Vietnamese Women, vol. 2 chapter 2, part 4: other remains, 31 to 40

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)

2.31 Shrine of Two Ladies [two silk merchants - two ladies saving Nguyên Áhn]

DA PHUOC HOI VILLAGE (now belongs to Hamlet 1) - MO CAY TOWN - BEN TRE PROVINCE

This shrine is dedicated to worship two silk merchants who had the merit to assist Nguyên Ánh when he crossed the rivers of Bên Tre in the years he fled from his enemy.

It is said that when the boat of Nguyên Ánh was almost sunk in a storm, fortunately he met the two ladies' boat. They gave the soldiers the rolls of silk thread to tie the rudder and the mast which were broken so that Nguyên Ánh got out of death.

When having come to the throne, King Gia Long felt grateful for the two ladies' previous flavor, he ordered to seek them, but they had passed away. He had the shrine built to worship them here (p.142).

2.32 VAN QUOC Pagoda 8VAN QUÔC Pagoda) [place of women Charity Association helping orphans]

NO. 7 PHU CHIEN HAMLET - PHU HUNG VILLAGE - BEN TRE TOWN

This is a pagoda for women in Ben Tre province built by Most Ven. Bikkhuni Diêu Lôc in 1930; whose real name was Vo Thi Ngoc Châu, born in 1861 and died in 1955. The pagoda is the working place of women Charity Association of Bên Tre province to aim at helping orphans, victims of the war (p.144).

2.33 HOI PHUOC Pagoda (HÔI PHUÓC Pagoda) [for Lady Ngon]

TAN NHUAN DONG VILLAGE - CHAU THANH DISTRICT - DONG THAP PROVINCE

Previously, this was a small pagoda which was founded by Lady Tran Thi Ngon in 1842. It was called Co Dinh (Cô Ɖinh) pagoda.

In 1847, Lady Ngon, whose religious name was Dieu Dinh (Diêu Ɖinh), came to Giác Lâm pagoda (in Gia Dinh) to ask for following Buddhist way. Her pagoda was named Hoi Phuoc by the head monk of Giac Lm (Giác Lâm).

In 1849, the pagoda had been rebuilt and until 1892, the new one was completed. It was renovated many times (p.146).

2.34 KIM QUANG Pagoda [lady Nguyên Thi Puoc helping the poor]

Lady NAM PHUOC Pagoda

TAN THUAN TAY VILLAGE - CAO LANH TOWN - DONG THAP PROVINCE

Kim Quang pagoda still records the merits that Lady Nguyên Thi Puoc devoted to it such as the bell with the carved mark of 1907 and the nearly 2 km long canal on which boats have come and went crowdedly at Tan Thuân Tây ... Presently, there remains the individual altar to worship lady Nguyên Thi Puoc at the rear sanctuary within the pagoda.

Lady Nguyên Thi Phuoc was also called Lady Nam Phuoc, born in the lunar year of Binh Ngo (1846) at My Tra hamlet, Kien Phong village, Dinh Tuong province, nowadays within the town of Cao Lanh (Dong Thap). To be a rich person, but she honored morality and despised wealth; she treated tenant farmers and villagers with humanity and sympathy. She was willing to help the poor and do public good.

In 1912, she gave Prince Cuong De a support of more than two thousand piasters for the great cause. Her patriotism filled the prince with admiration, he offered her a length of brown silk as his souvenir. the French police inspector knew her secret, but she was too old and weak for them to catch so they arrested her sixth son nine times. She passed away at the age of 74, her tomb was located at Rach Chua. My Tra village, Cao Lanh (Rach Chùa, My Trà village, Cao Lanh). (p.148)

2.35 Lady HAI DE's Tomb (Lady HAI ƉÊ's Tomb) [lady Do Thi De helping Vietnamese troops against French colonialists in South Vietnam

HOA LAC HAMLET - HOA AN VILLAGE - CAO LANH TOWN - DONG THAP PROVINCE

Her real name was Do Thi De (Ɖô Thi Ɖê) who was originally in Hòa An village, Kiên Phong district, Ɖinh Tuòng province (the town of Cao Lanh [of] today). To be a thrifty and resourceful woman, she had the talent in arrangement to cut forest trees, to dig canal, to turn waste lands into rice fields. Her works not only made her family rich, but also created many jobs to poor peasants who were paid for the hire of their labor to break ground, then they kept on working on those very land as tenant farmers.

