"First the capital, second Pho Hien ," this familiar saying affirms the special position of Hung Yen , a once bustling ancient city, second only to Thang Long during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Pho Hien historical site in Hung Yen province has been classified as a "Special National Historical, Cultural and Architectural Artistic Monument".
Every year, many locals and tourists visit the various sections of the historical site.
Today, that glorious legacy is still preserved at the Pho Hien National Special Historical Site, a complex of many relics with outstanding historical, cultural, and architectural value, and possessing great potential for tourism development. In 2014, it was classified as a "National Special Historical, Cultural, and Architectural Monument".
The complex comprises 17 representative historical sites, creating a rich cultural space: Xich Dang Confucian Temple, Chuong Pagoda, Mau Temple, Tran Temple, Hien communal house and pagoda, Pho Pagoda, Ne Chau Pagoda, Thien Hau Temple, Vo Mieu Temple, Dong Do Quang Hoi - Thien Hau Palace, May Temple, Cuu Thien Huyen Nu Temple, Ba Chua Kho Temple, An Vu communal house, Kim Dang Temple, Nam Hoa Temple, and Tra Temple.
The Pho Hien stele system - a treasure trove of documentary heritage submitted to UNESCO.
According to Ms. Nguyen Hai Yen, a tour guide and staff member of the Hung Yen Provincial Relics Management Board, based on surviving Han Nom documents, Pho Hien was formed and developed very early, around the 13th century. The most prosperous period for this area was in the 16th and 17th centuries. At that time, thanks to the open-door policy of the Le and Trinh feudal governments, which allowed foreign merchants to trade with the capital and surrounding areas (although not to settle permanently), Pho Hien quickly became a bustling international trading port.
Ms. Nguyen Hai Yen, a tour guide and staff member of the Hung Yen Provincial Relics Management Board, introduces the unique features of the historical sites.
Its advantageous geographical location near the capital Thang Long, and its position at the confluence of many large rivers, estuaries, and seaports, transformed Pho Hien into a gathering place for foreign merchants. They came here to trade and expand their businesses, bringing with them architectural structures, beliefs, and unique customs of worship from their homelands, enriching the local cultural life.
However, in the centuries that followed, natural changes such as the Red River changing course and silting up the waterways, making it difficult for merchant ships to dock, along with the impact of war and historical upheavals, caused Pho Hien to gradually lose its status as a prosperous trading port and quickly decline. Today, only ancient relics remain as evidence of Pho Hien's once flourishing period. Among them, many relics bear the strong imprint of cultural and architectural influences from ancient China, and especially preserve many valuable artifacts, stone steles, and historical documents.
The most beautiful and oldest stone stele at Chuong Pagoda (part of the Pho Hien historical site) is still preserved to this day.
Recently, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hung Yen province completed the scientific dossier for the Pho Hien stele system, submitting it to UNESCO for inscription as a regional documentary heritage of Asia and the Pacific.
This system comprises 41 stone inscriptions, a treasure trove of valuable documents in both Chinese and Vietnamese scripts, with a large quantity, rich content, and unique forms of expression. The inscriptions preserve various forms of ancient literature, combined with diverse artistic carvings, dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries, distributed among the sites within the Pho Hien National Special Historical Site. This is an invaluable source of historical data in the Vietnamese inscription treasury, considered a "living encyclopedia" of the history and culture of the Pho Hien region.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Hung Yen Provincial Relics Management Board, said: "From July 2025, the dossier was completed and submitted to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism… By October 2025, the dossier had undergone preliminary review and met the criteria for the Asia-Pacific region to meet and officially review in 2026."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Director of the Hung Yen Provincial Relics Management Board.
Last July, a team of experts on Documentary Heritage from the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme visited Hung Yen to survey and advise on the nomination dossier for the Pho Hien Stele System to be inscribed on the Memory of the World List for the Asia-Pacific region.
According to the Director of the Hung Yen Provincial Relics Management Board, in July 2025, the UNESCO regional representative office sent experts to attend a meeting in Hanoi. Subsequently, the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism also invited experts from Denmark and the United States to directly survey the Pho Hien stele system in Hung Yen province.
Experts have made numerous recommendations regarding conservation plans following the recognition of the site. For example, the steles still embedded in the walls of the historical sites should be removed and appropriate conservation measures implemented. Responding to these suggestions, the Management Board of the historical site has implemented measures to protect the steles at Chuong Pagoda, Tran Temple, Mau Temple, etc.; allocating specific locations for their preservation, while also facilitating visits and research for tourists and researchers.
"Telling the story" of the ancient city.
Known as the "foremost scenic spot" and a source of pride for the people of Hung Yen, Chuong Pagoda has endured through centuries, affirming its special position in the cultural and spiritual life of the Pho Hien region.
