Hung Hien Shrine, Hien Giang Village, Thuong Tin Commune, Hanoi City

Through surveys and research at the relic and the history of this land: The complex of the Hung Hien communal house and shrine dates from quite early and may be linked to the establishment of the village. Through the ups and downs of natural and social history, the relic no longer preserves accurate sources recording the year its structures were founded. The surviving physical traces bear strong marks of Nguyen dynasty architecture. The relative dating of the relic's construction is based on sources and artifacts such as stone steles, deity records, and imperial edicts still kept at the relic:

Among them, the earliest edict is from the Canh Hung era and the latest is from the Tu Duc era. Thus, it can be inferred that the relic was built during the Le dynasty. Surviving to the present day, according to recollections of local elders, the relic has undergone several restorations and minor repairs: in 1998 the tiles were relaid, and in 2000 the yard was repaired.

Hung Hien is an ancient village in the west of Thuong Tin District. In this area there are many ancient relics important to the cultural and religious life of local people. Based on written records and local accounts, the communal house and shrine of Hung Hien worship the village tutelary deities. These tutelary deities are classified into multiple layers over time. The main official tutelary deities worshiped at this relic are Great King Cao Son and Great King Dong Hai, together with four other deities worshipped jointly: Thien Vuong, Quy Minh, Princess Xuan Dung, and Lady Phuong Dung. The backgrounds and careers of these tutelary deities can be summarized as follows:

1. Cao Son Quoc Chua Great King: According to the book Vietnamese Deity Records, Cao Son Great King is now worshipped in many places throughout the country. There are many variant accounts of the deity's origin. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ta Nhi of the Institute of Han-Nom Studies, many localities worship Cao Son Great King as a figure recorded in the jade genealogy titled Three Great Kings, Supreme Deities of Tan Vien Son Thanh; some places worship Cao Son Great King as Tran Thu Do, but at Hung Hien communal house he is a real historical figure. Based on the legend of Cao Son copied by the household registry office in Kim Lien Ward on the 17th day of the 12th month of the 7th Canh Hung year (1746), and then recopied, the background and career of Cao Son Great King can be summarized as follows: On the 16th day of the 3rd month, in Bao Son land, Quang Nam district, Great Ming, a couple surnamed Cao gave birth to a son named Hien, courtesy name Cuu Truong. At birth he was handsome, intelligent, naturally wise, and of extraordinary spirit. When young he was well versed in the books of poetry and history, especially the Five Classics. At age 27 he took the provincial examination and passed. In the 6th Khanh Lich year of the Ming dynasty, he took the court examination and passed the doctoral degree twice. Because of his great talent, he was appointed Chancellor and sent to quell rebellion.

After returning in complete victory, the Ming emperor promoted him to Grand Chancellor with authority as Marshal. Because of such merits, at age 78 the emperor allowed him to retire. Cao Son Great King then traveled and came to Hung Hien land. Seeing it as a land of beautiful rivers and mountains and rich farming, he stopped there and taught the people to plow and cultivate, then continued traveling to scenic places.

Legend says he lived to 103. After his transformation, the king remembered his merits, conferred on him the title Cao Son Quoc Chua Great King, and gave him the posthumous name Trung Trinh; afterward he ordered places the deity had passed through to build temples for worship and to proclaim his merits forever.

To show the deity's efficacy in protecting the villagers, on the 5th day of the 2nd month of the 10th Hoang Dinh year (1610), the court issued an edict to make clear his sacred power. The edict says:

Bestow an edict upon the spiritually penetrating, empathetically responsive, manifest and efficacious, auspicious Cao Son Great King, for he is one endowed by Heaven with righteous energy, who sweeps away disasters and abundantly sends down

blessings; prayers are always answered, worship always responds, and blessings deeply descend to later generations. Now on an important occasion, we recommend him to make clear the court's regard for the deity's great merits to the country in preventing disasters and assisting the people; the deity deserves to be conferred as Cao Son Linh Quoc, Cam Dao Hien Huu Chieu Ung Sung Nhan Dich Nghia Dich Van Khang Dan Tong Phuc Great King. Now edict, incense and fire for ten thousand generations.

2. Dong Hai Great King: Research on the background and deeds of Dong Hai Great King Nguyen Phuc shows that at Hung Hien communal house there is no longer a deity record about him, so we must rely on the edicts kept at the communal house, sources collected at Phuong Que communal house, a nationally ranked relic, some relics that jointly worship him, and historical sources such as Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, the Complete Annals of Dai Viet, and records of Vietnamese scholars.

In the book collection of the former Ecole francaise d'Extreme-Orient, now kept at the Library of the Institute of Han-Nom Studies, the book Ha Dong Province, Thuong Tin District, La Phu Canton, Ngoc Nu Commune, Phac Dong Deity Edicts, code AD/a2/69, states that Dong Hai Great King Nguyen Phuc was from Doan Tung Commune, Truong Tan District, Hai Duong; he passed the Hoang Giap examination in the 11th Thai Hoa year under King Le Nhan Tong and once taught King Le Thanh Tong when the king was young. He held the position of Grand Scholar of the Han Lin Academy, was a veteran minister of the Le court, and concurrently served as Grand Tutor.

