Vietnamese Women, vol. 1 chapter 2, part 3: 21 to 30

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)

2.21 HO AI BAO THI Dinh (Đình) [center for goddess Linh Phu Dong, daughter of King Ly Nhan Tong]

HOAI BAO THI HAMLET - LIEN BAO VILLAGE - TIEN SON DISTRICT - BAC NINH PROVINCE

The dinh is for the worship of a goddess whose honorable name was Lady Linh Phu Dong. She was the daughter of King Ly Nhan Tong. Legend has it that when she was born, fragrance has spread over the area; later on, she was very talented and very beautiful but she did not get married, she went into a religious life to practice Buddhism with all heart and soul. She accompanied her King Father in a visit to the Hoai Bao Thi pagoda, she was dead because of catching cold by wind. Her King Father buried her at the back of the pagoda and the villagers set up a shrine to worship her (p.143).

2.22 BICH DAO Cave [marriage of Tu Thuc with fairy Giang Huong]

NGA THIEN VILLAGE - NGA SON DISTRICT - THANH HOA PROVINCE

This is the place where there was the story of Tu Thuc meeting fairy Giang Huong then they get married.

It is said that in th cavern of this mountain, one day, fairy Giang Huong disguised herself as a young girl to go to the peony flower festival in Tien Du pagoda. A monk arrested her for plucking a flower in the garden. Tu Thuc also went to the festival, learned about the story of her and put his mandarinal garment off to redeem Giang Huong's mistake. Later on, Tu Thuc had resigned from his post of mandarin and visited many beautiful scenic places in the country. When he came to Bich Dao cave, unexpectedly, he met Giang Huong again. She invited her benefactor to her home in Bong Dao Mount for some days. When returning to his native country, Tu Thuc saw everything whih had changed. At that time, he then realized that he was just back from the fairy land (p.145).

2.23 DONG NHAN Temple [for the first two Queens of Vietnam - sisters Trung Trac and Trung Nhi]

DONG NHAN WARD - HAI BA TRUNG DISTRICT - HA NOI

Dong Nhan temple is one of three main places worshipping Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, the first two Queens of Vietnam. The temple was built in 1160.

[Statues washed ashore - erection of the temple - collapsing shore in 1819 - temple brought to So Vo]

According to myth, on the night of the second day of the second lunar month of 1160, there were statues of the two Trung sisters drifting along the Hông River, being washed ashore, spreading light to Dong Nhan bank. Villagers took it as a good omen, then they held a ceremony to take them to the village for worshipping. King Ly Anh Tong, when learning the story, had the temple built.

When the shore collapsed in 1819, the temple was brought to So Vo (nowadays in Dong Nhan ward, Hai Ba Trung district, Ha Noi).

[Murder of Vietnamese King - and war of the sisters against the Chinese governor]

In 34 AD, To Dinh, the fiendish [from the devil] Chinese governor of Giao Chi province, killed Mr. Thi Sach, administrative agent in Chu Dien district, who was Mrs. Trung Trac's husband. To avenge her country and her husband, Mrs. Trung Trac with her sister's help (Mrs. Trung Nhi) rose up in arms in 40 AD. They rallied troops in Hat Mon (now Phuc Tho district - Ha Tay) then marched to the East [and] took [the] Luy Lau citadel, district capital of Giao Chi at the moment. (It is today Dau village, Thuan Than district, Ha Bac province). To Dinh had to dress in disguise to escape. the insurgent troops soon liberated the nation. The Trung sisters then proclaimed themselves as Queens of the country. The capital of their Kingdom was Mê Linh (Ha Loi village, Ha Noi).

The Trung sisters ruled the country for 3 years with a resounding fame. In 42 AD, the King of the Han dynasty ordered Ma Vien, a general full of tricks in his bag, to invade our country. The Trung sisters fought against him but were defeated. Their army withdrew back to Cam Khê. It took Ma Vien one year to take this bastion. The Trung sisters drowned themselves into the Hat river, but according to the Chinese history, the Trung sisters were killed in battle at Cam Khê (p.148).

2.24 Den DONG CAO - DONG CAO Temple [for the Trung sisters]

TRANG VIET VILLAGE - MÊ LINH DISTRICT - HA NOI

Place worshipping the two Trung sisters and their mother Mrs. Tran Thi Doan (p.149).

2.25 Den HA LOI - HA LOI Temple [for the Queen sisters Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, and Thi Sach]

MÊ LINH VILLAGE - MÊ LINH DISTRICT - HA NOI

The place is for the worship of the two Trung sisters and Mr. Thi Sach, Trung Trac's husband. According to the story, the father of the two Trung sisters was a native of Ha Lôi village, Yen Lang province (nowadays, it's Vinh Phuc province). (p.150)

2.26 AN BIÊN Temple [for woman general Lady Lê Chan]

LE CHAN STREET - LE CHAN DISTRICT - HAI PHONG CITY

Place worshipping Lady Lê Chan - a woman general of the Trung sisters.