The temple was built quite early and underwent a major renovation in 1702; to this day, its structures and architecture have been preserved almost intact.
Chuong Pagoda is not only famous for its ancient and serene beauty, but also for its folk tales and unique architectural features that spark curiosity among locals and tourists alike whenever they visit.
According to tour guide Nguyen Hai Yen, Chuong Pagoda (Kim Chung Tu) is one of the typical relics belonging to the Pho Hien Special National Relic Area, recognized in 2014. It is called Chuong Pagoda because it is associated with the legend of the Golden Bell.
"Once upon a time, there was a golden bell placed on a wooden raft, floating down the river. The bell drifted through many areas, and people tried to pull it ashore but couldn't. Finally, the golden bell drifted down to the area of Nhan Duc village, Hien Nam ward (now Pho Hien ward)...", Ms. Hai Yen said.
Chuong Pagoda was built quite early, associated with the legend of the golden bell. In 1702 and 1711, the pagoda underwent major renovations on a large scale, resulting in a complete structure bearing the architectural hallmarks of the Late Le Dynasty. The pagoda has a continuous "Inner Courtyard, Outer Courtyard" structure, along with a "Four Waters Returning to the Hall" layout comprising many symmetrically arranged elements along an axis of symmetry from the main gate to the Mother Goddess house.
The system of Buddhist statues possesses high artistic and historical value, most notably the Eight Vajra Deities, 18 Arhat statues, and 4 Bodhisattva statues... running along the two corridors.
Not only famous for its legends, Chuong Pagoda is also known for its rich collection of Buddha statues, symmetrically arranged along two corridors. “All the statues are sculpted from clay. Despite numerous floods and storms, they remain almost intact. Most notably are the ten bas-reliefs depicting the Ten Courts of Yama, illustrating the ten gates of the underworld where people must face their demerits or sins upon returning to the realm of the dead, each representing a different merit or demerit…,” shared Ms. Hai Yen.
As a relic bearing the distinctive architectural style of the Late Le Dynasty, Chuong Pagoda still preserves many precious artifacts: a stone incense burner, a stone bridge built in 1702, and especially a stone stele erected in 1711, one of the two oldest surviving steles in Pho Hien… The statues are meticulously and skillfully crafted, each with its own posture, appearance, and expression. The wooden relief of the Ten Kings of Hell depicts the scene of Tang Sanzang's journey to obtain the scriptures, while scenes of hell on earth on either side of the corridor serve as a reminder for everyone to cultivate virtue and accumulate merit.
The ancient stele at Keo Pagoda records the restoration process and the prosperous period of Pho Hien.
In particular, the pagoda still preserves the most beautiful stone stele in Pho Hien. The stele, inscribed with Chinese characters on both sides, not only records the pagoda's restoration process but also reflects the prosperous period of the Pho Hien trading port. "The carvings on the top and body of the stele are still sharp, showing the exquisite craftsmanship of the ancient artisans. This stele also clearly states that if Thang Long had 36 streets and wards, then ancient Pho Hien also had as many as 25 wards and markets," Ms. Yen said.
The Mother Goddess Temple is also one of the most representative relics of Pho Hien, located on the shores of the picturesque Crescent Lake, facing the Red River and Ben Da Wharf, a place that once welcomed merchant ships from both domestic and foreign countries for trade during the prosperous era of Pho Hien. The temple, dedicated to Yang Guifei of the Song Dynasty (China), was built in 1279 during the Tran Dynasty.
The Mother Goddess Temple is also one of the most representative historical sites of Pho Hien.
Visitors to the temple are impressed by its ancient architecture and the surrounding landscape, with flocks of pigeons perched on the temple roof...
Ms. Nguyen Hai Yen, an official from the Hung Yen Provincial Relics Management Board, said that despite numerous historical ups and downs, the Mother Goddess Temple has preserved its ancient architectural system almost intact. After a major restoration in 1896, the temple fully preserves all its components: the main hall, the first hall, the second hall, the third hall, the rear hall, the forbidden hall… All are hidden under the shade of nearly 800-year-old ancient trees, creating a sacred space characteristic of Pho Hien.
The unique feature is the rare "one trunk, three roots" formation, created from three types of banyan, fig, and cypress trees. Legend has it that in the past, there was an ancient banyan tree in front of the temple. Birds dropped seeds from the three trees, which took root and combined to form a sturdy trunk like a three-legged stool, symbolizing the temple's longevity.
Currently, the Mother Goddess Temple still preserves many precious artifacts, most notably the eight-armed palanquin and the seven-armed phoenix palanquin, exceptional works of art carved during the Late Le Dynasty. In addition, there is a valuable collection of religious objects: 15 royal decrees, dragon beds, dragon pedestals, palanquins, calligraphy scrolls, etc., all reflecting the artistic style of the Le and Nguyen dynasties.
