Welcome, dear visitors!
Welcome, dear visitors, who have stopped to visit the land of Dư Xá Thượng - a "precious gem" nestled beside the bank Đáy River gentle, in Hòa Xá Commune, Hà Nội City.
Ladies and gentlemen, amid the green expanse of orchards and the silence of the gentle Đáy River, we seem to travel back in time to thousands of years of history. Dư Xá Thượng is not only a peaceful village; it was once the capital and a proud center of traditional cultural life of the ancient Hoài An district. Please allow me to tell you the story of The Temple - Pagoda - Quán Thượng Shrine relic cluster, of Dư Xá Thượng Village, where the soul, character, and architectural essence of the Lê - Nguyễn dynasties are preserved.
I. Quán Thượng Relic - (the capital of the former Hoài An district)
First stop, we invite you to step into Quán Thượng - the highest symbol of the ideology and spirituality of this land.
Quán Thượng is a relic of historical, architectural, artistic, and cultural value: Quán Dư Xá Thượng worships the god Tản Viên - Quý Minh Đại Vương, the foremost meritorious official of the Southern realm and the highest symbol of thought in this region. The relic was built long ago, and in the Nguyễn dynasty it was rebuilt on the large scale seen today. Externally it is a traditional ethnic architectural work; inside, it selectively adopted Gothic architectural style.
Quán Thượng in Dư Xá Thượng Village, Hòa Xá Commune, was the capital of the former Hoài An district and is a temple-type religious architectural relic. Quán Dư Xá Thượng worships the god Tản Viên - Quý Minh Đại Vương, the foremost meritorious official of the Southern realm. According to the divine genealogy, we understand that from the Hùng Vương era, when Văn Lang was founded, this land already had inhabitants. Along with heroes such as Bột Hải Đại Vương, Quảng Xung Đại Vương..., the god Tản Viên is the highest symbol of thought in this region.
At Quán Thượng, the capital of the former Hoài An district, now in the land of Dư Xá Thượng Village, 9 royal edicts of investiture and a divine genealogy recording the deeds of the god Quý Minh Đại Vương are still preserved, as follows:
The divine genealogy concerning the deeds of the Thượng Đẳng Thần, worshipped at the village shrine of Dư Xá Thượng.
In the 6th year of the Bảo Thái reign of the Hoàng Triều (1725), on the 25th day of the 9th month - now copied from the original for all people of Dư Xá Commune, Thượng Village to worship and serve - forever maintaining reverence and passing down the saying:
The immortal scene beholds the awe-inspiring divine deeds.
Quán Thượng was built in 1431, the 3rd year of Thuận Thiên - (according to the explanation in the divine genealogy) - and in the Nguyễn era, Quán Thượng was greatly embellished.
The Quán Thượng relic site in Dư Xá Thượng Village is located on alluvial land beside the Đáy River, away from the village, surrounded by orchards and fields growing crops.
Overall, the relic lies in a beautiful courtyard covered in green trees. Quán Thượng has Nguyễn-era architectural works: the pillar, the Đại bái hall, the Hậu cung house, and the two houses Tả mạc and Hữu mạc.
- Đại bái Hall: has 5 bays, surrounded by brick walls, with the two gable ends closed. The building is 2 stories high with 8 sloping roofs covered with ri tiles. The lower story is made inside and has a ceiling in the mai cua style following the Western Gothic style. The upper story has a simple truss system with beams and purlins spanning the two sloping roofs, covered with ri tiles. On the ridge and gable edges, lime mortar is applied and there is a pair of dragons flanking the moon.
- Hậu cung House: has 3 bays. Its architecture is similar to that of the Đại bái outside. Between these two buildings is a square Dragon Courtyard. In the courtyard there are many flower beds, ornamental plants, and a romantic rockery.
- On both sides, the Tả mạc and Hữu mạc houses, each with 3 bays, are built with brick walls and roofs covered with ri tiles. The wooden trusses of these two houses are made in the style of beams exceeding the span, without elaborate floral decoration like other ancient architectural works.
* Artifacts in the relic:
Quán Thượng still preserves basic valuable artifacts as follows:
- 1 stone stele, recording the people who contributed money and labor to build the shrine.
- 1 divine genealogy recording the deeds of the holy Quý Minh Đại Vương.
- 9 royal edicts of investiture from the dynasties of the Vietnamese feudal state.
- 1 set of throne and spirit tablet. Inside the tablet are inscribed the honorable titles of the holy Quý Minh such as: "Manifest in valor and strategy, guarding the traces and initiating merits, supporting governance and extending blessings, wise and benevolent in great grace... resolute and decisive, displaying mighty power and prosperous rise, bringing peace to the people, glorious and bright, responsive and intelligent, efficacious and auspicious for our land, outstanding and supreme deity's tablet.”
- 2 Ngũ Xã bronze incense burners.
- 1 Tho Ha incense burner.
In addition, the Temple still preserves 04 large-character plaques and 08 pairs of couplets.
1. The legend of Saint Tan Vien is recorded in books as follows:.
In the reign of the 18th Hung King, on the 10th day of the first lunar month, the people of Du Xa Commune received the legend; from then on they opened up the bright land, so that for generations there would be worship and veneration.
