Command Vietnam

Hanoi's Sacred Guardians

1. East: Bach Ma Temple

The oldest of the four sacred sites is Bach ma (White Horse) Temple, located at 76 Hang Buom Street, Hanoi. Bach Ma Temple was built in the ninth century to worship Long Do (Dragon's Belly) - a patron saint of Hanoi. Legend has it that Cao Bien, a Tang Dynasty official, try to use his magic power to overcome a deity, but lost. He is said to have built an altar to exorcise the spirit on this site

In 1010 King Ly Thai To decided to move his capital from Hoa Lu to Thang long. But each time he tried to build a citadel on the new site, it collapsed. The King sent his staff to Long Di temple to pray to the supernatural powers for help in building his citadel. Suddenly, the saw a white horse racing from temple

The king ordered the citadel to be built on the path taken by the galloping horse. This time, the construction was successful. King Ly Thai to elevated  Long Do to the position of tutelary deity of Hanoi. From that time onwards, the temple was known as White Horse

The first among the four Thang Long Tu Tran, Bach Ma Temple still contains many important relics, such as stone steles recording the temple origins and the resident deity, and royal ordinances on deification rites and the process of restoration dating from the Le to the Nguyen Dynasties

2. West: Voi Phuc Temple

The temple that defends the west is Voi Phuc (Kneeling Elephants) Temple, built during the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong (1054-1072) to whorship Saint Ling Lang. According to a legend, Saint Ling Lang was the fourth price of King Ly thanh Tong  and Lady Hao Nuong, his ninth imperial concubine

When Chinese Sung dynasty sent a strong army to invade Vietnam, the king was very worried. He dispatched his messengers to recruit talented people to fight the invaders to save the country. Hearing the news, the price asked the king to give him command of the troops. The king agreed and provided him with a red flag, along spear, and two elephants. After arranging his troops, the prince stood before the elephants and shouted: ‘' I am the general from heaven " the elephants immediately knelt down, then carried him to the battlefield where he and his troops defeated the invaders. Since then, the temple was known as Voi Phuc

When peace was restored, King  Ly thanh Tong held a feast to reward his troops and expressed his intention of abdicating the throne to the prince. However Ling Lang refused the King‘s offer. A short time later, the prince was stricken with a disease. Resting his head on a square rook, Prince Ling lang turned into a dragon and disappeared into West Lake. King Ly thanh Tong conferred the title of Grand Prince upon him

Later under the Tran and Le Dynasties, Ling Lang reappeared as a genie to help the King to defend the country against enemies. To commemorate the prince contributions, these dynasties conferred him the title "Superior Genie. Settlements within sight of his red flag all built temples to worship and honor him

3. South: Kim lien Temple

The temple that guards Hanoi to the South is Kim Lien temple. this temple was built as an altar to saint Cao son, who, as legend has it, was the son of the son of Vietnam' s first couple, Lac Long Quan and Au Co, Cao son was reportedly one of the 50 siblings who followed their mother to the mountains. It is said that Cao Son had helped Son Tinh (Mountain Genie) to defeat Thuy Tinh (Water Genie) and bring peace to the people

According to document kelp in the temple, King Ly Thai To ordered the temple's construction shortly after the establishment of Thang Long. In 1509, Le Tuong Duc marched his troop from Thanh Hoa to Thang Long to squash Le uy Muc's rebellion. When passing the temple , he went in to pray to Cao Son for support . Shortly thereafter Le Tuong Duc successfully restored the Le Dynasty. In return for the saint's support, King Le Tuong Duc had the temple replaced with a bigger and more beautiful one in King Hoa ward, which was then close to Thang long. He also ordered his historians to compile epitaphs on the saint's merits so that his deeds would be remembered through the generations. the temple contains a huge stone stele of 2.43 meters tall, 1,57 meters wide and 0,22 meter thick dedicated to Cao Son. It is carved with records of saint miraculous deeds and verses to pray him composed hy historian Le Tung in 1510. The throne stele was erected in 1772. Every year, a traditional festival is held here on March 16th of the lunar year and offerings of thanks are made to the saint

4. North: Quan Thanh Temple

Quan Thanh Temple- also called Tran Vu temple is dedicated to Huyen Thien Tran Vu a deity mentioned in both Vietnamese and Chinese legends. He is credited with having helped Vietnamese people to drive away ghosts, evil spirits, and foreign invaders.

King Ly Thai To had the temple built in 1010 to protect the north border of Thang Long Citadel. The temple contains a giant black bronze statue of Huyen Thien Tran Vu sitting on a stone pedestal 1.5 meters high. The statue has a solemn, majestic look and depicts a man with a square face, a long beard, and long hair. He is wearing a hermit costume and has bare feet. The lest hand of the statue oases magic and the right hand holds a sword shrouded by a snake propped against the back of a tortoise ( a snake symbolizes strength and a tortoise represents immortality

The statue is a symbol of Vietnamese people's undying resistance to invasion

Cast in black bronze, it stand 3.966 m high and weighs four tons. this beautifully-made sculpture was made in Ngu Xa Village ( Truc Bach Lake) during the reign of King Le Huy Tong in 1677

