Dong Co temple

The original Dong Co temple is located under Khao Lao mountain, Dan Ne village, now in Yen Tho commune, Yen Dinh district, Thanh Hoa province. History records that: In 1020, the king Ly Thai ordered the prince Ly Phat Ma to bring troops to fight Champa. One night, sleeping at Dong Co Temple, he had a dream of having a god want to follow him to exclude the enemy. That battle he won. Eight years later, in 1028 the day Ly Thai To died, (3rd March in lunar calendar), Prince Ly Phat Ma was informed in the dream there may be a conflict between three kings. In the morning after Ly Thai To passed away, three princes were Vu Duc Vuong, Dong Chinh Vuong, and Duc Thanh Vuong brought troops to the capital. Due to the prepared defense and the help from generals Le Phung Hieu, Le Nhan Nghia so Prince Ly Phat Ma has eliminated the rebellion and officially claimed the throne and called himself as Ly Thai Tong - the second king of the Ly dynasty. King Ly Thai Tong reigned for 26 years, passed away at the age of 54 years.

Ten days after the inauguration, Ly Thai Tong built a temple for Dong Co god in the right of the Imperial Citadel and decided to hold the festival at the temple on March 25. That is the ancient temple that we are worshiping.

Dong Co Temple in the old East village, now in the residential area No. 6 Buoi Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi. Temple located near the To Lich River, Dong Co Temple built from the Ly dynasty did not retain the original and has undergone many repairs, restoration, but still retain many marks of ancient

As we all know, the monuments of the Dong Co Temple today lie on high ground, overlooking the To Lich River. The temple was built in 1028 under King Ly Thai Tong. Over many years ago, the harshness of nature and the influence of the two wars against France and the US, altered relics. Many of the architecture in more than 1000 years no longer exist. Today, on the ground is a small temple with the architectural style of the Nguyen. From outside, the architecture of the temple is arranged as follows:

Three-arched-gates entrance is built in the style of the cylinder, the two main doors are about 5m high, on the cover of stylized fruit, dragon and phoenix. The two front and rear pillars embroider the parallel sentences praising the merits of the god.

The two sides of the three-arched-gates entrance embossed two hawks made of cement. On the left hand side there is a giant tree, which creates a more ancient and sacred relic. In the middle of the three-arched-gates entrance is a cement tripod cauldron for the guests who came to the temple to burn incense.

Temple grounds are paved with Bat Trang tile size 30 cm x 30 cm. Going out of the yard on two levels of brick is the main area of ​​the relics: the front house, the middle house and the harem. All the monuments are well preserved, the system of trusses are relatively new and sure.

Previously, the front house was the place where meetings of communal officials were held. This is the meeting place, the reception of elderly people and the protection committee of monuments. On the struss (connected between the hermitage and the capital), there is a picture of the four major words: "Dong Co linh tu" (Dong Co Holy Temple).

The middle house is a three compartment house built in simple style. In the central plank (connecting between the middle house and the harem) has a large horizontal lacquered board with four words: "Thien co linh tu" (Sacred Temple). Along the door to the harem are the parallel sentences that tell the story, the gratitude of the ancient god to the country and people.

The harem is connected to the middle house and the front house. The harem is simple. In the middle is the incense offering, on top of the throne, the hat of Dong Co.

In general, the Dong Co Temple is not large and simple. Formerly a small temple built from the Ly, later extended. The true value of the monument does not depend on the value of the existing architecture but is primarily its historical value. The monument of Dong Co Temple is located just north of Thang Long citadel. This is not only a scenic place but also a cultural monument bearing the Ly.

Beside the horizontal lacquered board, parallel sentences, altar, thrones ... in the temple also retain a number of other valuable artifacts such as:

- An official Han script of the Temple which clearly states the temple festivals.

- 12 edicts through the dynasties:

Canh Hung second year (1741) . (King Le Hien Tong 1740-1786)

Chieu Thong chronicle (1787).

Quang Trung third year (1790).

Canh Thinh (1793). (Nguyen Quang Toan 1792-1802)

Thieu Tri ninth year (1849).

Tu Duc eighth year (1855).

The antiques are important for the research and promotion of the monuments of Dong Co Temple.

In addition to the historical, architectural and antiquities values ​​that are kept in the temple, the Dong Co Temple in Tay Ho district also preserves a valuable intangible cultural heritage of great significance. For nearly 1000 years, it has been the Dong Co vowing festival.

According to the ancient records, the Dong Co vowing festival of King Ly Thai Tong (1028-1054) commenced with the purpose of teaching the elders and the people in the nation. On the day of the festival, on a high altar, surrounded by flags, spear and people, in the center of the altar is the altar of Dong Co god, the incense burner and mandarins attending the festival. The mandarins coming from the east went into the temple, came to the front, kneeling before the god and read the vow "Not to be disrespectful toward parents, not being a traitor, the god witnessed this". Later, because the festival coincided with the date of a Ly King, the vow was passed on April 4 of the lunar calendar. The Ly dynasties are all for the annual vows.

The Tran still retains this tradition. Dai Viet su ky toan thu stated that: Every year on April 4, the Prime Minister and hundreds of officers, when the cock crowing from the outside of the citadel, the king will be at Huu Lang gate, making the ceremony then go with all of the mandarins to the west door of the citadel, to Dong Co Temple to attend Dong Co vowing festival. Until the Tran Dynasty (1341-1369) King was playful and lazy while the officials were corrupted, bullying the people. Chu Van An had proposed to kill seven guilty mandarins, then called "That tram so", with the content being the vow at the Dong Co vowing festival from Tran dynasty.

Finished reading the vow, the Prime Minister closed the of the temple and checked the attendances of the mandarins, those who failed to come were penalized with 50 hits and fined with money. That day the people from everywhere came to see, the street was full.

Dong Co vowing festival still remains in later dynasties and so far, Dong Co temple has retained its traditional "filial piety" tradition. Every April 4th lunar year, the villagers again hold the festival. Participants in the festival are not only people of Buoi area but also many other people in the area.

Dong Co Temple is for worshiping the Dong Co god. In fact, Dong Co means the bronze drum, so this is the temple of the bronze drum. Legend has it that the Le dynasty lost the old bronze drum so the people had to cast another drum to worship. Thus, the practice of worshiping the bronze drum was the belief of the ancient Vietnamese people who remained in Dong Co Temple. The bronze drum of the ancient Vietnamese was not only a musical instrument but a weapon of its own, which became the divine instrument of Dai Viet.

Dong Co temple’s festival is associated with the bronze drum, which is a manifestation of the material and spiritual strength of the Vietnamese people. The vowing festival is a vigorous ceremony, with its deep moral content, ethical education and tradition.

The ancient god who worshiped the ancient bronze drum in Thanh Hoa was the first god which King Ly Thai Tong personally brought back to Thang Long capital. Behind the curtain of the legend of the ancient gods - the antique bronze drum - to help King Ly fight the enemy, the court united, unified dynasty shows that the capital in the heart of the country, the greatest thing is to follow the will of the people. The dragon flew up, the god from far away came to "support" , which was a good thing for Thang Long.

The participation of Dong Co god in the Thang Long Spiritual System and becoming a "national god" was important for the royal dynasties to show the attraction, integration and cultural unity of Thang Long from the beginning of the thousand years ago.

Dong Co temple is truly a monument of special value in the Vietnamese cultural heritage system, reflecting the spirit of patriotism, loyalty and respect for Vietnamese people.

The temple was listed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in Historical Decision No. 138 / QD dated 31 January 1992./.