VI
EN
Where the legendary road begins
From Cao Bang city, I traveled nearly 60 km north to Truong Ha commune, Ha Quang district. The road leading to the Pac Bo historical site is narrow and winding, nestled amidst towering mountains and forests, sometimes clinging to the mountain slopes, sometimes meandering through deep valleys covered in dense trees. The weather was clear and sunny, with patches of light filtering through the foliage, making the scene seem to burst forth in the vast wilderness.
Stopping at the beginning of the route, I encountered Milestone Zero of the Ho Chi Minh Trail – the starting point of the legendary road that runs along the country. A gray stone column rises high against the clear sky, the inscription “Km 0” standing out like a dot marking the beginning of the S-shaped strip of land. At its base, a smooth green lawn stretches out, red flags sway gently in the breeze, and old pine trees stand silently on the mountainside. Amidst the tranquil atmosphere of the mountains and forests, this milestone appears majestic and enduring, a living testament to the word “beginning” – where all great journeys originate.
Km0 - the starting point of the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Pac Bo, Cao Bang.
From there, I continued deeper into the historical site. The car could only park in the designated area; the rest of the journey was a two-kilometer walk along the stream. I bought a ticket for the site's electric tram. On either side of the path, young bamboo rustled, and glimpses of ancient, moss-covered trees could be seen. The sound of the stream blended with the chirping of forest birds, creating a clear, melodious symphony.
On the banks of the Lenin stream, where Uncle Ho wrote poetry.
As I approached the Lenin Stream, I paused for a moment. The water, once famously emerald green, had turned a murky, ivory color, swirling with mud from upstream after days of rain. But it was precisely this color that made the scene even more real, intimate, and vibrant. Amidst the deep, dark forest, the stream's sound continued to resonate, soft and gentle like a thread flowing through the rocky mountains.
Reaching the source of the Lenin Stream, I saw the rock in the middle of the stream where President Ho Chi Minh sat and wrote poetry in 1961. Right by the entrance to the cave, a time-worn stone stele nestled among vines and green moss. On the stele, the golden inscription of President Ho Chi Minh's poem, written on February 20, 1961, is still clearly visible:
"Twenty years ago in this cave, the Party charted the course to fight the Japanese and the Westerners. Leading the entire nation to battle, our beautiful country is what it is today."
The rock where President Ho Chi Minh wrote poetry is located at the source of the Lenin stream.
The poem composed by President Ho Chi Minh in 1961 at Pac Bo is inscribed on a stone stele.
These simple yet stirring verses, written right where he lived and worked, serve as a reminder of the origins of the long struggle for independence. Under the dim light filtering through the forest canopy, the golden inscriptions gleam, causing the entire space around the cave to fall silent in reverence.
At midday, the sun shone gently. Light filtered through the trees, reflecting off the water's surface, creating a shimmering, brocade-like effect. I sat resting on a rock by the stream, listening to the sound of the water flowing around my feet. A few white butterflies fluttered and landed on a floating leaf. The simple scenery brought an unusual sense of peace to my heart.
Along the path to Pac Bo Cave, there are several stone benches where visitors can rest.
Locals say that during the dry season, the stream's water is so clear you can see the fish swimming, and the bottom of the stream shimmers with an emerald color. During the rainy season, the water becomes richer in silt, stronger, and more turbulent.
Pac Bo Cave: the place where President Ho Chi Minh returned amidst the mountains and forests.
Following the stream and passing through the dense green canopy of the ancient forest, I arrived at Pac Bo Cave – a small cave nestled at the foot of Mount Karl Marx. On the cliff face, the words "Coc Bo Cave" had faded with time, blending in with the green moss and gray rocks. The entrance was narrow, requiring one to bend down to pass through. Inside, the space was silent, the weak light filtering in from outside making the rock walls appear hazy, cold, and dry, as if retaining the mountain's breath from many years ago.
Inside the cave, light streams in through the entrance, illuminating each time-worn rock formation. The space is cool and cramped, yet every detail evokes traces of a significant moment in history. In one corner, there is a natural rock formation that locals call the "Statue of Karl Marx," because its shape and features resemble the face of the philosopher whom President Ho Chi Minh revered.
This is the very place where he lived and worked during his early days back in his homeland. A small wooden table has been restored to its original location, next to an aluminum teapot and a stone fireplace. These simple objects recreate the austere but steadfast life amidst the mountains of Pac Bo. The cave is not deep, only a few dozen meters, but its tranquility and coolness give those standing before it the feeling of touching the breath of history that still lingers here.
The wooden table where President Ho Chi Minh once sat to work has been restored and placed in the cave; the table legs are made of stacked stones.
After visiting Pac Bo Cave, I went in the opposite direction, climbing the stone steps up the slope to visit the house of Mr. Ly Quoc Sung – the stilt house where President Ho Chi Minh stayed in his early days after returning to Vietnam. The house was simple, with dark, old wooden floors, a thatched roof, and a hearth still bearing traces of the old fire. The guide told me that Mr. Ly Quoc Sung was a Nung ethnic minority man who had sheltered and helped President Ho Chi Minh during his early activities in Pac Bo. That story made me understand even more the close bond between President Ho Chi Minh and the people of the highlands – a simple but enduring friendship.
The Ly Quoc Sung house relic, a revolutionary base where President Ho Chi Minh worked immediately after returning to Vietnam during the revolution.
Temples and vivid memories of President Ho Chi Minh
Leaving Lenin Stream and Pac Bo Cave, I followed the small path leading up to the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Temple on Tieng Chay Hill. The temple, simple in the style of a Cao Bang stilt house, was still solemn; each step felt closer to history. Looking at the serene statue of Uncle Ho bathed in sunlight filtering through the roof, I felt both familiar and sacred.
Next to it, the exhibition displays images and artifacts about the time Uncle Ho lived and worked in the revolution in Cao Bang. I glanced through each photograph and artifact, imagining the days Uncle Ho traveled through these mountains and forests, and saw that journey come alive in the very path I was walking.
The temple dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh in the Pac Bo historical site complex.
In the afternoon, I left the historical site as the sun began to set. The Lenin Stream gradually disappeared behind me, only the faint sound of flowing water echoing in the distance. I knew I would return another season, perhaps the dry season when the stream's water was as clear as a mirror, or when the bamboo had turned golden in the autumn sun. But whatever the season, Pac Bo will always be a place to return to, to find peace amidst the hustle and bustle of life, to remember that every inch of land, every stream, every mountain here evokes the glorious history of our nation.
