Mỹ Hào


Mỹ Hào is a District-level [town (Vietnam)|district-level town] of Hưng Yên province in the Red River Delta of Vietnam.

History

Middle Ages

According to Đại Nam nhất thống địa dư chí, around the IX century, on the left bank of the Red River, there was an administrative unit called Đường-Hào huyện, which was under Annam Prefecture of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Its name implies emphasizing the central government's opening of the remaining lands.
Until 1885, Emperor Đồng Khánh immediately after the golden throne changed "Đường-Hào huyện" to Mỹ-Hào huyện. The reason for that decree was because the rural district's name has accidentally coincided with Emperor's alias "Chánh-Mông đường" in the pronunciation of Annamese people.
Also in 1885, in the whole Hưng Yên province, there was a very serious storm that caused the Red River dike to be broken. Flood waters have flooded all districts along the river, making the terrain almost unable to live. From a large population for many centuries, the Southern domain of Hưng Yên province became a swamp with insignificant population density. A low-ranking official named Nguyễn Thiện Thuật relied on this factor to urge his relatives as well as the Sơn Nam people to build a basis to oppose the protect government. This event was still known in history as the Bãi Sậy Uprising, which originated from the typical flora of the domain for many years after the flood.
On February 25, 1890, to deal with the uprising movement in the East of Hanoi, Governor-General Jean-Luc de Saint Peauxpa has signed a decision to merge all the Red Riverside rural districts of three provinces Bắc Ninh, Hưng Yên, Hải Dương to form a new administrative unit : Địch-Lâm đạo. Accordingly, this domain was organized according to the regulation like a special-military zone, which the head must be a French colonel. Since this time, Mỹ Hào rural district has been separated into two new districts Mỹ Hào and Yên Mỹ.
In 1891, right after the revolt movement was defeated, the Governor-General restored civil administrative regulations, but the two districts of Mỹ Hào and Yên Mỹ still exist.

XX century

After the First World War, the "huyện" regulation were abolished throughout the French Indochina to be replaced by the "quận". This locality has been called as Mỹ-Hào quận in Annamese language since then.
During the peak of the independent advocacy movement for Vietnamese people, while Hải Dương and Hải Phòng were considered as the bases of Vietnam Nationalist Party and Daiviet Nationalist Party, Hưng Yên was like the area of Việt Minh forces. Communists have continued to take advantage of the low humid terrain of Mỹ Hào district to operate secretly.
Until 1946, the Vietnam National Assembly issued a decision to restore the "huyện" regulation. Therefore, this locality has been called huyện Mỹ-Hào in the administrative documents.
File:FR ANOM 31Fi70-491 Visite de Sa Majesté Bao Dai à Ban Yen Nhan. Le chef de l'état vietnamien s'adressant à la population. A sa gauche on reconnaît le général Xuan, vice-président du gouvernement central du Vietnam.jpg|thumb|right|222px|His Majesty Bảo Đại solaced people in Bần Yên Nhân township on September 20, 1949.
When the Indochina War broke out, Bần Yên Nhân township and its surrounding areas were almost placed in a curfew situation because of motor vehicle ambushes by Việt Minh guerrilla groups. The accident became particularly serious in 1951, when guerrillas strengthened sabotage activities to respond to the North-West Campaigns. The CEFEO had to mobilize several airborne and tanks to deal with the hope of being able to keep the security for Hanoi.
On March 11, 1977, the Council of Ministers issued Decision 58/CP consolidated a number of rural districts of Hải Hưng province. Accordingly, the two rural districts of Mỹ Hào and Văn Lâm merged into Văn Mỹ rural district.
On March 24, 1979, the Council of Ministers continued to issue Decision 70/CP to adjust the boundaries of rural districts of Hải Hưng province. Accordingly, Văn Mỹ district merged with 14 communes in Văn Yên district to establish a new unit named Mỹ Văn rural district.
By September 1, 1999, Mỹ Hào rural district was re-established under Decree 60/NĐ-CP of the Central Government.

XXI century

On December 30, 2014, the Ministry of Construction issued Decision 1588/QĐ-BXD recognizing Bần Yên Nhân expanded township as a grade IV urban area.
On April 11, 2017, the whole Mỹ Hào rural district was recognized as a grade IV urban area. While waiting for the announcement of the official planning map, this locality was temporarily called as Mỹ Hào township in administrative documents.
On March 13, 2019, the Standing Committee of the Vietnam National Assembly issued Resolution 656/NQ-UBTVQH14, which took effect from May 1, 2019. According to this decision, Mỹ Hào town has been officially established, based on the entire natural area and population of the old rural district.

Geography

Administration

Mỹ Hào town includes 13 administrative units :
According to the 2020 statistical yearbook of the whole province, Mỹ Hào town covers an area of 79.37 km2. However, due to landslides, which was caused by illegal sand mining activities in the Red Riverside, this number has tended to decline slowly since the beginning of 2010s.
The terrain of the town is generally relatively flat, where has a shape similar to a triangle. Currently, national routes 5, 38 and 39 go through this locality.

Population

The population of the town is fully registered as Kinh people.
According to the 2024 yearbook of the Thái Bình Cathedral Diocese, the Superiors decided to divide the Hưng Yên Deanery into two new deaneries Đông Hưng Yên and Tây Hưng Yên from 2014, taking the National Route 39B as the boundary. Accordingly, the territory of Mỹ Hào town is part of the Đông Hưng Yên Deanery. It is often considered one of the traditional addresses of famous religious orders. Currently, the patron saint of the deanery is Saint Peter the Apostle.

Culture

Throughout history, Bần Yên Nhân was the only urban of Mỹ Hào district, even there were times when it has a very important position in the identity of Hưng Yên province.
This township was originally formed on the area of the two markets Phố Bần and Phố Nối, then gradually expanded to the whole district. Up to present, the name of Bần Yên Nhân corresponds to a ward of Mỹ Hào town.
Besides, in the area of Mỹ Hào town there are two famous families who contribute to the country a lot of merits. They are Nguyễn Thiện and Nguyễn Lân.

Economy

Mỹ Hào town is basically a intensive rice cultivation area due to sunken terrain conditions. However, it is especially known in Vietnam for traditional crafts for centuries.
Phố Bần has a tradition of processing bean sauce since the 19th century. The spice has been registered as Mỹ Hào district's exclusive trademark since the 1990s.