Hai Ba trung religious complex honoured as special national relic site

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh attended a ceremony held by the Hanoi city authorities on May 28 to receive a certificate honouring the Hai Ba Trung religious complex in Dong Nhan ward, Hai Ba Trung district as a special national relic site.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (first from right) presents a certificate to leaders of the city of Hanoi honouring the Hai Ba Trung religious complex as a special national relic site (Photo: VNA)
Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (first from right) presents a certificate to leaders of the city of Hanoi honouring the Hai Ba Trung religious complex as a special national relic site (Photo: VNA)

The religious complex includes Hai Ba Trung temple, Dong Nhan shrine and Vien Minh pagoda.

Of which, the Hai Ba Trung temple worships national heroines Hai Ba Trung (the Trung Sisters), who led a mass uprising against the Han invaders in 40 AD to reclaim national independence after more than 200 years of foreign rule.

The temple is home to many valuable artefacts such as 27 royal decrees dating back to the Le Dynasty (1428-1788) and the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), eight statues, two stone steles, and two palanquins dating back to the Nguyen dynasty.

Meanwhile, the Vien Minh pagoda houses an ancient stele carved in 1932 and 72 worshipping statues dating back to the Nguyen dynasty. The Dong Nhan shrine is in tribute to the water deities who protect people living along rivers.

The complex is one of a few of its kind in Vietnam where typical architectural, cultural and religious features are well preserved and have remained intact despite the tests of time.

Addressing the event, Vice Chairman of Hanoi municipal People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy described the complex as a time-honoured cultural heritage of the capital city.

He asked the Hai Ba Trung district authorities to improve its management of the relic and continue popularising the site’s cultural and historical value in order to attract more visitors.