The wedding had all the traditional elements - betel nuts, ceremonial gifts, and the presence of two families. But it lacked the bride and groom. Instead, their portraits stood in place, honoring the love and sacrifice of two fallen war heroes.

Love and sacrifice on the border

Po Hen, once a fierce battlefield in the 1979 Northern border war, witnessed the tragic but beautiful love story of two martyrs: Hoang Thi Hong Chiem, a young trade worker, and Senior Sergeant Bui Anh Luong, a border guard.

According to Hoang Ngoc Khuong, Chiem’s younger brother, she was born in 1954 in Binh Ngoc commune, Mong Cai district (now Mong Cai city). She was a bright, kind, and resourceful young woman who was beloved by her community. She adored her younger brother, always bringing home little gifts for him whenever she could.

Khuong recalled that his sister was passionate about reading. In an era when books were scarce, she borrowed whatever she could and even copied entire books by hand to keep as cherished possessions.

“My sister read anything with words - especially poems in newspapers and magazines. She also kept a diary, and her handwriting was beautiful,” he shared.

Determined to serve her country, Chiem falsified her age to enlist in the army, joining Regiment 8, Military Region 3. In 1975, she transitioned into civilian service, working for the Mong Cai district cooperative and later becoming a trade officer at the Po Hen Commercial Complex near Border Post 209 (now Po Hen Border Guard Station). She regularly traversed 30 kilometers of rugged forest terrain to deliver supplies to the highland border post.

It was there that she met Bui Anh Luong, a border guard officer from Yen Hai commune, Yen Hung district (now Quang Yen town).

They fell in love through cultural activities, volleyball matches, and shared moments at the frontier. Their love was simple and pure, growing stronger despite the ever-present danger. Every meeting could have been their last.

On the morning of February 17, 1979, war erupted along the northern border. Chiem and Luong fought to defend their homeland and fell together, with Chiem at age 25 and Luong at 26.

A vow fulfilled, decades later

According to Hoang Nhu Ly, a comrade of both martyrs, their love story did not end with their deaths—it endured in the hearts of those who knew them.

Ly recounted that on February 5, 1979, Chiem and Luong had asked him to accompany them to meet the border post commander, Vu Ngoc Mai, to request leave for their wedding. However, as tensions escalated along the border, they postponed their plans and remained at their posts.

“On the morning of February 17, 1979, Po Hen Border Post came under heavy artillery fire from Chinese forces. As the battle raged, both Chiem and Luong made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving their love story unfinished,” Ly said with emotion.

For years, Ly carried the pain of their incomplete wedding. In 2017, he proposed the idea of organizing a posthumous wedding to honor their love and sacrifice. After contacting both families, they finally reunited after decades apart.

On August 6, 2017, a remarkable wedding took place in Quang Ninh, with a symbolic bridal procession from Ha Long to Mong Cai.

The ceremony had everything - betel nuts, ceremonial gifts, and the gathering of both families - but instead of a bride and groom, two framed portraits of the martyrs were placed at the center.

In a deeply symbolic gesture, Luong’s family brought his portrait to Chiem’s home and placed it beside hers on the ancestral altar. They also carried Chiem’s portrait to Ha Long, where Luong’s family now considers her part of their household.

From that day forward, the two families saw each other as one. Hoang Ngoc Khuong took responsibility for honoring his sister and her husband in Mong Cai, while Bui Van Huy, Luong’s older brother, continued their remembrance in Ha Long.

During holidays and anniversaries, the two families reunite to pay tribute to the couple, ensuring that their love and sacrifice are never forgotten.

In Mong Cai, a school now bears the name of martyr Hoang Thi Hong Chiem. A statue of her stands in the schoolyard, serving as a powerful reminder of her heroism and the love that war could not erase.

Pham Cong