Vietnamese Women, vol. 1 chapter 2, part 5: 41 to 54

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)

2.41 Dinh YÊN THÀNH - YÊN THÀNH Dinh (Đình)

NO. 28 PHAN HUY ICH STREET - BA DINH DISTRICT - HA NOI

The place where Lý Chiêu Hoàng, the last Queen of the Lý Dynasty, was worshipped (p.182).

2.42 HUONG HAI Pagoda [first Buddhist nunnery - princess Ngoc Kiêu]

(also known as LINH ÚNG Pagoda)

PHU DONG VILLAGE GIA LAM DISTRICT

The place considered the first Buddhist nunnery in Vietnam since the Lý Dynasty.

Most Ven Diêu Nhân (1014-1113) had once resided as a Buddhist dignitary and then died here. She was the Princess Ngoc Kiêu (King Lý Thanh Tông's adopted daughter), she was blood daughter of Lord Phùng Loát. She married a certain Mr. Lê, a high ranking administrator in the highland province.

After her husband's death, she entered into nunhood at Huong Hai pagoda. She soon mastered Buddhist books, won Buddhist monks and lay in people's hearts in the area, then became the leader of the 17th generation of the Southern Meditatino sect.

She was also a poetess, used to discuss Buddhism and poetry with the First royal concubine Y Lan. She passed away at the age of 72 (p.182).

2.43 HUONG LONG Pagoda [place of nunhood for princesses]

(also known as Nhót Pagoda)

CONG MY VILLAGE - THANH TRI DISTRICT - HA NOI

The place where the two princesses of the Lý Dynasty furtively left the Royal palace to enter into nunhood (p.186).

2.44 KHAI NGHIÊM Pagoda

(Vong Nguyêt Pagoda)

VONG NGUYÊT HAMLET-TAM GIAN VILLAGE - YÊN PHONG DISTRICT - BAC NINH PROVINCE

The pagoda was erected by princess Nguyet Sinh of the Ly dynasty at her husband's home land. Also at this village, the villagers set up a temple to worship the princess when she passed away (p.187).

2.45 Lady HOÀNG CÀN Temple

CAM NHUONG VILLAGE - CAM XUYEN DISTRICT - HA TINH PROVINCE

The temple worships Lady Can - a royal concubine of King Trân Duê Tông at her homeland (p.189).

2.46 The Worshipping Hall of Princess LÊ NGOC HÂN'S Maternal Clan

NANH HAMLET - NINH HIÊP VILLAGE - GIA LÂM DISTRICT - HA NOI

Here, there's a worshipping Hall of Princess Ngoc Han's (King Quang Trun's wife) maternal clan.

Princess Ngoc Hân (1770-1779) was King Lê Hiên Tông's youngest daughter. Her mother, whose native village was Phu Ninh village (Nanh village, former bac Ninh province) was Royal concubine Nguyen Ngoc Huyen. At his first going to North, Nguyen Huê had been given Ngoc Hân in marriage by the King (1786). When Nguyên Huê ascended the throne in 1788, she was nominated as "Bac Cung Hoang Hâu" (Empress of Northern Royal Palace). Then she gave birth to a son and a daughter. She was not only beautiful and sweet but also good at poetry. She was not only a wife but also a fully understanding friend of King Quang Trung.

Quang Trung suddenly died n 1792 when she was only 22 years old; this event made her immensely grieved and painful, and nothing could make up for such a loss to her. She composed the funeral oration "Ai tu Van" in Nôm characters that has been recalling (p.191).

2.47 Temple and Mauselum of Lady NGUYÊN THI DUÊ [doctorate in men's clothes]

TRAI SEN HAMLET - VAN AN VILLAGE - CHI LINH DISTRICT - HAI DUONG PROVINCE

Lacy Nguyên Thi Duê was also known as "Ba Chua Sao Sa", "Duc Vua Ba". She was the unique woman (in the history of Vietnamese feudalism) who dressed in disguise as a man to take the pre court competition examination and got the doctorate degree in the Binh Thin examination hold by the Mac dynasty in the province of Cao Bang. Later on, she taught in Mac royal palace, then in Lord Trinh palace and King Lê royal palace. She was nominated by King Lê Thân Tông as Chiêu Ngi; her appellation was Ngi Ai Quan. When she retired, King Lê nominated her as royal ritual teacher.

2.48 Chùa HOÀNG ÂN - HOÀNG ÂN Pagoda

PHUONG QUANG BA - QUANG BA WARD - HA NOI

The pagoda was formed in 1628 by Lady Nguyên Thi Ngoc Tú, Lord Nguyên Hoàng's daughter and Lord Trinh Tráng's wife (p.194).

2.49 BÚT THÁP Pagoda [Lady Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc compiling the first Chinese Vietnames diccionary]

BUT THAP HAMLET - DINH TO VILLAGE - THUAN THANH DISTRICT - BAC NINH PROVINCE

It was the location where in 1664 Lady Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc practiced Buddhism and compiled a Sino-Vietnamese dictionary entitled "Chi Nam Ngoc Âm Giai Nghia" that many scholars have considered the oldest bilingual dictionary with an encyclopedic nature in Vietnam.

