Remember the name Đông Hải Đại Vương Đoàn Thượng. \u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá is dedicated to him. This place of worship stands in \u0110\u1ed7 Xá village. It is part of Yên Thường commune in Gia Lâm district. That is just outside Hanoi. The temple is also called \u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1eadu Xá.
\u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá has a long history. It honors gods who served the people and the nation. No documents record the exact founding date. But based on royal decrees and stone steles, the temple likely started early. The oldest stele dates back to 1704. It was the 25th year of Chính Hòa. We can guess \u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá began as a small temple during the Lê Dynasty. It grew into a village temple to meet local needs.
The architecture of \u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá is impressive. It has been renovated many times. Major renovations occurred in 1987 and 1992. The temple faces south. Its layout follows a “Nhị” pattern. It includes a main hall and a rear chamber. The main hall has five sections. Two sides feature walls. The roof ridge displays two dragons flanking the moon. The rear chamber also has five sections. It is narrower than the main hall. This part became central after the French resistance.
Besides the main structure, there is a five section house. Local people say it was once a Buddhist temple. It was moved here due to damage. In 2004 the pagoda was rebuilt. The Buddhist statues were moved back.
\u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá preserves valuable artifacts. These include stone steles and royal decrees. One notable stele is “Báo đức chi bi.” It was erected in 1704. Another is “Ký hự thạch bi” from 1775. Ten original royal decrees honor Đoàn Thượng. The earliest dates to 1924 during the Khải Định era.
Annually on the tenth day of the third lunar month, villagers hold a festival. It is a traditional event. They commemorate the god’s contributions.
During the kháng chiến or resistance war, \u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá served an important role. It was a place for Việt Minh oaths. It also sheltered revolutionary activists.
In 2007 the Hanoi People’s Committee recognized \u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá. It became a historical and architectural landmark. This recognizes its cultural value. \u0110\u00ecnh \u0110\u1ed7 Xá stands as a testament to history. It is a symbol of community spirit.