Vietnamese Women, vol. 1 chapter 1, part 4: 31 to 42

from: Bao Tang Phu Nu Nam Bo: The Vietnamese Women. Vestiges & Landscapes. The Cultural-Historic (Di Tich Thang Canh Lich Su Van Hoa. Phu nu Viet Nam); Nha Xuat Ban Phu Nu 1999; chapter 1: remains of goddesses, founders of professions and of famous persons' mothers (Di tich ve mau, nu than, ba to ba chua cac nganh nghe va me cac danh nhan)

1.31 THIEN TRUONG Temple [stele about Lady Tran Thi Dung]

TUC MAC VILLAGE - NAM DINH CITY

Thien Truong temple is for the worship of the Tran Kings. Here exists a memorial stele recording the services rendered by Lady Tran Thi Dung who was formerly the wife of King Ly Hue Tong and later was Tran Thu Do's wife, she was extolled as "Linh Tu Quoc Mau".

The great merit of the Tran Dynasty was to defeat three aggressions, in which Linh Tu Quoc Mau played an important role. While the Mongolian enemy invaded our country, the capital fell to enemy. she tried to keep the Crown Prince, the royal concubines and military commander's family members from being captured by the enemy. When the King, generals and Tran Thu Do were busy fighting aainst the enemy, she got everything settled in her husband's palace. Together with the mandarins, she solved internal affairs to keep the rear strong.

The feudal historians criticized Lady Tran Thi Dung for her unfaithfulness to King Ly Hue Tong, but they could not deny her positive role towards the new Tran Dynasty (p.75).

1.32 THAI VI Temple [for King Tran Thai Tong]

VAN LAM HAMLET - NINH HAI VILLAGE - HOA LU DISTRICT - NINH BINH PROVINCE

The temple is for the worship of King Tran Thai Tong, (Tran Canh), Hieu Tu Queen Mother (or Thuan Thien Empress) and Tran Thanh Tong, called "Thai Vi" temple because it was the place where King Tran left the throne to enter into monkhood.

Hieu Tu queen Mother, mother of King Tran Thanh Tong - she was the sister of Queen Ly Chieu Hoang, teh last Queen of the Ly Dynasty, her worshipping statue in Thai Vi temple (p.77).

1.33 Lady LÊ THI HOA's Tomb

Mai clan's Patriarch

NGA THIEN VILLAGE - NGA SON DISTRICT - THANH HOA PROVINCE

Lady Lê Thi Hoa, the wife of Mr. Mai Tien, a low ranking mandarin who was killed by to Dinh (the Chinese governor) (the first century AD), brought her four sons to escape from the enemy. When her sons grew up, she and they raised troops to avenge her husband's death and took part in the insurrection of the Trung Sisters (p.79).

1.34 Dinh VAN SA [dinh of princess Hoang Phu]

VAN SA Dinh

TAN HONG VILLAGE - BA VI DISTRICT - HA TAY PROVINCE

The dinh is for the worship of Princess Hoang Phu Thieu Hoa, the daughter of King Hung Dnih Vuong (p.81).

1.35 Lang CO DO [village of princess Ngoc Hoa]

CO DO Village

BA VI DISTRICT - HA TAY PROVINCE

Co Do village where Princess Ngoc Hoa was worshipped. She was a daughter of King Hung who had taught the villagers the silk weaving skill before the Hung Kings moved their capital to Phong chau, province of Vinh Phu (p.82).

1.36 Den HANG DAO

HANG DAO Temple

HA NOI

1.37 Lady HOANG Temple

KY SAM Temple

BAN NGAN HAMLET - VINH QUANG VILLAGE - HOA AN DISTRICT - CAO BANG PROVINCE

The temple is for the worship of Mrs. A Nung and her son, Nung Tri Cao, a high ranking mandarin, the head of Quang Nguyen district.

Mrs. A Nung's husband was Nung Ton Phu, the former head of Thang Do district. He was indicted by the Ly dynasty for his plot to overthrow the king. Mrs A Nung and her son had escaped from being captured, gathered troops again, then took back Thang Do and changed it into Dai Lich. King Ly Thai Tong ordered his army to suppress the revolt. She and her son was caught by the royal troops. But instead of sentencing him to death, the King appointed him as Thai Bao, a high ranking mandarin, to govern Quang Nguyen district.

