Vietnamese Women, vol. 2 chapter 3, part 4: landscapes 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)

3.31 CHUA CHAN Mountain (CHÚA CHAN Mountain) [girl Mai Khanh - daughter Mai Khan]

LONG KHANH DISTRICT - DONG NAI PROVINCE

The mountain has the area of 600 ha with 3 peaks.

The story of Chua Chan mount was related to a legend of a dutiful girl named Mai Khanh, the daughter of a mandarin who took up the appointment as governor in the South during the period of Lord Nguên Phuc Chu.

Formerly, the Champa troops often disturbed this region. In a fighting against the Champa troops, the mandarin and his wife were caught. Though the wife was pregnant but she looked very beautiful, so she was forced to be king Champa's concubine. She committed suicide just after having given birth to Mai Khan.

Having grown up, Mai Khanh found her origin, so although she was living in do Ban capital, she always missed her parents. She ceaselessly smoldered with avenge, she made a plan to kill the Champa king. Unfortunately, the thing is out and Mai Khanh was sacrificed.

Her filial piety was compared to perfume which was extolled from mouth to mouth the masses (p.264).

3.32 TRI AN Waterfall [electricity for Dong Nai province and HCMC - a ward killing a python]

VINH CUU DISTRICT - DONG NAI PROVINCE

Along the provincial road Nº 24 at Vinh Cuu district, Tri An waterfall is about 36 km distant from Bien Hoa City.

The waterfall of Tri An not only supplies electricity to Dong Nai (Ɖông Nai) province and Hô Chí Minh City, but it is also a beautiful landscape. Its name is related to a folky tale.

Formerly, there were many ethnic tribes in the region. There was a prince who was unknown his origin having crossed the Dong Nai river and coming to the place called Han Ong Sam (Han Ông Sâm) today. He was caught by the natives of a tribe and sentenced to death. But due to his sturdy stature, he received the tribal chief's clemency and was appointed as his guardian.

The tribal chief had a beautiful daughter. One day when having gone for a stroll in forest, she was pounced on by a python. The prince brandished his sword to kill the python. Having felt the gratitude of saving her life, the girl asked her father's permission to get married with him.

After having lived for several years in his wife's hometown, the prince was deeply homesick and expressed his wish to go back home. In order to hinder him from returning, the tribal head ordered his natives to make a blockage with the stones to be put in the river bed to stop the prince's boat, at the same time, the tribal head had a holy bridge built, had a platform erected to offer sacrifice to deities for the protection of land. He produced the reason that the bridge was connected to the tribe's fate, thus, only he and his assistant sorcerer might pass it.

Having been pushed by his homesickness, regardless of death, the prince broke the ban to step onto the bridge... He was cut off his head.

Having suffered from her husband's death, the wife came to bridge everyday to lament. Until some day, she was seen to have petrified.

Tri An waterfalls where used to witness the loyal love of a couple still has existed up to now (p.266).

3.33 Lady PHI YEN Shrine (Lady PHI YÊN Shrine)

AN HAI VILLAGE - CON DAO ISLANDS - VUNG TAU - BA RIA PROVINCE

At An Hai village, there exists a shrine dedicated to worship a woman whose life was told to be very grief-stricken.

It was said that the woman to be a royal concubine of Lord Nguyên Án, her real name was Nguyên Thi Ram (Ram: a kind of vegetables: Fragrant knotweed). Since she managed to dissuade her husband from entrusting their child to the French as [a] hostage in order to seek reinforcement to fight against the Tay Son, she was found guilty and condemned to be jailed in a cave on a deserted island. Later on, she was freed by the locals. But her son was so young, cried for his mother, he was killed by his father who was in anger.

The lady kept on living a lonely life until one day when the An Hai villagers held a fast festival. At the festival, there was a man called Bien Thi whose passion for her made him blind to take liberties with her.

Having filled with anger at Bien Thi's rude behavior, in addition, with pity for herself to be a royal wife falling into disfavored due to her frank words of dissuasion for her husband, she used knife to cut herself off her arm that was insulted by the cad, then she killed herself with her hair-slide.

Having felt great sympathy for a miserable fate, the An Hai villagers buried her, then built a shrine to worship her and named it Lady Phi Yên Shrine.

The people of Con Lon Islands still pass down the fork [split] verses:

"The wind takes the lettuce to the Heavens.
Fragrant knotweed stays and bears a bitter life."

3.34 Lady THI VAI Stupa and Mount [Thi Vai Mountain - Trinh Mountain]

TAN THANH DISTRICT - BA RIA - VUNG TAU PROVINCE

Thi Vai Mountain is one of the beautiful landscapes of the eastern part of South VN within Tan Thanh district. Dong Nai (Ɖóng Nai) province on the national road Nº 51 from Saigon to Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

There is a legend of the mountain. Once upon the time, there was a rich man whose wife died young, he lived with his only daughter named Thi Vai. She was sent to school for learning martial arts by her father since her childhood. At her nubile age, to answer her father's mention of her marriage, she said "I will marry any young man who is better than I am in skill of martial arts".

