Tomb of Do Kinh Tu

Tomb of Do Kinh Tu

The tomb of Do Kinh Tu is located in Hau Ai village, Son Dong commune, Hanoi, the birthplace of the notable Do Kinh Tu (1152 - 1216), who was granted the national surname by King Ly Cao Tong and became Ly Kinh Tu.

The notable Do Kinh Tu (1152 - 1216) was born in the former Nhan Ai village (now Hau Ai village, Hoai Duc, Hanoi) into a family with a Confucian scholarly tradition. From a young age, he was famous for his intelligence and remembered whatever he learned. At the age of 13, he topped the regional examination and also learned martial arts, soon training to become a master of both letters and martial arts.

At the age of 18, he passed the martial examination and led troops to victory in his very first battle. At the age of 33, he topped the examination of the three teachings and held the position of Grand Commandant and Regent, teaching the king; he later rose to the rank of Grand Guardian and the title of Great Prince.

As an honest and upright official, he helped three generations of kings rule the country in peace. Thanks to his great contributions, he was granted the national surname (the king's surname) by King Ly Cao Tong and renamed Ly Kinh Tu.

Toward his homeland, he always loved and helped the poor. He mobilized soldiers and people to successfully dig a drainage canal from Dong Tram field to the Nhue River in just one night. This project eliminated annual flooding, allowed two full crops to be cultivated, and remains in use to this day.

After his death, he was revered by the people as the tutelary god of Hau Ai village and was granted many noble edicts by successive dynasties. Today, the complex consisting of an imposing communal house that preserves many valuable antiquities and his spacious tomb area in his homeland was ranked by the State as a National Historical and Cultural Relic in 1989.