Vietnamese Women, vol. 1 chapter 2, part 1: 1 to 10

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 2: other remains about Vietnamese women (di tich khac ve phu nu viet nam)

2.1 The vestige of CO LOA

CO LOA HAMLET - CO LOA VILLAGE - DONG ANH DISTRICT - HA NOI

Ngoc well, it is said that this was the place where Trong Thuy drowned himself after burying My Chau in Loa citadel.

The fall of Au Lac to the hands of Trieu Da had been related to the tragic love story between Princess My Chau, King An Duong Vuong's daughter and Trong Thuy, Trieu Da's son (in the third century BC).

The history was written that My Chau loved her husband so much that she revealed by an oversight the nation's secret (the magic bow) to Trong Thuy and caused the loss of her country, and she was killed by her father.

The love story of Trong Thuy My Chau was thought by posterity as a loyal, moving and very tragic one (p.99).

2.2 CUONG Temple

King An Duong Vuong Temple

MO DA MOUNT - DIEN AN VILLAGE - DIEN CHAU DISTRICT - NGHE AN PROVINCE

The place worshipping King An Duong Vuong, Princess My Chau and General Cao Lo. Legend has it that here was the place where An Duong Vuong killed My Chau and then drowned himself into the sea (p.102).

2.3 Dinh BACH TRU

THON BACH TRU - XA TIEN THANG - HUYEN ME LINH - HA NOI

Dinh Bach Tru (p.104)

2.4 BICH CAU (QUAN) [ascending to Heaven by two white flamingos]

NO. 14 - CAT LINH STREET - HA NOI

Bich Cau Inn, where Tu Uyen, a poor Confucian student, met fairy Guang Kieu and married her by legend.

It is student Tran, named Uyen, born in a poor family, set up a leaf cottage in Bich Cau ward to study. One day, he went to festival in Ngoc Ho pagoda, he met fairy Giang Kieu, then wedded her and had a son. One day, two white flamingos having a letter in mouth came down from Heaven. Tu Uyen, Giang Kieu and their son ascended together into the Heaven by these birds. Then villagers built the temple to worship him on the very foundation of his own house (p.107).

2.5 CHU DONG TU Temple [poor Chu Dong Tu and king Hung's daughter Tien Dung My Nuong - going to Heaven]

CHU XA HAMLET - GIA LAM DISTRICT - HA NOI

Place worshipping Chu Dong Tu and Princess Tien Dung.

Legend has it that here was the homeland of Chu Dong Tu who was the fostered son of Chu Vi Van. His family was so poor that they did not have enough clothes to wear. One day, he went fishing by the river bank. Suddenly, he saw the boat of Tien Dung My Nuong (the 3rd King Hung's daughter) passing by that river. He was ashamed for being naked and buried himself under the sand. Tien Dung had the boat stopped to take a stroll on shore and had a small tent set to take a bath. Unexpectedly, she saw Chu buried in the sand. Tien Dung thought that it was a predestined encounter, so she decided to marry him.

Afterwards, Chu Dong Tu learned magical power and took Tien Dung to learn it with him. When they approached the Tu Nhien shore, it became dark, so they staked his stick there and put their hat on its top to take a rest. That place turned to have a splendid castle with a lot of troops and servants. When King Hung heard about that, he thought his daughter wanted to rebel against him, so he sent his soldiers to fight against her. The couple was afraid of being considered as rebels against the King's orders, therefore they went up to Heaven by magical power on a stormy night, the whole castle went up with them. That had made the place to cave in and become a marsh, now called Nhat Da (One Night) marsh. Future generation of residents of Chu Xa hamlet had reminisced this story and set up the temple to worship them (p.109).

2.6 Dam DA TRACH

DA TRACH March

YEN VINH AND DA HOA VILLAGES - KHOAI CHAU DISTRICT - HUNG YEN PROVINCE

There was the Da Trach Vuong temple worshipping Chu Dong Tu - Tien Dung princess and Trieu Quang Phuc (a general of King Ly Nam De). It is said that Chu Dong Tu and his wife flew up to the Heaven from right here (p.110).

2.7 Vu Nuong Temple

VU DIEN HAMLET - CHAN LY VILLAGE - LY NHAN DISTRICT - HA NAM PROVINCE

This place is for the worship of a woman, whose surname was Vu, Truong Sinh's wife in the "Lady Nam Xuong" story.

The woman's name was Vu Thi Thiet, who lived in Nam Xuong district, (Ly Nhan district, Ha Nam province now).