In the official records of the country, Saint Vien Son is ranked among the immortals (he is one of the Four Immortals of Vietnam).
the original deity who protected the lives of the people in 12 rural areas, namely:
1 - "Lang Xuong" village.
2 - "Mong Hoa" village.
3 - "An Lang" village.
4 - "An Duc" village.
5 - "Long Phong" village.
6 - "Long Huc" village.
7 - "Mang Boi" village.
8 - "Thu Phap" village.
9 - "Bui Tuc" village.
10 - "Trung Bi" village.
11 - "Ly Truc" village.
12 - "Du Xa" village. (Du Xa Thuong)
All the above places set aside a preferential type of land called "incense-fire land" for death-anniversary ceremonies, and according to local customs they maintain the rule together with Lang Xuong and Thu Phap villages.
Saint Tan is a Supreme Deity; together with attendant deities, he once raised banners, weapons, bows and arrows, and servants sweeping across Ly Truc and Mat Truc to guard the river mouths; after three battles he destroyed the Water Spirit's army to keep peace for the king's court, bring tranquility to the land, start the fortune of the dynasty, and bring peace to the world; afterward he traveled everywhere to the land of Du Xa Thuong and taught the people to plow and cultivate the fields.
When the Saint ascended to heaven, the villages and communes built temples to preserve the traces.
Original text: "The country's dynasty and the world are at peace; together traveling the world, knowing the land and teaching the people farming; the Saint ascended to heaven, and the villages and communes established traces".
It is said in verse:
In a few battles, even the tiger of Tan Vien was defeated
In Gia Hung Prefecture, a battle of rising wind broke out
The Viet clan responded at just three garrisons
Three drumbeats immediately defeated the Qin
The Saint of the South remains forever
The Crown Prince is at peace; the people enjoy peace
Mountain spirit and essence establish the king's rightful throne
Worthy of being a supreme deity of Annam.
The original ancestors of Saint Tan were from Lang Xuong. In the year of Dinh Ty, in the first ten days of the first lunar month, in broad daylight, in the Thuong Thach area, a person set out... That person's title was Nguyen Tien Lang, Dao Uy Quy Minh, taboo name Tuan; he left his native land, and from then on, after two spring-autumn periods and eight years, he attained the Way and became an immortal.
The Jade Emperor issued a decree, posthumously conferring on him the title "Tu Vi Tuong Da" (the brilliant heroic general); he had followed the king and performed ten thousand miracles in the world for 31 consecutive years.
In the year of Dinh Hoi, in the middle ten days of the fifth lunar month, he transformed and returned to heaven.
A temple was established on a high mountain peak, called the shrine of Than Tan Vien. He always used miraculous powers to help all people.
The Saint married the daughter of King Hung when she was 14 years old; her title was Ngoc Hoa Than Nu, a daughter from among the palace consorts.
The Saint's parents' ancestors were from Nhan Phu Commune; later they left their native place for Mong Hoa, Long Xuong cave.
His father was Nguyễn Cao Hành, his mother was Định Thị Điền, and they were originally poor.
In the third year of Thuận Thiên (1431), on the 5th day of the 11th month, the court ordered Admiral Nguyễn Hữu Công, a man of Dư Xá, together with Nguyễn Minh Khai, from the Nguyễn Công Chính bureau, by order of Hùng Vương, to establish the shrine's deity record (that is, the shrine of Dư Xá Thượng village, which still exists today).
The deity record at the shrine of Dư Xá Thượng village does not mention the dispute over Lady Ngọc Hoa between the two deities, the Mountain God and the Water God. Instead, it mentions new aspects of reality. It again mentions new aspects of reality, namely the life of the Mountain God. A genuinely folk character, closely tied to the simple life of everyday existence
Unlike many places that worship Thần Tản Viên (Quý Minh Đại Vương) with wondrous legends, the deity record written in the sixth year of Bảo Thái (1725) at Quán Thượng tells of Him as an ordinary person. Sơn Tinh Tản Viên was first of all an ordinary person. After 8 years of study and training, he became a talented and brave man. Then, after defeating the Water God, Sơn Tinh together with his left and right attendants, the various deities, went to practice the Way in service of the Hùng Vương kingdom for 31 years - it is called practicing the Way, but in reality they taught the people to plow, plant, and cultivate... That explains why at the shrine worshiping Dư Xá Thượng there are large plaques Heaven bestows grace on the people (Heaven bestows grace on the people) or The god brings blessings to the people (the god brings blessings to the people).
Through the deity legend Tản Viên Quý Minh still preserved at Dư Xá Thượng, one understands even more why the homeland of Dư Xá is closely linked with the legend of the Mountain God of Tản Mountain
The deity record at Quán Dư Xá Thượng is a document of value reflecting the reality that Dư Xá Thượng is a rural area that has been noted by the royal court since ancient times. Tản Viên Quý Minh came and taught the villagers agriculture. Thus the Saint Tản recorded in the deity record of Dư Xá Thượng village is not a myth but reflects the reality of a bright land, a sacred land The sacred has come is for that reason. The local people honor Him not only as a general who fought the enemy but also as a father and teacher who opened up agriculture, with meaningful large plaques such as: Heaven bestows grace on the people (Heaven's grace bestowed on the people) or The god brings blessings to the people (The people's blessing lies with the god).
