Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bich Chau was from Hai Hau district, Nam Dinh province, the daughter of a renowned and upright high-ranking official of the Nguyen family. In the first year of Long Khanh (1373), she was chosen by King Tran Due Tong to be the Left Palace Consort, with the title Phu Dung. At that time, the feudal system of the Tran dynasty was in decline, and talented people were not appreciated. Consort Nguyen Thi Bich Chau drafted the "Ten Strategies for Rooster's Rooster" and presented it to the king, who praised her intelligence.
"The Ten Strategies for a Wise King," compiled by Consort Nguyen Thi Bich Chau, outlined the most crucial and practical points regarding political , cultural, and military policies to assist the king in governing the country. "The Ten Strategies for a Wise King" was not only relevant to the Tran Dynasty era but also holds immense value for future generations.
In 1377, the king led his army to attack Champa. Unable to dissuade him, the queen volunteered to accompany him as a bodyguard. When the Trần dynasty's army reached the Thị Nại estuary (Quy Nhơn), the Champa king, Chế Bồng Nga, sent envoys with gold and jewels as a ploy to feign surrender, but then unexpectedly attacked at midnight. In this battle, Nguyễn Thị Bích Châu was struck by a poisoned arrow and died on the night of February 11th to 12th, 1377. Three days later, King Trần Duệ Tông, partly due to the defeat and partly due to grief over the loss of his beloved consort Bích Châu, fell ill and passed away. At that time, King Trần Phế Đế ascended the throne and ordered the return of Bích Châu's remains to the court for burial. However, upon reaching the Kỳ Hoa estuary, they encountered heavy rain and strong winds, making further travel impossible. King Trần Phế Đế then issued a decree to bury her there and erect a temple for the people to worship and offer incense.
More than 90 years after the first year of the Hong Duc era (1470), King Le Thanh Tong, on his way to suppress the Champa rebels, discovered a temple at Ky Hoa estuary. The king immediately inquired with the local people, offered incense, and wrote the four characters "Nu Trung Hao Kiet" (Heroic Woman) on the ancestral tablet, saying: "In the previous dynasty, she was a national hero who sacrificed herself for the country and the king. Now, I too am going to suppress the rebels for the sake of the country and its borders. If she is sacred, please help me achieve victory and success. When I return to the court, I will begin the construction of a temple and bestow her with honors." That very night, having a good dream, King Le Thanh Tong immediately ordered his army to march out to suppress the rebels. Upon returning victorious, the king ordered his troops and the local people to rebuild the mausoleum with three large and more magnificent halls, as they stand today: the Upper Hall, the Middle Hall, and the Lower Hall, to commemorate the merits of the heroic woman Nguyen Thi Bich Chau. He also issued a royal decree bestowing the title of Che Thang Phu Nhan upon the temple. Another theory says that Bich Chau voluntarily sacrificed herself as a sea god to save the king and his army.
The Nguyen Thi Bich Chau Temple, built in the 14th century, is located on a high and fairly large sand dune, covering an area of 26,370 square meters . Right from the main gate, visitors will see two couplets written in Chinese characters:
The Ten Books of Sacred Wisdom, passed down through generations, protect the Vietnamese nation.
Lady Che Thang, Mother Goddess, will forever protect the people of the South.
(The Ten Books of Wisdom of the Sages and Saints, passed down to support Vietnam)
Lady Che Thang, with her motherly love, has long protected and helped the people of the South.
Passing through the main gate leads to the shrine of Ông Quan Tả, where visitors light incense before entering to perform rituals. The shrine houses a statue of Ông Quan Tả in a majestic standing posture, holding a spear in his right hand and a sword in his left, awe-inspiring figure guarding the sacred temple; the statue is 3 meters high and 0.8 meters wide. Beyond the shrine is the Tam Quan gate, with an entrance structure featuring a spherical structure with steps leading up and down; the gate has two square pillars spaced 3.3 meters apart, topped with carvings of two mythical creatures. In front of the Tam Quan gate are two buildings housing bells and gongs.
Passing through the triple-arched gate, visitors will immediately arrive at the main shrine area of Concubine Bich Chau, comprising three buildings: the Lower Hall, the Middle Hall, and the Upper Hall, connected in a "Công" (Chinese character for "work" or "achievement") shape.