The nearly 800-year-old ancient tree is one of the impressive and attractive features of the Mother Goddess Temple.
This is an aphorism inscribed by Doctor Chu Manh Trinh.
Among them, the inscription, written in gold lettering by Dr. Chu Manh Trinh himself, praises the beauty of the temple and the chaste heart of the mother goddess… Dr. Chu Manh Trinh was one of the famous figures who made significant contributions to the construction of the temple dedicated to love and the temple dedicated to Chu Dong Tu, one of the four immortals of Vietnam. The Mother Goddess Temple Festival, held from March 10th to 15th (Lunar Calendar), is a major festival that preserves many values that create the unique cultural identity of Hung Yen in the Northern Delta region.
Visiting the Tran Temple in Hung Yen, it is said that this land was once the encampment of General Tran Quoc Tuan (Hung Dao Vuong). After his death, the people of Hung Yen built the Tran Temple to worship him. The temple was built quite early and underwent a major renovation in 1894.
The majestic dragon motifs stretch across the temple roof, gracefully curving yet exuding a sacred and powerful aura.
Visiting Tran Temple in Hung Yen is a place to commemorate the contributions of Hung Dao King Tran Quoc Tuan and his family, as well as General Pham Ngu Lao.
Ms. Nguyen Hai Yen, a tour guide at the historical site, said: “Currently, the architectural elements have been preserved almost intact, and the entire grounds have been expanded and made more spacious. The main inner sanctuary is built in the shape of the Chinese character 'Tam' (three), consisting of three buildings: the front hall, the middle hall, and the rear hall. This is where Hung Dao King Tran Quoc Tuan and his family are worshipped, and also houses the altar of General Pham Ngu Lao, a son of Hung Yen.”
Many valuable artifacts are still preserved here, such as: 10 royal decrees, engraved tablets, stone steles, and altars… Every year, Tran Temple holds a festival on August 20th and March 8th (Lunar Calendar), coinciding with the Pho Hien folk culture festival.
The Thien Hau Temple boasts distinctive ancient architecture and is one of the representative relics of the Pho Hien Special National Historical Site.
The main and side doors of the temple are carved with images of civil and military officials, along with eye-catching and impressive patterns.
The inverted lotus flowers bear the strong imprint of ancient culture.
The Thien Hau Temple boasts many unique architectural features, sparking curiosity among visitors who come to explore, worship, and learn about the cultural and historical value of the place.
According to Ms. Nguyen Hai Yen, the main and side doors of the temple are carved with images of civil and military officials, along with characteristic patterns… Particularly noteworthy is the incense burning hall inside, built in a two-story, eight-roofed style without surrounding walls. The inverted lotus flowers, along with the two main trusses in the incense burning hall, are sculpted according to ancient legends… The interior is decorated with images of bats, birds, flowers, leaves, and an eight-sided palanquin dating back to the Nguyen dynasty, on which is carved "immortals playing music," recreating the scene of the Holy Mother Thien Hau returning to heaven.
The temple still preserves many valuable artifacts such as: stone steles, stone mythical creatures, horizontal plaques, couplets, the Mother Goddess palanquin, etc.
Currently, Thien Hau Temple still preserves many valuable religious artifacts and relics related to seafaring and praising the goddess's talents and fame, such as: royal decrees, stone steles, stone lions, horizontal plaques, couplets, and the Mother Goddess's palanquin...
Every year, the Thien Hau Temple holds a festival on the 23rd of March and the 9th of September (Lunar Calendar) to commemorate the birth and death anniversaries of the Holy Mother. This festival has its own unique character, a blend of various cultures.
Amidst the constant changes of modern life, Pho Hien quietly preserves the memory of a glorious trading port. The serene communal houses, ancient temples, and time-worn stone inscriptions… all combine to form a unique cultural layer, making Hung Yen a destination for those seeking historical depth and the beauty of cultural exchange.
The journey of preserving and "awakening" the heritage of Pho Hien today is not only about safeguarding the values of the past, but also about passing on to future generations a sense of pride and an identity forged over centuries. From the dossier submitted to UNESCO to the daily efforts of managers, experts, and the local community, all are contributing to illuminating the value of the system of stelae, architecture, beliefs, and culture of this place. Therefore, every step a visitor takes while strolling around Thien Hau Temple, Chuong Pagoda, or Xich Dang Confucian Temple… is not just a sightseeing trip, but a return to history.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/van-hoa/ke-chuyen-do-thi-co-dua-pho-hien-len-ban-do-di-san-unesco-20251204092117249.htm
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