In the years of crop failure or natural disaster, she reduced land rent by her own motive, and lent money without interest to her tenant farmers in order that they could earn their living and reinvest in next harvest. She remitted the debts of the very poor peasants to settle their mind in order that they made their living.

In the 12th year of Tu Duc reign period (1859) when the French invaded the three Eastern provinces of the southern part of Vietnam, she helped the volunteer troops with a lot of rice, supplied bronze, iron and money to cast and purchase weapons. She passed away in the lunar year of Binh Tuat (1886) at the age of 84 and was conferred the title of "Háo Nghia Kha Phong" by King Tu Duc.

Her tomb is located at Hoa Lac hamlet, Hoa An village (Cao Lanh town). That's a rather monumental tomb with two inner and outer walls ramparts, on which carved elaborately the images of animals and the four season fruits and flowers (p.151).

2.36 Tombs and worshipping Shrine of Mr. and Mrs. CAU LANH (CÂU LÃNH)

It was said that in the late 18th century, Mr. and Mrs. Do Cong Tuong (Ɖô Công Tuòng) came from the Central to the South VN for making their living. The husband tried to work as a farmer and the wife did the husbandry and small business. In a short time, their living was in betterment. They became the villagers' supporters in the moment of difficulty. Their broken land were made orchards of mandarin.

During the harvests, the traders came to purchase mandarins on the spot. On these opportunities, villagers gathered to do business, to barter and the site became a market called Vuon Quyt market (Mandarins Orchard market), then Ong Cau (Ông Câu) market, later Cau Lanh (Câu Lãnh) market (because he was responsible for managing the market and had the nickname as Lanh (Lãnh).

In the lunar year of Canh Thìn (1802), an outbreak of cholera which spread through My Trà village caused the dead without number. the cries were heard everywhere and the hurry burial happened all day. The village resounded hourly with the bamboo tocsin. The village and market were deserted and gloomy. It was supposed that the disease was the celestial punishment. Based on the supposition, Mr, and Mrs. Lanh set up an altar in the middle of the market and prayed that they were willing to offer their lives for the villagers. A few days later, both of them got sick and passed away.

After their death, the disease also ceased. Only their sacrifice of themselves alone was adequate to be respected and worshiped by the villagers. Their worshipping shrine was called the shrine of the Market Owners. Through many renovations, the shrine was ore and more spacious. Cai Lanh market was more and more crowded and the place name of Cau Lanh was changed gradually into Cao Lanh (p.154).

2.37 CÔNG THÂN Shrine and VAN THÁNH Shrine [Lady Truong Thi Loan helping people affected by disasters]

VINH LONG TOWN - VINH LONG PROVINCE

Lady Truong Thi Loan or Mrs. County Chief Y (1848-1921) was the woman who lived nearly 60 years ago but had the feeling of responsibility in preservation of remains left by local predecessors. She was also a good-hearted and charitable woman who was remembered and praised by many people.

Lady Truong Thi Loan was a daughter of Mr. Truong Ngoc Lan who was "Bat Pham Ba Ho" (Bát Phâm Bá Hô) (Feudal honorary eight - [a] rank conferred a village's rich man) of Truong Xuân village, Vinh Long province; he was also a good - natured man who constantly helped people in distressing and miserable situations.

During her lifetime, she had contributions to the renovation of Van Thanh shrine, Cong Than shrine where were dedicated to worship meritorious mandarins and Phan Than Gian. She offered her money and land to Long Phuoc pagoda (it is also called Co En pagoda) and Long Chau pagoda. She often supported hospitals and victims within province, raised money to relieve natural disasters in the provinces of the Central and Northern parts at that time.

To acknowledge her merits, King Duy Tân granted her a gold medal carved four Chinese words "Kinh Dieu Vinh Hao" and King Khai Dinh granted her a lacquer inscribed four Chinese characters: "Hao Nghia Kha Gia" (p.157).

