Temple of Pho Bang Vu Duy Vi
Introduction
The Temple of Pho Bang Vu Duy Vi is dedicated to Pho Bang Vu Duy Vi, a scholar-graduate of the Nguyen dynasty, and also serves as a memorial and ancestral worship site for the Vu family. He passed the Cu Nhan examination, later passed the Pho Bang examination, served as an official under King Tu Duc, and was known as an honest and upright man who made many contributions to education and culture. The relic also preserves many documents and artifacts related to his life and career, including the stone stele 'Ton Phong Tien Sinh Bi Ky' composed by Tam Nguyen Yen Do Nguyen Khuyen. The Pho Bang Temple was ranked as a provincial-level relic, at City level, under Decision No. 169/QD-UBND dated January 22, 2008.
The relic faces east and consists of two main components: the gate and the main temple.
The temple gate is built of brick, with an upper decorative section featuring surrounding borders and a lower passage through two door panels. The gate is mainly of utilitarian value and has been repaired in recent years.
The main temple is built in the shape of the character 'Nhat', with three bays, bearing the appearance of traditional folk architecture.
The roof truss system uses the 'ke qua giang' style, also called 'qua giang vuot tuong'. The round columns and truss ends transfer force to the crossbeam and rest on the two ends of the wall, creating a solid structure.
On the principal beam and upper ridge beam are pairs of Chinese-character couplets, reflecting the influence of Confucian architecture and the tradition of honoring those who passed examinations.
The worship bay houses the dragon throne, spirit tablet, and ceremonial hat of Pho Bang Vu Duy Vi; above is a horizontal plaque inscribed with the two characters 'Nghi Than', said to have been bestowed by King Tu Duc.
The relic also preserves many worship objects and valuable documents, such as a pair of wooden couplets, bronze incense burners, bronze candlesticks, offering trays, Nguyen-dynasty incense bowls, book chests, edict chests, command tablets, porcelain plates, and the stone stele 'Ton Phong Tien Sinh Bi Ky'.
