Mỹ Tho

Location: Tien Giang province Map

 

Vinh Trang Pagoda

32 Hung Vuong St.

Tel. (073) 387 2290

Open 7am- 6pm daily

 

Description of Mỹ Tho

Mỹ Tho is a major city in the Tien Giang province in the South Vietnam. Mỹ Tho was found by the Chinese refugees in 1680's in the delta of the Mekong delta. To this day rivers and streams of this majestic river plays an important role in moving people and items.

 

In 1683 China became a colony of the Qing Empire, causing Chinese migrations to the region of Vietnam. These refugees founded Mỹ Tho in the 1680s. Once part of the Khmer Empire, the area was annexed to Vietnam in the 19th century, receiving its name from the homonymous river. Thanks to its proximity to Saigon, Mỹ Tho became the traditional entrance to the Mekong Delta. By the 17th century the city had already become one of the largest shopping centers in the southern region of Vietnam.

In the 1860s, during the French occupation, the city, together with Saigon, became an important strategic point. The French capture of Mỹ Tho happened in 1862, establishing then the French colony of Cochinchina. During this colonial period the economy continued to prosper, attracting immigrants from Teochew and Minnan. Mỹ Tho is recognized as a Second Degree city since October 7, 2005.

 

Name

There are many opinions about the origin of the place name My Tho. Most opinions say that My Tho originates from the original Khmer dialect such as Mi Sâr, which mutated into My and Tho, meaning the land with beautiful, white-skinned girls. From then on My, the Chinese word means beautiful, but the word Tho is not in the Chinese word, so there are different ways of writing through Nom, there are two ways of writing, to refer to fragrant water or fragrant grass.

The combination of two elements with completely Vietnamese phonetics, "my" and "tho", does not create any meaning as understood in Vietnamese. Documents about the history and activities of the Khmer people in the ancient region have determined that this locality was at one time called "Srock Mi Xo" (the land of the white lady). Vietnamese people call it My Tho, removing the word Srock, leaving only Mi Xo.

My Tho in history is an important land that was soon explored by the Chinese, is an organized city... quoted as follows:

According to "Gia Dinh Thanh Thong Chi":
My Tho post: My Tho post is in the south of the town, in the past it was a wild forest, where tigers and leopards made their dens... (At Nam Nhat Ly Hua town, it used to be a wild forest, tigers and leopards had their nests...).
My Tho River: My Tho River is in front of the town, is the town's big river, originating from the inland of Yunnan province... (In the town, in the town of Dai Giang, it originates from the inland of Yunnan province. ..).

According to "Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi":
My Tho big street: market, shop: My Tho market in Kien Hung district, often called big street market. Tiled houses, carved rafters, high communal houses, large pagodas. The river is deep, ships and boats are sailing back and forth like weaving looms...(My Tho city in Kien Hung district, nicknamed big city, alley, tall house, Quang Tu. Duong Ha boats collect wall products, come and go like position...)
My Tho tax gate: My Tho gate is in Kien Hung district, the sixteenth year Minh Mang established the tax gate. In the third year, Thieu Tri was abolished... (In Kien Hung district, Minh Mang was responsible for 16 years of tax administration. Thieu Tri had a court for three years...)

According to "History of the Cochinchine Expedition" ("Histoire de la conquête de la Cochinchine") the French author wrote:
Saigon is the military center, My Tho is the commercial center. The boats of the Japanese, Chinese, Annamese, and Siamese have shallow bottoms that make it easy to move on the river near the rice production area, adding to the centuries-old tradition of local people, making My Tho a center. the largest trade of the South, before the Europeans arrived.
... My Tho is an area with large houses, roofed with nipa palms according to custom. But along the banks of the Post Canal (Arroyo de la Poste or Bao Dinh Canal) the houses are much more elegant, with tiled roofs amid coconut and areca gardens, all seem elegant, prosperous, sometimes wealthy. Can be compared to the bustling urban scene of Cho Quan and the Chinese people in Saigon...