II. Bách Linh Temple relic - originally the administrative headquarters of the old Hoài An district, it was the archives center for the conferral documents heritage of the entire Hoài An region
Leaving Quán Thượng, please go deeper to the west of the village, the location of Bách Linh Temple (Dư Xá Thượng Temple).
The name Bách Linh originally means a place where the spiritual energy of a hundred deities from the 47 communes of the old Hoài An district gathers.
Bách Linh Temple, worships four great kings, including:
1- Đinh Tiên Hoàng Đế Great King. (10th century)
2- Bột Hải Great King. (century ....)
3- Quảng Xung Great King. (8th Hùng Vương era)
4- Đông Hải Great King. (Lê era, century ....)
* The legends of the deities worshiped here are as follows:
His family name was Đinh, personal name Bộ Lĩnh, from Hoa Lư cave, Đại Hoàng district (Ninh Bình). His father was an officer under Dương Đình Nghệ and held the position of Governor of Hoan Province. His father died early; he followed his mother back to their homeland, often played with buffalo-herding children, and arranged battle formations, usually using reed flowers as command flags.
When he grew up, thanks to his intelligence, spirit, and military talent, Đinh Bộ Lĩnh joined Trần Minh Công's army. Trần Minh Công assigned him to hold military authority in his army. When Trần Minh Công passed away, Đinh Bộ Lĩnh led his troops back to hold Hoa Lư. From Hoa Lư, the rebel army trained, expanded its forces, marched to Thượng Vệ (today's Mỹ Đức area), set up camp, and attacked Đỗ Cảnh Thạch's troops, capturing Đỗ Động fortress. In the areas of Thượng Vệ, Hoà Xá, and Dư Xá Thượng were training and fighting grounds of the rebel army in the past.
In the Mau Thin year (896), Dinh Bo Linh proclaimed himself Van Thang Vuong, with the title Dinh Tien Hoang De, established the country name Dai Co Viet, and set the capital at Hoa Lu.
To commemorate the merits of Dinh Tien Hoang and the soldiers of that time, at the former military camp of Du Xa Thuong village, the local people built a temple to worship the heroes and the spirits of the soldiers who fought for the independence and unification of the nation in the 10th century.
He was the son of the Chief of Son Nam, skilled in waterways, and was entrusted by Hung Due Vuong to succeed his father as Chief of Son Nam.
He had the merit of defeating invaders from the Ai Lao, Ho Ton... tribes who invaded Van Lang. He was benevolent to the people of Thai Duong canton and the whole Hoai An district. He taught the people to plow, cultivate mulberries, and raise silkworms to maintain harmony and order. He was the deity who founded this land in the early days of nation-building. He was skilled in water management, fighting foreign invaders, and healing diseases. Therefore, he was worshipped by the people of Thai Duong canton and all of Hoai An district as the village tutelary god at Thai Binh temple (Duc Thanh Ca Temple) and Bach Linh Temple in Hoai An district.
He is worshipped in 172 places such as Huu Vinh Temple, Ba Sa Temple... in Hoai An district; legend says the deity is the son of the 8th Hung King, Huy Vuong, and Tien Dung Chau.
On the 12th day of the first lunar month in the Giap Thin year, the second Tien Chau appeared as a deity; that was a fairy born into the world. She grew up extremely beautiful, beyond description. Going back in time, when there was a leisurely outing in Phong Chau, a good fate arose. The 8th Hung King, Huy Vuong, was pleased and appointed her as the Principal Consort. Lady Tien Dung Chau gave birth to 5 sons. When they grew up, the five brothers each in turn performed great deeds, defeated invaders, and brought peace to the country. Their achievements were praised and became famous throughout the world. The King was overjoyed and granted them edicts and truly glorious official positions. After her death, he again issued an edict ranking her among the Superior Grade Deities.
- Quang Xung Linh Te Dai Vuong (Huu Vinh Temple and Bach Linh Temple)
- Quang Bac Uyen Dung Dai Vuong
* First position: Quang Xung Linh Te Dai Vuong is worshipped at Bach Linh Temple.
4- Đông Hải Great King
Great King Dong Hai, whose real name was Quang Phuc, lived during the Le Dynasty; he was skilled in waterways and made great contributions to the restoration of the dynasty. In particular, his military exploits helped King Le campaign against the Champa army. Following the king's order, he commanded a supply troop transporting by sea southward into Dai Viet to reinforce King Le. Midway, encountering huge waves and a great storm, the Great King decided to let the supply boats take shelter in a strait to avoid the storm, in order to preserve manpower and military supplies. Therefore, when Nguyen Phuc's supply fleet docked, it was able to fully provide weapons and provisions for the King to defeat the Champa invaders. However, he was punished for the wrong timing and for using his authority to anchor the boats to avoid the storm. He died; later the King understood that preserving people and property on that sea transport trip was necessary to have military supplies for fighting. Pitying him, the King posthumously recognized his merits, granted rewards, and conferred the beautiful title Thuong Dang Phuc Than.
