In the course of living and development, the people of ancient Kinh Xa and present-day Can Ha created and built cultural works serving the needs of spiritual and religious activities, typically Can Ha Communal House—a communal house with typical, unique, traditional architectural value of a Northern Delta village communal house, which was ranked as a city-level Historical-Cultural Relic in 2012. Can Ha Pagoda (Ngoc Bao Tu) is the village pagoda; the original pagoda was elaborately built in the Le dynasty, 16th century. Besides the communal house and pagoda, the people of Can Ha also built other religious and belief works. Before 1945, many spiritual cultural works still existed in the village such as: pagoda, Van Chi, shrines, Nghia Dan, and works serving daily life such as: bridges, guard posts, village gates, hamlet gates, etc.; in particular, there was also the tomb and merit stele recording Mrs. Hau—the person who helped deliver a tiger at Bon Tren mound.
The old village had 7 ancient wells; now only 4 remain (Cho well, Lom well, Thiec well, and Gang well). But only the Pagoda well has the best and sweetest water; the other 3 wells—Trai well, So well, and Khoat well—are no longer useful and have been abandoned.
Along with Can Ha Shrine, the village has 4 shrines for worship in the quarters. The shrines worship deities who guard and maintain the peace of the hamlet; they are places where people come to pray for peace, fortune, and prosperity.
Vuon Hoi Shrine: The old genealogy of the Nguyen Khac family written in the 34th year of Tu Duc records: The incense-fire worship has 1 sao of land for the phuong to use, the shrine at the branch worships. East borders garden and pond, West borders village road, South borders main road, North borders Van Giao house. Today this shrine still exists within the residential land of Mr. Nguyen Van Chinh, Team 1.
So Well Shrine: belonged to the middle quarter at the former front of Mr. Nguyen Huu Loc (Gioi)'s house; now no trace remains. The shrine's guardian spirits were Ngo Van Sac and Nguyen Thi Tin.
Phuong Shrine in front of the pumping station yard at the end of the village is Phu Dong Shrine, worshipping the deity who guards the rice fields. Today Mr. Bui Van Tri's family has established a shrine at their home.
The old Gao Shrine in Thiec hamlet still exists but has been encroached upon and has no landscape.
Can Ha Shrine worships the three tutelary deities of the village, respectively: Quy Trau, the local tutelary deity; First Trung A Great King; and Second Trung A Great King.
Based on the tutelary deity genealogy of Can Xa Ha Communal House, the royal edicts still kept at the communal house, and information from recollections of elderly villagers and the book 'History of Can Ha Village Communal House' compiled by the Can Ha village festival committee in 2015, the history of the three tutelary deities can be summarized as follows:
During the Trung Sisters' dynasty, there were two generals assisted by deities to help Lady Trung fight the enemy.
One Great King of Middle Rank Deity was recorded in the deity genealogy in one branch of the Can Xa family; the Minister of Personnel of the court recorded the original copy.
From ancient times, in the deep green mountains, the Hung Kings' ancestors began the destiny and built the cause for more than 20 years. King Hung Vuong established the country, with green mountains for ten thousand miles. Using the capital, building citadels and ramparts cost six blue regions. There was a virtuous and enlightened king, with clear and strict laws. Unifying the mountains and rivers, dividing the country into 15 provinces, he was the ancestral founder of the Hundred Viet, with a poem saying:
In the beginning, Nam Viet began with Kinh Duong
Unifying the mountains and rivers, eighteen kings
Our country has passed it down from ancient to later generations
Countless years of incense, countless years of fragrance
Translation of the poem's meaning:
Vietnam began in the era of Kinh Duong Vuong
The unified country passed through 18 generations of kings
It has been passed down in our country for thousands of years
Countless years later, incense smoke remains
Countless years still leave a good reputation
It is further said: Throughout the Hung Vuong period, Heaven's will was settled, and there were no wars. However, by the reign of the 18th Hung King, Thuc Phan, leader of the Au Viet tribes, defeated the last Hung King of the Van Lang state and merged the two tribes of Au Viet and Lac Viet into one common tribe. An Duong Vuong ruled until he failed in the war against the Nam Viet army in 179 BC and had to take his own life; from then on our country entered the dark period of Northern domination.
Our Southern country has always been a heroic nation, unwilling to lose the country or to be enslaved. Therefore, a series of uprisings against colonial domination took place, and the most typical among them was the uprising of the Trung Sisters in 40 AD.
