Sunset on Dong Nai River

Sunset on Dong Nai River. Photo: Anh Minh

I still remember my first memories of the beloved river. That was when my father took me across the Ghenh bridge. The old iron bridge with pride was built by the talented engineer G.Eiffel. But the most impressive in my childhood memories is the image of the bridge reflecting on the cool Dong Nai river right below my eyes. The feeling of excitement when the wind blew up from the river surface, whistling against each iron bar blocking the bridge, making it sway every time a motorbike passed by, made me unable to forget. The memories of my childhood back then were encapsulated in the image of the river associated with the hundred-year-old iron bridge in Bien Hoa. But how could the boy back then know how beautiful the sunset on the Dong Nai river was?

One day, after work and having the opportunity to lead a group of tourists to visit Nguyen Huu Canh Temple, going to the wharf behind the temple, the wonderful moment of the afternoon appeared. Below the river surface sparkled the reflection of the sun. On the bridge at this time, shadows formed long streaks of people passing by. Just like that, they drifted in continuous streaks following each other running along the foot of the bridge. Everything was illuminated by the sun's rays, filled with a brilliant red color. That was probably one of the most magical moments in my life that I and the lucky guests witnessed.

The Dong Nai River carries the flow of history. It is not only the history of a land that has been open for more than 325 years, but also witnessed the first generations of ancient Vietnamese residents here who once did business and lived. Or further away, we can find traces of ancient cultures from the river through excavated artifacts, thereby sketching an image of the place that was once the maritime center of the region. From the Dong Nai River basin, many rare relics such as stone tools, pottery, and jewelry of ancient residents here have been excavated. The most prominent is the statue of Vishnu Binh Hoa, brought up from the bottom of this river by workers of the Hoa An Sand Mining Enterprise, which was recognized as a national treasure in 2021. Despite the flow of time, the ancient traces do not fade, but are still there waiting for us to find. The river seems to want to tell us about the sequence of the source, which it is the one holding.

Watching the sunset on my hometown river, I appreciate and am more grateful to the previous generations who opened up this land. It was thanks to the merit of Governor Nguyen Huu Canh in building the first administrative foundation here that created a great premise for this land to develop prosperously as it is today. The way the ancient relics were built here is also very special, as most of them were established in the area along the Dong Nai River, thereby creating a solid, harmonious terrain and demonstrating the foresight of the ancestors. Some typical relics can be mentioned such as: Nguyen Huu Canh Temple, Ong Pagoda, Tan Lan Communal House...

Nowadays, the chain of these relics promises to be an attractive tourist destination for river tours that have been and are being cared for and built by the authorities at all levels. We are both impressed by the previous generation and appreciate more the gift that nature has bestowed on this beloved Dong Nai River.

At this moment, the river is leaning against the sunset. Flowing quietly but silently witnessing the many changes of the land it passes through. Just tomorrow, this place will be renamed with new names, carrying the messages of the times. That is perhaps the inevitability of the law of development. Strong changes will then create new driving forces.

Sometimes, I wish I could talk to the river, to listen to a long-time senior open up new horizons of knowledge. And to know that this river is a priceless gift that nature has bestowed upon this land. Sunset on the Dong Nai River therefore always brings with it many special things…

Mr. Minh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202507/hoang-hon-tren-song-dong-nai-ac31f30/