According to "Monographie de My Tho 1902" (Monographie de My Tho 1902), the French author wrote:
...My Tho's location is wonderful. It occupies the most important transit position for large fishing boats from the West to Cho Lon (Saigon) through Bao Dinh canal and Cho Gao canal. My Tho has Indochina's first railway, the Saigon - My Tho railway and the waterway connecting Saigon and the Western provinces up to Phnom Penh via Luc Tinh My Tho train station...

 

History

Feudalism

In 1679, a group of about 3,000 Minh Huong people were allowed by Lord Nguyen to settle this new land. In the group led by Duong Ngan Dich, they established My Tho Dai Pho (Chinese: 美萩大浦) in My Chanh village, Kien Hoa district. This urban area extends to Cau Vi and Go Cat, which is the current My Phong commune area. Many villages sprang up around My Tho area: Thai Tran established An Hoa village (later changed to Thanh Tri), Nguyen Van Truoc established Dieu Hoa village.

In the 17th century, My Tho became one of the two largest commercial centers in the South at that time (the other center was Cu Lao Pho, Bien Hoa). The prosperity of My Tho market street shows that the local agricultural and fishery production and commodity economy at that time had significant developments, especially in the commercial sector.

In 1772, My Tho belonged to Truong Don sect, and in 1779 Truong Don sect was upgraded to Truong Don palace. In 1781, Truong Tu palace was renamed Tran Dinh palace. By 1785, Siamese troops invaded and turned this place into a battlefield (Battle of Rach Gam - Xoai Mut). The streets were destroyed and property was plundered, so My Tho City became desolate. Most of the traders here moved to do business in Saigon - Ben Nghe. In 1788, although it was gradually restored, it was no longer as bustling as before. In the year of the Rat (1792), Lord Nguyen moved the headquarters of Tran Dinh to My Tho market in My Chanh village (Old Market area in wards 2, 3 and 8 today) and also here Lord Nguyen built Tran Dinh citadel. The citadel was built according to the architectural drawings of Mr. Tran Van Hoc.

In 1826, King Minh Mang moved the headquarters of Dinh Tuong town to the west of Bao Dinh river in Dieu Hoa and Binh Tao villages of Kien Hung district (now in wards 1, 4 and 7), Kien An district, Dinh province. Wall. Also in this year, Mr. Duong Tan Tuyen established a market next to the new citadel in the My Tho market area today.

My Tho has always been the headquarters and provincial capital of Dinh Tuong province and in 1900 became the provincial capital of My Tho province when this province was established.

My Tho used to have a 71 km long train line connecting with Saigon, inaugurated on July 20, 1885, but it was destroyed during the war against the French.

 

French colonial period

Before 1900
During the French colonial period (1862-1945), according to the Treaty of Nham Tuat in 1862, Dinh Tuong along with Bien Hoa and Gia Dinh were ceded to France. At first, Dinh Tuong province was divided into 4 inspection districts, temporarily named after the old district offices, then renamed according to the headquarters location. That is:
Kien An Inspection District or Kien Hung, later changed to My Tho Inspection District.
Kien Hoa Inspection District later changed to Cho Gao Inspection District.
Kien Dang Inspectorate District was later changed to Cai Lay Inspectorate District.
Kien Tuong Inspection District later changed to Can Lo Inspection District.

On December 5, 1868, Cai Lay Inspectorate district was dissolved and merged into My Tho Inspectorate district, from December 15, 1868. Next, on December 23, 1868, Cho Gao Inspectorate district was dissolved and merged into Cho Gao Inspectorate district. My Tho Inspectorate district. But on October 20, 1869, Cai Lay Inspection district was re-established according to the old area and on September 8, 1870, the headquarters was moved to Cai Be, so it was called Cai Be Inspection district. On September 20, 1870, Can Lo Inspectorate was dissolved, Phong Hoa and Phong Phu were moved to Cai Be Inspectorate, and Phong Nam and Phong Thanh were moved to Sa Dec Inspectorate. On June 5, 1871, Cai Be Inspectorate district was dissolved and merged into My Tho Inspectorate district. Thus, the above 4 Inspection districts were in turn dissolved and merged into My Tho Inspection District.

From January 5, 1876, the Inspection districts were replaced by the Counsel districts. In 1876, Dinh Tuong province was dissolved by the French and turned into two sub-regions or arrondissement counties, My Tho and Go Cong, belonging to the My Tho administrative area.