Around before that time, on Thanh Hoa road, Thieu Thien prefecture, Luong Giang district, An Trang village, there was Mr. Dang, named Quang, who was from a well-educated family and was known for Confucian learning.
He went to Son Tay road, Quoc Oai prefecture, Ninh Son district, later changed to An Son, to work as a teacher in Kinh Xa Ha village, later changed to Can Xa village. After several years, he chose a virtuous and gentle wife named Bach Thi Trong. Then the couple diligently did good deeds, but although they had lived together for a long time—he was 60 and Bach Thi was over 40—they had not had a single childbirth.
At that time in Kinh Xa Ha, later changed to Can Xa, there was a sacred temple that was very efficacious. Then the couple prepared offerings and went to the temple to perform a prayer for children. That night, while the couple was sleeping at noon after eating, after a while they suddenly dreamed of a person wearing a red robe appearing and saying: 'I am originally the local earth deity, and I say: Your village has virtue; Heaven has examined it and knows that in the future twin boys will be born, originally spirits from the communal house and temple who will be reincarnated, and will again be born into the world to help the country.'
He suddenly woke up and knew that the deity had thus made an efficacious dream. He determined that his wife would give birth. Indeed, from Can Xa village, looking up at the sky, they saw an auspicious cloud moving toward Bach Thi and descending low, causing the wife to lie covered in front of the shrine, praying. Suddenly a brilliant light flashed over Bach Thi's body. Bach Thi was so frightened that she lay on her side, worried, and fell asleep; suddenly she dreamed of two men following from the roadside, who called themselves divine generals commissioned by the heavenly court, descending to be reborn as the children of a king in the mortal world.
Bach Thi woke up, startled and pale, finding it strange. Then the two elders returned to the school and saw that Bach Thi had been pregnant since then.
At the Noon hour on the 20th day of the 5th month of the Nham Ngo year, she gave birth to a sac containing two boys. Their innate qualities were extraordinary, and their faces were bright. He knew they were reincarnated deities born in this way. He could not tell who was the elder and who was the younger, so he named them First Trung A and Second Trung A.
At the age of seven, the two had already studied and mastered talent and martial arts. Heaven had bestowed repeated blessings on them. As days and months passed, the two reached sixteen and their qualities were lofty and far-reaching.
But alas! Changes are unpredictable, and blessings and disasters never come singly. In a single night, their father Dang Cong and mother Bach Thi both died on the 14th day of the first month of the Mau Ty year. The two then chose good land for the burial, kept incense and lamps for worship at the school according to the rites until the three-year mourning period ended. The two followed their father's path of study and had mastered learning in Can Xa Ha village. The elders again invited the two to serve as village teachers to teach the people. Male scholars came to study in very large numbers. The two learned of this and asked the elders: Since before, our parents left us brothers behind, and we were originally village deities to be served. How is this matter manifested in dreams?
The elders replied: You two are village deities. Born into the world with great holy spirits, your heroic power rises. When troops are raised to fight the enemy, surely female generals commanding spirit troops will be moved to assist.
Returning to the matter of the Trung Sisters' uprising against the harsh assimilation policy and oppressive exploitation of the Eastern Han dynasty against the Vietnamese in Giao Chi at that time.
On the 4th day of the 9th month of the Ky Hoi year (39), Trung Trac and Trung Nhi gathered the generals to make a covenant together at the Trang Sa rock field at the mouth of the Hat River, in Phuc Tho district, Hanoi, which belonged to Me Linh district at that time. At the covenant, Trung Nu secretly reported to the mountain god Tan Vien Son Thanh To and convened the Hundred Deities. The invocation said:
Heaven gave birth to humans, together with all species and living beings, down to every plant, all are interrelated. Through generations of dynasties from ages before, heaven and earth have determined roles. The court has the way of loving the people, caring for national affairs, and using virtue to transform all people. The world is peaceful and the country is stable. But now there is a person with a strange name, called To Dinh, like dogs and goats. He is accustomed to acting arbitrarily, doing as he pleases, wildly and extremely cruelly.
Then Trung Nu ordered the slaughter of buffaloes and cows to sacrifice to heaven, earth, mountains, rivers, and the hundred deities, and to feast the village and soldiers.
That night the two slept at the temple and dreamed of a person with a neat appearance and clothes standing in the temple, calling himself the local tutelary spirit with the title Quy.
He said: The generals lead troops to fight the enemy with deities secretly helping. Later you will be jointly worshipped as village deities.
The two woke and knew it was a dream. A spirit had come to announce assistance, so they immediately improvised a poem.
