When mentioning Ninh Thuan, many tourists will recall famous locations such as Ninh Chu beach, Ca Na beach, Vinh Hy Bay, Bau Truc pottery village, and the Cham tower monuments… But few people know that this place is also a land of many historical revolutionary sites. Among those sites, one must mention the Pi Nang Tac Stone Trap revolutionary historical site. The Pi Nang Tac Stone Trap, also known as the "Bac Ai Stone Trap," is located on the slopes of Gia Tuc pass in Phuoc Binh commune, Bac Ai district, about 70km northwest of the center of Phan Rang - Thap Cham city.
Photo: Pi Nang Tac Stone Trap
In late 1959, at this location, Pi Nang Tac - a Hero of the People's Armed Forces, sought ways to prevent the enemy from entering deep into the Phuoc Binh area to wreak havoc. Taking advantage of the rugged terrain of Gia Tuc pass with its high slopes, a vertical cliff on one side, and the swift-flowing Truong River and deep abyss below, with only one path leading into Phuoc Binh, Mr. Pi Nang Tac set up 17 interconnected stone traps along a stretch of road about 500 meters long, while planting spikes, trap-springs, and poison-tipped bows below the path. This site recorded a successful ambush against the enemy using these stone traps at noon on August 10, 1961, by Raglai guerrillas led by Hero of the People's Armed Forces Pi Nang Tac. He commanded the militia and guerrillas to simultaneously trigger the traps, causing stones from the cliff to collapse onto the enemy formation. Panicked, the enemy fled only to be struck by arrows, step on spikes, and fall into traps set by the guerrillas, resulting in over 100 enemy soldiers killed on the spot.
The Pi Nang Tac Stone Trap demonstrates the immense value of our resistance history, reflecting the courage and creative intelligence of the Raglai ethnic people. The victory on August 10, 1961, is one of the quintessential battles showcasing the art of people's warfare using only rudimentary weapons. Over the decades, the old battlefield has undergone many changes, but the stone traps remain and have entered the local historical tradition. They live in the hearts of all Raglai people as a source of pride in the heroic past of their people – Pi Nang Tac.
To commemorate the feats of hero Pi Nang Tac, the Ninh Thuan Provincial Museum erected a victory monument at Gia Tuc pass, associated with the name of Hero of the People's Armed Forces Pi Nang Tac. On August 31, 1992, the Ministry of Culture, Information and Sports (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) ranked the Pi Nang Tac Stone Trap as a National Historical Revolutionary Site. Today, the Pi Nang Tac Stone Trap has become a destination for sightseeing and historical education for generations of students. Although more than 63 years have passed, the traces of these stone traps still vividly exist, serving as eloquent proof of the art of guerrilla warfare, the brilliant intelligence and creativity, and the will to fight and win of the military and people of Ninh Thuan.
Source: https://baotang.ninhthuan.gov.vn/ChiTiet.aspx?idgroup=3&idnews=9183