Bach Linh Temple is a center for archiving genealogical records and edicts of many communal houses and temples in the former Hoai An district. The ancient architectural relic from the Nguyen period still preserves many ancient artifacts. It is a place of worship for Dinh Tien Hoang and the deities ranked first in the former Son Nam region.
The relic is located on an area of dense alluvial land, where in the 10th century Dinh Bo Linh once established a military camp and trained soldiers for battle to quell the rebellion of the 12 warlords, contributing to the unification of the country.
The temple has existed for a long time; it worships Dinh Bo Linh and the generals and spirits of the generals in the war to unify the country.
By the first year of the Nguyen Gia Long reign (1802), the world suffered drought; the King ordered an altar for rain prayer at this temple, which was efficacious. The King allowed Hoai An district to build a larger temple complex with horizontal and vertical buildings: Thieu Huong, Dai Bai, Hau Cung... During the resistance period, the Dai Bai building was severely damaged, and the people dismantled it. Formerly, this building had 5 bays and 4 roofs with curved roof corners, in early Nguyen architecture. Currently only the Thieu Huong and Hau Cung buildings remain. The Hau Cung building (also serving as Dai Bai). The Thieu Huong building is square, surrounded by brick walls, with 2 stories and 4 curved roofs. Tubular tiles are joined with lime mortar. Around the wall are attached 4 steles, including: 2 steles made in the Tu Duc - At Hoi year (1875), 1 stele made in the Dong Khanh - Mau Ty year (1888), and a stele made in the Dong Khanh - At Dau year (1885).
- Dai Bai Building: has 5 bays; the truss sets are made in the stacked beam style, smoothly planed and tightly joined without decorative patterns. Three horizontal plaques and pairs of parallel sentences written on square-plastered pillars are hung above. This building was restored during the Nguyen Dynasty, in the 6th year of King Khai Dinh (1921).
- Hau Cung Building: has 3 bays, surrounded by brick walls, with 2 sloping roofs covered with ri tiles, gable ends, straight ridge edges, and square blocks at the ends of the ridge. The interior architecture has crab-shell vaults and Gothic-style architecture in the Western manner. In the Hau Cung, there is an altar to the Village Tutelary God in the central bay, with altars to the Bach Linh Deities on both sides. Here there is a chest of edicts inscribed "Bach Linh Than edicts", where hundreds of ancient edicts of the deities in (former) Hoai An district are archived.
At the Temple there are some ancient steles and especially a chest "Bach Linh Than Edicts", where hundreds of ancient edicts of the deities in (former) Hoai An district are archived.
At Bach Linh Tu Temple, 60 Han-Nom documents are still preserved, including 15 genealogical records and over 200 copies of edicts of the 4 cantons of former Hoai An district. These are considered Han-Nom documents of special value - especially the value of deity legends and history.
(This ordinal number has been pre-recorded in each document.) The list is as follows:
Volume No. 1
* Genealogical record of Dinh Xuyen village (Princess Que Hoa)
* Deity records of Dinh Xuyen village (Volume 2)
* Deity records of Ho Khe village, worshiping 3 deities:
1. Great King Chiếu Pháp Bóng Hình.
2. Great King Bảo Vật Trí Phách.
3. Great King Bỉnh Lộ Bồng Ngoại.
* Phổ Thông Pagoda, Great King Thượng Sĩ
(Buddhist pavilion of the royal consorts)
* Deity records of Trinh Tiết Canton (now Đại Hưng Commune - Mỹ Đức)
* Deity records of Đặng Xá (now Hòa Phú Commune)
* Deity records of Trinh Canton (Mỹ Đức).
* Deity records of Hòa Xá Village (now Hòa Xá Commune - worshiping the Phù Đinh deities)
* Deity records of Thượng Quất Village communal house.
* Royal edicts of Dư Xá Village.
* Royal edicts of the following villages:
1. Thụy Hiền Village.
2. Phú Duy Village.
3. Nông Khê Village.
4. Đốc Tín Village.
5. An Duyệt Village.
6. Vạn Phúc Village.
7. Trung Hòa Village.
8. Thượng Tiết Village.
* Royal edicts of the villages:
1. Tế Tiêu.
2. Phù Lương Thượng.
3. Dư Xá Hạ.
4. Đông Mật (now Bình)
5. Kim Bôi (now Ngăm)
* Summary of legends in the deity records of the villages:
1. Động Mật.