Five meters from the Lower Hall's platform stands an incense burner measuring 0.95m high, 0.45m wide, and 0.65m long, flanked by two kneeling elephants on pedestals. The Lower Hall itself is very grand, arranged in three bays with an elaborate and ornate facade. Inside, at the top is a depiction of "two dragons worshipping the moon." In the central bay, above, hangs a gilded horizontal plaque inscribed with the words " Holy Virtue Endures Forever," affirming and praising the merits of Lady Chế Thắng. Below is the altar for the council members. On either side are two couplets inscribed in Chinese characters.
Continuing on is the Central Hall, flanked on either side by bas-reliefs of court officials. Connected to the Upper Hall is the incense offering house, also known as the attendant's quarters – where the concubines and attendants of the Holy Mother are worshipped; on either side of the altar in the incense offering house hang two couplets in Chinese characters, carved into brightly gilded wooden planks by the District Magistrate of Kỳ Anh, Lã Xuân Oai, during the reign of Emperor Tự Đức (1867).
Passing through the incense offering house leads to the main hall, consisting of three chambers. The altar features a tray and a gilded statue of Lady Chế Thắng, whose gentle countenance exudes intelligence, wit, kindness, and benevolence, yet also decisiveness.
On the left side of the main hall is a statue of the Marquis of Wu riding a tiger, holding a large saber, radiating an aura of majestic bravery. On the right is a statue of the Imperial Commissioner riding a horse, holding a writing brush, wise and resolute. Here, it is said that behind the altar lies the tomb of Lady Che Thang, buried in the 14th century.
To the left of the main hall is the Imperial Palace, a two-story building with an elaborate and ancient structure. The upper floor is pyramidal, the lower floor square, and the doorways are arched. Above the main arch are relief carvings of dragons and phoenixes embracing a scroll, inscribed with the three characters "Tư Cảnh Phúc". The second floor of the Imperial Palace is where imperial decrees from various dynasties are worshipped and stored.
Surrounding the main hall is a 0.7m wide corridor with an outer railing, supported by four pillars on all four sides. The surfaces of the pillars are decorated with highly artistic images characteristic of Vietnamese culture. To the left of the main hall is a secondary gate located to the southwest. Immediately to the left of this gate is the stele house, built in 2009. This is where the stone stele inscribed with the "Ten Strategies of the Rooster" by the woman is kept, in both Vietnamese and classical Chinese characters.
Throughout the feudal dynasties, Nguyen Thi Bich Chau received many royal decrees, such as Che Thang Phu Nhan, and the people revered her as Loan Nuong Thanh Mau or Mau Ky Anh. She was elevated to the status of a Mother Goddess at a relatively early stage in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people.
Having existed for nearly 700 years, enduring numerous historical events, wars, and natural disasters, the temple's architecture has been somewhat weathered and has lost some of its original beauty. Nevertheless, it remains a monumental historical site of great significance. On August 3, 1991, the Ministry of Culture and Information issued a decision recognizing the temple dedicated to Lady Nguyen Thi Bich Chau as a National Historical Monument and Scenic Landscape.
The temple dedicated to Lady Nguyen Thi Bich Chau is known throughout the country as a famous spiritual tourist destination – famous primarily for its sacredness. Every year, on the night of the 11th and the morning of the 12th of the second lunar month, local people and devotees from near and far come here to offer incense and commemorate the anniversary of her death. And every spring, millions of visitors from within and outside the province come here to worship, offer incense, and pray for wealth, prosperity, peace, and good fortune for a prosperous and peaceful new year.
Instructions:
From Ha Tinh city, follow National Highway 1A south for about 50km to Ky Anh town, then head east for 8km to reach the temple of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bich Chau.
Contact: 0239 3866 694
Nearby attractions: From here you can reach Vung Ang Port (22km) to enjoy delicious fresh squid or Deo Con Pass (25km) to relax and enjoy the beach.
Author: Tran Thi Hai Yen. Photo: Archival material.
Source: https://dulichhatinh.com.vn/tai-nguyen-du-lich/di-tich-danh-thang/den-tho-ba-nguyen-thi-bich-chau-6/
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