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| Tuc Duyen Temple, Group 8, Gia Sang Ward. |
Sacred mark of the ancient temple
According to the book "Geography of Dong Hy District" (AJ 18/1, Geography section, Institute of Han Nom Studies), Tuc Duyen is the only temple in the communes and villages of Dong Hy district, equivalent to Thai Nguyen city (old), that has both a stele and a royal decree, a decree for Princess Thieu Dung - the second wife of leader Duong Tu Minh under the Ly dynasty.
The Tuc Duyen Temple, located in Group 8, Gia Sang Ward (formerly Xuan Quang Hamlet), was established in the 12th century after the death of Princess Thieu Dung, wife of the Tay ethnic leader Duong Tu Minh. The people revered her as a Holy Mother for her contributions to the people of Gia Sang and the former Tuc Duyen commune in reclaiming land, cultivating mulberry trees, raising silkworms, weaving cloth, and caring for the people's livelihoods.
The temple possesses many ancient artifacts that affirm the historical value of the site, including royal decrees from the reigns of Canh Tri (1680) and Khai Dinh (1924) that praise the merits of Princess Thieu Dung, who "protected the people" and whose worship was "responsible."
After the 1954 land reform, Tuc Duyen Temple became a place where neighboring temples and pagodas entrusted their precious religious artifacts. From 1967 onwards, the temple was demolished, leaving only the old foundation, the ancient banyan tree, and the old well. According to locals around the Tuc Duyen Temple area, even though the temple has been completely destroyed, many people from Hanoi , Hai Phong, and other places still travel by train to Luu Xa station or by bus to visit and offer incense.
In 1995, the temple was restored on its original foundation, continuing its role as a spiritual and cultural space for the community. In 2018, Tuc Duyen Temple was recognized as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic. The sacred traces of the ancient temple are a source of pride, representing a historical link to the locality.
A special old tree
The banyan tree in front of the temple is a particularly significant ancient tree in the minds of the local people, and in fact, it fully deserves to be recognized as a heritage tree.
At nearly 90 years old, it seems that Bui Van Khang, the caretaker of Tuc Duyen Temple, has spent his entire life sheltered under the shade of this banyan tree, except for the more than 10 years he spent fighting in the war. "For generations, my ancestors who lived here have seen this banyan tree, so large that it would take several people to encircle it; its age must be measured in centuries. The villagers have always regarded it as a sacred tree," Mr. Khang affirmed.
Many elderly people in their 80s and 90s in Xuan Quang hamlet recount that their generation all studied in the temple and spent their childhood playing under its shade. The temple also served as a venue for classes during the Popular Education Movement, which Gia Sang ward was a pioneering locality in Thai Nguyen after the August Revolution.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Viet, an 80-year-old resident of Xuan Quang, pointed to the banyan tree and said: "When we were children, we played hide-and-seek under the banyan tree. For the past six or seven decades, the tree has miraculously created new layers of bark to cover the old ones."
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Tuc Duyen Temple is the place where former Gia Sang militiamen from the 1960s choose to hold their annual reunion. |
Another strange thing is that since the temple was restored (in 1995), from the mother banyan tree's canopy, roots have "grown upside down," giving rise to two banyan trees on the left and right sides, forming a sturdy cluster of mother and child banyan trees with outstretched arms. Currently, the two child banyan trees have quite large trunks. In recent years, the ancient mother banyan tree has continued to send down its root system towards the front of the temple courtyard. The temple management has organized protection and support to ensure the roots land safely, forming a third child banyan tree surrounding the mother tree.
Mrs. Nguyen Thuy Mau, former chairwoman of the Gia Sang Ward People's Committee and wife of Mr. Bui Van Khang, shared: "Xuan Quang hamlet was once heavily bombed during the two wars of resistance, especially the war against the US. A few hundred meters from the temple is where 60 young volunteer soldiers of Company 915 sacrificed their lives on the night of December 24, 1972. There are many bomb craters around the temple, but the temple itself and the banyan tree have never been hit by bombs." Mrs. Mau believes that her family's relocation to live next to and serve the historical site is a fortunate coincidence.
According to Mr. Bui Van Khang, Tuc Duyen Temple is not only a place of long-standing spiritual and religious activity but also a place that witnessed many revolutionary events during the two resistance wars. After the Dien Bien Phu victory (in 1954), Mr. Khang witnessed army units from the ATK (Vietnamese Resistance Zone) gathering there before returning to take over the capital. The temple's location near National Highway 3 meant that many goods were also stockpiled around the temple area. During the resistance war against the US, the temple served as a meeting place for militia, women from the village and commune, and many other activities.
Having been entrusted with the care of the historical site for over 30 years, Mr. Khang also said that after the temple was rebuilt, many people voluntarily returned valuable artifacts such as incense burners, bronze cauldrons, bells, and ancient decrees... According to the Chinese characters, "Túc" means place, something readily available... "Duyên" means connection, a fated encounter... "Túc Duyên" in Chinese means a predestined connection.
The Tuc Duyen Temple and the National Historical Site of the 915 Youth Volunteers are located next to each other, on the same strip of land, which can be seen as a predestined arrangement. This area will be a spiritual site connecting the past and present, of great significance, with profound historical educational value for the region.
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202606/mach-ngam-ket-not-nhung-mien-thoi-gian-f6a3d1a/
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