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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Hoa Lu

Among the summer crop fields with the endless green of Gia Vien and Gia Khanh district (Ninh Binh province), 99 pits and bumps lime mountains, one on one, stretch like the great wall, some of them with their height look like giant guard towers surrounding the big valleys plus curved rivers, waterways, lakes reflecting the image of big mountains and the sky. This is “Ha Long Bay in land” of Ninh Binh where formerly was the capital of Dai Viet country.
Dai Co Viet country is ranked as Tong country in Khai Bao era.
Hoa Lu is the capital of Dai Co Viet like Trang A of Han dynasty.
Two scrolls in two pillars in the temple dedicated to King Dinh in Hoa Lu shows the pride of our ancients about the country when now the independence after thousand years being governed by Chinese emperor and never stopped the anti-invasion.
According to the historical document, Hoa Lu former capital belongs to Truong Yen Thuong and Truong Yen Ha communes. Based on the position of the mountain and river, ancients had made the wall surrounding the capital. The height of the capital wall in is 8m to 10m. The capital was built by stones covered with soil, printed the words. The citadel of Dai Viet country”. The area of Hoa Lu citadel is 300ha, divided into two zones: Outer citadel is in the cast and the inner is in the West. Two citadels connect to each other by a valley called Quen Vong. Between two zones, there were formerly big stone gate, stone bridge over the deep moat called Dong bridge, Den bridge …From Dinh dynasty to Pre-Le dynasty, about 41 years (168-1009), many palaces were built “Bach Bao Thien Tue” palace in Dai Van mountain with the pillars glued gold and silver. It was considered a place to meet, the east was Phong Luu Hall, the west was Tu Hoa Hall, left wing was Bong Lai Hall, right wing was Long Loc Hall with the silver roof. Outside the citadel, there were many architecture works, palaces and warehouse…Surrounding the area, there is the remained object: the one pillar pagoda with the Lang pillar. The pillar is cylinder with eight sides ereted in 988; hundreds of pillars were offered by Nam Viet Vuong Dinh Lien. There is a temple dedicated to princess Phat Kim, the daughter of King Dinh Tien Hoang got married with war lard Ngo Nhat Khanh who betrayed the King, she committed suicide by jumping into the well. There is An Tien where previously was the place breeding lions for punishment of the crime and after that it turned into the worship Buddhism. The Flag pillar mountain is over 200m height. This was the place where put the flag of Dai Co Viet government. Besides, there are Nui Cho (Market Mountain), Ao Giai (Tortoise lake), Hang Muoi (Salt cave), Hang Tien (Money Cave), the road paved by brick carved muns, dancing phoenix, many ironwood pillars in two sides. The road connects the Flag pillar mountain with Than Lan mountain in the eastern citadel...In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital to Thang Long (the former name of Hanoi), he ordered to rebuild some bridges, gates, temples, pagodas…like those in Hoa Lu such as one pillar pagoda, eastern bridge, Den bridge.
From Hanoi, taking the national highway 1A, crossing the Gian Khau bridge to the 88km, turning into the Tien Yet road, walking about 6km, visitor will come to the relics. 1km distance from the national highway is Thien Ton cave - the first guard station of the ancient capital - locating in the food of Dung Duong mountain. The cave divides into two parts. The outer part is 200 square meters width with flat ground, high ceiling and a rather big and beautifully carved altar. On the left, a big bell moulded in Canh Hung reign in hung. Behind the altar, there is a short corridor leading to the small cave creating clod-beetle handle shape. The place is considered as the inside part and it has altar, desk. In Long Dinh, there is a bronze statue of Tran Vu Thien Ton puts his sword into the stone tortoise, looking imposing and stately. There were two stone imperial dragon. Behind Long Dinh, there is a round well called dragon well and water is always in it. It is said that it has artesian waters connecting to Giam river. From Thien Ton cave, going about 2km, visitors will come Quen Oi-the eastern gate of Hoa Lu capital.
