Bui Huu Nghia was a Confucian scholar, an honest and upright mandarin, a strong-willed patriotic scholar as well as a famous poet in Vietnamese literature in the second half of the nineteenth century. Bui Huu Nghia ( also known as The Best Candidate Nghia), called himself as Nghi Chi. He was born in Binh Thuy Village, Vinh Dinh District, Dinh Vien Residence, Vinh Thanh Region (now An Thoi Ward, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City ) in 1807 ( Dinh Mao lunar year). Born into a poor fisherman’s family, Bui Huu Nghia proved himself smart and studious since childhood. In 1835(At Mui lunar year), Bui Huu Nghia was the first in the provincial level exam (known as Huong Exam) at Gia Dinh School. He was then appointed to these positions: District Chief  of Phuoc Chanh District (Phuoc Long Residence, Bien Hoa Province ), Governor of Tra Vang Residence (Tra Vinh)  Long Ho Province, Court Counselor and then Sergeant-major of Vinh Thong Border Post ( Chau Doc).

In 1858, French colonists invaded our country. Feeling miserable for the dependence of the country and people’s separation, he resigned and headed home to work as a teacher, a poet, a traditional physician. He called himself “Lieu tam chu nhan”. He passed away on January 21st, 1872 at the age of 65. To show our admiration to his contribution to the locals, Cantho people celebrate his dead anniversary every year on January 21st.