Nguyen Trung Khuyen Temple

Relic of the Temple and Tomb of Doctor Nguyen Trung Khuyen

The relic of the Temple and Tomb of Doctor Nguyen Trung Khuyen is located in Han hamlet, Son Dong commune, Hanoi.

The Temple of Doctor Nguyen Trung Khuyen is a place of worship and memorial for the famous scholar-graduate of the local Nguyen clan. He was born in 1852, with the courtesy name Dong Dam, into a family with a tradition of studiousness. With determination and a spirit of overcoming difficulties, he passed the Cu nhan examination in 1884 and passed the third-rank doctoral laureate examination in the Ky Suu examination in 1889. During his career as an official, he held many important positions such as District Magistrate of Quang Oai, Education Official of Hung Hoa, and Surveillance Commissioner of Thai Binh, Ha Nam, and Son Tay, and was respected by the people for his talent, integrity, and dedication to the people.

The relic was built in 1898 under the reign of King Thanh Thai and was ranked as a historical-cultural relic in the form of a memorial to a notable person in 2011. The complex has a layout in the shape of the character “Nhi”, with “inner temple, outer guest” architecture, including an outer gate with a curved knife-shaped roof bearing the inscription “Tien si quan mon”, a five-bay Dai bai hall with a sturdy overlapping truss structure, and a solemn two-tiered rear sanctuary with ancient tile roofs.

Today, the relic still preserves many precious artifacts such as palanquins and hammocks, royal-bestowed plaques, appointment edicts, couplets, and many academic documents compiled by him. It is not only a place for the descendants’ religious activities and memorial ceremonies but also has historical, architectural, and educational value in passing on the tradition of studiousness to future generations.

The relic was ranked as a historical, architectural, and artistic relic by the Hanoi City People’s Committee in 2011.