Thanh Am Temple
Introduction
Type and Ranking: Historical and Architectural-Artistic Relic. It was recognized and ranked by the Minister of Culture and Information under Decision No. 65 QD/BT dated January 16, 1995 as a National-level Relic.
2. Worshipped Figure and Historical Value
Worshipped Figure: The Thanh Am temple and communal house complex worships the Tutelary Deity and Patron Deity, Lord Minh Phuc Dai Vuong (real name Chu Minh Phuc).
Divine Chronicle and Merits: He was born and raised in Chau Ai (Thanh Hoa) and was an intelligent man accomplished in both civil and martial arts. In the 10th century, when the country fell into the chaos of the Twelve Warlords, he joined the army under the command of the hero Dinh Bo Linh at Hoa Lu and was appointed Vanguard General.
While recruiting talented people through Hoa Am Village, he coordinated with Duong Cong's (Hoang Do's) army to recruit 15,000 soldiers. Minh Phuc's and Hoang Do's insurgent army achieved resounding victories, defeating Kieu Cong Mau's warlord forces in Phong Chau, then marched down to Do Dong Giang to support Dinh Bo Linh in eliminating Do Canh Thac's warlord forces and unifying the country. He was granted the title Minh Ung Thuan Phuc Dai Vuong Thuong Dang Than by Dinh Tien Hoang. After the Dinh Dynasty fell, he withdrew to Hoa Am Village, farmed with the people, performed benevolent deeds, and passed into deity at the old military post on the 10th day of the 12th lunar month.
Resistance Mark: During the resistance war against the French, the relic was a solid strategic area, a place that protected and hosted secret meetings of leaders of the Party Central Committee and the State such as Truong Chinh, Hoang Quoc Viet, Do Muoi, and Van Tien Dung...
3. Architectural and Artistic Characteristics
Thanh Am Temple: It is located on a high, isolated turtle-shaped mound at the end of the village. Passing through the pillar-style Nghi Mon with Sino-Nom couplets and a faux three-entrance roof with tiles leads into the main grounds. The temple architecture follows the Nhi layout, including the Upper Temple and Lower Temple:
Lower Temple: It consists of 5 solid bays with closed gable ends, a lim wood frame bearing loads on rows of large columns placed on ancient lotus-shaped stone bases. The roof truss system uses the traditional structure of upper stacked beams and lower braces, combined with late Nguyen Dynasty brick enclosing walls; the upper beam bears a mark of restoration in the 12th Bao Dai year (1944).
Upper Temple: Located parallel behind the Lower Temple, it has 3 small bays with closed gable ends, rustic stacked-beam and hidden-post roof trusses, and inside is an intricately carved altar cabinet for the Tutelary Deity featuring the Four Sacred Creatures and Four Seasons motifs.
Thanh Am Communal House: Located at the beginning of the village beside the road, it was relocated and restored in 1926. The communal house consists of 5 bays made with a lim wood frame and 4 rows of round columns (the main columns are up to 40 cm in diameter), with octagonal carved stone bases. The communal house retains some ancient architectural components from the Le Trung Hung period (dragon-carved beam ends and straight flame-shaped spear tips) interwoven harmoniously with the Nguyen-period roof truss system of upper gio chien, lower chong ruong, and eave braces.
4. System of Relics and Antiquities The complex preserves intact many ritual objects and rich regional antiquities:
Ancient Documents: 01 book of divine genealogies titled Ngoc Pha Dai Vuong Tu Dien compiled by Nguyen Binh in 1557 (Le Dynasty) and 06 royal edicts on do paper, the oldest being an edict from the 40th Canh Hung year (1779).
Wooden Objects and Ritual Objects: An ancient altar cabinet, a long throne and spirit tablet of the Tutelary Deity with dragon heads carved in the 17th century, 01 wooden sedan chair with handrails lacquered and gilded in the Nguyen period, a wooden incense table, horizontal plaques, ritual stands, a washing shrine, a pair of ceremonial boots, door curtains, and a set of eight precious weapons and 12 snake-spear weapons.
Metal and Ceramic Objects: 01 bronze musical stone, 01 bronze bell, a set of bronze incense burners, 04 pairs of ceramic deer vases, ceramic incense bowls and wine jars. In particular, around the temple's archaeological area, many shards of gray pottery with geometric and diagonal patterns characteristic of the late Dong Son culture.
5. Traditional Festival Activities
The traditional festival of Thanh Am village is held regularly every year on the 10th day of the 12th lunar month (lunar calendar), coinciding with the death anniversary of His Tutelary Deity Minh Phuc Dai Vuong.
Before the main festival day, the ceremonial committee and the chief temple keeper perform the Moc duc ceremony, bathing and cleansing the dragon throne and sacrificial objects with pure rainwater mixed with five-spice fragrance, and strictly cover them with red silk. The offering to the saint is a tray of vegetarian glutinous rice prepared by the village's giap units, accompanied by a written prayer praising the merits of the tutelary deity who supported Dinh in driving out the Song, to educate later generations in patriotism.