Mrs. Trinh Thi Ngoc Truc was the daughter of Lord Trinh Tráng. She was a beautiful and intelligent woman. When grown up, she was married to a high ranking mandarin of King Lê Thân Tông whose name was Lê Tru. But later on, Lê Tru became a traitor and was sentenced to death. Then, she was given to King Lê Thân Tông in marriage by Lord Trinh Tráng in order to tie the Lê King to the Trinh Lodr. Despite the fact that her life was very awkward but she had a very strong will and she concentrated all her efforts full of sense of purpose into prevailing the national culture.

Her statue has been worshipped at many different places, one of which was the Bút Tháp pagoda.

2.50 Chùa LONG CUNG

Chùa BÁCH MÒN - LINH CAM

LONG KHAM HAMLET - LONG SON MOUNT - VIET DOAN VILLAGE - TIEN SON DISTRICT, BAC NINH PROVINCE

The pagoda was created by the concubine K`y Viên of lord Trinh (S.198).

2.51 Chùa CAM ÚNG

TAM SON VILLAGE - TIEN SON DISTRICT - BAC NINH PROVINCE

Also called as "Tram gian pagoda" (Hundred department pagoda) built before the Ly dynasty and fallen to pieces. In 1693, the royal concubine Nguyên Thi Ngoc Vinh had the pagoda restored and expanded to a big and magnificent scale, with the brick steps going from the mount foot up to the pagoda and had the bell tower built. The statues of one thousand arm and one thousand eye Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the statues of Kim Dóng and Ngoc Nu angles were the precious heritages of the Vietnamese sculpture arts at the end of XVIIth century (p.200).

2.52 Chiêu Ngi PHAM THI NGOC XUYÊN Temple [ Lord Trinh Tac's wife]

(Lord Trinh Tac's Wife)

XUAN DINH VILLAGE - TU LIEM DISTRICT - HA NOI

She was born on the 8th day of the 3rd lunar month in the lunar year of Giap Thin (1604). She was orphan during her childhood but was fostered by the Vu family.

Having grown up, she was selected to enter the royal palace, became Lord Trinh Tac's wife. She was granted the title of Chiêu Nghi then the first royal concubine.

She had goo characters and understood the people's poverty. On a visit to her native land, having seen the miserable living of the people, she paid out the money to purchase 10 ha and 728 meters of land and gave them to the villagers.

Having realized the Xuân Tao village (Cáo village) which had many low fields and abandoned swamps, she suggested the royal court to purchase 529 ha of bad land to improve and give to the peasants to raise rice.

She also educated her daughter, princess Ngoc Lan, to love and help the poor people as she did.

She passed away on June 8th, 1686 (the year of Bính Dân). The Xuân Tao villagers felt gratitude to her, erected her statue made of rattan, then lacquer. The statue was placed in the worshipping temple at Khu Loc of Xuân Tao village (p.202).

2.53 HÁNG TRÔNG Temple [singer Lady Nguyên Thi Huê - manager of the King's women music band]

HANG TRONG STREET - HA NOI

According to the book "Viet Nam ca tru biên kaho", Hang Trông Temple is also called Dong Huong Temple, dedicated to worship Lady Nguyên Thi Hue, a native of Cuu Lâu village, beside Hoan Kiêm Lake.

For a long time, the young woman of Cuu Lâu village all came of singers. In her childhood, lady Nguyên Thi Huê went to school. When she was 16 years old, her father passed away [and] she had to leave the school to work as a singer to support her mother.

To be a beautiful and well behaved girl with a good voice, she no longer became famous in the capital. At the age of 21, once on the occasion of a festival hold in Lord Trinh's palace, she was recommended to entertain the royal family.

Having realized that she was prim [not wild], mastered classics and history and sang well in addition, Lord Trinh Cuong invited her to stay in the palace and nominated her as Lady Ngoc Kiêu who was responsible for managing the royal female musical band. The lord had her house built in Hang Trông street so that she could easily take care of her mother.

When her mother passed away, she entered into nunhood in Cuu Lâu village's pagoda and died at the age of 71. To commemorate her, the villagers erected a temple on the site of her house to worship her.

However, in the book "Famous pagodas and temples in Viêt Nam", Hang Trông temples was for the worship of Lady Dao Thi Huê, who had the merit to help Lê Loi in fighting the Ming invaders (p.204).

2.54 NGUYÊN XUÂN ÔN Worshipping House [altar for Lady Mai Thi Hung, a good soul in the house]

DIEN THAI VILLAGE - DIEN CHAU DISTRICT - NGHE AN PROVINCE

The place has an altar to Lady Mai Thi Hung, the eldest daughter-in-law of Mr. Nguyên Xuân Ôn. When her husband and her father-in-law led the insurrection [rebellion] against the French, she filled her husband's place to take care of his family and supported the volunteer troops. When her husband sacrificed his life, she lived a widow life to worship her husband in his family. She was granted the title of "Tiêt hanh kha phong" by King Thành Thái and she was also worshipped in the same family worshipping house of her father-in-law (p.206).

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