Vietnamese Women, vol. 2 chapter 2, part 1: other remains, 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; 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)

2.1 THUYEN TON Pagoda (THU YÊN TÔN Pagoda) [with hills around - temple of Lieu Quan group]

NGU TAY HAMLET - THUY AN VILLAGE - HUE CITY

Thuyen Ton (Thuyên Tôn) Pagoda was built on a high hill in Thuy An village, Hue city. The pagoda has an extremely beautiful scenery. On its right is Thien Thai mountain; so it was formerly named Thien Thai Noi Tu or Thien Thai Thuyen Ton Tu. On its left are many small hills and behind it, the beginning of the mountain with rows of very green pine are covered in white clouds indistinctly all the year.

Thuyen Ton is the great pagoda of Hue city, also is the major patriarch temple of the Lieu Quan sect (a branch of Lam Te sect coming from Son Cau district, Phu Yen province) which came to Thuan Hoa by the end of the 17th century.

At the beginning, it was a small pagoda built by Patriarch Lieu Quan to lead his religious life. In 1746-1747, Eunuchs Dan Viet Chuong Mai Van Hoan, whose religious name was Te Y, had it restored, had the stupa built, had the great bell cast and bought more land to dedicate to the pagoda so Thuyen Ton became monumental and imposing. Under the Tay Son period, it was destroyed heavily by the war.

In 1808, Mistress Le Thi Ta, a woman devotee helped the pagoda to repair the second time and to redeem its land (p.70).

2.2 BAO QUOC Pagoda (BÁO QUÔC Pagoda) ["many ancient items" from the age of the Nguyen Kings]

BAO QUOC STREET - DUC WARD - HUE CITY

The pagoda was built on Ham Long hill by the end of the 17th century. At first, it was only a small pagoda; it was repaired gradually with larger scale afterwards.

In 1747, Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat offered a gilded board on which was carved five words "Sac Tu Bao Quoc Tu" (Royal recognized Bao Quoc Pagoda).

In 1808, Hieu Khuong Empress (King Gia Long's mother) had the pagoda restored and renamed it "Thien Tho Tu" (Thien Tho pagoda).

In 1824, King Minh Mang gave it the former name: Bo Quoc Tu. In 1858, King Tu Duc had it restored. In 1957, the pagoda was destroyed by termites and wood-borers; the Management Board had it reconstructed with the pillars made of concrete but remained its first ancient structure.

In the pagoda, there are many ancient items which existed from the age of Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat and the Nguyen Kings, also an altar dedicated to worship Empress Hieu Khuong.

Bao Quoc is pagoda with beautiful scenery that many tourists have been constantly visiting (p.72).

2.3 DONG THUYEN Pagoda (ƉÔNG THUYÊN Pagoda) [precious antiques]

Dong Thuyen Pagoda was built by Lord Te Vi, the 5th disciple of Patriarch.

Lieu Quan, as a small pagoda to worship his master, beside his master's stupa by the end of 18th century.

The one who had Dong Thuyen pagoda built on a large scale and create a big financial resource for the long existence of the pagoda was princess Ngoc Co, the thirteenth daughter of King Gia Long, whose religious name was Hai Chau; she left home to enter the Buddhist nunhood at this pagoda.

In the first years of the 20th century, the pagoda was deserted and ruined. By the end of 1975, Most Ven. Bikkhuni Thich Nu Dieu Khong received to be head of Dong Thuyen pagoda. She and her confidential disciple, Thich Nu Dieu Dat were in charge of rebuilding to make it the magnificent pagoda where reserved for intellectuals. Buddhist clergy people and disciples from all parts of the country to do research and study the Buddhism teachings.

The renovations of the pagoda had started since 1987 and finished 2 years later. it remained its first architecture of sculpture and art of the Nguyen dynasty.

Presently, the pagoda still keeps many precious antiques such, as: the bronze gong cast in the time of Lord Te Vi, the biggest drum in Hue city made at the beginning of the Nguyen dynasty, the big stele of the Minh Mang period and the red lacquer trimmed with gold of the Thieu Tri period (p.74).

2.4 THANH TOÀN Tile-Roof Bridge

THANH THUY VILLAGE - HUONG THUY DISTRICT - THUA THIEN - HUE PROVINCE

Thanh Toan tile roof bridge was constructed by Lady Tran Thi Dao at the end of 18th century in Thanh Thuy village, about 8 km distant from Hue city in the East.

Thanh Thuy village was built in the 17th century. Lady Tran Thi Dao is a six generation grandchild of one of twelve patriarchs in Thanh Hoa who accompanied Lord Nguyen Hoang to Thuan Hoa to break new land and create this village. She got married with a first-class mandarin under the dynasty of Le Hien Tong (1740-1786) when he came to take office in Thuan Hoa (Thuân Hóa).

