The defile consists of a valley surrounded by high mountains and through which runs the Thuong River.
The Chi Lang Defile is in the Chi Lang District of Lang Son Province,
110 km from the Sino – Vietnamese border. The border consists of a
valley surrounded by high mountains with the Thuong River running
through. The mountains were opened in two locations to form two gates.
The northern gate was named Quy Nhon Quan, meaning “monster gateâ€,
after the Chinese invaders who entered Vietnam here. The southern gate
was called Ngo The, meaning, “swearing gateâ€. Vietnamese ancestors who
swore to sacrifice their lives to protect their mother built them.
In the past, in this area that King Le Hoan defeated the Chinese Sung
troops in 981 and killed all the enemies. In 1076, Prince Consort Than
Canh Phuc set a front line against 300,000 Sung enemies. Led by Quach
Quy in 1285, Nguyen Dia Lo killed traitor Tran Kien in the second
National Resistance against Yuan-Mongol invaders. In 1427, Lam Son
righteous army killed invader leader Lieu Thang, caught Hoang Phuc,
killed 10,000 Ming enemies and overthrew all their maneuvers.
Now Chi Lang Defile is considered a historical vestige with imposing landscape where visitors stop to enjoy the natural scenery.
