The mysterious 'sacred fish stream' in Thanh Hoa.

The "sacred fish stream" is only about 100 meters long.

For reasons unknown, nature has bestowed upon this place the "sacred fish stream" of Cam Luong - an unsolved mystery that always satisfies the curiosity of visitors from all over.

Nestled amidst towering limestone mountains, the Luong Ngoc stream is only about 100 meters long, narrow at places just 2 meters wide and over 3 meters wide at others, with a depth of 30-50 centimeters. Thousands of fish swim in rows around the mouth of a rocky cave in the streambed. A clear, turquoise stream constantly flows from within the mountain. The people of Luong Ngoc village often call the fish living in this "fairy stream" "slope fish."

The entrance to the cave where the fish take refuge every night.

During the flood season, the water rises high along the path leading to the stream, but strangely, the fish don't venture far, instead circling around the stream near the cave. There are small and large fish here, some weighing up to 10 kg. They are tame and playful, revealing their glossy black bellies and backs with hints of yellow, their red lips and fins a beautiful and mysterious sight. During the day, schools of fish swim in a line from the cave outwards, and at night they retreat back into the cave for shelter.

ca-than2(1).jpg — Locals call them "slope fish," and some can weigh up to about 10 kg.

Numerous domestic and international scientific teams have come here to survey the area, but the existence of this fish population remains a mystery.

Although the area is frequently flooded, the fish in the stream never get swept away. When the water overflows, the larger fish hide in the rock caves, and even the smaller ones, if carried away, can find their way back to their hiding places. The locals believe that the "sacred fish stream" is very holy, and anyone who dares to catch and eat the fish from this stream is considered to have offended the gods, bringing misfortune not only to themselves but also to the entire community.

ca-than1(1).jpg — The shrine dedicated to the Serpent God is located by the stream.

Every year, the ritual of worshipping the mountain god, river god, and fish god on the banks of Luong Ngoc stream is held from the 8th to the 15th of January, attracting many people from near and far to admire the offerings and pray for good fortune.

According to a local legend, the village of Ngoc, nestled at the foot of the Truong Sinh mountain range, was once plagued by droughts and crop failures. In the village lived a childless couple who spent their days cultivating crops and catching shrimp and fish by the stream. One day, the woman found a strange egg in the stream and brought it home. The next day, the egg hatched into a snake. Curious, the old man took the snake to the Ngoc stream and released it. However, every morning, the snake would return home and gradually become accustomed to living there, just like any other pet.

ca-than4(1).jpg — "The Sacred Fish Stream" has become a popular tourist attraction.

Since the snake was born, the fields here have become fertile, and the villagers have enjoyed prosperity and happiness. They cherish the snake and call it "Young Snake." Life went on peacefully until one night, there was a heavy rain, strong winds, thunder, and lightning. The next day, the villagers found the body of Young Snake lying at the foot of Truong Sinh Mountain, by the Ngoc stream.

Legend says that the young Snake died fighting a water monster that was destroying the village. Since the villagers built a temple by the stream to commemorate the young Snake's功績 (merit/achievement), the Jade Stream has been home to tens of thousands of "sacred fish" that come day and night to worship the deity and guard the temple, a practice that continues to this day.

TIEN HUY

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/la-lam-suoi-ca-than-thanh-hoa-413923.html