Who would know that the one who brings glory to the country is a youth
Determined to establish merit and destroy the enemy, the spirit can be summoned
Know only that going to battle will surely win, with no worry of defeat
How could it begin? Trung Nu already has a mysterious army.
Translation of meaning:
Who would know that the one helping the country is still a youth
Establishing merit and destroying the enemy, eagerly charging forward
Knowing only that once troops march out, victory is certain
How could it be? Trung Nu already has a mysterious army.
Choosing an auspicious day, the two led troops to Trung Nu's fort to join forces, voluntarily accepting orders to command troops against the enemy.
Then Trung Nu selected talented people to help the country. Seeing that the two had both civil and martial skills and godlike strength, Trung Nu was very happy and appointed them generals to discuss strategies with her.
Thus the two brothers, in the prime of manhood, skilled in military strategy and aided by deities, served the female queen. She issued orders, and all sides joined hearts and strength.
The two led an army of 10,000 men and 3,000 strong horses. They took several hundred strong men and scholars from Can Xa Ha village to follow as household servants and retainers.
On that very day, the two gathered brave soldiers in the region and more than 10,000 militia, also favored by the local spirit. They formed a very powerful force and split into routes. One thrust attacked frontally, one attacked the flank, surrounding To Dinh's fort and utterly defeating it. To Dinh's troops fled in disorder.
Trung Nu captured 65 citadels in Lingwai and redrew the borders of the southern country as in ancient times. Trung Nu ascended the throne as Empress and was called Trung Nu Vuong. She granted titles and ranks to the two, gave them land, and established a hamlet at Can Xa Ha.
The two came to pay their respects and then returned to An Son to take up their post and set up camp in Can Xa Ha village. The two repaired the temple of the local spirit Quy Trau Thanh to remember the spirit's aid. On that very day they held a banquet inviting the elders, scholars, and people to drink and celebrate. The two then told the elders:
Now we have all the remaining people in heaven and earth, deities and attendants, down to every descendant of the Hung family, all contributing support. Now we report to August Heaven that from now on there will be a customary day to remember those who have merit with the country. Arrange blue and red troops as righteous soldiers to eliminate remnants, and pray that the hundred venerable deities assemble, examine, and help deploy troops to protect the country and save the people. Cause the recovery of things lost by previous generations. Place the living beings on mats; after the sacrifice, burn the offerings and pour the ashes into the water.
The living beings did not betray August Heaven's will. Peacefully worshipped at the ancestral temple, they comforted the souls of ancestors in the nine springs, then called out to summon tens of thousands of troops and again issue a proclamation in our southern country.
The Queen successively attacked districts and counties. Talented generals immediately captured the male soldiers who came to help the female queen, pacified To Dinh, and had merit with the country; later they were granted titles and land stipends to protect the people.
The people, household servants, scholars, and clans greatly respected the great cause of the two brothers and handed down an eternal command to worship jointly the three deities as Village Tutelary Gods. They set aside 30 khoanh of public land for incense and sacrifices.
Later Han Ma Yuan again led elite troops to invade our country. The Queen again worried about fighting the enemy and saving the country. She left the fort and went down to the barracks to encourage the soldiers to uphold the law of the country. On that very day she sent a unit to summon the two to court.
The two and the Queen divided their troops and fought a great battle with Ma Yuan. This time the enemy was very strong. The Queen lost her position, fled to the mouth of the Hat Giang River, and in desperation threw herself into the river. She left for future generations the example of a heroic and indomitable martyr for national autonomy. The heavenly gate opened to welcome the two ladies back to heaven.
Hearing the bad news, the two looked up to heaven and lamented:
Alas! Trung Nu's brilliant career, like spring, is now only a dream.
The two mounted horses and flew into the mountain, and then were seen no more, meaning the two had transformed. That day was the 10th day of the first month of the Quy Mao year. People praised them as loyal ministers who did not serve two kings. The people respected the great cause of the two and came to make offerings, repair the temple, and set up divine titles for worship.
In the Song dynasty in China, during the Thai Binh era, the court sent general Hau Nhan Bao with 200,000 troops, splitting into routes to invade our country. At that time King Le Dai Hanh personally commanded the resistance. He advanced to the Son Tay road, Quoc Oai prefecture, Ninh Son district. He encamped at the Can Xa Ha temple. The king made a ceremony asking the deities to protect and help fight the enemy. He offered the title Trung Dang Than and then went to battle.
Sure enough, the entire enemy army was defeated. Hau Nhan Bao's generals and troops were all killed. They also captured the enemy great general Phung Huan and took him to the Hoa Lu capital to celebrate victory.