2. Yến Vĩ (Hương Pagoda)
3. Đốc Hậu (Đốc Tín)
4. Deity tablet of Động Mật
5. Royal edict of An Đà.
6. Deity genealogy of Trinh Tiết canton (Deity genealogy of Hoa Khê commune, legend of Lê Đại Hành)
7. Summary of the worship legend in An Duyệt
8. Summary of the worship legend in Thượng Tiết.
9. Summary of the worship legend in Bạch Độc (Bạch Tuyết).
10. Deity tablet of Bạch Độc.
11. Summary of the An Lạc legend.
12. Summary of the worship legend in Phú Duy commune.
13. Summary of the worship legend in Nông Khê.
14. Summary of the worship legend in Kim Bôi commune.
15. Summary of the worship legend in Thụy Hiền commune.
16. Worship legend in An Đà commune.
17. Summary of the worship legend in Làng Sêu.
Deity genealogy worshipped at Dư Xá Thượng shrine (worship of Saint Tản Viên and Lady Ngọc Hoa)
* Royal edicts of village communal houses
1. Thái Bình
2. Hoà Xá
3. Nội Xã
4. Nam Dương
5. Đình Xuyên
6. Dư Xá Thượng
7. Dư Xá Hạ
8. Đặng Xá
9. An Phú (Đoàn Xá)
10. An Phú (Quán Xá)
* Royal edicts worshipped at village communal houses:
1. Hữu Vĩnh (Phù Lưu Thượng canton)
2. Hữu Vinh commune
Royal edict of Hạ Lân village (Lưu Phù Thượng commune)
* Deity genealogy: Đinh generals who defeated the 12 warlords.
- Không Bảng Uy Lĩnh Đại Vương of Hạ Lân (Phù Lưu Thượng)
* Royal edicts of the village. Phù Lưu Tế (canton) - Phù Lưu Tế commune (Mỹ Đức)
1. Royal edicts of Yến Vĩ villages (Chùa Hương)
Summary of the legend of the Great King who succored the layman Minh Hoang (Le Thanh Tong era)
* Summary of the legend of Quan Xa Village, Quan Xa Commune
* Spirit genealogy worshipped at Dang Xa - worship of three deities:
1. Ruc Van Cuong Nghi Bao La Great King
2. Te The An Dan Quy Chan Great King
3. Tuyen Khanh Pho Bat Nha Great King
- Dang Xa family genealogy (volume 2)
4. Royal edict of Nam Duong
5. Summary of the legend of Noi Xa
* Royal edicts of the villages:
1. Ngo Xa Commune
2. Phu Luu Te Tieu Commune
3. Reason for conferring the royal edict on Ngo Xa
Royal edict of Ngo Xa, reason for the edict of Ngo Son Village.
* Reasons for conferring royal edicts on the villages:
1. Van Phuc
2. An Lac
3. Trung Trong
4. Nong Khe
5. Trinh Tiet Canton - Thuong, Tiet Commune
6. Phu Duy Commune (Trinh Canton)
7. Ha Village, Minh Xong Commune
8. Huu Vinh Commune
9. Dong Mat Commune
10. Phu Dung
11. Kim Boi
Volume 23
* Reason for the royal edict:
1. Du Xa Ha (Thai Canton)
2. Du Xa Ha (Lan)
* Reasons for conferring royal edicts and the royal edicts of the villages and communes are:
1. Du Xa Ha
2. Diem Khe
3. An Duyet
4. Trung Trong
5. Ngo Xa
6. Nông Khê
7. Phù Lưu Thượng
8. Kim Bôi
9. Đông Mật
10. Vạn Phước
11. An Đà
12. Phú Duy
13. Dư Xá Hạ
14. Thượng Quất
15. Nam Dương
16. Thái Tường
17. Hổ Khê
18. Yến Vĩ
19. Hà Xá
20. Đốc Tín
21. Đốc Hậu
22. An Lạc
23. Trinh Tiết
24. Tụy Hiền
25. Ngoại Hoàng
26. Hội Xá
27. Phú An
28. Thượng Tiết
29. Hạ Lân
30. Hữu Vĩnh
31. Bài Lâm
32. Độc Khê
33. Thanh Bồ
34. Trù Nhan
35. Xuy Xá
36. Diêm Minh
37. Phùng Xá
* Reason for conferring the royal title on Thượng Vệ (Tổng Phù)
* Reason for the royal title of Thượng Lâm
* Royal title of Nội Lưu Village
* Royal title of Thanh Bố
* Edicts of Phù Lưu Thượng, Thượng Lân Commune
* Reasons for the edicts of Cam Lân Commune - Thượng Tiết
* Edicts of Bài Lâm (Upper), Bài Lâm (Lower)
* Reasons for the edicts of Ngoại Hoàng (Tổng Phủ)
* Reasons for the edicts of the villages:
1. Hạ Phù Lưu Hamlet
2. Minh Nông
3. Viên Minh
4. An Đà
5. Bạch Độc
6. Ngọ Xá
7. Thượng Tiết
8. Ngo Xá
* Reasons for the edicts of Nội Lưu
* Reasons for the edicts of the villages:
1. Phù Lưu Hạ
2. Thanh Bồ
3. Nội Lưu
* Edicts of Trình Tiết and Bài Lâm villages, Hoài An District
* Phù Lưu Thượng edicts
* Reasons for the edicts of Nội Lưu
* Reasons for the edicts of Vạn Phúc, Đức Hâu, and Trình Tiết
* Reasons for the edicts of Ngoại Hoàng
* Legend of the royal conferment of Yến Vĩ Village
* Legend of Vạn Phúc
Edicts of the villages:
1. Đinh Xuyên
2. Đốc Tin
3. Dư Xá Thượng
4. Phù Lưu Thượng
5. Nội Lưu Phong Tự
6. Bài Lâm (upper, lower)
7. Trinh Tiết
8. Thương Tiết
9. Đông Mật
10. Thái Bình
11. Đoàn Xá
12. Đặng Xã
13. Bạch Động
14. Yến Vĩ
15. Nam Dương
16. Đoàn Xá
17. Ngoại Hoàng
18. Thanh Bồ
19. Đục Khê
20. Đường An
21. Tế Tiêu
22. Ngọ Xá
23. Bài Lâm Thượng
* Legend of the royal edict conferring title on Đặng Xá