After 1900
According to the Decree dated December 20, 1899 of the Governor General of Indochina converting all consultation counties into provinces, from January 1, 1900 My Tho consultation county became My Tho province. My Tho provincial capital is located in Dieu Hoa village, Thuan Tri canton, Chau Thanh district.

In 1912, the French colonial government divided My Tho province into two regions: Region 1 had 2 agencies (délégation), Region 2 had two villages: Dieu Hoa and Binh Tao. On January 1, 1933, the boundary of My Tho province was expanded to the west, taking additional land from the villages of Thanh Tri, Dao Ngan and Binh Tao.

On December 16, 1938, My Tho was recognized as a mixed town (also known as a cooperative). On July 29, 1942, My Tho Cooperative was divided into 4 administrative areas:
Administrative area 1: equivalent to current wards 1 and 7
Administrative area 2: equivalent to current wards 2, 3 and 8
Administrative area 3: equivalent to ward 4 and part of ward 6 today
Administrative area 4: equivalent to ward 5 and part of ward 6 today

During the resistance war against the French (1945 - 1954), on the side of the Revolutionary government, My Tho town was established under My Tho province. The area of My Tho town at that time also included three suburban communes: Trung An, Dao Thanh, Tan My Chanh.

 

Period 1956-1976

Republic of Vietnam
On October 22, 1956, President of the Republic of Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem issued Decree No. 143-NV to "change the boundaries and names of Saigon - Cho Lon and the provinces and capitals in Vietnam". The boundaries and place names of the provinces in the South changed a lot, some new provinces were established. According to this Decree, the Southern part of the Republic of Vietnam includes Saigon City and 22 provinces. At this time, Dinh Tuong province was established on the land of My Tho province (except for the area south of the Tien Giang river, An Hoa district, which was renamed Binh Dai district and merged into Kien Hoa province) and the old Go Cong province. The provincial capital of Dinh Tuong province is located in My Tho and still retains the name "My Tho", administratively belonging to Dieu Hoa commune, Chau Thanh district.

After 1956, the government of the Republic of Vietnam dissolved My Tho town, merging the area into Dieu Hoa commune, Chau Thanh district. During the period 1956-1960, Dieu Hoa commune served as both the district capital of Chau Thanh district and the provincial capital of Dinh Tuong province.

On November 8, 1960, Chau Thanh district changed its name to Long Dinh district, and moved the district capital to Long Dinh commune. At this time, My Tho provincial capital administratively belonged to Dieu Hoa commune, Long Dinh district, Dinh Tuong province. On May 23, 1964, the government of the Republic of Vietnam divided Long Dinh district into Chau Thanh district and Long Dinh district. At that time, Dieu Hoa commune returned to Chau Thanh district and My Tho provincial capital continued to be located in Dieu Hoa commune, Chau Thanh district until 1970. In addition, from 1964 to 1975, the district capital of Chau Thanh district was located in Chau Thanh district. in Trung An commune.

Dieu Hoa commune at that time included 25 affiliated hamlets: Lac Hong, Vo Tanh, Ngo Quyen, Nguyen Hue, Truong Vinh Ky, Thai Lap Thanh, Nguyen Trai, Phan Van Tri, Trinh Hoai Duc, Dinh Bo Linh, My Chanh, Phan Thanh Gian, Hoc Lac, Doc Binh Kieu, Nguyen Huynh Duc, My Phuc, Xom Dau, Cong Hoa, Quyet Tien, Community, Dong Tien, Democracy, Vo Thang, Binh Thanh, Binh Tao.