Lady Lê Chan was the daughter of Mr. Lê Dao and Mrs. Tran Thi Chau. She was a native of An Bien, district of Dong Trieu, province of Hai Duong (now in Quang Ninh province). She was a beautifully looking, well behaved, intelligent woman. To Dinh had heard of this, intended to marry her as a concubine. He was refused for this attempt.

Tô Dinh was angered at this refusal, forced her family to die unjustifiably and killed Mr. Lê Dao. She felt enmity toward Tô Dinh and has recruited insurgent troops, rose up in arms at the An Bien bastion. When the Trung sisters rose up in arms, Lê Chan and her men joined them, made resounding victories.

When the raising up in arms came to a final success, she was assigned to important tasks in charge of the Trung sisters' army, watching over the coasts, striving to reorganize the army outposts and garrisons, training troops.

When Ma Vien led the Chinese troops to Vietnam for revenging the latter defeat, Lê Chan led directly her troops to stop the advance of the Chinese invaders and inflicted them many casualties. Later on, she retreated back to Me Linh and when this place was defeated, both Trung sisters committed suicide, Le Chan still kept on leading her troops to establish the Lat Son base for restoring the movement of Trung insurgency. But Ma Vien brought bigger troops to attack the base camp, finally Le Chan committed suicide in order to preserve her honor and dignity. The An Bien residents erected a temple to worship her. In 1898, half of the An Bien village was merged into the city of Hai Phong and was so since then (p.152).

2.27 Lady CAO Temple [for woman general Lady Lien Nuong]

BAO LOC HAMLET - THACH TO VILLAGE - THANH LIEM DISTRICT - HA NAM PROVINCE

The temple is for the worship of Lady Lien Nuong, a talented and beautiful woman general of the Trung sisters, she told the villagers how to earn for their living.

Lady Lien Nuong was of the Cao family (miss Sen). Legend has it that she was a daughter of Mr. Cao Tho and Mrs. Lê Thi Duyen. When she grew up, her talent and beauty were well known especially in music, chess, poetry and painting. Chinese governor To Dinh wanted to ask for her hand but she refused. Therefore Tô Dinh killed her parents to avenge this refusal.

Having felt vindictive hatred to her parents killer, she herself recruited volunteers, rose up in arms. When came the insurrection of the Trung sisters, she joined it with her 6,000 troops. When victorious , she returned home and taught people how to earn for their living and she got the title of "Thach To Cao Ba Van To".

Then Ma Vien came to invade our country. Once again she led her troops to fight against the enemy. Since the strength of the enemy was unequaled, she was killed on battlefield on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month of 43 AD (p.155).

2.28 LOC HA Dinh (Đình) [center for general Dao]

MAI LAM VILLAGE - DONG ANH DISTRICT - HA NOI

The place worshipping General Dao and his wife who joined the Trung sisters in fighting against the Chinese invaders. Lady Dao, her maiden name was Phuong, whose motherland was in the Coi Giang area of Tu Son province, was very good at martial arts at the age of 15. Her father and brother were killed by To Dinh while she was visiting her motherland. She felt a deep resentment and tried to look for a person with the same ideal. She met Dao Ky Công, a hero, and married him. Then they went to fight against the Chinese with Queen Trung. When having known her husband's death in the hand of Ma Vien, she committed suicide with her own sword.

After their death, the people in Coi Giang built the temple to worship them (p.157).

2.29 Dên NGHÈ - NGHÈ Temple [for A Lan sisters, women generals]

VAN LANG VILLAGE - SONG THAO DISTRICT - PHU THO PROVINCE

The Nghè temple was the worshipping place of the A Lan sisters, the women generals in the uprising of the Trung sisters (p.158).

2.30 Lady TRIÊU Temple [a hero woman general against Chinese Wu dynasty]

Lady TRIÊU's Mausoleum

HIEN LOC VILLAGE - HAU LOC DISTRICT - THANH HOA PROVINCE

Lady Trieu's maiden name was Trieu Thi Trinh, a native of Thanh Hoa province. Having felt hatred towards the covetous [aggressive] and wicked [bad] mandarins of Wu dynasty (Chinese rule), she recruited people to rise up in arms and regained some districts (in 248). Her troops called her Nhuy Kiêu general. When she went to battle, she wore gold armour, ivory clog and golden hairpin. She rode on an elephant leading her troops, frightened the enemy. They extolled her as Queen of My Lê sea area (Lê hai Ba Vuong).

A general of the Ngô dynasty, named Luc Dân, brought 8,000 soldiers to retake our country from her. It took him half a year to defeat this uprising movement. She killed herself on the 21st of the second lunar month instead of surrendering to the enemy. When she died, villagers set up the temple to worship her (p.160).

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