Vietnamese Women, vol. 2 chapter 1, part 3: goddesses - lady ancestors - professions

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; volume 2: remains of goddesses - lady ancestors of different professions - mothers of famous persons (Di tich ve nu than, mau, ba to cac nganh nghe va me cac danh nhan)

1.21 Lady TU CO Shrine (TU CÓ Shrine) [two fished saving a boat - the fishermen's village]

The founder of the fishing in Vam Lang (Vàm Lâng)

VAM LANG VILLAGE - GO CONG DONG DISTRICT - TIEN GIANG PROVINCE

In the Can Luc river of Vam Lang village, Go Cong district, there was a simple shrine built by fishermen to worship their founder who had the merit of founding the fishermen village.

Nobody knew her full name, only called her Lady Tu Co. It was told that when the Qing (China) reign was weakening, the war lasted and the people suffered. Lady Tu Co was one of the immigrants to Vietnam, sailing from China to Ha Tien. Having come to Can Gio gate, her boat was almost sunk in a storm. She prayed the God to get out of the danger. Suddenly, there were two big fishes coming to the two sides of her boat and pushed it through the Can Luc river branch to Vam Lang and saved her boat from sinking.

Seeing that Vam Lang land was convenient for the fishing, she returned to her homeland, called for many other people to settle there by fishing.

The fishermen's village founded by Lady Tu Co passed through many generations and became a prosperous and developed residential area of the Chinese and the Vietnamese who lived there by fishing.

To commemorate her merit, the fishermen organize yearly her funeral feast on the 18th day of the second lunar month. Before their journey in far sea, the fishermen come to the shrine to make offerings to her and pray for a good trip.

1.22 Lady CHUA XU Shrine (CHÚA XÚ Shrine) [fossilized near a mountain - helping the good people]

VINH TE VILLAGE - CHAU DOC TOWN - AN GIANG PROVINCE

Lady Chua Xu shrine is located at the foot of Sam mountain on the road way from Chau Doc to Tinh Bien, where the southern people supposed to be famously sacred.

In the shrine, there is a worshipping statue of Lady Chua Xu made of stone with the height of 1 m 25 and the weight of over 1 ton.

Regarding Lady Chua Xu, there were many legends. It was told that she was a Cambodian woman who went to seek her husband, had a rest at the foot of the mountain and was fossilized. Later on this lady penetrated into witchcraft, talked about the past and the future, helped the good people, punished the evil so the people built the shrine to worship her.

According to Mr. Malleret, a French archaeologist, that was a deity statue which was made of sandstone and having the form of a royal person in a resting position, and was sculptures in about the 6th or 7th century.

At first, the shrine was simply made of stone. In 1870, the shrine was rebuilt more widely. In 1972, it was completely rebuilt in scale and structure.

Her funeral feast is celebrated yearly in three days: the 24th, 25th and 26th day of the forth lunar year.

Pilgrims coming to visit Lady Chua u temple will have the opportunity to admire the architectural works which is both majestic and mysterious with the high artistic value in the artistic architecture of Sam mountain zone which has just been recognized by the State as one of the famous artistic architectural relics in the South.

Lady Chua Xu shrine is worshipped by the people of some Southern provinces (p.60).

1.23 SAC TU TAM BAO Pagoda (SÁC TÚ TAM BAO Pagoda) [Lady Thai dying at a Buddha altar - her son ordering the pagoda]

328 AO SEN HAMLET - PHUONG THANH STREET - HA TIEN TOWN - KIEN GIANG PROVINCE

The pagoda was built by Mac Cuu. The Gia Dinh Thah Thong Chi book records: "The pagoda is extended behind the palace and originally built by army Commander Mac Cuu."

Later on, Lady Thai, Mac Chuu's mother, at the age of over 80, missed her son deeply; she sailed from Loi Chau (China) to visit him; then, she lived with Mac Cuu and was taken care of in this pagoda.

To be a faithfully devout Buddhist, every day, she bathed Buddha statue, made offerings and she died before the altar. Mac Cuu buried her according to traditional ceremonies; he ordered to build the tomb of Lady Thai Thai at the foot of the mountain and to cast a bronze statue to worship her in the pagoda.

The pagoda was renovated in 1930 by Venerable Phuoc Ân (p.66).

1.24 TANG THI HUE Island lady Shrine [settlement on Hon Rai Island - assault and surviving the sea]

SON RAI ISLAND - LAI SON VILLAGE - KIEN HAI DISTRICT - KIEN GIANG PROVINCE

On Hon Rai Island (Kien Giang province), there is a shrine worshipping a good deity extolled "Bao Ho Quoc Dan" (Protector of Nation and People) whose name was Tang Thi Hue. That was the talent, energetic, courageous woman used to do good business and constantly helped the poor.

According to a legend, in former days, there was a poor widow who came to settle with her child on Hon Rai Island. After many years of hard labor, they became rich.

They made their living by raising pigs and selling them to merchants coming from the South Sea. Their sales reached hundreds of pigs each time. Their reputation spread widely and came to regional robbers.

One day, it just got dark, the robbers rushed into their house. After a while of fierce defense, the widow and her daughter were caught. The robbers tortured them to find out the hiding place of money and jewel. In vain, the robbers threw both the mother and her daughter into the sea.

The girl who was too weak to swim was drowned, and her mother tried to struggle and got out of danger thanks to an empty jar of fish sauce she clung to.

Having returned to the island, she remained decisively here and kept on creating her fortune. She helped the poor people and contributed to making the island more and more populous and wealthy.

Having felt hatred for the woman's strong - willed character, the robbers revenged her by kidnapping and putting her in basket, then drowned her at far sea.

After her death, she turned out to be awe inspiringly powerful and constantly warned the people on Hon Rai Island for the dangers that they would have to face.

To commemorate her merit to the country and to express their belief to her, the island people built a shrine to worship her and named the site where she used to live Bai Nha (Home Beach). (p.68)

<< >>