Nguyen Trai Temple, Nhi Khe Village, Thuong Tin Commune

Nguyen Trai (1380 - 1442), a national hero and an outstanding cultural figure, is a world cultural celebrity and was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1980. Nguyen Trai Temple was built in Nhi Khe Village, Nhi Khe Commune, Thuong Tin District.

After a short distance through the Quoc Gate, you reach the Nguyen Trai Temple area, which includes the Nguyen Trai Monument, the temple, the exhibition house “Nguyen Trai’s Life and Career,” and the Nhi Khe Library.

Since then, the temple has welcomed millions of visitors to visit and admire, and everyone has affection for a work with good content that portrays Nguyen Trai - a man of both literary and martial talent. Passing the monument area leads to the temple. In front of the temple is a semicircular lake. The temple has a system of pillars, enclosure walls, cannon gates... elaborately embossed and painted in the style of a village communal house. Through a small brick yard is the Dai Bai (Main Hall); Nguyen Trai Temple is built of tu thiet wood, with closed gables, and covered with old ri tiles. The temple bears the architectural style of the Nguyen dynasty - the result of renovations in the 19th century. The architectural art tends toward solidity, smooth planing, and tight joinery. A highlight in the Dai Bai hall is that the great characters, horizontal plaques, and couplets are all lacquered and gilded or silver-gilded with gold plating, expressing respect and gratitude to the meritorious official and great poet Nguyen Trai. These are the horizontal plaques: Khai quoc nguyen huan, Binh Ngo khai quoc, Binh di can dan, or the couplet:

Transliteration:

An elegant general and minister recorded in the previous dynasty; his generous and tolerant character and name are renowned in the North.

For later generations, the Binh Ngo Dai Cao (Great Proclamation upon the Pacification of the Wu); his literary career resounds in the Southern sky.

On Nguyen Trai’s altar in the Rear Hall are a portrait of Nguyen Trai and boxes of royal edicts from the Le and Nguyen dynasties. In particular, there is a plaque solemnly bearing King Le Thanh Tong’s words from the fifth year of Quang Thuan (1464): “Uc Trai tam thuong quang khue tao” (Nguyen Trai’s heart is as bright and beautiful as the Khue star). This is the king’s vindication of Nguyen Trai.

When visiting Nguyen Trai Temple, visitors will be introduced to “Trai Oi” and “Ao Hue,” which tell of Nguyen Trai’s father, Nguyen Phi Khanh, who opened a school. Nguyen Trai’s great career is deeply imprinted on the land of Nhi Khe.

Nguyen Trai Temple has been repaired many times. On the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi, Hanoi City and Thuong Tin District invested funds to restore and embellish the entire Nguyen Trai memorial area.

Nguyen Trai Temple was ranked as a historical relic commemorating a celebrity by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1964.