Deeply moved by the King's generosity, Mrs. A Nung repeatedly advised her son [to] submit to the Ly dynasty and to contribute to fight against the Song's invasion (p.85).

1.38 GIANG Dinh [dinh for princess Quy Minh]

DONG TAN VILLAGE - DONG HUNG DISTRICT - THAI BINH PROVINCE

This dinh [community center] is for the worship of thanh hoang (village deity) who was Princess Quy Minh, King Tran Due Tong's daughter. She had done services to found a village and teach people there how to grow mulberry and rise silkworms.

It is said that she composed the dancing play "Giao Co, Giao Quat" with 36 folk-dancing styles which bore the air of royal art that aimed at educating country girls in filial piety and loyalty. About 50 meters from the dinh is her tomb (p.87).

1.39 BA TRIEU Temple [for women teaching weaving fish nets]

THANH HOA PROVINCE

Ba Trieu temple is for the worship of the woman who taught people to weave fish nets, and to catch tiny shrimp for their living. As a custom, all girls here had to swear not to teach their skills to others when they married a man from other localities.

The people living at twelve estuaries of Thanh Hoa province all worship her (p.90).

1.40 TU KHOAT Pagoda

NGU HIEP VILLAGE - THANH TRI DISTRICT

The pagoda was founded by the two princesses of the Ly dynasty who practiced the Buddhist teachings here. During their residence, they taught the villagers to weave sedge products including basket boat (p.92).

1.41 Lady CHUA KHO Temple [the king's food manager]

CO ME VILLAGE - BAC NINH PROVINCE

Legend said that she was a skillful woman at organizing production and storing up food. She was responsible for the care of the national assets during and after the Ly dynasty's victory in fighting against the Song troops at the Nhu Nguyet river (the Cau river) in 1076.

So far, her real name has still been unknown. It was only known that she assisted greatly the Ly dynasty in calling the people to found village, to break uncultivated land. The King entrusted her with the task of taking care of military supplies store house and the managing war prisoner to develop new lands.

With her organizing skill, 72 hamlets in the area became rich. Her great services were recorded by many feudal dynasties with the conferment of her worshipping temple as "chu kho linh tu" (Storekeeper temple).

Her present temples an architecture of the Nguyen dynasty (p.94).

1.42 The mausoleum of Mrs. HOANG THI LOAN [mother of Ho Chi Minh]

KIM LIEN VILLAGE - NAM DAN DISTRICT - NGHE AN PROVINCE

The tomb of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan (1868-1900) located in Dai Hue mountain, Nghê an province.

She was president Ho Chi Minh's mother, the eldest daughter of Mr. Hoang Xuan Duong, a Confucian scholar, in Hoang Tru village, Nam Dan district, Nghe An province and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kep, a woman full of compassion.

She was a simple woman, kept working all her life on land, weaving, caring her children and helping her husband in his studies. Her husband, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Sac, orphan of both parents since the age of four, was very intelligent and fond of learning. He became the foster son of Mr. Hoang Xuan Duong who gave him an education and gave his eldest daughter to him in marriage (in 1883). In 1895, he came to Hue to take the pre court competing examination but did not pass. However, he was later admitted to study at the Royal College.

Mrs Hoang Thi Loan had accompanied her husband together with her two sons, Nguyen Sinh Khiem and Nguyen Sinh Cung (that is president Ho Chi Minh) to Hue. In Hue, she weaved fabric to raise her children, help her husband to make study in a precarious situation. In 1900, she gave birth to her youngest son, Nguyen Sinh Nhuan, (alias Xin). Moment later, she was seriously ill and died on 22 of the twelfth lunar month of year Canh Ty (February 10, 1900), when Nguyen Sinh Cung was nealry 11 years old. She had not yet enjoyed a "Glorious Return" joy when her husband graduated as Second-Honorary literary doctor.

Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan, this or dinary and simple mother had not ever known that she had given birth and raised up a national great man: President Ho Chi Minh m (p.96)

<< >>