To humor his daughter, he held a competition of martial rts between Thi Vail and the young men living in the village. But they found nobody who won her. Thus, she stayed single to take care of her father. When her father passed away, she replaced him to possess his properties.

Among her servants there was a strong and very studious young man whose name was Trinh. He was put confidence on by Thi Vai. One day, he accompanied her to visit the rice fields of her tenant farmers. When having crossed a stream which ran fast, he carried her on his back. Unfortunately, he tripped and fell down in the middle of the stream.

Fearing that she would be taken away by the water, he hold her tight and swam the stream. Both of them were too ashamed to have a word.

Three days later. Trinh was discovered to go away. Thi Vai had him sought everywhere but failed to see him. Finally, she left home to seek him by herself and she was not seen to come back.

Soon after, Trinh's corpse was found on the peak of a mountain and Thi Vai's body on the peak of another mountain. It was said that they fell in love with each other but due to their different social situation between richness and poverty, they decided to meet each other in an other world.

Since then, there have been a mountain named Thi Vai (Ms Vai) and a mountain named Ông Trinh (Mr. Trinh). (p.272)

3.35 Place name of BÀ RIA [Lady Ria with a hamlet in Mo Xoai area - title "Nghe" for road work after rain - shrine]

BA RIA - VUNG TAU PROVINCE

The place name of Ba Ria which is within Ba Ria - Vung Tau province - has been mentioned by many historical researchers with their different opinions about its origin, but so are there has not been an unified conclusion yet.

According to the archive of Tam Thuoc dinh (đinh) where is dedicated to worship Lady Ria, the woman had the merit of breaking fresh ground to build the hamlet in Mo Xoai area in the period of opening new land in Southern part by the end of the 17th century.

Lady Ria came from Phu Yên province. At the age of 15, she went South with her parents for earning their living (by the year of 1680, during Lord Nguyên Phuc Tân's period).

Her family stopped at My Khê village (Tam Phuoc area, Tam An village of today) to reclaim from virgin soil. It is said that, in 1698, garrison commander Nguyên Huu Kinh went on inspection tour in the southern part in order to organize the social, economic and administrative management... When his delegation passed Phuoc Lê village, it was in flooding season, bridges were afloat, roads were harmful. Having heard that Lady Ria urgently mobilized the villagers to repair the roads and [to] rebuild the bridges for the delegation to pass through, her useful work was known by Lord Nguyên Phuc Chu, so she was granted the title of Nghe and allowed to go by Lord's first name to be Lady Nghe Nguyên Thi Ria.

She died in about 1759 at Phuoc Liêu village where she had the merit to found.

Presently, her tomb and her worship shrine still exists in Tam An village (former Tam Phuoc), Long Dât district, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. Her tomb had been unknown until 1936 when happening a dispute in an auction of feudal state rice fields in Ba Ria province, the local authority had to consider the land- register to realize that the feudal state rice field of Tam Phuoc village were within Lady Ria's legacy and allowed the peasants to sell in auction. In that year, Long Diên district chief was Nguyên Ngoc Tuong came by himself to Tam Phuoc village to seek Lady Ria's tomb; then he had it restored and allowed the local authority to draw some of the village fund for making offerings and worship to Lady Ria.

Till 1972, her tomb was renovated once again and in the same year, her statue was brought to worship in former Tam Phuoc dinh (đinh), Tam An village of today.

3.36 BA DEN Mountain (BÀ ƉEN Mountain) [caverns and green trees]

TAY NINH PROVINCE

Ba Den mountain is 11 km distant from Tay Ninh provincial capital between the two rivers of Vam Co Dong (Vam Co Ɖông) and Sai Gon (Sài Gòn). From afar, Ba Den mountain peak is seen to be wrapped in a piece of thin silk due to the covering of white clouds hovering lightly... On the mountain exist numerous caverns and green trees. On the mountain sides, a lot of gills [mountain creeks] with the grains of sparkling golden sands are seen. The scenery of Ba Den (Bà
Ɖen Mountain is as nice - looking as a landscape painting.

On the half-way of the mountain, there is a temple dedicated to worship "Linh Son Thanh Mau" who has been extolled as Lady Buddha. Now it is called Dien Ba (Ɖiên Bà) (Lady Temple).

[Legend 1: Lady Den does not accept a marriage - flight - dead on the hill]

The legend of Ba Den (Ba Ɖen) Mountain has been passed down that, formerly, there was a girl whose name was Denh (Ɖênh), the daughter of a local defending mandarin. She was very devout to Buddhism and was taught the Buddhist teaching by a Chinese monk.

To be a daughter of an influential family, she had a good looks in addition, so she was well-known far and wide. Thus, a son of Trang Bàng defending mandarin asked someone to act as go-between for his offer of marriage to her. Her parents were agreeable to give her in marriage to him and promised to choose a blessing day to celebrate the wedding ceremony.