On September 30, 1970, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam issued Decree No. 114/SL-NV converting Dieu Hoa commune into My Tho town, an autonomous town under the Central Government of the Republic of Vietnam. At the same time, it also serves as the provincial capital of Dinh Tuong province. On June 10, 1971, My Tho town was divided into 6 neighborhoods:
Quarter 1: includes the hamlets Lac Hong, Vo Tanh, Ngo Quyen, Nguyen Hue, Truong Vinh Ky, Thai Lap Thanh, Nguyen Trai (equivalent to Ward 1 and Ward 7 today)
Quarter 2: includes the hamlets of Phan Van Tri, Trinh Hoai Duc, Dinh Bo Linh, My Chanh (equivalent to current ward 2)
Quarter 3: includes the hamlets of Phan Thanh Gian, Hoc Lac, Doc Binh Kieu, Nguyen Huynh Duc, My Phuc, Xom Dau (equivalent to ward 3 and ward 8 today)
Quarter 4: includes the hamlets of Cong Hoa, Quyet Tien, Commune, Dong Tien, and Dan Chu (equivalent to Ward 4 today)
Quarter 5: includes Chien Thang hamlet and Nguyen Tri Phuong hamlet (equivalent to current ward 5)
Quarter 6: includes the hamlets of Binh Thanh and Binh Tao (equivalent to Ward 6 today)

On January 3, 1972, all hamlet units were converted into clusters directly under the neighborhood; At the same time, Binh Thanh cluster in Quarter 6 is divided into 3 clusters: Binh Thanh, Ly Thuong Kiet, Ngo Tung Chau

National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam
However, the government of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (later the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam) and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam did not recognize the name Dinh Tuong province and still kept the name. The old province is My Tho province. At the same time, the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam still maintained My Tho town under My Tho province during the period 1956-1967.

On August 24, 1967, the Central Committee of the Southern Department approved the separation of My Tho town from My Tho province, and at the same time raised the town to My Tho city under Zone 8.

At that time, the revolutionary government divided My Tho city into 4 districts, 1 town, 6 wards and 5 communes:
District 1: current wards 1 and 7
District 2: current wards 2, 3 and 8
District 3: current wards 4, 5 and 6
District 4: Wards 9, 10 and Tan Long; Tan My Chanh, Dao Thanh, My Phong, Trung An communes today.

After April 30, 1975, the military government of the Republic of South Vietnam at that time still maintained three equal provincial administrative units: My Tho province, Go Cong province and My Tho city until the beginning. year 1976.

On September 20, 1975, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 245-NQ/TW on abolishing zones and merging provinces nationwide "to build provinces into economic, planning and administrative units with the ability to solve to the highest level the requirements of promoting production, organizing the people's material and cultural life, consolidating national defense, protecting public security, and being able to contribute best to the common cause of the whole country". According to this Resolution, Long An province, Ben Tre province, My Tho province, Go Cong province and My Tho city will merge into one province, the name of the new province and the location of the provincial capital will be proposed by the locality. .

But on December 20, 1975, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 19/NQ to readjust the consolidation of provinces in Southern Vietnam to be closer to the actual situation, according to which My Tho province, Go Cong province and My Tho city was merged into a province.

 

From 1976 to present

On February 24, 1976, the Government of Vietnam decided to merge My Tho province, Go Cong province and My Tho city to establish a new province: Tien Giang province (except Binh Dai district located south of Tien River, which was merged into the province). Ben Tre from before). At the same time, the old districts (district 1, district 2, district 3 and district 4) were also dissolved and the wards and communes under the city because My Tho city was now transformed into a district-level city under Tien province. Giang. My Tho city serves as the provincial capital of Tien Giang province to this day.

In 1976, My Tho city was recognized by the Central Government as a class 3 urban area under Tien Giang province. My Tho city at that time included 8 wards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 5 suburban communes: Tan Long, Tan My Chanh, Dao Thanh, My Phong, Trung An.

On December 9, 2003, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree No. 154/2003/ND-CP on the establishment of wards and communes in My Tho city, Go Cong town and Cai Be district, Tien Giang province. The content of the Decree on the establishment of new wards in My Tho city is as follows:
Establish Tan Long ward on the basis of the entire natural area and population of Tan Long commune.
Established Ward 9 on the basis of 274 hectares of natural area and 9,270 people of Tan My Chanh commune.
Established Ward 10 on the basis of 69.32 hectares of natural area and 3,323 people of Dao Thanh commune, 197.26 hectares of natural area and 6,964 people of Trung An commune. Ward 10 has 266.58 hectares of natural area and 10,287 people.

On October 7, 2005, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 248/2005/QD-TTg recognizing My Tho city in Tien Giang province as a class II urban area.

