Hai Ba Trung Temple Traditional Festival: Paying tribute to two national heroines

Taking place from the 18th to the 21st of the third lunar month each year, the traditional festival at the Hai Ba Trung Temple in De Tham Ward ( Thai Binh City) is an occasion to remember and express gratitude for the merits of the two heroic female generals Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, and their generals who led the people in the uprising to drive out the Eastern Han invaders and win national independence. This year, the traditional festival includes a water-carrying ceremony with both land and water processions, fulfilling the spiritual needs of all segments of the population.

The Hai Ba Trung Temple relic has been restored and renovated to a magnificent state, meeting the spiritual and religious needs of all segments of the population.

"Demanding national debt and seeking revenge for family grievances."

Visiting the Hai Ba Trung Temple during the traditional festival days, and having the opportunity to chat with the temple caretakers, we gained a deeper understanding of the anecdotes associated with the lives of these two heroic female generals.

According to historical records, the Trung Sisters were twin sisters, daughters of a Lac General in Me Linh district, belonging to the Hung King lineage. Trung Trac and Trung Nhi were intelligent and beautiful from an early age, and their parents taught them military strategy and martial arts. As they grew up, both excelled in martial arts and governance, possessing a deep love for their country and people. At the age of 19, Trung Trac married Thi Sach, the son of a Lac General in Chu Dien, a talented man who always planned for great things and had a strong will for national self-reliance. During that period, Vietnam was under the rule of the Han Dynasty. With the Han Dynasty's extremely brutal policies and harsh tribute system, the Vietnamese people suffered greatly. Faced with the loss of their country and the destruction of their home, Thi Sach and Trung Trac planned a struggle against the tyrannical rule of the Northern feudal government. Knowing this, the governor Tô Định plotted to harm Thi Sách in order to undermine the resolve of Trưng Trắc and the fighting spirit of the people. However, Tô Định's brutal actions did not discourage Trưng Trắc; on the contrary, they fueled her hatred of the invaders and strengthened her resolve to rise up and avenge her family. On the 6th day of the first lunar month of the year Canh Tý (40 AD), the Two Trưng Sisters raised the banner of rebellion, calling upon heroes from all directions and the people of the entire country to rise up and drive out the foreign invaders. Before the nation, Trưng Trắc cast aside her mourning veil and swore: " First, I vow to avenge the national humiliation; Second, I vow to restore the former glory of the Hùng dynasty; Third, I vow to avenge my husband's injustice; Fourth, I vow to fulfill this great command ."

Following the successful uprising, Trung Trac was crowned queen by the generals and people, taking the title Trung Vuong, establishing her capital in Me Linh, becoming the first female monarch of the Vietnamese nation. Upon hearing of Trung Trac's declaration of queenship, the Eastern Han emperor was furious and sent Ma Vien with 20,000 main troops, 2,000 ships and chariots, not to mention the number of oarsmen and laborers carrying supplies and provisions, to invade our country. After a year of resistance, our army fought valiantly, but due to the overwhelming disparity in forces, the Trung sisters fought to their last breath, then threw themselves into the river to commit suicide. To show gratitude and respect for the great contributions of the Trung sisters, temples and shrines have been erected in many localities throughout the country to worship them.

The Temple of the Two Trung Sisters, De Tham Ward (Thai Binh City).

Preserving traditional festivals

In Thai Binh, the people have erected a temple dedicated to the Trung Sisters and their six female generals on sacred land in the heart of the city. Ms. Bui Thi Huong, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of De Tham Ward (Thai Binh City), stated: The temple dedicated to the Trung Sisters is part of the complex of relics including the Trung Sisters Temple and Trung Pagoda.

According to ancient local records, the temple grounds were once spacious, with a gate featuring a ceremonial pillar, and two elephant statues on either side of the entrance, symbolizing the war elephants of the Two Sisters. From the gate, there was a small pond, followed by a five-bay front hall, a three-bay middle hall, a three-bay rear hall, and three guest houses. The landscape was lush with greenery, and glimpses of ancient, moss-covered tiled roofs could be seen. Through the vicissitudes of history, war, and natural disasters, the temple grounds have shrunk, and currently, the usable area is only 179.5 square meters. With a sense of responsibility to preserve the historical and cultural heritage, the local Party committee, government, and people have consistently invested in repairing and restoring the site over the years. In 2019, with the approval of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the People's Committee of Thai Binh City, and other competent authorities, the People's Committee of De Tham Ward renovated the historical site with a total investment of over 4.5 billion VND from socialized funding sources.

Every year, the traditional festival at the Hai Ba Trung Temple is held to commemorate the glorious and heroic history and the resilient and indomitable traditions of the nation. At the same time, it is also an opportunity for each citizen to respectfully offer incense to express their boundless gratitude and appreciation for the immense contributions of the Hai Ba Trung sisters, our ancestors, and the heroic martyrs who bravely sacrificed themselves for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland and the happiness of the people.

At over 80 years old, Mr. Ta Duc Thu (De Tham ward) has been dedicated to the caretaker of the Hai Ba Trung Temple for 21 years. He shared: "Not only this year, but for many years, the traditional festival has included a procession with three palanquins: the king's palanquin, the eight-sided palanquin, and the hammock palanquin. This year, the procession took place right after the incense offering ceremony to inaugurate the traditional festival on the morning of the 19th day of the 3rd lunar month. The traditional festival is an occasion to welcome a large number of local people and tourist groups from all over to visit and worship, meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people."

With its immense cultural and historical value, in 2005, the Provincial People's Committee granted the Hai Ba Trung Temple provincial-level historical site ranking. Each traditional festival held here provides an opportunity for people to gain a deeper understanding of the nation's glorious history, foster love for their homeland, and demonstrate the principle of "drinking water, remembering the source." This contributes to promoting the value of the site and making it an attractive cultural and spiritual tourism destination for visitors from within and outside the province.

Tu Anh

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