* Divine titles of the heroes
* Compilation of royal edicts and reasons for deity worship in Tổng Thái
* Legend of the royal edict conferring title on Hổ Khê
* Legend of Hồ Khê
* Reasons for the edicts of:
1. Thanh Bố
2. Phù Lưu Thượng
3. Hạ Lân
* Edicts of Phù Lưu and Thượng Lân
* Edicts of the villages:
1. Thượng Vệ
2. Edict of Emperor Đinh Tiên Hoàng
3. Tế Tiêu
4. Phùng Xá
5. Thượng Quất
6. Hồ Lưu Tế
7. Diêm Khê
8. Duy Xá
9. Hổ Khê
10. Ngọ Xã
* Compilation of royal edicts of 47 communes in Hoài An District
* Revised compilation (cursive handwriting)
* Compilation of royal edicts of 47 villages and communes
* Legends of the royal edicts of Phùng Xá
* Reasons for the edicts of Phù Lưu Tế - Xuy Xá
* Reasons for the edicts of Tế Tiêu
* Compilation of royal edicts of Xuy Xá
* Compilation of royal edicts of 47 villages in Hoài An
* The village guardian deities in Hoài An
* Title-conferring edicts of Bài Lâm, Hữu Vĩnh
* Collection of miscellaneous royal edicts
(The above list has been numbered by volume and is still kept at Dư Xá Thượng - Bách Linh Temple).
In addition, the Temple also has large-character plaques: Sacred rain falls at the right time - The sacred rain comes in due season. Protect my people - Help protect our people. The sacred comes here - All sacred manifestations come here. Together with 04 couplets, ceremonial fans, parasols, thrones, incense burners, ancient lamp stands...
The sacred temple primarily worships Emperor Đinh Tiên Hoàng, who chose this dense alluvial land on the Đáy River to establish a military post, train troops, quell the rebellion of the 12 warlords, and unify the country in the 10th century. Worshipped alongside King Đinh are renowned great kings such as Bột Hải, Quảng Xung, and Đông Hải Đại Vương.
The most distinctive feature that makes Bach Linh Temple a relic of special historical value is its role as an archive. It still preserves a huge treasure of 60 Han-Nom documents, including 15 deity genealogies and especially more than 200 copies of royal edicts from villages in the former Hoai An district. These ancient edict chests are historical 'certificates', affirming the cultural depth of an entire vast land.
Bach Linh Temple is also famous for its efficacy through the story of the king setting up an altar here to pray for rain, which took effect immediately, bringing peaceful and prosperous life to all people. Bach Linh Temple is miraculous in the people's minds. Visitors offering incense here will feel the widespread grace and the sacred energy accumulated in every wood grain, stone slab, and the air here.
III. Du Xa Thuong Temple (Duyen Khanh Tu) – The legend of the Tran Dynasty princess and the Dong A spirit
From Hanoi to Ben Duc of Huong Tich Pagoda or to Tam Chuc Pagoda, passing the old Du Xa Thuong village in the center of the ancient Hoai An district road (now Du Xa Thuong hamlet, Hoa Xa commune, Hanoi city) on one side is the efficacious Bach Linh Temple, on the other is the ancient Duyen Khanh Pagoda. The relic is located on a plot next to National Highway 21B. The overall relic area includes the following architectural works: pagoda gate, bell tower, Bai Duong house, Thuong Dien house, Ancestor house combined with Mother house, and also guest house, nun house, and other auxiliary works.
Du Xa Thuong Pagoda is an architectural work that harmoniously combines traditional national architecture with selected positive elements of Western architecture (Gothic architecture). The exterior of the pagoda has unique ancient features bearing traditional cultural style and value; inside, the crab-shell vault is used to ensure durability and airiness in the Thuong Dien building. The work was built under the Nguyen Dynasty, in the eighth year of King Thanh Thai's reign (1896).
1- Pagoda gate: Currently only the central structure remains; formerly the pagoda gate was a three-entrance gate type, all with 2 tiers and 8 curved roofs, designed in the style of Ngo Mon gate in the imperial city of Hue. Today, one main gate remains, large and massive, with thick solid walls. The gate is in a crab-shell arch shape, above it are 2 tiers and 8 curved roofs, around it are decorative panels painted with the four seasons: bamboo, chrysanthemum, pine, and plum.
