Venerable Thich Thanh Long: A silent warrior on the revolutionary press front

As we approach the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925 - June 21, 2025), let's reflect on this heroic journey of revolutionary journalism and pay tribute to silent warriors like Venerable Thich Thanh Long, who dedicated his life to the collective achievements of revolutionary journalism and the cause of national liberation.

The Tho Vuc Pagoda – a resistance printing house

When mentioning Tho Vuc Pagoda, every local in Xuan Truong knows that this is a place to spread Buddhism and a printing facility. During the years of resistance against French colonialism, this place has published many important documents and texts to propagate the revolutionary message.

Right after the August Revolution in 1945, under the guidance of the Party organisation and the revolutionary government of Nam Dinh province, Tho Vuc Pagoda was chosen as the editorial office for the Tien Len Printing House. This was one of the critical document printing facilities serving the armed forces across six provinces in the Red River Delta during the anti-French resistance.

The printing house operated under the direct management of Venerable Thich Thanh Long (real name Do Huu Song). Venerable Thich Thanh Long, the abbot of Tho Vuc Pagoda, is the nephew and disciple of Patriarch Thich Than Ngon-Tam Tin, who served as abbot for many principal pagodas in Nam Dinh and Thai Binh, and under the leadership of comrade Nguyen Thanh De (Venerable Thich Thuan Duc, who later became Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha).

The document storage box at Tien Len printing house.

From Zen gate to the revolutionary press frontline

Born around 1920 in Xuan Bac village, Xuan Truong district, Venerable Thich Thanh Long had a mind to become a monk since childhood, studying at Tho Vuc pagoda. Under the guidance of Patriarch Thich Than Ngon, he was imbued with the spirit of compassion and salvation of Buddhism, and at the same time recognised the truth that "liberating the nation is the greatest path to liberation"...

In the cover of a monk, he took on the role of captain of the military newspaper team and at the same time was the editor and director of Tien Len printing house that served propaganda leaflets and political documents for the resistance movement in Nam Dinh.

Under the monk's robe, the abbot was a pioneer revolutionary journalist. With a small printing table, newspapers and leaflets made of lead were produced, supporting cadres and soldiers and encouraging the spirit of the masses in the Red River Delta.

The Tho Vuc Pogoda

The security forces' role and silent protection

During those difficult years, security forces and grassroots cadres always closely followed and supported Tho Vuc pagoda, contributing to protecting the safety of Tien Len printing house amidst the enemy siege. Under the close direction of the provincial Party Committee, with the harmonious coordination between security officers, military intelligence and patriotic Buddhist monks and nuns, Tho Vuc Pagoda truly became a “fortress” of patriotism amid the temporarily occupied enemy zone. Thanks to the monks' high vigilance and spirit of sacrifice, the printing facility escaped detection by secret agents and henchmen many times. Tien Len’s printed pages not only spread the resistance line but also exposed the enemy’s plots, encouraging the people to maintain their faith in the inevitable victory of the resistance war.

Venerable Dr. Thich Thanh Doan, abbot of Tho Vuc pagoda, Xuan Phong, Xuan Truong, Nam Dinh - Tran Ngoc Thoan.

The fateful sweep and heroic sacrifice

In 1953, when the resistance movement in the Northern Delta was at its height, the enemy intensified their sweeps and suppressions. The spy “Nha” – a lackey of the French colonialists – secretly reported on the activities of Venerable Thich Thanh Long and the Tien Len printing house.

On October 6, 1953, the Venerable was discovered and arrested while transporting documents from the pagoda to his home, preparing to send them to the liberated zone. After a night of brutal torture at the Phu Nhai outpost, on the morning of October 7, 1953, the French colonialists executed the Venerable along with another guerrilla cadre right in the schoolyard of Xuan Bac village.

That journalist sacrificed his life while still carrying documents that had not yet been sent to the war zone. His passing was not only a significant loss to the resistance movement but also a loss to patriotic Buddhists and the Vietnamese revolutionary press.

The Tho Vuc Pogoda.

Spiritual heritage remains forever

Nearly 70 years have passed, but the memories of Venerable Thich Thanh Long, Tho Vuc Pagoda and Tien Len Printing House still live on in the minds of Xuan Bac people and generations of revolutionary journalists.

Today, in the strong flow of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism, when the country is peaceful and developing, we appreciate our predecessors' silent sacrifices even more. In particular, the combination of Buddhist values ​​with revolutionary ideals, between the spirit of protecting the country and the people of monks and nuns with the mission of journalism, is a valuable lesson for journalists today.

Learning from our predecessors' moral and patriotic examples

On the occasion of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day, when paying tribute to generations of veteran journalists, we must not forget the monks and patriotic Buddhists who have silently contributed to the journalism, information, and propaganda cause of the Party and the revolution.

The image of Venerable Thich Thanh Long – a monk-robed journalist, will forever be a guiding torch for generations of reporters, editors, press officers and people's police today. Following his example, every journalist needs to uphold professional ethics and maintain political courage so that the press will always be the Party's sharp weapon on the ideological and cultural front, continuing to make worthy contributions to the cause of defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

(*) Venerable Dr. Thich Thanh Doan, abbot of Tho Vuc pagoda, Xuan Phong, Xuan Truong, Nam Dinh - Tran Ngoc Thoan.

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