2.38 GIAC THIEN Pagoda (GIÁC THIÊN Pagoda) [Lady Truong Thi Lau - help for the poor]

NO. 70 TRAN PHU STREET - VINH LONG TOWN - VINH LONG PROVINCE

Giac Thien (Giác Thiên) pagoda was founded in 1907 on a land area of Long Hô village, former Binh Long district, which is Vinh Long town of today.

The pagoda was built by a woman Buddhist named Truong Thi Lau in order to help poor people in the region. She was a woman of compassionate who was born in the lunar year of Binh Thin (1855). When she entered into nunhood, she had the religious name of Dieu Truong Nhu Dat (Diêu Truòng Nhu Ɖat). Almost all her lifetime, she aimed at the good and helped women, children in distressing circumstances.

She died in 1947 at the age of 91 (p.161).

2.39 NAM NHA Pagoda [liberation of irrigation tax - and a bribe to purchase irrigation works]

NO 620 CACH MANG THANG TAM STREET - AN THOI WARD - CAN THO CITY

This is the pagoda where County Chief Bui Huu Nghia and his wife Nguyên Thi Tôn's memorial tablets have been adored.

To be a good wife, Lady Nguyên Thi Tôn came from a well to do Confucist mandarin family, her father was Hô Truong (a feudal honorary rank in village) Nguyên Van Ly.

It was registered in the books of history that she was a courageous woman who crossed so many hills and rivers to plough [to install] a long way from the South to Hue capital with her purpose of sounding drum for protesting against an injustice to her husband.

The fact started with the story of King Gia Long whose troops were helped with food and joined by the Tra Vang people (most of them were Cambodian people), when he was on the way to flee from his enemy's pursuit. In 1802, having come to the throne, King Gia Long felt previous gratitude to them, he granted the royal decree of eternal remission [liberation] of irrigation tax to the people in Lang the area. But there was a Chinese whose name was Khanh Tuc who bribed provincial chief Truong Van Uyen and provincial revenue official Truyen of Vinh Long province to purchase the village irrigation works.

The villagers made a complain about that. Bui Huu Nghia stated:

"The exemption of irrigation tax is the King's special favor. There's no guilt to cut off the head of those who dare sell the irrigation works."

Having heard the statement, the villagers came to break down Khanh Tuc's properties and killed his 8 subordinates. The villagers were arrested and the incident gave the provincial chief and the provincial revenue official the opportunity of revenge on the chief county. Bui Huu Nghia was sentenced to death. Lady Nguyên Thi Tôn left her home for Huê capital. She came to see Minister of Interior Phan Thanh Gian and expressed her husband's injustice charge; at the same time she showed her intention of protecting her husband's innocence at the royal court. King Tu Duc ordered Ministry of Justice to make judgment, her husband escaped from the death sentence.

She was praised and granted the honor of four golden words in Chinese characters "Liet Phu Kha Gia" (means "Indomitable wife is admirable") by Queen Mother Tu Du (p.164).

2.40 BINH THUY Dinh (BÌNH THUY Ɖình) [worship center for Dinh Cong Chanh]

FORMER LONG TUYEN VILLAGE (Le hong Phong street) - BINH THUY WARD - CAN THO CITY

Following the route Can Tho - Binh Thuy of 5 km length and crossing Binh Thuy bridge, we come to Binh Thuy Dinh.

Previously, dinh (đình) was called Long Tuyen Co Mieu (Long Tuyen Old Shrine) the divine royal decree was granted by King Tu Duc on the 29th day of the 11th lunar month (1852).

The present dinh (đình) built in 1909 is for the worship of deity Dinh Cong Chanh (Ɖinh Công Chánh) (who took care of dinh's work) and Princess Tram Huong, Princess Hue Co (Huê Cô). At first, the dinh roofed with thatch, afterwards it was rebuilt of bricks and tiles.

during the period 1918-1925, the dinh (đình) used to be the place for organizing the local competitions of housework skills in the sacrifice ceremonies to deities that aimed at encouraging women to improve their housework skills.

This is the dinh (đình) that still keeps its original architecture and was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as artistic architectural vestige on September 5, 1989 (p,.168).

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