It is said that the temples dedicated to King Dinh and Dinh Le were built in the former ground of the palace. They are in the center of the outer citadel. Dinh temple backs against the Phi Van mountain. In front of it is Ma Yen mountain (saddle of horse mountain). According to the story of the old, the temple was built in Ly dynasty, looking towards the North. After the big restoration in the post – Le dynasty (in the late of the 17thcentury), the temple looked towards the east like it now. The temple is designed like “noi cong ngoai kich” character (striking inside out and outside in). When visitors come to the temple, they will have to the big gate called “Ngo mon quan”, went to the lotus lake wit rock in garden and then outer gate. A brick paved road with the flower garden in its two sides lead to two high pillars printed two scrolls pointing out the dangerous position of Hoa Lu area. There is a big stone stele erected in the 17th Chinh Hoa year (1696) near the two pillars. The stone stele praised the princess Dinh. Crossing the pillars, visitors will come to court of a King. In the middle of court of a King, there is a dragon carved bed stood on the high stone with the height of 1.90 and the width of 1.40. The dragon has a hom is the forehead, ears like buffalo’s ears. Its beard twists. Its mane turn around, it legs jumps into cloud and its shape covers mainly the surface of carved bed. Round the carved bed there are image of palace, dragon, phoenix, flower, leaf, cloud...and even shrimp, crab, fish, rat.
Two side of dragon carved bed has two stone lion’s whelp looking very vely. The temple has three layers: outside is bow-low hall, middle place is the buring incense dedicated to Dinh Dieu, Nguyen Bac, Trinh Tu, Luu Co – people had the merit of forming the country and 4 key people of the Dinh Imperial Court.
Inside layer is the main palace, in the middle of it, there is statue of Dinh Tien Hoang mounded in browse, worn royal mantle and he sat in throne. On the left of the statue of Nam Viet Vuong Dinh Lien; on the right of it are the statues of Dinh Toan, Dinh Rang Lang – son of the King. In front of the statue of Dinh Tien Hoang, there is a space is said that previously there was kneeing statue of Do Thich (who assassinated the King and Dinh Lieu). On the anniversary day of remembering the sad event in October according to the lunar calendar, the statue of Do Thich was pulled out of court of a king for hit and quarrel.
King Le temple is 0.5km distance from Dinh temple, on one branch of Hoang Long river, learning against Dai mountain. In front of it is Den mountain its architecture is similar to King Dinh temple. There are outer gate, lotus stone work in garden, inner gate, court of a king, stone stele praising the merit and dignity of king Le Dai Hanh built in the 9th Hoang Dinh year (1608) three house-bow low hall, burning uncense hall and main palace. Because it was restored very few due to the thought of “pro-Dinh, not pro-Le” king Le temple has still maintained the old ornamental architectural features. Especially, six round abaci carves 6 dragons, each dragon has particular feature, one plays with the pearl, one versuses to tiger, one breathes forth fire…They are lively. Besides, there are two gates of the main palace carved one dragon in the brocade ancient square character sophisticatedly like the King Dinh temple, many carved features in the gate, stone stele, stone block…with dragon group, shrimp, crab, monkey, squirrel...show the generous art and skill of the artist at that time. In the main palace of King Le temple, it was put statue of King Le Dai Hanh in the throne like a general, on the right of the statue is the statue of Le Long Dinh, on the left is the statue of Duong Van Nga weaking well-dress with fine face.
Dinh Tien Hoang tomb was put in Ma Yen mountain top in the concave like saddle of horse. The place is rather large and fat. They way to Son royal tomb has as many as 300 uneven stone steps. Royal tomb built by stepping stone has stone altar and stone incense burnes. In front of royal tomb, there is a big stone-stele wrote “the royal tomb of King Dinh Tien Hoang”. Le Dai Hanh tomb was put in the south of Ma Yen mountain foot and built by stepping stone. In front of the tomb, there is a stone-stele and two sides of the tomb has two small mountain like “kneeling dragon, prostrating tiger".
Standing in the area of Dinh Tien Hoang tomb in Ma Son mountain, we have a total view of panorama of Hoa Lu relics with extending endless mountains, and a curved Hoang Long river. On the left bank of Hoang Long river has Kiep Linh mountains (sword driven in mountain) connected to the story of Dinh Tien Hoang. When he was a child, he usually deployed the battle with reed. One day, he killed his buffalo to entertain his friends. His uncle got angry and used a sword to run after him to hit. The boy Dinh Bo Linh, jumped into the river and a golden tortoise surfaced and drove him to the opposite bank. His uncle was frightened to death, drove sword in and looked up to him…Along the river, the field looks like the space in chess table. Under the green trees in the mountain’s foot the old temples and chapels loomed in the distance.
Every year, to remember the merit of the hero who brought the independence to the country, people in Truong Yen - Hoa Lu area busily organized the festival on the 10th of March (according to the lunar calendar). This is birthday of Dinh Tien Hoang. The people who came to attend are very crowd. The festival has the burning incense, many martial spirit games, collective game of "reed deployed battle" letter arrangement of Thai Binh (the unique dynastic title of Dinh Tien Hoang) boat, contest, wrestling, procession with dragon ...the festival take 3 or 4 days.

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