Propagating traditional education through the poem “Message to you”

The poem “Message to you” was written by Comrade Hoang Van Thu, a loyal Communist soldier in Hoa Lo prison, Hanoi in May 1944 before being sent to the execution ground by the enemy. The Poem is full of courage: The country has failed and succeeded / As long as it keeps its reputation / Revenge is not discouraged / A broken jade is better than keeping a good tile / Even thought the body is imprisoned  /The will still watching the fight/ Friends near and far fighting hard / Before and after, please keep your sincere heart. This is one of the typical revolutionary poems, expressing the indomitable spirit of a revolutionary soldier and his optimism about tomorrow, even in prison.

With the above special meaning, in order to well serve the propaganda and traditional education for all strata of the People, in 1994, the poem was carved into a stone stele placed at the campus of the monument of comrade Hoang Van Thu on the 85th anniversary of comrade’s birthday.

Teachers and students of Vinh Trai Primary School, Lang Son city learned about the poem “Message to you” at the campus of the monument of comrade Hoang Van Thu

Mrs.Luong Thuy Hong, a guide of the Provincial Museum, said: Every year, on the occasion of the birthday of Comrade Hoang Van Thu (November 4), there were many groups of tourists and students coming to the museum to visit and visit the monument of comrade Hoang Van Thu to offer incense, learn about his life, career, as well as his contributions to the movement for national liberation. Particularly from October 2022 until now, the Provincial Museum has welcomed 15 delegations, with nearly 2,500 people coming to visit and learn, most of which are student groups from schools in the province. Welcoming the delegations, we introduced documents, artifacts and documents related to comrade Hoang Van Thu, including the poem “Message to you”.

Not only introduced at the above locations, for many years, the poem “Message to you” has also been included in the local educational program, and has been taught by schools and teachers. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa, Head of Literature group, Van Lang High School, Van Lang district said: Every year, on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of comrade Hoang Van Thu, the school organizes activities towards the “red address” such as: the Provincial Museum, the campus of the monument of comrade Hoang Van Thu, the memorial house, aims to propagate traditional education to the children. In addition, in the lessons in all grades, we integrate and explain the content of the poem “Message you” to the students. In the mid-term exam in Literature of grades, the school builds the exam data, including data about this poem. Thereby, the poem helps students to understand, arouse pride, patriotism and sense of responsibility in the building and defense of the Fatherland.

In August 1943, comrade Hoang Van Thu was arrested by French spies in Nam Diem lane, Tam Mai area (Hanoi) and then put in jail at Hoa Lo prison. They used many cunning and barbaric tricks, from bribing, enticing to torture to force him to reveal the revolutionary base, but still could not subdue the revolutionary will and spirit of the comrade.

In December 1943, the French colonialists opened the so-called “Crime Court” to prosecute the comrade. Upholding the revolutionary offensive spirit, comrade used the trial as a place to impeach the enemy, propagate the Party’s revolutionary line of national liberation, and call on his comrades to cultivate a persistent fighting spirit, ,defeat the enemy, liberate the country. Unable to subdue Hoang Van Thu, the French colonialists sentenced him to death. In May 1944, before leaving to the execution ground, he wrote on a paper fan the poem “Message to you” to encourage the fighting spirit of revolutionary comrades.

The poem expresses the willingness to sacrifice for the Fatherland, even though “broken jade” is better than “keeping the good tile”, the loyalty to the last moment of revolutionary soldier Hoang Van Thu. To this day, the poem’s content is still valid, reminding us that in any situation, we must be consistent in our goals, keep our political courage to overcome all difficulties, challenges and temptations, uphold moral qualities and believe in a bright future.