Some great features on formative history

Hau Giang province formerly (1976 - 1991) included 3 administrative units which are now Can Tho city, Soc Trang and Hau Giang provinces. In the end of 1991, Hau Giang province was divided into two provinces: Can Tho and Soc Trang. On the 01st January 2004, Can Tho province was divided into Can Tho city directly under the central government and Hau Giang province as now.

After the age of Mac Cuu and until the age of Mac Thien Tu (the 18th century), there were the first steps along Cai Lon and Cai Be rivers – but a great part of the land in Hau Giang province (at present) wasn’t changed vigorously until the exploitive phases afterwards. Before 1897, there were only 2 cantons, less than 10 hamlets in the area of Giong Rieng, Go Quao, Long My districts (Rach Gia province) – In 1939, there were up 3 cantons and 12 villages in Long My district only:

An Ninh canton consisted of villages: Hoa An, Hoa Luu, Long Binh, Vi Thuy, Vinh Thuan Dong and Vinh Tuong. Thanh Tuyen canton included villages: Luong Tam, Thuan Hung, Vinh Tuy, Vinh Vien and Xa Phien. In Thanh Giang canton, there were villages: An Loi, Long Phu, Phuong Binh, Phuong Phu, Tan Long and Long Tri. The land belonging to Vi Thuy district is now Vi Dong commune, Vi Thanh (formerly belonging to Giong Rieng district).

Before the channeling, the scope of Phung Hiep district only consisted of several villages, and until 1939, there were up 2 cantons and 14 villages. In Dinh Hoa canton, there were villages: Hoa My, My Phuoc, Tan Binh, Tan Hung, Tan Lap, Thanh Hung, Thanh Xuan, Truong Hung. Dinh Phuoc canton included villages: Dong Son, Nhu Lang, Phung Hiep, Long My, Thuong Phuoc, Truong Thanh Son.

So, the former land mainly consisted of Long My district (Rach Gia province) Phung Hiep district (Can Tho province), and the administrative boundary was still kept during the anti-French resistance period. After Geneva Convention 1954, when France withdrew its troops and the United States of America intervened in the South Viet Nam and established Ngo Dinh Diem regime, there were many changes in the land of Long My - Phung Hiep:

Around 1960, Long My district was separated, and a new district named Duc Long was established. The two districts were all directly under Phong Dinh province, including communes such as Vi Thanh, Vi Thuy, Vinh Tuong, Hoa Luu, Vi Duc, Hoa An (afterwards Ngoc Hoa commune from Giong Rieng district added). Duc Long district was stationed in Hoa Luu commune, and then it was transferred to Vi Thuy commune (Nang Mau bridge pier) in 1963, in the establishment process of Duc Long district - Ngo Dinh Diem government built 2 populous areas: Vi Thanh - Hoa Luu that were inaugurated on the 01st March 1961.

With the intention of preventing the revolutionary forces from U Minh gateway and tightening people control as well as protecting Can Tho and the 4 strategy area – The President of the puppet regime, Ngo Dinh Diem, signed the decree of establishing Chuong Thien province on the 21st December 1961. Then, the inauguration of Chuong Thien province was holden solemnly on the 3rd January 1962. Chuong Thien province consisted of 5 districts: Long My, Duc Long, Kien Hung (Go Quao district, Kien Giang at present), Kien Thien district (Hong Dan district, Bac Lieu at present), Kien Long district (Vinh Thuan district, Kien Giang at present).

In the age of anti-American resistance war, to our party Chuong Thien province was still directly under Can Tho and Rach Gia provinces. Long My district, Vi Thanh township was under Can Tho, and Go Quao, Giong Rieng, Vinh Thuan were under Kien Giang.

After the liberation day, the administrative boundary in the land of Long My - Vi Thanh was adjusted: Initially Vi Thanh township was directly under Hau Giang province formerly (1975-1977). Until the 01st January 1978, Vi Thanh township was joined with Long My district, and the inner area and the sub-area of the township became Vi Thanh town. Since the 15th February 1982, Long My district has been divided into 2 districts: Vi Thanh, Long My. On the 01st July 1999, the Government signed the Decree No. 45/CP for the establishment of Vi Thanh township and renamed Vi Thanh district into Vi Thuy district, and all were under Can Tho province. On the 01st January 2004, Can Tho province was divided into Can Tho city directly under the central government and Hau Giang province as now.

If the start from the age of Mac Thien Tu, the land strip in the west of Hau river has been exploited for 300 years approximately. If the start from the great exploitive phases in the late decades of the 19th century, the great part of the land in Hau Giang has been formed and developed for more than 100 years.

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