Having had no child, she gave alms to build a bridge in 1776, thirty years before building Hue city. The bridge was made of wood, its roof was covered with tiles so that people living on the two banks of the channel were convenient in crossing channel, at the same time, it was the place for the people to relax and take some fresh air.

The bridge is classified as "upper is the house, lower is the bridge". This is the rare kind of bridge with the high artistic value of all bridges in Viet Nam like Chua Cau bridge (Lai Vien Kieu) in Hoi An, quang Nam - Da Nang province. In Canh Hung the 37th year (1776), King Le Hien Tong (Lê Hiên Tông) granted a royal decree to Thanh Toan village, to compliment Lady Tran Thi Dao (Trân Thi Ɖao) and exempt from taxation and statutory labor to the villagers. In 1925, King Khai Dinh (Khai Ɖinh) granted her the noble title of "Duc (p.77)

Bao Trung Hung Linh Pho" and ordered the villagers to set up the altar right on the bridge to worship her.

Thanh Toan bridge have been preserved for 2 past centuries and restored many times. The Trân family genealogy in Thanh Thuy village has recorded that, in 1844, the bridge was damaged by storm. King Thieu Tri had it restored. It was also repaired in 1907 and 1942; afterwards, the villagers contributed to renovation of the bridge in 1956 and 1971. Specially, the great restoration was made by architect Thai Doan Long in 1990. Up to now, the bridge remains its ancient appearance as before. In 1990, Thanh Toan tile roof bridge is recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a national vestige [little monument] (p.78).

2.5 Lady Au Trieu - LE THI DAM's Tomb (Lady Âu Triêu - LÊ THI ƉÀM's Tomb)

[Lady Au Trieu fighting for her father in French jail and in Dong Du movement against French colonialists]

AN CUU WARD - HUE CITY

Lady Le Thi Dam's tomb was built by Old Phan Boi Chau himself right in his garden at An Cuu ward, hue city. Old Phan called her Au Trieu (small Lady Trieu).

Lady Le Thi Dam was an inhabitant of The Lai Thuong village (nowadays in Quang Tri province), her birthday was still unknown.

Before having participated in Duy Tan Hoi organization, in order to rescue her father who was jailed by the French, she used to be reluctantly the wife of a very powerful Middle ranking civil servant who worked in French Resident superior's office. After having separated from him, she opened a bar in front of Quoc Tu Giam (Imperial college) school where she met Old Phan Boi Chau and his comrades.

As a patriot woman, after being conscious, she participated in many organizations and movements against the French at that time such as: Duy Tan organization, Dong Du (Ɖông Du).

When the Dong Du movement was broken up, she was arrested by the French and imprisoned in Thua Phu jail. They used many forms of torture to force her submission to them, but they failed. Therefore they sent her to Quang Tri gaol. Then they both continued to torture her barbarically and tried to induce her to follow them, but she remained staunch and kept her high sense of purpose and uprightness.

In March 1910, she cut her finger and used her blood to write a desperate poem on the wall. Then she used silk string to hang herself in Quang Tri Jail (p.81).

2.6 Princess AN THUONG's Worshipping House [ginseng and filial piety towards the mother]

NO 29 NGUYEN CONG TRU STREET - HUE CITY

Princess An Thuong was the fourth daughter of King Minh Mang, her mother was Lady My Nhan Nguyen Thi Sam. The princess was famous for the filial piety to her mother.

When Princess An Thuong was 9 years old, her mother got sick. She was always beside her mother's bed to take care of her.

Once, during The Van Tho season, King Minh Mang allowed all royal members and princesses to attend a banquet. At that time, a high ranking mandarin offered ginseng to the King who distributed them to the princesses. Everyone ate it with appetite, except Princess An Thuong who kept it in her mouth but did not swallow. The King asked the reason and she answered that ginseng was precious so she wanted to offer it to her mother who was seriously sick. The King was moved by her filial piety and granted a plate of ginseng to Lady My Nhan An Thuong's mother.

Princess An Thuong's filial piety towards her mother was praised by Prince Tuy Ly Vuong as. "the seven commandments she kept purely - the three submissions she kept closely - She was admired by everybody - women must follow her example." (p.83)

2.7 VINH AM (VINH ÂM) garden and Princess TINH HAO's Worshipping House [princess Tinh Hao]

KIM LONG AREA HUE CITY

On the road from Huê city to Thien Mu Pagoda, at the beginning of Kim Long area, near the worshipping house of Duke Pham Dang Hung (Lady Tu Du's father), there was a big three entrance gate with luxuriant trees. That was the entrance to Vinh Am Garden of Princess Tinh Hao (also known as Princess Dien Phuoc); in the garden was an old remarkable house which was built in the mid-19th century to worship the princess.

King Thieu Tri had with Lady Tu Du two children: Tinh Hao and Hong Nham (Hông Nhâm), who later became King Tu Duc. The two - sister and brother - loved each other very much.

