Vietnamese Women, vol. 1 chapter 3, part 1: Landscapes about Vietnamese women 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 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)

3.1 Dôi LIM - Dinh LIM - LIM Hill - LIM Dinh (Đình)

LUNG GIANG HAMLET - VAN TUONG VILLAGE - TIEN SON DISTRICT - BAC NINH PROVINCE

Place where is held annually the traditional "hát quan ho", a kind of folklore, very characteristic of the old Kinh Bác area (p.208).

3.2 NGOC MY NHÂN Mountain [land breaking around Ngoc My Nhân mountain]

(CÁNH DIÊU Mountain)

NINH BINH TOWN - NINH BINH PROVINCE

On National Highway 1 from south to north, distant about 5 km from Ninh Binh town in the east, there is a big mountain called Ngoc My Nhân (also known as Cánh Diêu Mountain).

In 1829, King Minh Mang ordered Nguyen Công Trú to recruit poor people going to break new land in the coastal region of Ninh Binh and [to] establish a new district called Kim Son. Nguyên Công Trú also chose a densely populated area in the district and named it Phát Diêm - the place where the beauty was originated (Phát Diêm now).

It was said that the nae of Phát Diêm came to existence due to Nguyên Công Trú's going to Ninh Binh town. With his sophisticated vision, he discovered that the Cánh Diêu mountain looked like the shape of a nude reclining pretty woman facing the blue sky. The scenery was so beautiful that he called it Ngoc My Nhân (Jewel-like Pretty Woman mountain). And the nae of Ngoc My Nhân mountain came to existence since then (p.211).

3.3 KEM TRÔNG gate into ƉICH LÔNG cave [and a poem and a king]

THANH HAI VILLAGE - THANH LIÊM DISTRICT - HA NAM PROVINCE

Ɖich Lông cave is an extremely beautiful landscape in Gia Thanh village, Gia Viên district, Ninh Binh province, which King Minh Mang called "The third beautiful cave under Southern (Vietnamese) sky".

Ho Xuân Huong, the Queen of poetry in Nôm characters, once came to this fascinating scenery. At that time, in order to enter the Ɖich Lông cave, there was the only way by boat between the two sides of the rocky mountain which was very close to each other. Approaching the cave gate, the way of flowing water grew narrow, the stream only remained to be a brook running between the two sides of a small canyon which looked like a gate. It was called "Kem Trông". On the boat, having enjoyed the view of the grandiose position of the mountain casting the shadow in the stream which could see nowhere, Hô Xuân Huong, in theoriginal poetry tone rich in personality, full of life and humor, wrote the poem of "Kem Trông" that was popularized quickly:

The two sides are mountains, the river is in the middle.
Is here Kem Trông?
The wind blows on the mountain sides and makes clashing sounds.
The waves on the water surface break rapidly.
The cave is rather narrow inside,
but so large at the beginning of the mount.
Through the gate, my honey, please look back.
Does anyone know about the passion?

It is said that, in 1821, in a trip to bac Hà King Minh Mang was told about the beauty of Ɖich Lông cave, so he wanted to make a sightseeing of it by boat. But on the point of passing Kem Tröng gate, the King suddenly heard the poem Kem Trông read by a mandarin, he refused to go through the gate and asked the local mandarin to order the people in Gia Viên district to dig a canal around Kem Trông mountain for him to visit Ɖich Lông cave; then he named it "the third beautiful cave under Southern (Vietnamese) sky" (p.213).

3.4 TRINH NU Cave [virgin Trinh Nu did not want to be a concubine]

(Virgin Cave)

HA LONG BAY - QUANG NINH PROVINCE

Ha Long bay is a famous landscape of Viêt Nam and is recognized as a world cultural heritage with many particularly interesting caves, in which there is Trinh Nu (Virgin) cave.

The legend of Trinh Nu cave is told that once upon a time, there was a poor couple who made their living by fishing. They had an obedient and beautiful daughter. She was desired to be a wife by many young men in the region. Her reputation came to the district chief, he had her caught to be his concubine, but she refused persistently.

In one rainy and windy night, she escaped from the district chief's house. As she wanted her parents not to be involved in her troubles, she came to the cave and committed suicide in front of it.

Soon after, on the site of her death appeared a stone whose shape resembled her appearance. The villagers supposed that her soul was still preoccupied with the place and named it Trinh Nu (Virgin) cave since then (p.215).

3.5 Hòn TRÔNG MÁI - TRÔNG MÁI Rock

THI XA SAM SON - SAM SON TOWN - TINH THANH HOA - THANH HOA PROVINCE

(p.218)

3.6 Ɖên CÔ TIÊN - CÔ TIÊN Temple

SAM SON TOWN - THANH HOA PROVINCE

(p.219)

3.7 Câu HÀM RÔNG - HÁM RÔNG Bridge

THANH HOA PROVINCE

(p.220)

3.8 TÔ THI Mount [woman Tô Thi converting into stone]

LANG SON PROVINCE

Ɖông Ɖang, there are Ky Lua town, young lady Tô Thi, Tam Thanh pagoda

Tô Thi mount locates on the bank of Ky Cung river, near Tam Thanh cave. On the mountain slope, there's a rock block which looks like the shape of a mother carrying her baby in her arms from afar.

Legend has it that the young woman Tô Thi longed for her husband who went to war for a long time to return so she carried their child up to the mountain to wait. Day after day, month after month, having been gradually worn out, she had transformed herself into stone (p.222).

3.9 TAM THANH Cave

QUANG TRUNG WARD - KY LUA TOWN - LANG SON PROVINCE

(p.223)

3.10 TÔ THI Mount [with stones on the top in form of mother and two children]

VONG PHU Mountain

DONG SON DISTRICT - THANH HOA PROVINCE

On the top of Nhôi mount which has been also called Vong Phu mount by the Thanh Hoa residents, there was a rock in the shape of a woman and two small children looking towards the South. The legend has narrated the longing of the wife whose health was gradually declined and the waiting was so long that she became a stone block (p.225).

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