The birthplace of the "Dragon" of the Nguyen Dynasty

Gia Mieu is an ancient village located in Tong Son district (now Ha Trung district, Thanh Hoa province). It is identified as the birthplace and origin of the Nguyen dynasty and is considered a noble land, with Tong Son district being a noble district. Official Nguyen dynasty histories record its history with figures such as Tong Phuoc Tri, Truong Phuc Gia, and Tong Huu Si...

In Gia Mieu, hundreds of years ago, the Nguyen dynasty built many architectural structures such as the Truong Nguyen Mausoleum, Trieu Tuong Temple, and Gia Mieu Communal House. This is a burial place and a site for worship and rituals related to the founding ancestors of the Nguyen dynasty.

Through numerous historical events, the architectural structures here have been more or less destroyed and lost. However, the remnants of a sacred land with a "coiled dragon" shape, destined for imperial rule, remain intact and sacred. From Thien Ton Mountain, one can look down upon a valley field, embraced and sheltered by two rows of low hills with lush vegetation, dotted with a few mounds of earth providing cover in front.

Event - The birthplace of the — The Trieu Tuong Mausoleum is built on a beautiful piece of land on Trieu Tuong Mountain, Ha Long commune, Ha Trung district.

According to historical records, it is said that after his father's death and his older brother's persecution, Lord Nguyen Hoang, the eldest son of Grand Tutor Hung Quoc Cong Nguyen Kim, sought advice from the scholar Nguyen Binh Khiem. Following this, Lord Nguyen Hoang requested permission from the court to govern Thuan Hoa province in order to establish his own dynasty for the Nguyen family.

In 1558, Lord Nguyen Hoang crossed the Hoanh Son mountain range to the South to establish his kingdom and founded the Dang Trong region, expanding the territory and laying the foundation for the glorious Nguyen dynasty with 9 lords and 13 kings.

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Phan, the caretaker of Gia Mieu Temple, five Nguyen Dynasty emperors, including Gia Long, Minh Menh, Thieu Tri, Thanh Thai, and Bao Dai, once visited Gia Mieu and went to the foot of Thien Ton Mountain, where the Trieu Tuong mausoleum is located, to pay respects to their ancestors. Currently, at Truong Nguyen Mausoleum (Trieu Tuong Mausoleum), a translation of the inscription by Emperor Minh Mang is still inscribed on the stone stele in this mausoleum complex.

"The land is vast and sacred."

Born Zhao Zu

Cultivating moral principles

"Glorify the sacred martial arts."

According to the author's observations, on Trieu Tuong (Thien Ton) mountain is Truong Nguyen Mausoleum, also known as Trieu Tuong Mausoleum. This is the burial place of Mr. Nguyen Kim (also known as Trieu To Tinh Emperor and Empress of the Nguyen Dynasty - the father and mother of Lord Tien Nguyen Hoang).

There is currently a memorial house and a stele at the foot of Trieu Tuong mountain, used for worship. Due to historical factors, the exact location of the tomb cannot be determined. Whenever there is a ceremony, the clan and officials of the Nguyen dynasty come here and then face the Trieu Tuong mountain area to pay their respects.

About 1km down towards the foot of the mountain is Trieu Tuong Temple, located in a field in the valley at the foot of the mountain. The entire Trieu Tuong Temple complex is divided into three main areas: Nguyen Temple (a temple dedicated to Nguyen Kim and Nguyen Hoang), the eastern area is Truong Quoc Cong Temple (a temple dedicated to Nguyen Kim's father), and the western area was formerly a military barracks and residence for the servants who looked after the mausoleum.

Further towards the edge of the village is the Gia Mieu Temple, a structure built by King Gia Long in 1806, at the same time as the Trieu Tuong Mausoleum complex, to commemorate the ancestral land of Quy Huong, the birthplace of the Nguyen dynasty. The Gia Mieu Temple, with its wooden architecture, was built on a massive area of over 374 square meters, very large for that time.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Phan (70 years old), who looks after the Gia Mieu village communal house, said that the communal house worships the village's tutelary deity, Nguyen Cong Duan, a meritorious official who helped establish the nation during the Later Le Dynasty, and Mr. Nguyen Kim, his descendant. Many scientific delegations have visited and studied the site. According to assessments, the communal house has a unique architectural structure, with a "half-architecture, half-sculpture" form, creating a harmonious yet sacred and majestic atmosphere that permeates the entire structure. Besides its unique architecture, Gia Mieu village also preserves ancient texts.

Speaking with us, Mr. Hoang Van Long, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Trung district, said that in 2007, the Trieu Tuong mausoleum and temple complex was classified as a National Historical and Cultural Relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism).

Accordingly, the project covers an area of 27.85 hectares. Currently, phase 1 has restored the Gia Mieu communal house and the Trieu Tuong shrine with an investment of over 40 billion VND. Phase 2 of the project will preserve and renovate the Trieu Tuong shrine area, the Truong Nguyen mausoleum area, the Ong Temple area, and the surrounding roads. The total investment for the project is over 453 billion VND, sourced from the Thanh Hoa provincial budget, the Ha Trung district budget, socialized capital, and other legally mobilized sources.

“The project aims to systematically preserve, enhance, and promote the value of the historical site, ensuring adherence to the principles of preserving the original relics. At the same time, the project contributes to meeting the socio-economic development needs of the locality, building the historical site into an attractive destination for spiritual tourism in Thanh Hoa in particular and Vietnam in general,” Mr. Long stated.

Gia Mieu village communal house is an ancient, imposing wooden architectural structure with many elaborate carvings and decorations displayed on the roof, the ends of the beams, the purlins, and the cornices. In addition, the structure features carvings of mythical creatures such as lions, turtles, phoenixes, and especially dragons, a mythical creature associated with emperors from ancient times.

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