Since her childhood, she had showed her cleverness, soft manner, filial piety towards her parents and devoutness to Buddhism. At the age of 22 (1846), she got married with Mr. Nguyen Van Ninh (the son of Marquis Thai Bao Chuong Phu Su Hoang Trung Hau Nguyen Van Trong). In the summer of that year, she was nominated as Princess Dien Phuoc. In 1848, she raised funds for restoration of Cat Tuong Pagoda (which later changed the name of Vien Giac Pagoda); as the works was being done, she passed away right in the year when Hong Nham (Hông Nhâm) ascended the throne.

Her death was great sorrow to King Tu Duc (Tu Ɖuc). He wrote four poems expressing his regret to his sister when he came to visit her worshipping house in Vinh Âm garden. She was also worshipped in Dieu De Pagoda (Dièu Ɖê Pagoda). (p.86)

2.8 Princess MAI AM's Mausoleum [princess with father killed in a battle and son died by disease]

NGUYET BIEU VILLAGE - HUE CITY

Mai Am Princess (1826-1904) whose real name was Nguyen Trinh Than (or Thuc Khanh) was one of the seven children of King Minh Mang and Lady Thuc Tan (Nguyen Khac Thi Buu). Mai Am was the younger sister of Prince Tung Thien Vuong Mien Tham.

The three princesses with their mother were famous for literature in the capital by the late half of the 19th century; they were called Three Khanh (Trong Khanh, Thuc Khanh and Quy Khanh), among them, Thuc Khanh Mai Am was the most emergence.

Princess Mai Am participated in Tung Van Thi Xa, a poem association of men of letters and poets in Huê city which was founded by Prince Tung Thien Vuong. The collection of poems "Dieu Lien Thi Tap" born in 1886 was considered the climax of the royal women's poetry of the Nguyên dynasty.

The introduction of the collection was written by Sir Nguyen Ham Ninh, a famous scholar of Quang Binh, one of her closest literary friends. In 1890, "Dieu Lien Thi Tap" was republished and added a number of new poems.

Mai am was a talent princess but her life was unhappy, her husband, Mr. Than Trong Di, sacrificed his life when having escorted King Ham Nghi in the fighting against the French. Her only son was dead of disease when he was young.

She died in 1904 in Hue (Huê) and was buried in the Thân clan's cemetery with her husband and son (p.89).

2.9 TRUC LAM Pagoda (TRÚC LÂM Pagoda) [a brocade with 7,000 thousand word of sutra]

THUY XUAN VILLAGE - HUE CITY

Truc Làm Pagoda is distant from the center of Huê about 6 km in the South. The pagoda was built in 1903 (the 15th year of King Thanh Thai reign) and was renovated in 1931. The pagoda has still conserved a piece of brocade [tissue] embroidered [with] a seven thousand word sutra which Most Ven [?]. Bikkhuni Dieu Tam, the head of Thay pagoda (Ha Tay), raised fund for buying thread and brocade to make for many years. The embroidered has been kept in the box made of aloe wood and carved adornments which were very sophisticated as an artistic masterpiece. Later on, it was found after many years of searching for with the high expense spent by Most Ven. Bukkhuni Dieu Khong and it was respectfully brought to Tây Thiên pagoda.

In 1945, it was again moved back to Truc Lam Pagoda and have been preserved there until now (p.92).

2.10 DIEU VIEN Pagoda (DIÊU VIÊN Pagoda)

HANH THUY HAMLET - THUY DUONG VILLAGE - HUONG THUY DISTRICT - HUE CITY

This is the first Buddhist nun pagoda of Central Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha and of the whole country.

As first, it was a small pagoda situated among deserted hills to worship a mandarin under King Tu Duc reign. By the end of King Khai Dinh period, the pagoda was transferred to Lady Ung Dinh whose maiden name was Ho Thi The Anh.

In 1926, the founding board of the pagoda including Ms. Ho Thi The Anh as the Chairwoman, Ms. Nguyen Thi Khuong as the vice-chairwoman and Ms. Ung Ban Ho Thi Hanh (later Most Ven Bikkhuni Dieu Khong had a title roofed main hall and thatch roofed dormitory for nuns built with the pilgrims' subscription from all corners of the world. Most Ven. Bikkhuni Huong Dao (whose real was Phan Thi Hue, born in 1905) was invited to preside over the initiation of the pagoda; Most Ven. Than Nhan to be the religious teacher and Most Ven Dieu Huong to preach the Buddhist teachings to nuns.

In 1953, the pagoda was renovated for the first time and nuns' house were built. In 1963, it was restored for the second time, in addition the Pagoda's front sanctuary, meditation house, and rear sanctuary were more constructed in combining form of the Chinese' character "Khau" ("Khâu").

From 1974 up to now [edition of 1999], the pagoda was renovated to be larger in which exists a fine stupa of Most Ven Bikkhuni Huong Dao (p.94).

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