Entrance to Hoa Lo Prison (Photo: hoalo.vn) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A new tourof exploring Hoa Lo Prison has been launched every weekend sinceOctober to honour female revolutionaries whose sacrifice contributed tothe overall victory of the national revolution.
Sacred Night – Live Like A Flower is held at night so that visitorscan experience horrifying imprisonment in the dark, the oppressiveatmosphere of the cells and the persecution of the guards during the wars.
In such harsh conditions, the fighting spirit and noble sacrifices of thefemale fighters whose optimism outweighed the shackles were clear to see.
After being equipped with a digital tour guide device, tourists will embark ontheir exploration of Hoa Lo Prison, which used to be dubbed “Hell on Earth”,and learn about the terrible living conditions and touching life storiesof the female prisoners who were detained there from 1930 to 1954. They willalso be accompanied by a human tour guide.
The first stop is the main gate, which represents the boundary between life anddeath, between shackles and desire for freedom.
From the main gate, the 45-minute tour will take visitors to the men’scollective cells, solitary confinement, the hundreds-year-old country-almondtrees, the underground sewage, women’s cells, guillotine room and death cells.
The images of the mothers and sisters with perseverance and courage arerevealed via vivid stories, memorabilia and archives, illustrated by livelyscenes performed by the employees of the prison museum with the aidof modern light and sound technologies.
The first woman jailed in Hoa Lo Prison was Nguyen Thi Ba, a young woman from TuongMai village, now in Hoang Mai district, Hanoi.
She was the owner of a rice shop at 20 Cua Nam street where Vietnamese patriotsoften gathered to discuss a poisoning plot (June 27, 1908) that aimed at theFrench colonial army garrison in the Citadel of Hanoi.
However, the plot failed. Ba was captured and kept in Hoa Lo Prison where theguards brutally tortured her for the information. In the end, she died from asevere beating and serious sickness, becoming a symbolic example of aVietnamese female martyr.
Vietnamese women’s tradition of courage, resilience and faithfulness wascontinued by other female revolutionaries imprisoned in Hoa Lo, likemartyrs Hoang Ngan, the fiancee of communist soldier Hoang Van Thu; Hoang Thi Ai,the wife of revolutionary Nguyen Phong Sac; and martyr Nguyen Thi Quang Thai,the wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap. Their life stories are told through Sacred Night – Live Like A Flower.
“This is the first time I have learned about the female prisoner’s lifewith harsh conditions, constant torture, diseases and basic shortages; however,they never lacked a firm will and positive spirit,” said Tran Minh Anh, ateacher from Hanoi.
“The message from such experience is also simple: The previous generations haveshed bones and blood to obtain the national independence and freedom. Today'sgenerations, therefore, should look back to the past to appreciate the value ofpeace, to cherish human love, and to do better things for the future,” she said.
The tour ends with a memorial ceremony held at the monument to pay tributes tofallen revolutionaries.
Products made from the country-almond trees of Hoa Lo Prison Relic, likecountry-almond tea, jelly and dried almond kernels are offered to visitorsas sweet treats for the journey.
They can also take home souvenirs made from the country-almondtrees like dried almond inscribed with the logo of the prison, the driedleaf inscribed with poems of patriotic soldiers or a bookmark with the image ofthe main gate.
According to Nguyen Bich Thuy, head of the management board of the relic, theprogramme has been thoroughly studied and structured, aiming to honour thespirit and sacrifice of female fighters who kept their faith with revolutionaryideals.
The programme is part of co-ordination between the management board of HoaLo Prison Relic and Hanoitourist Travel Company, and is held from 7pm everyweekend night./.
Sacred Night – Live Like A Flower is held at night so that visitorscan experience horrifying imprisonment in the dark, the oppressiveatmosphere of the cells and the persecution of the guards during the wars.
In such harsh conditions, the fighting spirit and noble sacrifices of thefemale fighters whose optimism outweighed the shackles were clear to see.
After being equipped with a digital tour guide device, tourists will embark ontheir exploration of Hoa Lo Prison, which used to be dubbed “Hell on Earth”,and learn about the terrible living conditions and touching life storiesof the female prisoners who were detained there from 1930 to 1954. They willalso be accompanied by a human tour guide.
The first stop is the main gate, which represents the boundary between life anddeath, between shackles and desire for freedom.
From the main gate, the 45-minute tour will take visitors to the men’scollective cells, solitary confinement, the hundreds-year-old country-almondtrees, the underground sewage, women’s cells, guillotine room and death cells.
The images of the mothers and sisters with perseverance and courage arerevealed via vivid stories, memorabilia and archives, illustrated by livelyscenes performed by the employees of the prison museum with the aidof modern light and sound technologies.
The first woman jailed in Hoa Lo Prison was Nguyen Thi Ba, a young woman from TuongMai village, now in Hoang Mai district, Hanoi.
She was the owner of a rice shop at 20 Cua Nam street where Vietnamese patriotsoften gathered to discuss a poisoning plot (June 27, 1908) that aimed at theFrench colonial army garrison in the Citadel of Hanoi.
However, the plot failed. Ba was captured and kept in Hoa Lo Prison where theguards brutally tortured her for the information. In the end, she died from asevere beating and serious sickness, becoming a symbolic example of aVietnamese female martyr.
Vietnamese women’s tradition of courage, resilience and faithfulness wascontinued by other female revolutionaries imprisoned in Hoa Lo, likemartyrs Hoang Ngan, the fiancee of communist soldier Hoang Van Thu; Hoang Thi Ai,the wife of revolutionary Nguyen Phong Sac; and martyr Nguyen Thi Quang Thai,the wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap. Their life stories are told through Sacred Night – Live Like A Flower.
“This is the first time I have learned about the female prisoner’s lifewith harsh conditions, constant torture, diseases and basic shortages; however,they never lacked a firm will and positive spirit,” said Tran Minh Anh, ateacher from Hanoi.
“The message from such experience is also simple: The previous generations haveshed bones and blood to obtain the national independence and freedom. Today'sgenerations, therefore, should look back to the past to appreciate the value ofpeace, to cherish human love, and to do better things for the future,” she said.
The tour ends with a memorial ceremony held at the monument to pay tributes tofallen revolutionaries.
Products made from the country-almond trees of Hoa Lo Prison Relic, likecountry-almond tea, jelly and dried almond kernels are offered to visitorsas sweet treats for the journey.
They can also take home souvenirs made from the country-almondtrees like dried almond inscribed with the logo of the prison, the driedleaf inscribed with poems of patriotic soldiers or a bookmark with the image ofthe main gate.
According to Nguyen Bich Thuy, head of the management board of the relic, theprogramme has been thoroughly studied and structured, aiming to honour thespirit and sacrifice of female fighters who kept their faith with revolutionaryideals.
The programme is part of co-ordination between the management board of HoaLo Prison Relic and Hanoitourist Travel Company, and is held from 7pm everyweekend night./.
VNA
