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In the South of Dam Thuy Lagoon (about 40 km2 in area, locates entirely in Phu Cat District, Binh Dinh Province), stands imposingly a group of mountains which has been considered as famous mountains of Binh Dinh Province. That is Nui Ba (Mountain of Lady).
Group of Nui Ba includes more than 60 mountains at various heights. Hang Rai Mountain at the Northeast, Heo Mountain at the Southeast, and the highest Chuong Mountain (Bell Mountain - nearly 900m) at the West. From far distance, Chuong Mountain is distinguished with its round shape like a upside-down bell. Surroundings of Nui Ba, from overview, is quite even and flat. It looks like a bronze Gong downwards whose knob is Chuong Mountain. Probably because of this reason, Nui Ba is also called Pho Chinh Dai Son (Gong Arrangement of Big Mountain)
In the distance, mountain group of Nui Ba heaps up and stretches as an uninterrupted range but actually there are valleys between up-and-down rocks of mountains. There grows verdant vegetation watered by tens of small streams and rivulets from cliffs. Local people live in the valleys. Because of terrain full of obstacles, travelling among the valleys and villages is difficult. To reach there, people have to go through mountain passes with rugged rocks such as Nho Pass in the North, Lon Pass (or “Big Pass”, also called as “To Mo Pass”) in the South, Mui Da Giang Pass ( Cape of Extending Mountain Pass) in the East…
High mountains obstruct entrance of sea wind. Consequently, sand dunes in the East flock together into hillocks. Such natural terrain with lots of mountains, passes and sand dunes creates many difficulties and challenges for local people. However, local Binh Dinh people with their optimism, great love of life and love of homeland still describe the scenery there as a picturesque landscape.
Nui Ba is not only grand but also mysterious. Each place, each name has its own legend. In Chanh Oai Hamlet, on top of a high mountain, there are two human-shape rocks at different heights. Viewing from the sea, the rocks look like a woman whose hand is holding her child and eyes are looking out to the sea. Local people call the rock Vong Phu (Waiting for husband rock). Human-like work by the Creator moves people. The rocks have stood defiantly there for years under rain and shine. Hence, in perception of common people, they are symbols of conjugal fidelity. The rocks are similar to the To Thi Rock in Tam Thanh District, Lang Son Province (in the North of Vietnam) but legends about the rocks are different. Ms. To Thi in Lang Son Province has to live in separation with her husband because of war trouble. She doesn’t know where her husband fights; she has no news of her husband for years. She holds her baby in her arms and keeps waiting for him until she and her baby turn into rocks.
Vong Phu Rock in Binh Dinh is an incarnation of a woman in a pitiful situation. According to legend, a family once had two children: an elder son and a daughter. When the children were still at the young age, the elder brother accidentally wounded the sister’s head. Her blood bled all over. Being so terrified, the brother himself left far away from home. Time went by. Painfully, they met and got married to each other later without understanding about the truth. Simple and gentle happiness came to them, especially when the wife gave birth to a baby. One day, the husband unexpectedly found out that his wife was his full sister.
Being so painful and regretful, the husband secretly left far away without saying goodbye to the wife. Without knowing why the husband had disappeared, the wife longed for love and became extremely sorrowful. She took the baby to the top of a mountain, kept on waiting for her husband until the two of them changed into rocks. Perhaps, not many believe in the authenticity of this legend. However, the legend keeps on living from generation to generation as a heartfelt reminder and subtle respect to fidelity, an inherent dignity of Vietnamese women.
Nui Ba is famous for its miraculous landscape and sacred sites. The fame of Nui Ba is mainly created by people. Nui Ba has witnessed many ups and downs of the homeland and has a lot of historical vestiges. Ancient ruins of Chiem citadel (Binh Dinh Province now), remains of Tay Son insurgent movement, and especially evidences of an important millitary base of Vietnamese communist guerrillas during resistance wars against French colonialists and American imperialists still remain there.
In thinking of Binh Dinh people, Nui Ba seemingly becomes one of symbols of the homeland, of faith and pride.
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