The sacred temple 50km from Hanoi, is said to have a 'magic well where wishes come true'

The temple in Diem village (Bac Ninh), nearly 50km from the center of Hanoi, is famous for its sacredness. Local people say: "No matter who goes to worship in all four directions/ It is not as sacred as burning incense at Cung Temple."

Cung Temple - Ngoc Well is located in Kinh Bac ward, Bac Ninh province (formerly in Diem village - Viem Xa area, Hoa Long ward, Bac Ninh city).

The temple is also associated with thrilling stories about the "divine fish" and the sacred well that never dries up. Today, along with Do Temple, Dinh Bang communal house, Tieu pagoda, Dau pagoda, Cung Temple - Ngoc Well is also a tourist destination that attracts many visitors from all over the world to visit and pray for love, career and success.

Cung Temple is a complex of ancient and majestic architecture, but also close to the Northern countryside. Photo: Huy Nguyen

The temple grounds are shaded by tall, ancient trees with wide canopies, making visitors feel peaceful and comfortable. Photo: Huy Nguyen

According to the Bac Ninh Electronic Information Portal, Cung Temple - Ngoc Well is a sacred place, worshiping the Mother Goddess of the Three Palaces since ancient times. The sacredness of Cung Temple has been famous among the people since the Pre-Ly, Pre-Le, and Ly dynasties. Legend has it that the court's soldiers and officers fighting along the Cau River came to this place to pray and all were answered, defeating the invaders...

The temple also worships two princesses Tien Dung and Thuy Tien, daughters of King Ly Thanh Tong, who founded the village and passed on the profession to the people.

Worship space at the temple. Photo: Huy Nguyen

At the temple, there is an ancient well with clear blue water flowing from Kim Linh mountain, which Diem villagers often call Ngoc Well. The well is semicircular, about 20 square meters wide, including 11 brick steps, 4 stone steps and 1 ironwood step close to the edge of the well.

At the bottom of the well is a layer of natural laterite about 10m deep. Ngoc Well is famous for its cool, fresh water that never dries up and contains many thrilling stories about 3 "divine fish".

Jade Well at Cung Temple. Photo: Huy Nguyen

Local people said that, since ancient times, people often took water from Ngoc Well to make tea to entertain guests, and to make wine for important family and clan occasions. People also told each other that thanks to drinking Ngoc Well water, the girls of Diem village all have very smooth and clear quan ho singing voices, famous everywhere.

According to legend, in the Jade Well there is a divine fish that has lived for thousands of years and is still respectfully called "the divine fish" by the local people. There were historic floods in 1957 and 1971 that submerged the entire Diem village, but the three "fish" remained in the well and did not move.

For tourists who come to visit and worship at Cung Temple, the water from Ngoc Well is believed to bring luck, and when they drink it, their wishes will come true. To get the water, visitors must leave their shoes on the shore and walk barefoot down.

The thrilling stories make Cung Temple - Ngoc Well even more mysterious, attracting tourists. Photo: Huy Nguyen

According to traditional customs, the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month every year - Thanh Minh festival - is considered the Cung Temple festival, to commemorate the merits of the two princesses Ngoc Dung and Thuy Tien.

On this day, villagers perform a ritual of drawing wells, cleaning the grounds and repairing damaged areas around them. Afterwards, a procession will draw water from the Jade Well and bring it to the temple, praying for a healthy new year with favorable weather and rain.

Tourists come to Cung Temple - Ngoc Well to pray for peace, luck, love and success in work. Photo: Huy Nguyen

Every year on the occasion of Lunar New Year, many tourists from all over come to Cung Temple - Ngoc Well to drink well water, wash their faces... with the hope that in the new year love will bloom and many good things will come.

People flock to Cung Temple - Ngoc Well to draw "divine" water to pray for luck in the new year. Photo: Bao Khanh

The ancient temple in Ho Chi Minh City stands out with two towers containing many brightly decorated statues of gods, attracting a large number of tourists and locals to pray every day.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ngoi-den-thieng-cach-ha-noi-50km-tuong-truyen-co-gieng-than-cau-duoc-uoc-thay-2464362.html