Our generals then said to each other: We quickly pacified the entire enemy army also thanks to the deities at the temple assisting.
Divine title conferred:
- First conferral: Trung Á, who saves the world, protects the country, brings peace to the people, supports destiny, and possesses profound virtue and supreme benevolence
Manifestly Efficacious Great King.
- First conferral to the Second Trung Á: saving the world, protecting the country, intelligent, wondrously wise, and spiritually mighty
the wondrously responsive, heroic and outstanding Great King.
- First conferral to Quý Trâu Thành, the local tutelary god who assists and protects the country and spreads
the might and valor of the heroic, resolute and wise Great King.
It is further said: From then on, the temple was seen to be very efficacious, so many emperors and kings
conferred the beautiful title 'Trung Đẳng Phúc Thần' (Middle-Rank Tutelary God).
- Permitted Cấn Xá Hạ village to repair the shrine and to purchase palanquins, carts and sedan chairs for worshipping the deities. - Worship on the gods' birthdays and death anniversaries, and approved Căn Xá Hạ village to set up a prohibition on the seven taboo characters of the gods' names: Quang Trọng Trung Á Quý Trâu Thành.
The god's birthday: the 20th day of the 5th month. The god's death anniversary: the 10th day of the first month. The spring and autumn biannual celebrations on the 11th day of the 2nd month and the 11th day of the 8th month continue according to the previous custom.
All three were granted imperial edicts by feudal dynasties to commemorate their merits and permit Cấn Hạ village to worship them. There are 13 edicts, ranging from the earliest under the Cảnh Hưng era (1783) to the latest under Bảo Đại (1924). Specifically as follows:
Quý Trâu Thành, the local god, was posthumously conferred the title Dực Bảo Trung Hưng Chi Thần in the Đồng Khánh Đinh Hợi year – 1887.
The First Trung Á was posthumously conferred the title Manifestly Efficacious, Protecting the Country, Bringing Peace to the People, Great Grace, Saving the World, Perpetuating Destiny, Bestowing Blessings, Divine and Martial, Profoundly Fortunate, Protecting the World, Wise and Brilliant, Heroic in Talent, Grand in Strategy, Just and Peaceful, Supporting the Moral Order, Expansive and Far-Reaching, Manifesting Auspiciousness, Extending Blessings Great King in the 44th year of Cảnh Hưng (1783)
The Second Trung Á was conferred the title Supporting and Assisting, Orthodox, Intelligent, Bestowing Prosperity, Extending Blessings, Prolonging Auspiciousness, Supremely Benevolent, Upright and Honest, Cherishing the People, Supporting Virtue, Judging the World, Bringing Peace to the People, Pure and Clear, Firm and Righteous, Manifestly Efficacious Great King.
Inscribed on the tablet placed at the shrine:
Quý Trâu Thành, the local god, was conferred the title 'Quý Trâu Thành, local tutelary god, assisting and protecting the country, spreading might and valor, courageous, heroic, resolute and wise Great King'.
The First Trung Á was conferred the title '(First) Trung Á, saving the world, protecting the country, bringing peace to the people, supporting destiny, of profound virtue and supreme benevolence, manifestly efficacious Great King'.
The Second Trung Á was conferred the title '(Second) Trung Á, saving the world, protecting the country, intelligent, wise, spiritually mighty, wondrously responsive, heroic and outstanding Great King'.
4. Revolutionary and resistance events
Cấn Hạ is a land rich in patriotic tradition and revolutionary spirit. During the resistance war against the French, Cấn Hạ early had a movement operating in the Việt Minh front and built revolutionary and resistance bases. Quán Cấn Hạ is located on the same plot of land as the current Cấn Hạ pagoda. Cấn Hạ pagoda became a base for soldiers and guerrillas to move through and make contact; the Venerable Monk Ngô Quang Huấn, abbot of Cấn Hạ pagoda, was also a secret operative cadre. On August 17, 1945, in Cấn Hạ, 50 people who were national salvation team members took part in seizing power in Quốc Oai district. Later, on August 21, they took part in seizing power in Sơn Tây province.
During the war against the Americans, the people of Cấn Hạ encouraged more than 400 of their sons and daughters to go and fight the Americans. In the American war of destruction against North Vietnam, in 1965 the pagoda became a secret depot for weapons and military supplies of a military unit.
Through the two resistance wars, 58 local people died, including one Vietnamese Heroic Mother. In 2014, in the second round of posthumous conferrals, the State added six more mothers.