According to the Complete Annals of Dai Viet: In the 2nd month of the Quy Mui year 1463, a metropolitan examination was held for candidates throughout the country. At that time 4,400 candidates applied and 44 passed. On the 16th day, the palace examination for doctoral laureates was held, and Nguyen Loi, with the title of internal examiner and Minister of State, and Nguyen Phuc, with the title of adviser in the government office, were appointed as examiners. In the 4th month of the Dinh Hoi year 1467, Nguyen Phuc was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Thanh Hoa. The king decreed: Last year I sent envoys to the North, and they returned in good health; this year when summoned, they again offered good words and are worthy of praise. Now I send Supervisor Nguyen Loi with silver to reward them in order to show loyalty and my complete feeling, so accept it. By the 2nd month of 1470, he had reached the rank of Chief Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. At this time, in the 8th month of 1470, the Champa king Tra Toan brought troops to disturb the border and was arrogant, claiming himself capable, falsely saying he would deceive the Ming to request aid while coming to raid. Therefore Le Thanh Tong called up 260,000 elite troops and issued an edict to attack Champa. At that time Nguyen Phuc and Le Khoi were assigned the important task of military provisions with the title Transport Envoy General. When the fleet reached Tu Dung estuary, it encountered a great storm. He and Le Khoi turned the boats into port. The attending officials all reminded them that military orders were very strict. The two replied: We would rather risk our small bodies under the court's three-foot sword than let several thousand soldiers become food for fish. The relief boats reached the royal camp late. Le Thanh Tong ordered the Transport Envoy imprisoned to await punishment.

The book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi records: When Thanh Tong campaigned against Champa, Nguyen Phuc supervised the transport of military provisions; because of a storm, the fleet was late and had to submit to military law. Later the king learned that he had died unjustly and posthumously conferred on him the title of guardian spirit. Today people in coastal communes worship him under the name Tung Giang, and there is also a shrine in Phuong Bang Commune of the same district. Later, when Le Thanh Tong reviewed merits and rewards, he saw that Nguyen Phuc was an official who, for the survival of the supply fleet, had been late in providing relief. The king exonerated Nguyen Phuc and conferred on him the title of guardian spirit who protects the country and brings peace to the people.

3. The third deity: The greatly manifest, wonderfully responsive, bright great deity, upright helper of the restoration, Heavenly King, preceding emperor, noble spirit, honored deity.

4. The fourth deity: The manifestly responsive, exceptionally wise, spiritually efficacious, wonderfully responsive, auspicious, tranquil, upright helper of the restoration, Quy Minh, supreme deity.

5. The fifth deity: Second Palace Lady Princess Xuan Dung, honored deity.

6. The sixth deity: The pure, bright, serene lady, efficacious and pure, upright helper of the restoration, Phuong Dung, deity.

It can be said that the objects of worship at the Hung Hien communal house and shrine include both deities and nature gods, forming layers of worship deeply imbued with folk beliefs and veneration of heroes who rendered service to the people and the country.

Among these six tutelary deities are gods such as Cao Son Great King, who taught people farming and spread good customs; Dong Hai Great King was a scholar-official of the late Le dynasty who took part in pacifying Champa together with the king; after his death, the king praised his merits posthumously and worshipped him as a tutelary deity. Deities such as Tien Thien, Quy Minh, Xuan Dung, and Phuong Dung, we believe, were perhaps heavenly spirits who manifested to support the people's spiritual life, prosperity, and happiness.

During the resistance wars against the French and the Americans, this was one of the evacuation sites for air defense troops and offices of the Voice of Vietnam and some other organizations. Promoting the tradition of their ancestors in the Ho Chi Minh era, the Hung Hien communal house and shrine was a place for local people's activities and meetings. During the French resistance, under this communal house roof many sons of Hung Hien were seen off to fight. In 1946, at this communal house the people of Hung Hien dug tunnels for soldiers to stay. In the resistance against the Americans for national salvation, the children of the homeland continued the patriotic tradition of those who came before and contributed their efforts to bringing our nation's resistance to victory. Those great contributions of the people of Hung Hien were recognized by the Fatherland, and the State and Government awarded many certificates, medals, and other noble titles so that today's and future generations can learn from and promote that patriotic tradition.

The Hung Hien communal house and shrine complex is a festival of agricultural residents aimed at praying for national prosperity, peace for the people, and material abundance, and at encouraging trades to open and develop. The village festival is a community cultural, religious, and artistic activity that promotes national unity, reminds everyone of their roots, creates gratitude to ancestors, and is also an occasion for people to compete in skill and enjoy entertainment after hard and arduous days of labor. With that spirit, the traditional festival of Hung Hien village is held on the 10th day of the 11th lunar month every year.