanh" including 28 volumes, 66 volumes.
In 1781, at the age of 61, Lan Ong was invited by Tinh King Trinh Sam to the palace to treat crown prince Trinh Can's illness. At that time, with the hope of having the conditions to print a set of books "handbook" for the profession of Oriental medicine: "I have worked hard and hard on the medical field for 30 years to write the book Tam Truong. I do not dare to teach it to anyone personally, only I want to announce it for everyone to know.” (Thuong Kinh Ky) but that wish was not achieved" (Famous People of Ha Tinh p. 287).
In the year of Tan Hoi (1791), Le Huu Trac died in Bau Thuong village, Tinh Diem commune (now Quang Diem) Huong Son district, at the age of 71. The grave was buried at Canh Dieu mountain, Son Trung commune today. The legacy left to posterity includes the work "Hai Thuong Y Tong Tam Linh", Linh Nam Manuscript and Thuong Kinh Ky.
The Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac relic complex includes a church in Quang Diem commune, tombs and monuments in Son Trung commune, Tuong Son pagoda in Son Giang commune, (Huong Son, Ha Tinh) approved by the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Sports and Tourism ranked national historical and cultural relics, decision No. 34/VH/QD dated January 9, 1990.
To preserve and preserve heritage, on October 13, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism decided to recognize the Hai Thuong Lan Ong Festival as a national intangible heritage. On November 21, 2023, famous physician Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac was honored by UNESCO, named in the list of "cultural celebrities and historical events for the 2024 - 2025 school year, including the 300th anniversary record". Hai Thuong Lan Ong's birthday".
