The oldest sanctuary in Vietnam and its unsolved mysteries

After more than a hundred years of discovery, the mysteries surrounding this holy site have yet to be solved. To this day, this is still the oldest holy site in Vietnam.

The oldest sanctuary in Vietnam and its unsolved mysteries

Located in Duy Phu commune, Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province, only 70km from Da Nang and 40km from Hoi An is the My Son Sanctuary. This is the Hindu holy land of the ancient Champa Kingdom. It is located in a valley about 2km in diameter, surrounded by hills and mountains.

A corner of My Son Sanctuary

Legend has it that after ascending the throne, every king would come to My Son to perform a purification ceremony, make offerings, and build temples. My Son was most likely built in the 4th century, with large and small towers added over the centuries. This place gradually became the main relic of Champa culture in Vietnam.

In 1885, a group of French soldiers accidentally discovered the My Son Sanctuary. Ten years later, archaeologists began to explore and uncover its secrets. In 1999, the My Son temple complex was recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage.

During the excavation and research process, in April 2007, experts found 10 decorative ears on the corners of the towers with the word Tran engraved on them. Why are there Chinese characters in a Champa temple tower? It is believed that since the 13th century, there were Vietnamese people in this land, participating in the construction of the G tower group.

Or the discovery of the mukhalinga (linga with a human face) in November 2012 in tower group F also caused a stir. Artist Nguyen Thuong Hy said that this was a very surprising thing and the first time it was seen in My Son Sanctuary.

Dr. Ngo Van Doanh - Institute of Southeast Asian Studies commented: "This is the most unique linga, discovered for the first time in Southeast Asia."

Until now, after more than 100 years of discovery, My Son Sanctuary is still controversial in the scientific community. There may be many mysteries underground that we will never discover.

Dr. Le Dinh Phung - Vietnam Institute of Archaeology commented: "There was definitely an ancient My Son underground and it was the origin of the architectural works that still exist today."

The Head of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi also warned researchers and archaeologists to be careful when implementing any intervention in My Son.

Source: https://danviet.vn/thanh-dia-co-nhat-viet-nam-va-nhung-bi-an-chua-co-loi-giai-20250219122028851-print1211458.html