Imagine a time long ago when two brave brothers helped a hero. This is connected to u0110inh Mai Phu00fac.
u0110inh Mai Phu00fac stands as a testament to time. It whispers stories from the Ly Dynasty. Once, the village of Mai Phu00fac included several sacred sites. These were Dinh Trong, Dinh Ngoai, Tu Vu, and Nghe Hoa. Sadly, war and time took their toll. Only Dinh Trong remains. It is now known as u0110inh Mai Phu00fac.
Originally a temple, u0110inh Mai Phu00fac connects to tales from the Dinh Tien Hoang era. Legend says two brothers from the Le family aided Dinh Bo Linh. They helped quell the revolt of 12 warlords. They protected Mai Phu00fac village. The temple was built to honor Chung Vinh also known as Xuan Vinh Dai vuong and Luaan Nuong or Ba Son Cong chua and their parents. This was after their passing.
u0110inh Mai Phu00fac received many royal decrees from past dynasties. In 1992, it was declared a National Historical and Cultural Relic. Villagers celebrate the Đại vương’s birth on the 12th day of the first lunar month. They also celebrate the Công chúa’s birth on the 12th day of the second lunar month. The death anniversaries of both are observed on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month. The village holds grand ceremonies. A village festival takes place on the 10th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Though built on an old temple site, u0110inh Mai Phu00fac displays Nguyen Dynasty architecture. This is due to numerous renovations over centuries. The structure includes a bái đường and hậu cung. They are arranged in a “Nhị” shape.
The main hall faces southeast. It features đầu hồi bít đốc tay ngai style. The roof is made of ta tiles. The ridge is decorated with lưỡng long triều nguyệt. The rear palace also uses đầu hồi bít đốc. The left and right vu structures were likely built later. The cổng nghi môn has two phụ doors. They face each other across the outer courtyard. Small stele houses stand near the village road. Across the road lies a rectangular lake. Modern apartment buildings rise behind it.
u0110inh Mai Phu00fac preserves 28 royal decrees from various dynasties. The earliest dates back to 1674 during King Le Gia Tong’s reign. Others bear the Chính Hòa era mark of Le Hy Tong and the Vĩnh Thịnh era of Le Du Tong. Two hoàng bào robes are also housed in khám thờ.
A notable item is a book made of 12 copper leaves. Each leaf measures 18x34cm and the book weighs 5.7kg. Han characters are engraved dating back to 1920. Each page is numbered and contains seven to eight lines. The book has over 2000 characters carved in chìm kiểu chân phương style. The book does not name the engraver. The content recounts the legends of the Thành hoàng Đại vương and Công chúa. Dong cac Dai hoc sy Nguyen Binh compiled it.
Inside u0110inh Mai Phu00fac are ceramic lamp stands from 1583. These date back to the Mac Dynasty. A Bát Tràng village resident presented them. These artifacts suggest the temple has existed since the late 16th century. The temple also holds a silver chén thờ set. It also has incense burners, wine bottles, bát bửu stands, and a water container. These bear 19th-century art styles. u0110inh Mai Phu00fac connects us to a rich history. It displays resilience through time.