Did you know that \u0110\u00ecnh C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb is more than just a temple? It is a story etched in wood and stone. This is a testament to Hanoi’s enduring spirit. \u0110\u00ecnh C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb stands in the heart of Hanoi at 518 \u0110\u1ed9i C\u1ea5n street in Ba \u0110\u00ecnh district. It is a place where legends whisper through ancient banyan trees.
\u0110\u00ecnh C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb is named after the old C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb village. Today, this area is part of C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb ward in Ba \u0110\u00ecnh district. The temple honors Ho\u00e0ng Ng\u1ecdc Trung. He led people to settle here and cultivate the unused land west of Th\u0103ng Long during the L\u00fd dynasty.
Legend says Ho\u00e0ng Ng\u1ecdc Trung came from L\u1ec7 M\u1eadt village. This is now Vi\u1ec7t H\u01b0ng commune in Gia L\u00e2m district. At 16 he became a giám quan under King L\u00fd Th\u00e1i Tông. He rescued a princess who fell into the river. The king offered him riches and titles. But he only asked to bring poor people from L\u1ec7 M\u1eadt to farm the 13 abandoned camps west of the capital. This area became known as Th\u1eadp tam tr\u1ea1i. C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb was one of these agricultural camps. Ho\u00e0ng Ng\u1ecdc Trung died in 1059. The people built a temple to honor him.
\u0110\u00ecnh C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb is one of the temples built during the L\u00fd dynasty. It features a Nghi môn gate shaded by an ancient banyan tree. The main hall has three sections and two lean-tos. On the roof ridge are carved dragons flanking the moon. Inside, intricate carvings depict mythical creatures and precious objects.
Beneath the inscription “Th\u01b0\u1ee3ng \u0111\u1eb3ng t\u1ed1i linh” is a gilded khám thờ with dragons flanking the moon. The altar stands in the center. Above it is the inscription “Thánh cung v\u1ea1n tu\u1ebf.” Below is a parallel sentence praising the village’s Thành hoàng. It translates to: “The most beautiful and sacred, the virtue of the saint protects the country. Both literary and martial, the divine merit helps the people.”
In the rear chamber is a 1.3-meter-tall statue of Ho\u00e0ng Ng\u1ecdc Trung. He wears a winged hat and a long robe with a writing brush in his hand. The annual \u0111\u00ecnh festival occurs on the 13th day of the third lunar month. In the past, people from the 13 camps would parade to V\u0129nh Phúc temple. This ritual no longer takes place. However, the festival maintains the tradition of interacting with L\u1ec7 M\u1eadt village. This is the Thành hoàng’s homeland.
Today, \u0110\u00ecnh C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb hosts cultural events. It also provides classes in ca trù singing by the Thăng Long ca trù club. The state recognized \u0110\u00ecnh C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb as a historical and cultural relic in 1999.
Listen closely. Can you hear the echoes of the past? The rustling leaves whisper tales of Ho\u00e0ng Ng\u1ecdc Trung’s benevolence. The stones remember the farmers who transformed barren land into thriving fields. \u0110\u00ecnh C\u1ed1ng V\u1ecb is a living monument. It connects us to the spirit of old Thăng Long. It reminds us of the enduring values of community, gratitude and cultural pride.