‘Remember the source’: A nation grows stronger by nurturing its roots

In Vietnam’s cultural heritage, the values of “when drinking water, remember the source” and “when eating fruit, remember the person who planted the tree” have long served as a lasting thread connecting generations of Vietnamese people.

Gratitude to past generations helps foster community solidarity, creating a powerful force that enabled the country to overcome numerous wars to defend itself. Today, these values remain intact, serving as a lasting source of internal strength, inspiring confidence, resilience, and aspirations for development as Vietnam strives to become a strong and prosperous nation.

From a sacred cultural tradition

From humble homes with ancestral altars filled with incense, where descendants pay respects to their grandparents and parents, to rituals held by clans, all reflect deep gratitude to those who built and preserved their family roots.

Beyond the family, this tradition has evolved into a sense of national identity through the worship of the Hung Kings – the legendary forefathers who cleared the land, laid the foundations of the State of Van Lang, and began the nation-building journey of Vietnamese people.

Over thousands of years of national building and defence, Vietnam’s history has been an epic written with generations of blood, sweat, and tears. On a small but resilient land, Vietnamese people have not only persevered in the face of harsh natural disasters but have also risen repeatedly to defeat invasions by powerful forces, creating glorious chapters in national history. Behind every victory were countless sacrifices and losses, but these challenges also forged the nation’s resilience, determination, and traditions of patriotism, solidarity, and indomitability.

From the sacred roots of the Hung Kings’ era, the spirit of independence, self-reliance and the aspiration for national strength have never faded. Through the feudal dynasties, with resounding victories on the Bach Dang River and at Chi Lang Pass, and later the Dien Bien Phu victory that “resounded across five continents and shook the world” and the Great Spring Victory of 1975, each historic milestone reflected the strength of the community, nurtured by the tradition of looking to its roots.

This represents an unbroken legacy from the era of the Hung Kings to the Ho Chi Minh era, in which the nation’s fundamental values have continuously been promoted and elevated throughout each historical period.

Across the country, communal houses, temples and shrines dedicated to ancestors, national heroes, village founders and founders of traditional crafts have quietly preserved collective memories and nurtured gratitude across generations.

When the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was established in the autumn of 1945 under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, this tradition was inherited and developed to a new level. It became an important spiritual foundation for the strength of the nation in the struggle for independence, national defence, and the building of a prosperous country.

Each summer, the month of July reminds us of a moment 79 years ago, when President Ho Chi Minh designated July 27, 1947 as National War Invalids Day, later renamed War Invalids and Martyrs Day.

The day has become a historic reminder, urging the Party and people to promote the tradition of “when drinking water, remember the source” – a noble humanitarian value that has been upheld by Vietnamese people throughout their thousands-year history.

In the hearts of Vietnamese people, President Ho Chi Minh is a sacred symbol of patriotism, the will for independence and the aspiration for freedom. His life and career were closely associated with the nation’s great victories in the 20th century, opening an era of independence, reunification and development.

His great contributions have been affirmed by history, respected and remembered by Vietnamese people for generations. In addition to being recognised as a national liberation hero and an outstanding Vietnamese cultural figure, President Ho Chi Minh has also been honoured by the international community. UNESCO adopted a resolution recommending that member states join in commemorating his birth anniversary.

Protecting the image, honour and legacy of President Ho Chi Minh is therefore not only an expression of gratitude to a great national leader, but also a way of preserving the enduring values that have shaped Vietnam’s identity, resilience and aspirations.

To confidence in stepping into a new era

Building on the great thoughts of President Ho Chi Minh, the Party has consistently affirmed that people are at the centre of the development strategy and are both the creators, the ultimate beneficiaries and the decisive driving force behind all achievements.

As Vietnam enters a new era of development, the aspiration to build a strong, prosperous and happy country is measured not only by the size of the economy or the pace of growth, but first and foremost by the strength of Vietnamese people – those who carry within them patriotism, resilience, solidarity and an enduring desire to contribute to the country.

A country can become truly strong only when economic strength goes hand in hand with cultural strength, and material development is supported by a strong and sustainable spiritual foundation. (Photo: VNA)

Material resources can be strengthened through investment, while science and technology can be acquired through international integration. But spiritual strength – a nation’s most sustainable foundation – can only be nurtured through its cultural depth, historical traditions and the people’s trust. Therefore, gratitude is not merely a moral value but also a source of development and an important element of the nation’s internal strength.

When people appreciate the sacrifices made by previous generations and understand the importance of preserving values built through sweat, blood and the aspiration for independence, gratitude can be transformed into responsibility, determination to overcome challenges and a desire to contribute to the Fatherland.

Today, amid the cause of renewal and international integration, this strength continues to be nurtured by aspirations for creativity and advancement, mastery of science and technology, the knowledge economy and new values of humanity. When historical memories become a driving force for innovation, and traditions are carried forward through creative thinking and the ambition to reach new heights, the nation gains greater resilience to overcome its limits, convert challenges into opportunities and turn aspirations into reality.

This is also the path towards achieving the national development goal for 2045 – the milestone at which Vietnam aims to become a developed, high-income country. Such success will not be reflected only in growth figures or modern infrastructure, but also in the quality of the people’s lives, a culturally rich society, a humane and united community, and Vietnam’s increasingly firm position in the international arena.

Amid the rapid flow of information in cyberspace, false information has deliberately sought to distort history and tarnish the image of the nation’s forefathers. Recently, the book “Chuyen voi Thanh: Loi ke moi ve anh sang” (Stories with Thanh: A New Account of Light), along with other content distorting the image of President Ho Chi Minh and earlier national leaders, has become a typical example of attempts to distort the truth.

Though disguised as novel arguments or presented through one-sided interpretations, such products cannot undermine values that have been tested by history.

CôThe contributions of previous generations are recorded not only in history books but also reflected in every stage of the country’s development and in the gratitude of millions of Vietnamese people. Therefore, acts of insulting, distorting or denying history have met with strong public opposition. Historical truth is like a lighthouse standing firm amid the storms of time, while the contributions of past generations continue to shine as enduring values that cannot easily be obscured by fabricated narratives.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam presents the photograph "Uncle Ho with Children" to outstanding members of the Ho Chi Minh Vanguard Children’s Union (Photo: VNA)

The road ahead will remain challenging as the world undergoes rapid changes and competition intensifies. Yet the nation’s history has demonstrated one truth: whenever Vietnam has combined the strength of its traditions with the aspirations of its time, it has achieved milestones of historic significance.

A tree can grow tall only when its roots run deep into the soil. A nation can advance far only when supported by its historical roots and enduring traditional values. Each step forward, guided by gratitude to previous generations and driven by every citizen's desire to contribute, can build tremendous internal strength.

In this way, the tradition of “when drinking water, remember the source” is not only a cultural value passed down through generations, but also a lasting source of spiritual strength, helping Vietnam confidently realise its aspiration to become a strong, prosperous and happy nation./.