Below the foundation about 3 m away is a stone turtle serving as a stele base. This turtle has the artistic style of the Le period with the following features: brush-shaped motifs, and cloud patterns on the turtle's tail and legs. The turtle's head is a round block with slender lines.
2- Bell tower: From the gate through a garden of trees is the Bell Tower. This is a Nhat-shaped house divided into 3 compartments. The house is surrounded by walls, with closed gable ends. The house has 2 tiers and 4 flat sloping roofs tiled with ri tiles. Inside are trusses with 2 rows of column bases made in the style of overlapping eaves and goose necks raised high to form 2 tiers. The roof trusses have 2 types: Dinh-shaped and giao chien stacked-beam type. The lower tier has hidden pillars standing on side beams with a system of stacked beams to create sloping roofs. On the upper ridge. This bell tower has existed for a long time, and was restored under the Nguyen Dynasty in the eighth year of King Thanh Thai (1896).
On the second floor of the bell tower hangs a bronze bell inscribed with four characters Duyen Khanh Tu Chung. The bell has many panels decorated with dragon, phoenix, flower, and leaf patterns and lines of Han characters. The bell dates from the Nguyen Dynasty, in the sixth year of King Minh Menh's reign (1825).
Behind, looking into the Bai Duong house, is the shrine of the statue of Princess A Chau of the Tran Dynasty, who contributed money and property to build this pagoda.
3- Bai Duong and Thuong Dien buildings:
Through a square Dragon courtyard planted with ornamental plants, with gia ngu houses on both sides, one goes to the Bai Duong and Thuong Dien buildings. This is the main work of Duyen Khanh Pagoda. This house is built in the Dinh-shaped style.
The Bai Duong house is Nhat-shaped with 3 compartments. In the middle compartment, a Dinh-shaped section extends backward as the Thuong Dien. The entire architectural work is surrounded by brick walls, with closed gable ends. Above are 2 sloping roofs tiled with ri tiles; below, the interior is vaulted in crab-shell shape (influenced by Western Gothic architecture).
Duyen Khanh Pagoda in Du Xa Thuong hamlet is an ancient pagoda that still preserves 25 statues of various sizes and dates, arranged on altars in houses with different functions. The system of Buddha statues is arranged in each specific architectural work as follows:
- First layer: These are 3 statues of the Three Worlds.
- Second layer: It is the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
- Third layer: is the statue of the Jade Emperor in the center, with statues of Nam Tao and Bac Dau on both sides.
- Fourth layer: It is the statue of the Nine Dragons throne in the central row, with statues of the Holy Monk and Dragon God on both sides.
* System of statues in the Bai Duong building:
The Bai Duong house of Duyen Khanh Pagoda is of moderate scale, with 2 altars: the altar of Saint Hien on the right and the altar of Duc Ong on the left. Although there are no attendants on these two altars, both statues are representative sculptural art works of the Nguyen period.
The Saint Hien statue sits on a two-level square pedestal, with legs propped at right angles.
The Duc Ong statue sits in a throne; the two dragon heads around the throne are turned details, all carved with dragon patterns.
The Ancestor house combined with Mother worship is an architectural work behind the Thuong Dien, with a Nhat-shaped ground plan, surrounded by brick walls, closed gable ends. This house was built in the third year of Khai Dinh's reign (1919), and in the 1980s local people rebuilt it.
On the ground plan of the Ancestor house combined with Mother worship, there are an Ancestor altar and a Mother altar; it is a horizontal Nhat-shaped house behind the Thuong Dien house with 2 altars: Ancestor worship and Mother worship.
- The Ancestor altar has a statue of Patriarch Bodhidharma (Western Patriarch).
- Next to the Mother worship space is the altar of the Three Holy Mothers.
In particular, on the second floor of the bell tower there is a shrine for Princess A Chau of the Tran dynasty. A Chau was a princess who, with a kind heart and virtue, brought money and wisdom to Du Xa Thuong village and, together with the people, built this pagoda.
This shows that the insurgent spirit of the nation's soul in the Dong A era still echoes in Du Xa Thuong village to this day.
What makes Duyen Khanh Pagoda different and deeply moving is the presence of the shrine and statue Princess A Chau of the Tran dynasty on the second floor of the bell tower. Legend has it that she was the person who brought money and wisdom to help the villagers build the pagoda. Her statue is carved very specially: her hands are clasped in front of her chest in a meditation gesture, but her body wears a cloak in the posture of a Female Warrior about to go into battle. The image of Female Warrior Princess A Chau is vivid evidence of the insurgent spirit of the nation's soul in the Dong A era that still resounds forever in Du Xa Thuong village.
In front of the Ancestor hall there is an incense pillar built in the style of a square tower with curved roof corners; inside there is an incense bowl and small statues are worshipped. Outside, a rockery with flowers and bonsai pots enhances the aesthetic beauty of the relic site.
The Du Xa Thuong village festival is a traditional intangible cultural heritage. The Du Xa Thuong village festival has existed for thousands of years, since feudal society, before the August Revolution.