On September 26, 2009, the Government of Vietnam issued Resolution No. 28/NQ-CP on adjusting the administrative boundaries of Chau Thanh district and Cho Gao district to expand the administrative boundaries of My Tho city; Adjust commune administrative boundaries, establish communes in My Tho city, Chau Thanh district, Cho Gao district, Tien Giang province as follows:

1. Adjusting the administrative boundaries of Chau Thanh district and Cho Gao district to expand the administrative boundaries of My Tho city: Expanding the administrative boundaries of My Tho city on the basis of adjusting 2,585.77 hectares of natural area and 24,440 people of Chau Thanh district (including the entire 1,211.64 hectares of natural area and 5,505 people of Thoi Son commune; 329.90 hectares of natural area and 4,174 people of Long An commune; 177.69 hectares of natural area and 1,754 people of Thanh Phu commune; 510.01 hectares of natural area and 6,177 people of Phuoc Thanh commune; 356.53 hectares of natural area and 6,830 people of Binh Duc commune) and 709 ,51 hectares of natural area and 6,917 people of Cho Gao district (including 502.33 hectares of natural area and 4,986 people of Luong Hoa Lac commune; 207.18 hectares of natural area and 1,931 people of the commune Song Binh) returned to My Tho city to manage.

My Tho city has 8,154.08 hectares of natural area and 204,142 inhabitants.

2. Adjust commune administrative boundaries, establish communes in My Tho city, Chau Thanh district and Cho Gao district.

Established Phuoc Thanh commune in My Tho city on the basis of adjusting 329.90 hectares of natural area and 4,174 people of Long An commune; 177.69 hectares of natural area and 1,754 people of Thanh Phu commune; 510.01 hectares of natural area and 6,177 people of Phuoc Thanh commune (part of natural area and population of Phuoc Thanh commune of Chau Thanh district adjusted to My Tho city). Phuoc Thanh commune has 1,017.60 hectares of natural area and 12,105 people.
Adjusting 356.53 hectares of natural area and 6,830 people of Binh Duc commune (the natural area and population adjusted to My Tho city) to Trung An commune under My Tho city for management;
Adjusting 502.33 hectares of natural area and 4,986 people of Luong Hoa Lac commune (the natural area and population adjusted to My Tho city) to be managed by Dao Thanh commune of My Tho city;
Adjusting 207.18 hectares of natural area and 1,931 people of Song Binh commune (the natural area and population adjusted to My Tho city) to Tan My Chanh commune under My Tho city for management;
Adjusting 323.14 hectares of natural area and the remaining 3,093 people of Phuoc Thanh commune to Thanh Phu commune of Chau Thanh district for management.

3. After adjusting the administrative boundaries of Chau Thanh district and Cho Gao district to expand the administrative boundaries of My Tho city; Adjust commune administrative boundaries, establish communes in My Tho city, Chau Thanh district, Cho Gao district:

Dao Thanh commune has 1,031.47 hectares of natural area and 12,427 people.
Tan My Chanh commune has 931.59 hectares of natural area and 8,975 people.
Trung An commune has 1,063.03 hectares of natural area and 14,651 people.

My Tho city, after adjustment and expansion, has a natural area of 8,154.08 hectares (an increase of 3,295.28 hectares), a population of 204,142 people (an increase of 94,725 people), 17 administrative units of wards and communes (an increase of 02 people). unit). The area and population increased to expand the city are adjusted from a part of the communes: Long An, Phuoc Thanh, Thanh Phu, Binh Duc and the entire Thoi Son commune (Chau Thanh district) and a part of the communes: Song Binh – Luong Hoa Lac (Rice Market). The 17 ward-commune administrative units of My Tho City when adjusted and expanded include wards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Tan Long and communes: Phuoc Thanh, Trung An, Thoi Son, Dao Thanh, Tan My Chanh, My Phong.

On February 5, 2016, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 242/QD-TTg on recognizing My Tho city as a class I urban area under Tien Giang province. Thus, up to this point, My Tho city is the second class I urban area in the Mekong Delta region after Can Tho city, and is the first provincial city in the Mekong Delta region. recognized as a class I urban area and the 17th class I urban area in the country.