When art tells the story of Dong Nai’s land and people

In the artistic epic program Dong Nai – Southern spirit, rising with the nation, the story of Dong Nai, with nearly 330 years of formation and development, begins with the very people who have lived, fought, worked, studied, and contributed to building this land.

The symphony orchestra performs during the art epic program Dong Nai – Southern Spirit, Rising with the Nation. Photo: Cong Nghia.

Through the language of art, historical moments are brought to life, connecting the past with the present and inspiring aspirations for Dong Nai to rise into a new era.

The people who forged Dong Nai’s spirit

What gives the story of Dong Nai its vitality in the program is not a comprehensive retelling of history, but the way the production places people at the center of the historical flow. A key milestone was 1698, when Commander Nguyen Huu Canh was sent to administer the Southern region, establishing Phuoc Long District on Dong Nai land and building Tran Bien Garrison. This laid an important foundation for the establishment of sovereignty and administrative governance, creating the basis for the development of Dong Nai and the wider Southern region.

The epic does not stop at the story of those who opened up new territory. As wars and historical upheavals emerged, the people of Dong Nai continued to be portrayed in heroic terms. In 1861, when French colonial forces opened fire on Bien Hoa Citadel, the spirit of Dong Nai rose amid the tragedy.

“While watching the epic program on a digital platform, I was deeply moved to see workers honored. Through art, I realized that every worker, regardless of their position, is contributing to building a civilized and prosperous Dong Nai.”

Pham Thuy Diem, worker at Pou Chen Vietnam Co., Ltd., Bien Hoa Ward

They included General Nguyen Tri Phuong, who led local people in building laterite barriers and blocking the river to stop enemy warships from advancing; Commander Nguyen Duc Ung; militia leader Doan Van Cu; and thousands of heroes and patriots from Dong Nai who rose in armed resistance, braving enemy fire and fighting to defend their homeland and country. They are remembered as part of the current of heroic spirit that emerged very early in Dong Nai's history.

The story continues with images of rubber plantation workers in Phu Rieng. Enduring a life of hardship on the rubber plantations, they rose in struggle, giving rise to Phu Rieng Do, a landmark in the revolutionary movement in Southeastern Vietnam. At War Zone D, the people faced a different kind of ordeal. Struggling against hunger, cold, the harsh, disease-ridden jungle environment, and ever-present danger, soldiers and civilians demonstrated determination, ingenuity, and steadfast resilience, achieving resounding victories that contributed to the overall success of the revolution.

Veteran Nguyen Quoc Hoan, a member of the Literature Section of the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association, said: “What moved me most when watching the epic was the realistic portrayal of people, from Rung Sac special forces to civilians living in base areas. Behind every victory were countless silent sacrifices and profound patriotism. Those images brought back memories of a difficult but heroic era, while helping today’s generation better understand the value of peace and what previous generations sacrificed to protect their homeland.”

If previous generations helped lay the foundations and defend every inch of their homeland, the people of Dong Nai today are continuing to write that story through their work, creativity, and commitment to the nation’s development. Dong Nai is home to 37 ethnic groups, where people of different ethnicities and religions live together in close bonds, uphold solidarity, and promote the tradition of “living a good life and practicing a good faith.” Together, they continue to contribute to the development of their homeland on the foundation of an advanced culture rich in national identity, compassion, and a strong sense of community responsibility.

Telling Dong Nai’s story through the language of art

If history provides the material and people are at the heart of the story, art creates the emotional language through which the entire program is told. Poetry, music, and stage imagery are woven together to take audiences through different spaces and periods, from the early days of territorial expansion to the years of war and the journey of building the homeland today. This approach places historical milestones within a continuous narrative rather than presenting them as isolated events.

The epic incorporates numerous poems by researchers, writers, and poets from Dong Nai and across Vietnam, creating a rich and evocative layer of language. From verses about the early expansion into the Southern region and the patriotic spirit of Dong Nai’s resistance fighters, including an excerpt from Professor and Labor Hero Vu Khieu’s Tran Bien – Dong Nai Shining Through Thousands of Years of Civilization, to works by Ho Chi Minh, To Huu, Huynh Van Nghe, Le Ba Uoc and Nguyen Khoa Diem, each excerpt opens up another perspective on the land and people of Dong Nai.

Music further deepens the emotional impact of the story. The symphony orchestra, together with excerpts from musical works such as Welcome the Communist Party of Vietnam, Every Step We Take, The Sound of Pestles in Bom Bo Hamlet, Country Full of Joy, Unforgettable Song, Tri An Echoes Springtime, and As If Uncle Ho Were Here on the Day of Great Victory, creates layers of sound corresponding to different stages of history. The combination of music, imagery, and stage performance awakens memories and enables audiences to feel the transformation of a land shaped by nearly 330 years of history and development.

By telling its story through people, moving through history, and returning to the present, the epic art of Dong Nai – Southern Spirit, Rising with the Nation has created a continuous link between the past and the future. Dong Nai emerges not merely through historical milestones, landmarks, or military victories, but above all through the ordinary people who have given the land its vitality. They are the ones who keep that heroic spirit alive, transforming it into a source of strength as Dong Nai moves forward into a new chapter.

By My Ny – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho