“Where is everyone?” asks a little girl. Today we explore \u0110\u00ecnh Mai D\u1ecbch. It is a place of great historical and cultural importance. This place is more than two centuries old.
\u0110\u00ecnh Mai D\u1ecbch is located in Mai D\u1ecbch ward. It is in the C\u1ea7u Gi\u1ea5y district of Hanoi. The temple’s name comes from the village. Once, Mai D\u1ecbch was part of D\u1ecbch V\u1ecdng. Later, it became a separate village.
In the 18th century, Mai D\u1ecbch was in T\u1eeb Li\u00eam district. It belonged to Qu\u1ed1c Oai district, S\u01a1n T\u00e2y province. By the late 19th century, T\u1eeb Li\u00eam was part of Ho\u00e0i \u0110\u1ee9c district. It was in H\u00e0 \u0110\u00f4ng province. Since 1961, T\u1eeb Li\u00eam has been part of Hanoi. In September 1997, T\u1eeb Li\u00eam split. It became T\u1eeb Li\u00eam district and C\u1ea7u Gi\u1ea5y district. \u0110\u00ecnh Mai D\u1ecbch is at 36-38 H\u1ed3 T\u00f9ng M\u1eadu street.
Ly Phat Tu is honored here. The villagers of Mai D\u1ecbch respect him. They see him as the village’s guardian spirit. T\u1eeb Li\u00eam was a crucial strategic area. It was the starting point for the struggle. This struggle was for national independence led by Ly Nam \u0110\u1ebf.
Despite the developing urban area, \u0110\u00ecnh Mai D\u1ecbch remains strong. Its traditional architecture is solemn. The layout follows a traditional design. The main hall faces south. It includes the \u0110\u1ea1i \u0110\u00ecnh hall. Also it has Ph\u01b0\u01a1ng \u0110\u00ecnh pavilion and H\u1eadu Cung rear chamber. A large courtyard is in front. A Nghi M\u00f4n gate is closest to the street. All are aligned on the “Th\u1ea7n \u0110\u1ea1o” axis. This is the “God’s Path”.
The Nghi M\u00f4n is the first structure. It is common at the entrance of historical sites. This structure has pillar form. It features four large pillars. They are decorated meticulously and beautifully.
The \u0110\u1ea1i \u0110\u00ecnh hall has five sections. It has a wooden frame and tiled roof. The walls are built in the style of “brick docking on the throne”. The front features wooden doors. The back connects to Ph\u01b0\u01a1ng \u0110\u00ecnh in the middle section. It also provides access to H\u1eadu Cung in the two side sections.
The Ph\u01b0\u01a1ng \u0110\u00ecnh pavilion is behind the \u0110\u1ea1i \u0110\u00ecnh hall. It is a wooden structure. It is designed in the “overlapping roof” style. It has two stories and eight roofs. Its square shape is charming. Each side is about the width of the main section of \u0110\u1ea1i \u0110\u00ecnh.
Behind Ph\u01b0\u01a1ng \u0110\u00ecnh is H\u1eadu Cung. It is also known as Cung C\u1ea5m. This is where the village’s guardian deity resides. This chamber has three sections. It has similar style to \u0110\u1ea1i \u0110\u00ecnh but smaller. It has walls on three sides. Inside, tiger faces are carved on the pillars. The floor is paved with Bat Trang bricks. There is an altar. It holds the divine tablet and ritual objects.
\u0110\u00ecnh Mai D\u1ecbch was established over two centuries ago. Besides the genealogy telling the story of the village’s guardian deity, there are nine decrees from three dynasties: L\u00ea, T\u00e2y S\u01a1n, and Nguy\u1ec5n. One decree dates back to 1785. Another is from 1794. The rest are from the Nguy\u1ec5n period.
Every year, on the 12th day of the second lunar month, Mai D\u1ecbch villagers hold a festival at the temple. Ly Phat Tu contributed to fighting invaders with Ly Bon. His spirit and merit are remembered. After his death, he became a protective deity. He blesses the spiritual life of Mai D\u1ecbch’s residents. Mai D\u1ecbch is an important area. It was the starting point of a national independence movement 15 centuries ago.
In 1995, the Ministry of Culture and Information recognized \u0110\u00ecnh Mai D\u1ecbch. It was ranked as a historical and architectural art site. Take a moment to appreciate this special place.