“Ever wondered where villagers express their gratitude and respect?” That’s what \u0110\u00ecnh Tr\u00f9ng Qu\u00e1n is. It is a venerable temple nestled in Trung Quan village. The village belongs to V\u0103n \u0110\u1ee9c commune in Gia L\u00e2m district of Hanoi.
\u0110\u00ecnh Tr\u00f9ng Qu\u00e1n boasts a long history. It has stood for many generations. According to ancient documents like thần phả and sắc phong. Also hoành phi, câu đối and local legends. \u0110\u00ecnh Tr\u00f9ng Qu\u00e1n is dedicated to several deities. Prominent among them are \u0110\u00f4ng Chinh Tuấn Lương Quan Y \u0110ại Vương and Linh Cảm Đại Vương. Other deities venerated here include Bản Cảnh Thiết Lẫm đại thần, Hữu Thắng Đại vương and Vũ Thắng Đại vương. Hồng Lương công chúa and Nguyễn Như Đỗ are also honored.
The story of \u0110\u00f4ng Chinh leaves a deep mark. He was the fifth son of King Lý Thái Tổ. From a young age, he displayed intelligence excelling in both literary and martial arts.
In 1028, King Lý Thái Tổ sent him to fight invaders in Châu Văn and Lạng Sơn. As his army passed through the commune, the Nguyễn, Đăng and Trần families greeted him. They asked for his title. They wanted to honor him as the village’s Thành hoàng. Hoàng tử declined initially. The villagers insisted. Touched by their sincerity, he relented. Understanding their poverty, he instructed them to celebrate his birthday. It falls on the 10th day of the 10th month. It also marks the day he received his phong tước. He gifted them bánh nếp, chè đậu xanh and bánh rán. These were items he carried into battle.
In the second month of Mậu Thìn year, he returned victorious. He requested his father to grant rewards to Trung Quan commune. The King granted fertile land and exempted them from taxes. In the second year of Thiện Thành, a Tống dynasty delegation visited. They mourned Lý Thái Tổ and confirmed the new king. \u0110\u00f4ng Chinh invited them to assess land for a temple. The villagers were too poor to build it. Princess Hồng Lương offered her personal funds for construction. Grateful villagers built a solemn temple. They honored her on the left and Đại vương. This showed their gratitude.
During the Lê Trung Hưng era, the village contributed to expand \u0110\u00ecnh Tr\u00f9ng Qu\u00e1n. They wanted to honor \u0110\u00f4ng Chinh vương fittingly. \u0110\u00ecnh Tr\u00f9ng Qu\u00e1n sits on elevated ground. It is spacious and airy, close to the village. A pond lies at the front. Across a small brick path is the courtyard. Within the courtyard are two buildings. These are tả vu and hữu vu. The left one has three compartments. The right one has four.
The main architecture follows. Tiền tế has five compartments. It is built in the four-roof style. The roof ridge features a hổ phù figure. It supports a sun face. Two dragons adorn each side. The interior divides into two compartments. The rear connects to Phương đình house. Phương đình house is a two-story, eight-roof structure. Adjacent to it is Trung tế house. It has seven compartments and two wings. Hậu cung is a three-compartment building. Its rear features a chồng diêm style. Two compartments on each side honor thành hoàng. Linh Cảm Đại vương is on the left. \u0110\u00f4ng Chinh Đại vương is on the right.
Today, \u0110\u00ecnh Tr\u00f9ng Qu\u00e1n retains its architectural integrity. It houses a collection of artifacts. These include long ngai, bài vị, kiệu rước, câu đối and hoành phi. Notably, there are 18 sắc phong decrees. They span from the Lê to Nguyễn dynasties. On February 13, 1996, the Ministry of Culture and Information recognized \u0110\u00ecnh Tr\u00f9ng Qu\u00e1n. It became a historical and artistic site. This recognition underscores its enduring value. It is a cultural and historical treasure for future generations.