Denh (Ɖênh) did not agree to her parent's decision, she wanted to enter into nunhood, but she did not dare to argue the toss with them. One rainy night, she left home to seek her own way on the sly [meaning to be clever]. Next day, her parents looked for her everywhere; until noon, they found her corpse on the mountain and invited a monk to pray for the peace of her soul.

[Legend 2: Môt Mountain: Lady Trang Bang offering on the mountain - bandits - the lady dying on the mountain]

Since then, she turned out to be awe inspiringly powerful, blessed the people in the region when they were in hard situations. Her miracle was realized so when someone who faced adverse circumstances, they burned incense in the front of their house towards the mountain at noon to pray for her help to them. There was also an (p.278)

other tale of Ba Den mountain which said that previously it was called Môt Mountain (mountain of One: Once upon a time there was a beautiful girl living in Trang Bang whose name was Ly Thiên Huong. She often went up the mountain to make offerings in pagoda. Once, she was assaulted by bandits and saved by a young man. From that time, they felt in love with each other. But then he was recruited in the army and moved at the distance. The bandits found to catch her for their avenge. She fled and hid out on Môt mountain and died there. She was buried kindly by the venerable residing at the pagoda.

She turned out to be awe - inspiringly powerful, helped the good people. She was believed in extolled as "Linh Son Thanh Mau" and worshipped by the villagers. Môt Mountain since then has been called Ba Den Mountain.

Every year, on the 10th day, especially on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, tourists from all parts of the nation flock to the mountain for making offerings, pilgrimage and sight seeing very crowdedly (p.279).

3.37 DINH CÔ [girl Lê Thi Hông Thuy in a house boat - dead in a storm - body on a beach - shrine erected]

The lady palace

LONG HAI TOWNLET - BA RIA - VUNG TAU PROVINCE

It is said that previously, there was a girl named Lê Thi Hông Thuy whose home town was in Phan Rang. She followed her father to make their living by both fishing and barter of products made of bamboo on a sampan [Chinese house boat]. She loved the beautiful scene of Long Hai very much.

Unfortunately in a stormy night their sampan was sunk and it seemed to please her, the sea waves took her corpse to the white sandy beach where she used to love when she was alive.

The villagers buried her on wind-swept hill and erected a shrine to worship her. At first, it was only a grave covered with earth and the shrine made of bamboo and roofed with coconut leaves. Gradually, the villagers believed that she was ready to comply with the prayers of the living to support them during the time they were at sea for catching fishes, so they rebuilt her tomb and shrine many times which is spacious and magnitude as its current appearance (p.282).

3.38 St. MARIA Cathedral in Sài Gòn

CONG XA PARIS SQUARE - DISTRICT 1 - HO CHI MINH CITY

The cathedral had been moved three times before being located right on the current site. Situated in the center of Cong Xa Paris square, the cathedral is 93 meters long, 36.60 meters wide, 21 meters high. The total height from the face of the ground to the tower summit is 60.50 meters. The works had been started on October 7, 1877 and completed on April 11, 1880.

The cathedral also has another name of Chánh Toa. In 1962, it was given the title of Vuong Cung Thanh Duong (Vuong Cung Thánh Ɖuong).

The cathedral is a handsome and ancient architecture in HCMC (p.284).

3.39 Place name of THI NGHÈ

HO CHI MINH CITY

In the East of Saigon exists a region where the bridge, the channel, the market and the residential area, all are named Thi Nghè.

It is said that Ms. Nghè or Thi Nghè used to live here by the end of the 18th century. There was a feudal doctor (whose real name is unknown) who was appointed the district office clerk in Gia Dinh town. His wife, Nguyên Thi Knahn, the daughter of Governor Nguyên Cuu Van (alias Van Truong Hau). The couple of Ms. Nghè lived on the other side of the channel.

To be moved to pity by her husband's hard journey to work because it was separated and obstructed by river and ferry: in addition, she also sympathized with the villager's difficulty in doing business due to the channel, she spent money, mobilized manpower to build the bridge. The bridge was made of wood, rather wide and solid. It facilitated the traffic to Gia Dinh town.

The people of the region were grateful to her for her service, named the bridge Thi Nghè bridge the channel where the bridge was spanned by Mrs. Nghè Thi Nghè channel and that region Thi Nghè village (p.286).

3.40 BA HOM Street (BÀ HOM Street)

HO CHI MINH CITY

Ba Hom is a lace name which came into existence for a long time perhaps this was the name of some old woman who either sold something at the market of Tan Tao village or had some merit to this region, so the market has borne her name.

When Gia Dinh citadel was invaded by the French in 1859, the officials in Tan Binh County withdrew and set up the seat at Ba Hom market which was at that time a wide land area in Tan Tao village. Binh Chanh district.

Till 1955, this country side has become a busy market place and has been named Ba Hom street in the district 6 of HCMC today (p.288).

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