The entrance of Den Hung (Hung temple) historical monument

The lyrics: “Go up, go up, go up/ Go to the mountain of tale go to the Hung Vuong temple” followed my pilgrimage to  the Hung temple. Indeed, when visiting any spot of this historical monument, it appears that we touch a tale area with stories about the place where the Vietnamese people were originated.

Along the No.2 Highway, 10km far from Viet Tri City ( Phu Tho Province) lies Hung temple historical monument. Travelling about 3km, we come to the Nghia Linh mountain. The first spot we visit is Hung Vuong museum in which 700 out of 4000 relics of 4 Hung Vuong cultural backgrounds including Phung Nguyen, Dong Dau, Go Mun and Dong Son are displayed.

It seems that bronze drums, a typical relic of Vietnamese civilization in the early age, still echo the sound of once upon a time period. Suddenly, I take pride in Binh Dinh where Dong Son bronze drums have been found most of provinces from Quang Binh to the southern provinces. Are they really products of an old metallurgical center in Binh Dinh as a researcher’s affirmation? At least, the relics show the pervasiveness of the Dong Son culture in the South which was formerly called Viet Thuong, one of 15 branches of  the Van Lang state.

From the foot of the Nghia Linh mountain to the Ha temple there are natural forest-like canopies along two sides of the stone-steps. Such great and oid trees as banian trees, pines, thousand-of-year-trees, and ten thousands of trees turn into green to shadow an area of the consciousness. Alongside this, there is a forest with over 300 trees grew since 2000. All and such ponds as Lac Long Quan, Hoc Trai, Khuon Muoi, etc together create beautiful and looming sightseeings, attracting pilgrims.

Passing 225 stone-steps, we are in Ha temple (low temple). Legendly, Ha temple is the place where the great mother Au Co gave birth of 100 eggs, hatching 100 children. Going more 168 steps, we reach the Trung temple (middle temple) which was built first in the temple system. Legendly, this is the place where the Hung King took a rest, enjoyed the view and discussed national affairs with Lac Hau, Lac Tuong 2,300 years ago, the prince Lang Lieu offerred banh chung, banh day (square and round glutinous rice cakes), and Hung Vuong shrine was built.

On the peak of Nghia Linh mountain situated Thuong temple (top temple) in which there is the Hung King’s tomb. Legend has it that Hung Kings set up “kinh thien linh dien”( God sanctuary on Nghia Linh mountain). Annually, the Hung King held a ceremony for  God, Earth and rice deity to bless a good crop. When being abdicated the throne, the King Thuc Phan built a stone pillar at Thuong temple with an oath : “Look after tombs and conserve the Hung Kings’ fortune forever”. And the main tomb is the 6^th Hung King’s. Legendly, after winning the An invader, the 6^th Hung King took off the imperial robe, hanging on the branch of pedocarpus fleurgi and incinerated it. The tomb was built in the age of the king Tu Duc.

On the Nghia Linh mountain, looking at the far distance, we can see an impressive sightseeing, admiring the ancestors’ idea on choosing this holy land to build ancestral tombs.

Currently, the Hung temple historical monument has been expanded up to 1,000 ha to the year 2015 according to the Government-approved project. The spiritual cultural atmosphere and the eco-tourism will beautify the the ancestral land, reminding us about the place where the Vietnamese people were originated.

• Written by Ngoc Hoi
• Translated by Hong Quang