About Truth, listen to the story of the temple worshiping the virtuous woman of Nam Xuong land

Ba Vu Temple, also known as Thanh Mau Temple, is located in Chan Ly commune (Ly Nhan).

The story of a virtuous girl from Nam Xuong land

Nestled beside the red, silty Red River, Ba Vu Temple, also known as Thanh Mau Temple, is located in Chan Ly Commune, Ly Nhan District (formerly Vu Dien Commune, Nam Xuong District, Ly Nhan Prefecture). The temple with its ancient mossy walls lies majestically and quietly on Hoang Giang Wharf, facing the river to the North, and is the place to worship Thanh Mau Vu Nuong Princess, whose real name is Vu Thi Thiet, nicknamed Huong Nuong.

According to legend, Vu Thi Thiet lived in the 14th century. During her lifetime, she was intelligent and her parents sent her to study at Pham Tien Sinh's school. She was very good at the classics and had a talent for poetry, but her circumstances were difficult. Her parents died early, and her four siblings had to help each other make a living. At the age of 19, when the villagers were facing famine, she discussed with her brother to use part of her fortune to help the villagers. The poor, the elderly, and the weak were all grateful for her virtue, so there was a poem that said: "The story goes that in the past, Vu Nuong/Brought her dowry to save the common people/The king awarded her a title/Ca tru van te song Nam Xuong".

At that time, in the lower hamlet, there was a family of Mr. Truong Nghi, a village leader, holding power over a region of the estate. Mr. Truong Nghi had 5 children, the second son, Truong Huyen, was also grown up. Seeing that Vu Thi Thiet was beautiful, virtuous and of equal social status, he intended to marry her to be his son, Truong Huyen's wife. After that, the marriage was approved, and the wedding ceremony took place smoothly.

Not long after they got married, the Champa invaders came to harass the border. Truong had to join the army to fight the invaders. Vu Thi Thiet stayed home alone to take care of the house, support her parents, fulfill her filial duty, take care of her young children, and be loyal to her husband. When the invaders were defeated, her husband returned. From the words of her young child about his father's shadow, she became suspicious of his wife's loyalty. Vu, holding her grievance, drowned herself in the Red River, choosing death to prove her innocence and loyalty.

To commemorate the gentle, graceful, beautiful, filial, and virtuous woman Vu Thi Thiet, the villagers honored her as Princess Vu Nuong; contributed their efforts and money to build a temple and then erected a shrine right on the land where she used to live to worship her. Her example of chastity is considered by the world as a model of virtue for Vietnamese women.

The Sacred Temple of Nanchang

Over time, Vu Nuong was transformed into a goddess and the story of her life was written into a legend with many legendary details. It is said that when King Le Thanh Tong and his army went to fight the Champa invaders, they suddenly had big waves and strong winds, so the dragon boats had to stop and anchor. Because the temple of Princess Vu Nuong was outside the beach, the king personally went in to worship. That night, the king dreamed of a girl who claimed to be from Vu Dien village, Nam Xuong district, who had saved the king the night before and volunteered to follow the king to fight the Champa invaders.

That time, King Le Thanh Tong led his army straight into the land of Chiem Thu and won a complete victory. When he returned to the capital, the king immediately issued an edict allowing the villagers to build a temple to worship Vu Nuong and also rewarded Vu Nuong with a Nom poem with the following title: “The smoke from the top of the cliff is billowing/Whose temple is this like the temple of Truong’s wife/Don’t listen to the oil lamp or the child/Why bother with the water and offerings to her/The fruit has been proven to be like the sun and moon/Why do you need to hold so many altars to clear your name/Only after coming here can you know the origin of the child/Don’t blame Truong for being so cruel”.

Legend has it that the king also gave the villagers a bronze statue to burn incense at the temple. In the temple, there is also a Nom poem on a horizontal lacquered board with the following inscription: "The Holy Emperor led his army to fight the enemy, the gods appeared to help the king, and he was inspired to compose a poem to bestow upon him." Meaning: The king led his army to fight the enemy, and the gods appeared to help the king, and he was inspired to compose a poem to bestow upon him.

Every year, on the 20th day of the 8th lunar month, to commemorate the death of Mrs. Vu Nuong, and to thank the gods and Buddhas for national peace, health and prosperity, the people of Vu Dien village joyfully hold a traditional festival. Like other traditional festivals, the Ba Vu Temple Festival consists of two parts: the ceremony and the festival. The ceremony includes: the sacrificial ceremony (Cao Yet ceremony, Tam Quan ceremony, Nu Quan ceremony); the water procession, the palanquin procession; the bathing ceremony; the incense offering ceremony, the "Remembering the Mother Goddess" performance and the flower lantern releasing ceremony are held on the night of the 20th day of the 8th lunar month. Following the ceremony is the festival with traditional folk games. In 2023, the Ba Vu Temple Festival was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The festival is also an attractive spiritual cultural destination for visitors from all over the world.

Mr. Tran Van Hai, Chan Ly commune (Ly Nhan) shared: For the people of Chan Ly commune, going to Ba Vu temple at the beginning of the year and attending the temple festival every August of the lunar calendar has become a long-standing cultural beauty of the people here. To pray for a healthy new year, a peaceful family, a successful business and to remember the steadfast heart and loyalty of Mrs. Vu Nuong... Coming from Hanoi , Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngan said: On the occasion of the new spring, my friends and I were able to visit Ba Vu temple, which I had only known about through books, especially through the work Truyen Ky Man Luc by Nguyen Du. Now being able to visit this place to visit an ancient cultural and historical site helps me better understand the background and loyalty of Mrs. Vu Thi Thiet and feel more proud of being a Vietnamese woman.

On April 19, 1993, the Ministry of Culture and Information decided to recognize Ba Vu Temple as a National Historical and Cultural Relic. Up to now, the temple still preserves many precious artifacts from the dynasties such as: gongs, bells, worship objects, bronze statues and a valuable system of royal decrees. Along with that is a gilded red lacquer plaque hanging in the front hall with the content of a poem in Nom script bestowed by King Le Thanh Tong and the handwriting of many poets when visiting the temple. Ba Vu Temple has become a part of the spiritual life of Vu Dien people and visitors from near and far, to remind people of the faithful and virtuous Nam Xuong woman Vu Thi Thiet, a memorial symbolizing the noble example of Vietnamese women.

Gia Vinh

Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/van-hoa/di-san/ve-chan-ly-nghe-chuyen-ngoi-den-tho-nguoi-phu-nu-duc-hanh-dat-nam-xuong-151627.html