Statue of patriot moved to bank of Huong River

Head and shoulders: The 4.5m statue of Phan Boi Chau now stands in a park by the Huong River in Hue. — VNA/VNS Photo Thai Loc

THUA THIEN – HUE — The central province of Thua Thien – Hue has relocated a 10-tonne statue of patriotic scholar Phan Boi Chau (1867 – 1940) in a park by the Huong River in Hue.

The 4.5m-tall bronze statue was moved on Sunday from the scholar's home at 119 Phan Boi Chau Street in the ancient city of Hue's Ben Ngu Ward to a riverside park at 19 Le Loi Street, close to the Truong Tien Bridge.

The statue was placed on a 2.4m pedestal.

The rear part of the pedestal will carry Phan Boi Chau's famous words: "Using our hot blood to wash the stains of slavery".

The installation of the statue will be completed by April 7, the provincial administration has said.

The statue, designed and made by the late sculptor Le Thanh Nhon, was cast in 1974 and was first placed in Hue's Phuong Duc (Casting Ward), before being moved to the scholar's home in Ben Ngu in 1987.

Phan Boi Chau waged several patriotic movements against the French in the 20th century, especially Dong Du (Eastern Study), which encouraged young Vietnamese to go east to Japan to study.

He was arrested by the French in China in 1925 and extradited to Viet Nam, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

However, under pressure from his compatriots, the French authorities released him and placed him under house arrest in Hue until his death. — VNS