Tong Chup Massacre Memorial Site – A Reminder of the Value of Peace
Some destinations exist not for leisure, but for remembrance. In Dong Chup hamlet, not far from the center of Cao Bang City, a small memorial stands beside the village well. It records one of the most painful memories in Cao Bang’s history during the 1979 border defense war. Visiting Tong Chup is not about sightseeing, but about lighting a stick of incense and understanding why today’s peace is so precious.
Featured image of the Tong Chup Massacre Memorial Site in Thuc Phan Ward
Where is the memorial site?
Tong Chup is now known as Dong Chup hamlet, previously part of Hung Dao Commune. Since July 2025, Hung Dao Commune has been merged into Thuc Phan Ward. In the past, reaching the memorial stone required a walk of more than 10 minutes from the hamlet’s main road, following the stream bank and rice fields. Today, a concrete road has been built into the hamlet, making access much easier.
What happened here?
When war broke out in February 1979, many local residents were forced to flee. The Tong Chup area was occupied by Chinese forces from February 19 to March 20, 1979.
Image of the Tong Chup Massacre Memorial Site in Thuc Phan Ward
On March 5, 1979, China announced its withdrawal of troops. Yet four days later, on March 9, 1979, during their retreat, a group of soldiers attacked civilians who were evacuating, most of them workers and the wives and children of staff from the nearby Duc Chinh pig farm. 43 people were killed, the majority women and children. According to some records, the victims included 21 women, 20 children, and 7 pregnant women.
The victims’ bodies were thrown into an old well in the village. A few days later, when villagers went looking for the well to fetch water, they found it filled in and reported this to the commune authorities. At first, the local militia thought it was a hidden cache of explosives, before discovering the heartbreaking truth. Mr. Lo Ich Vinh, then Deputy Head of the cooperative, was one of the few people who directly witnessed the events of March 14, 1979.
Some families lost every member, with only about 10 people surviving because they happened to be away working elsewhere at the time. Mr. Dinh Ngoc Tinh, a war veteran, learned only after returning from the war that his mother, Mrs. To Thi Yen, was among the 43 victims.
From a moss-covered stone to a memorial site
For many years, the only trace of the massacre was a small concrete memorial stone recording the event. The stone gradually faded over time, and at one point lost a supporting post and collapsed amid the weeds.
The people of Dong Chup quietly preserved the memory nonetheless. They erected a memorial stele beside the village well and chose a day at the end of March as a shared memorial day for the 43 victims.
After two visits and surveys, former President Truong Tan Sang proposed that Cao Bang Province build a community cultural house combined with a memorial shrine at Dong Chup. With support from donors, the project was built to include a memorial temple, a shared courtyard, a community cultural center, and a concrete road into the hamlet, at a total cost of around 13 billion VND.
Image of the Tong Chup Massacre Memorial Site in Thuc Phan Ward
On February 19, 2024, the community cultural house combined with the memorial shrine was inaugurated on a site covering 4,300 m², along with a well, a pond, and a flower garden.
The memorial site has three shrine chambers, including an altar dedicated to fallen heroes and martyrs and a separate shrine for the 43 victims. Placing innocent civilians alongside soldiers who gave their lives is a way of reminding today’s generation of the value of peace.
How to pay your respects at Tong Chup
Light a stick of incense. This is the most meaningful gesture you can offer, whether at the shrine or before the memorial stone by the well.
Listen to the local people. Many in the hamlet still remember, or have been told, the story of that year. If someone chooses to share it with you, listen with respect. Do not press for painful details.
Look at the present. Dong Chup today looks very different: new roads, a handsome cultural house, and children playing in the courtyard. That revival is also part of this place’s story.
Visitor etiquette
- Dress modestly and maintain a respectful demeanor.
- Ask permission from local residents or the caretaker before photographing the shrine.
- Do not use this site for casual “check-in” photos or lighthearted videos.
- March 9 and the shared memorial day at the end of March are when locals hold remembrance ceremonies. If you visit on these dates, join quietly in the spirit of remembrance.
- You can combine your visit with the Cao Bang Province Martyrs’ Memorial to learn more about the losses this land has endured.
Tong Chup has no scenic beauty to show off and no festival to celebrate. All that remains here is a well, a memorial stone, and the memory of 43 people who lost their lives just as the war was supposed to be ending. A visit to Tong Chup leaves you with something simple yet profound: peace has never come naturally, and each of us bears a responsibility to protect it.