The festival takes place at Xuan Communal House on the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month every year; this communal house is part of the historical relic complex: Quan Thuong, Bach Linh Temple, and Duyen Khanh Pagoda. These are three historical relics recognized and ranked by the State, proudly a cultural village; helping descendants and villagers remember their roots, remember their ancestors and heroic predecessors; at the same time, uniting and joining efforts, contributing to construction, helping each other eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, building the homeland and villages, and setting an example in complying with all guidelines of the Party and policies and laws of the State.
The deity procession for mustering troops, also called Cu Soat, is both a procession of the deities from Quan Thuong - from Bach Linh Temple to a common location, Xuan Communal House. To attend the Spring Festival, being worshipped by the villagers along the procession route is a form of cu soat or troop mustering, a preparation for attending the festival in the spiritual sense called the troop-mustering procession.
The palanquins set out from Xuan Communal House down to Quan Thuong to carry an incense bowl of the deity Quy Minh (that is, the village tutelary god); along the procession route down through the village to Bach Linh Temple, another palanquin was added. They respectfully carried an incense bowl at Bach Linh Temple onto a palanquin and then returned to Xuan Communal House. Thus the whole procession carried and welcomed the deities back to the common communal house; along the way, the mustering or cu soat was the deities' affair.
The festival takes place starting from the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month and consists of two main parts:
- Ceremonial part:
+ On the morning of the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month, organize the deity procession for mustering troops from Quan Thuong to Bach Linh Temple. Together, carry the Bach Linh deities to be seated at Xuan Communal House.
+ On the afternoon of the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month, the elders in the worship team organize the yet ceremony and the incense-offering ceremony.
+ On the morning of the 10th day of the 2nd lunar month, open the festival and the elders organize the great ceremony.
- Festival part:
+ On the afternoon of the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month, folk games: tug of war, wrestling; in the evening, a mass cultural performance.
+ On the afternoon of the 10th day of the 2nd lunar month, continue folk games; the elders comment on poetry; in the evening, a mass cultural performance.
- On the morning of the 11th day of the 2nd lunar month, the festival ends – organize the procession of the deities returning to their palaces, repeated like the troop-mustering procession, from Xuan Communal House carrying the deities' incense bowls back to Quan Thuong and Bach Linh Temple.
1. Deity flag team - national flag
2. Drum - gong team
3. Bat Buu team
4. Procession carrying President Ho Chi Minh's palanquin
5. Drum-pounding team
6. Elderly flag team
7. Ceremonial offering palanquin
8. Incense-offering team
9. Bat Buu team
10. Senh tien musical team
11. Deity flag team
12. Deity procession palanquin
13. Female worship team
14. Deity flag team
15. Musician team
16. Palanquin to welcome the Tutelary God
17. Male ritual team
18. Elderly men
19. The entire village.
Every year, on the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month, the people of Du Xa Thuong enthusiastically organize the village festival at the Quan - Temple - Pagoda relic complex. This is an occasion for descendants to remember their roots and commemorate heroic predecessors such as Dinh Tien Hoang and Saint Tan Vien.
The festival is a combination of the solemn ritual ceremonies performed by the male elders and the devout Buddhist worship of the female elders. At that time, the relic space becomes even more vivid with folk cultural activities, strengthening neighborhood bonds and educating the younger generation about tradition.
Dear guests, when mentioning Du Xa Thuong village, one cannot fail to mention a traditional intangible heritage here, namely Vi Thien Mon Dao. Du Xa Thuong is the birthplace of the famous traditional martial arts school Thien Mon Dao.
The formation of Thien Mon Dao is closely associated with the history of King Dinh Bo Linh's military training from the 10th century in this very land. The school has been preserved and passed down by the Nguyen Khac family in Du Xa Thuong through 5 generations.
The martial arts foundation of Thien Mon Dao has distinctive features; it not only trains health but also educates the spirit of martial valor and patriotism. Today, under the preservation of Grand Master Nguyen Khac Phan, the martial school has developed strongly with tens of thousands of disciples, contributing to affirming the unique intangible cultural identity of the countryside of Du Xa Ha.
Dear distinguished guests!
The relic complex in Du Xa Thuong village is truly a "gem" treasure in the cultural heritage treasury of the Capital. Du Xa Thuong is a place where every step we take today touches history, and every breath today carries the flavor of peace and national pride. With the unique East-West architectural interplay, statues bearing the Dong A spirit, and a vast treasury of royal edicts, deity records, stone steles, and books, along with the picturesque scenery beside the Day River, this place is truly an unmissable destination on the journey back to roots and in learning about the culture, traditions, and local history of Hoa Xa commune, Hanoi city.
Please visit the relic complex in Du Xa Thuong once, to listen to the bell of Duyen Khanh Pagoda, to admire the ancient, tranquil beauty of Quan Thuong, to feel the sacred efficacy of Bach Linh Temple, and to find peace under the moss-covered roofs of the structures beside the poetic Day River, to find calm in your soul amid a countryside known as 'a land of sacred spirits and outstanding people'.
Du Xa Thuong always opens wide its heritage gate to welcome guests!
