Quan Cong Temple - An ancient religious relic in Hoi An

Today, Quan Cong Temple (also known as Ong Pagoda) is still located opposite the main market of Hoi An. The restoration in the 19th century shaped the architectural appearance of Quan Cong Temple as it is today. Coming here, we can see the roof frame system made in a very unique style and the statues are very artistically crafted. The relic was ranked as a national historical and cultural relic in 1991.

In Hoi An folk beliefs, Quan Van Truong (Quan Cong, Quan Vu) - a famous general of the Three Kingdoms period (China) was a man of integrity, loyalty, trust, and righteousness, so he was revered as Quan Thanh De Quan and a temple was built to worship him. In Hoi An, Quan Thanh De Quan is also worshiped in many families and communal relics of the Chinese and Minh Huong people. Among them, the most important and famous religious institution worshiping Quan Thanh De Quan is Quan Cong Temple, also known as Ong Pagoda, Trung Han Palace, etc., located at 24 Tran Phu. Adjacent to Quan Cong Temple is Ba Pagoda (Minh Huong Phat Tu).

The book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi (volume 5) recorded that "Quan Cong Temple in Hoi An town, Dien Phuoc district, was built by the Minh Huong people to worship Quan Thanh De Quan, with splendid regulations. In the 6th year of Minh Mang, the Holy Ancestor Emperor toured the South, passed by the temple, and was rewarded with 300 taels of silver...". The stele in the temple - dated Quy Dau year 1753 - stated "Quan Thanh De Temple and Quan Am Phat Tu in the commune were built more than a hundred years ago", so the temple was built at the latest in 1653. The work Hai Ngoai Ky Su said that when the Chinese Zen master Thich Dai San propagated the Dharma in Dang Trong during the Nguyen Lords' reign in 1695-1696, he stopped at Quan Phu Tu Temple (Quan Cong Temple) for a while. A wooden royal decree currently hanging in front of the temple is dated Khanh Duc Quy Ty year (1653). According to the stele remaining at the temple, the relic has undergone many renovations in 1753, 1783, 1827, 1864, 1904, and 1966.

In the middle of the worship space of the temple is the statue of Quan Thanh De Quan, Quan Binh, Chau Xuong, two horses Bach Tho and Xich Tho on both sides. In particular, the interior is decorated with more than 30 horizontal panels and 10 sets of parallel sentences praising the merits of Quan Thanh De Quan such as "Chi tai Xuan Thu cong tai Han - Trung dong nhat nguyet nghia dong thien" (meaning: Chi tai Xuan Thu cong tai Han - Trung dong nhat nguyet nghia dong thien) or "Tam Quoc anh hung vo doi thu - Nhat truong trung liet huu hoan nhan" (meaning: During the Three Kingdoms, no one is a rival - in the field of loyalty and honor, he is the most perfect person). In the temple, there are also woodblocks with poems and praises by Xuan Quan Cong Nguyen Nghiem - the father of the great poet Nguyen Du and two generals, doctor Nguyen Lenh Tan and doctor Uong Si Du, when they came to Hoi An in 1775.

Quan Cong Temple is one of the relics with typical values ​​in history, culture, especially in the architecture, art, literature, Han Nom. Although this is a relic with Chinese architectural style, it also has strong Vietnamese structure and decoration made by local craftsmen (Kim Bong village). In particular, the system of horizontal lacquered boards and parallel sentences contains many moral and human values ​​passed down through many generations.

With outstanding values ​​in terms of architectural art, history, culture, beliefs and educational significance, Quan Cong Temple was ranked as a national monument in 1991.

Source: https://hoiancreativecity.com/vi/quan-cong-mieu-di-tich-tin-nguong