Her husband was Truong Sinh. When she was pregnant, her husband went to fight against the Champa, by the end of the Ho Dynasty. She gave birth to a son, named Dan. Every night she sang the child to sleep, when she was asked by her son where his father was, she pointed her shadow on the wall and he took it as his father.

Soon after, her husband returned but his son showed an indifference to him. So Truong Sinh became suspicious, asked him and the son said "My father came at night. He always followed my mother wherever she went and they sat and lay together". Truong Sinh was so jealous that he scolded his wife. She tried to explain the whole matter but he did not believe it. He thought she had another man, so he expelled her from home. Because she could not justify her injustice dealt upon her, she drowned herself into the Hoang Giang river.

One night, as Truong Sinh lighted the lamp and carried his son in his arms, suddenly the son pointed to a black shadow on the wall and said: "My father came again." At that moment, Truong Sinh understood that his wife had suffered injustice, then he set up the altar to offer sacrifices to her on the Hoang Giang river bank. The residents of Vu Dien village supposed that she was ready to comply with the prayers of the living and they built a temple to worship her at the place where Truong Sinh set up the altar (p.112).

2.8 CAN HAI Temple [site for empress and 3 princesses of Chinese Sung Dynasty]

Con Mouth

CON STREAM - QUYNH PHUONG VILLAGE - QUYNH LUU DISTRICT - NGHE AN PROVINCE

Also called Thanh Mau temple (Holy Mother temple). The site where the empress and three princesses of the Sung Dynasty (China) were worshipped. In late of 1278 and early of 1279, the Sung troops were destroyed by the Yuan ones at Nhai Son. The Sung Emperor and his family, subjects and troops were chased by the Yuan troops and ran southwards, their corpses drifted to the Con mouth and were buried by the local residents. They were well-known as ready to comply with the prayers of the living and the Vietnamese Kings of different dynasties have set up shrines and made them deities.

There was another story telling that the Empress and the Princesses had escaped to this region and were helped by a locally influential landlord, but later on this landlord had shown some indecent attitudes towards the Empress, so she and her three princesses drowned themselves, their corpses drifted to the Con Mouth (p.115).

2.9 Lady PHUONG KHIET Shrine [the wife of the King of the Sea]

Choa Temple

LAC TRUNG HAMLET - DUNG LIÊT VILLAGE (former Chân Lacvil) - YEN PHONG DISTRICT - HABAC PROVINCE

Legend has it that she was the wife of the King of the Sea. She was born in a family engaged in sericultural [silk producing] occupation. One day, as she and her sister went to pick mulberry leaves, they felt thirsty and went into the river to drink water. The King of the Sea had sent someone to bring her to his palace and wedded her. Later she was homesick and thus became ill. She was permitted by the King of the Sea to visit home. Only a month later she gave birth to her three children and brought them to the river to send them back to the King of the ea. A year later, she missed her children so she went to the riverside to find them. As she was there, she saw three small dragons waiting for her. She, together with her children, dived into the river and disappeared. Villagers found it strange and erected a shrine to worship her (p.118).

2.10 TAN VIEN Temple [the fight about princess My Nuong Ngoc]

TAN VIEN MOUNTAIN - HOP NHAT HAMLET - BA VI VILLAGE - BA VI DISTRICT - HATAY PROVINCE

Site where Nguyen Tuan (known as Son Tinh) and My Nuong Ngoc Hoa princess, the daughter of King Hung Due Vuong, were worshipped.

Legend has it that King Hung Due Vuong had a beautiful Princess of nubile age who went by the name of My Nuong Ngoc Hoa. The King had placarded to choose a husband for his daughter. At that time there was a certain Nguyen Tuan (nicknamed as Son Tinh), and adopted son of the daughter of the Tan Vien mountain deity, and the King of Dong Dinh lake, known as Thuy Tinh, who came and asked for her hand.

King Hung had asked them to compete against each other but no one had won since they were equally talented. King Hung could not make up his mind, so finally he had decided to give her daughter's hand to any of them who would come first the next day with his wedding presents. Son Tinh came first with his wedding presents and wedded the princess with the consent of King Due Vuong. He brought his (newly wed) bride back to Tan Vien mountain.

Thuy Tinh who came late, was angry for not being able to wed the princess. He brought his troops consisting of shrimps, fish, crabs and flooded the area to war against Son Tinh. Both sides had fought fiercely. Finally, Thuy Tinh was defeated but was still angry of Son Tinh. Since then, every year by August time he flooded the area and went to war, creating thus scenes of destructive floods. Later on King Hung had given up his throne to King Thue, and together with the Tan Vien Mountain deity couple, rode clouds to go back to the celestial Kingdom. The Tan Vien Mountain deity is considered the father of the deities in our country (p.120).

<< >>