From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ngày 25/07/2017
Quách Thị Trang

Quách Thị Trang (1948 - 1963), also known by her Buddhist name Diệu Nghiêm, was a devout follower who actively participated in protests against the discriminatory religious policies of the First Republic regime in South Vietnam. Tragically, on August 25, 1963, she was shot and killed during one of these demonstrations.


Quách Thị Trang’s bust at Bách Tùng Diệp park


Quách Thị Trang’s bust in front of Ben Thanh market

Life of Quach Thi Trang

Quach Thi Trang was born on January 4, 1948, in Co Khuc village, Tien Hung district (now Phong Chau village, Dong Hung district), Thai Binh province. She was the daughter of Mr. Quach Van Boi and Mrs. Ha Thi Van, and the fourth child in a family of six—four boys and two girls (a).
In 1954, during the migration to the South, Trang and her five siblings relocated to the Chi Hoa area in Saigon. Unfortunately, their father remained behind, and three months later, they received news of his passing.
Despite challenging family circumstances, Trang’s resourceful mother ensured that her siblings continued their education. Trang herself attended Nguyen Khuyen School (b) and was a member of the Minh Tam Buddhist community, adopting the dharma name Dieu Nghiem.(1)
In 1963, Trang actively participated in movements opposing the regime and religious biases enforced by the authorities. On August 25, 1963, she stood among more than 5,000 students demonstrating in front of Dien Hong Park, near the main gate of Ben Thanh Market in Saigon. This demonstration, organized by the Inter-School Student Steering Association , aimed to protest the “martial law”(2) imposed by the Republic of Vietnam government. Under orders from their superiors, a large number of riot police deployed and used loudspeakers to demand that the demonstration disperse. Despite the call to disperse, the group of female students at the forefront pressed forward. It was during this tense moment that police officer Nguyen Van Khanh, stationed at Le Van Ken police station (directly in front of Saigon Hospital), opened fire on the crowd, resulting in fatalities and injuries. Tragically, Quach Thi Trang, only 15 years old at the time, was among those who lost their lives.
Following her tragic demise, Quach Thi Trang’s body was taken by the police, who sought to conceal her death, and was secretly buried in the cemetery of the Department of General Staff (c). However, her identity was soon confirmed, and students, along with a multitude of Saigon residents, organized a large funeral to protest the government’s actions (d).
On August 26, 1963, the World Youth Association, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, sent a powerful telegram to the President of the Republic of Vietnam in Saigon. The message expressed vehement opposition to the Ngo Dinh Diem government’s suppression of democratic freedoms among Vietnamese youth and students. It read as follows:

“ To the President of the Republic of Vietnam in Saigon: The World Youth Association protests against the discriminatory treatment of fellow Buddhists, the closure of universities, and the brutal repression of youth and students. We demand the restoration of citizens’ rights and the utmost respect for democratic freedoms.”(3).
— World Youth Association-

Echoes of Quach Thi Trang: A Commemoration

Following the 1963 revolution in South Vietnam that ousted President Ngo Dinh Diem, the people of Saigon promptly renamed a significant location. Instead of the official designation “Dien Hong Square,” they began referring to it as “Quach Thi Trang Square” in honor of the fallen heroine.(4).
In early August 1964, the Student Association, led by student Vu Quang Hung, initiated a fundraising effort to create a statue commemorating Quach Thi Trang (5). On August 25, during a protest against General Nguyen Khanh, the statue was erected near the very spot where she had tragically lost her life. Positioned alongside the statue of renowned General Tran Nguyen Han (e), it stood proudly in front of the main gate of Ben Thanh Market in Saigon.
In the same year, the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam established a large orphanage behind the Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda, caring for over 7,000 orphans (6). In 1965, with the consent of General Nguyen Cao Ky’s government, Venerable Thich Man Giac affixed a bronze plaque to the statue’s pedestal, bearing the inscription “Heroine Quach Thi Trang.” Her grave, exhumed by family members and fellow Buddhists in 1966, now rests at Pho Quang Pagoda.
After 1975, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam officially recognized Quach Thi Trang as a heroine, and the site of her sacrifice was formally designated as Quach Thi Trang Square. Unfortunately, due to the construction of the Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien metro line, the square was eventually demolished.

References
- Multiple authors, Hỏi đáp Sài Gòn - Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh tập 2. Trẻ Publishers, 2006, Page 62.
-«Dựng tượng Quách Thị Trang trước mũi súng cảnh sát», Archived 2010-04-26 at Wayback Machine- Nguyệt san Pháp luật Report, Archived 2010-07-22 at Wayback Machine, 23th April, 2010

Notes
1. QUÁCH THỊ TRANG – NỮ SINH SÀI GÒN NĂM XƯA
2. Martial law, also known as curfew, means a strict prohibition by military order on travel and gathering during a certain time and area (Vietnamese Dictionary, New Era Group, Culture and Information Publishing House, 2008, p. 601).
3. Han Phuong Quoc Vu (September 9, 2007). “Quach Thi Trang - Bright Star”. Phattuvietnam.net. Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
4. During the French colonial period, the park was named Cuniac (name of a French mayor). After France left Vietnam in 1955, it was renamed Dien Hong Square.
5. Of which, General Tran Van Don contributed 10,000 VND, and General Thai Quang Hoang's wife contributed 5,000 VND. (Tran Tuyet Hoa, "Quach Thi Trang - a star in the 1963 persecution season". Buddhist Culture magazine)
6. “Singer Thanh Tuyen raises funds for charity” according to Nguoi Viet newspaper”. Archived from the original on January 27, 2005. Retrieved May 23, 2010.

25/07/2017

(a)- In fact, Ms. Quach Thi Trang is the fourth child in a family of seven children—five boys and two girls.
(b)- She was attending Truong Son High School in 1963.
(c)- The Ngo Dinh Diem government secretly buried Ms. Quach Thi Trang at Hanh Thong Tay Military Cemetery, Go Vap, Gia Dinh, to conceal her death.
(d)- Ms. Quach Thi Trang’s death was only confirmed after the success of November 1963 Revolution, nearly three months after her death. In mid-November 1963, students and residents of Saigon organized a large funeral to celebrate her heroic and brave actions
(e)- The bust of Quach Thi Trang was erected had been erected on August 25, 1964, several years before the statue of General Tran Nguyen Han was built.

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