I know of a rather sad story that happened in my village five years ago involving a family that owned a plot of land measuring nearly 1,000 square meters.
More than ten years ago, land in my village had little value and that plot was only priced at a few dozen million dong. However, over the past five to seven years, land prices have skyrocketed due to the construction of an industrial zone right next to the village.
People started offering up to VND20 million dong per square meter for that family’s plot, which is now worth several dozens of billions of dong.
The family had two sons. Their father had passed away early while their mother never married and raised them on her own. When land prices rose, the mother decided to divide the plot between her two sons. The older son received over 500 square meters and the remainder went to the younger one.
The mother’s intention aligned with local tradition, which stipulates that the eldest son is always responsible for ancestral ceremonies while the other children bear a lighter burden.
Seeing that he received a smaller portion of land, the younger son was resentful and started arguments and conflicts with both his mother and older brother. As tensions escalated, the younger son verbally abused his mother, causing the older brother to lose his temper and attack his sibling.
The younger brother, in a rage, grabbed a knife and chased after his brother, causing injuries so severe that he had to be hospitalized. The younger brother was eventually arrested and spent a short time in prison while the older brother lives with lasting complications. But perhaps the greatest loss was the broken bond between family.
There is another story, also about a land dispute, that happened within my own extended family. About seven years ago, the older uncle greedily tried to take all the land owned by their parents, refusing to give any to his younger brother. The younger uncle later filed a lawsuit to claim his share. After the court ruled that the land must be divided equally, the two brothers cut off all contact with each other.
There are many such cases across rural areas — disputes over land and inherited money that lead to heartbreaking family breakdowns. It is truly sad how moral values are eroded by greed and the lure of money.
In my opinion, to minimize conflicts over land and valuable property and to avoid tragic consequences later on, parents should prepare clear, legally recognized wills while they are still alive, and divide their inheritance fairly among their children.
*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.