Quan Thanh Temple boasts a three-door entrance. In front of the entrance stand four large pillars. In addition to the statue of Huyen Thien Tran Vu, the temple also boasts other precious artifacts most notably a big bell dating back to 1677, a bronze musical bell cast in 1794 a bronze plate made in 1841 and stone steles recording the restoration of the temple ( 1857)

Together, Bach Ma, Kneeling Elephants, Kim Lien and Quan Thanh temples form the four sacred guardians of Thang Long- Hanoi. These temples and historic and cultural treasures that symbolize the artistry strength, self-reliance, and independence of Vietnamese people

Activities to celebrate 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary, Vietnam

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on June 10th 2009 issued a decision approving the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary scheme in 2010. Here are celebration activities in detail:

I. Activities to celebrate the Party, the New Year 2010 and 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi:

1. Hung Kings' death anniversary and 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary (national level) on April 23, 2010 at the Hung Kings Temple in Viet Tri city, Phu Tho province.

2. The country's 35th unification anniversary (April 30 1975 – April 30 2010) and the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary:

- National meeting in Hanoi on April 29, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and related agencies.

- A special music-art show in HCM City on April 29, 2010.

- A festival to celebrate the country's unification from April 30 to May 1, 2010 at Hien Luong Bridge in the central province of Quang Tri, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and related agencies.

3. 120th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – May 19, 2010) and 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary:

- National meeting to celebrate the 120th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi on May 18, 2010.

- "Following President Ho Chi Minh's footsteps" live television show on May 19, 2010 on the national Vietnam Television (VTV).

- Reviewing three years of the literary and art creating campaign entitled "Studying and Following the Moral Example of President Ho Chi Minh" and the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary in Hanoi in May 2010.

4. Celebrating the 65th August Revolution anniversary and the Vietnam National Day, combined with the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary:

- National meeting to celebrate the 65th August Revolution anniversary and the Vietnam National Day (September 2) in Hanoi on September 2.

- A special programme celebrating the 65th August Revolution anniversary and the Vietnam National Day in various provinces and cities, aired live on VTV.

II. Activities to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary, held by ministries and provinces:

1. Activities organised by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism:

- International circus festival from August 1-10, 2010 in Hanoi.

- International puppetry festival from September 6-10 in Hanoi.

- International photo exhibition in August 2010 at the Centre for Culture and Art Exhibitions of Vietnam in Hanoi.

- International Film Festival from September 25-30, 2010 in Hanoi.

- Other activities.

2. Activities organised by local authorities:

a. Phu Tho province

- Incense offering ceremony for the Hung Kings at the Hung Kings Temple.

- Exhibition of antiques of the Ly dynasty at the Hung Kings Museum.

- Music-art show to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary.

- Photo exhibition on Vietnam's capitals.

b. Bac Ninh province

- Bac Ninh Culture, Tourism Festival 2010.

- Incense offering ceremony at Do Temple and other festivals at temples in the province connected to King Ly Cong Uan during the ten days of the 1000th great anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi (October 1-10, 2010).

- Exhibition of cultural heritages of the Ly dynasty.

- Producing a documentary about the home land of the Ly dynasty.

c. Nam Dinh province

- Tran Hung Dao Temple Festival.

- Cultural, sport, tourism activities to honour the Tran dynasty, in relation to the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.

d. Ninh Binh province

- Hoa Lu ancient capital festival.

- Exhibition of cultural heritages of the Dinh.

e. Thanh Hoa province

- Lam Kinh Festival.

- Organising cultural, sports, tourism activities to honour traditional culture, history and national hero Le Loi in association with the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary in Hanoi.

f. Nghe An province

- Sen Village Festival.

- Sen Village Singing Contest and other activities to celebrate the 120th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, in connection with the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary.

g. Thua Thien – Hue province

- Hue Festival 2010.

- Exhibitions.

- Amateur music and dance festival to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary.

- Hanoi – Thua Thien Hue: Past and Present exhibition.

h. Binh Dinh province

- Two special music and dance shows to welcome the lunar New Year 2010.

- Tay Son festival and other activities.

- The second Tay Son – Binh Dinh Festival and the International Traditional Martial Arts Festival.

i. HCM City

- Cultural Day and amateur, professional performances to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary.

- An amateur literature and art festival.

- Scientific seminar entitled "1000th year of Thang Long – Hanoi".

- "Thang Long – Hanoi: 1000 Years of History" festival.

- HCM City International Tourism Exhibition 2010.

3. Other activities

- Vietnam – Binh Duong pottery festival 2010 entitled "Vietnamese pottery – tradition – identity and development" from September 1-5, 2010 in Thu Dau Mot town, Binh Duong province.

The festival will include a pottery fair, an exhibition of pottery collections, an exhibition of photos of pottery, a meeting to honour traditional Vietnamese pottery, a music-fashion show, a pottery-making competition, an auction of pottery to raise funds for charity and a parade entitled "Night of Pottery".

- A sea carnival in Quang Ninh province in late March – early April 2010

- A sea festival in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, also in late March – early April 2010.

- An international firework festival in the central city of Da Nang in March 2010.

- "Trans-Asia bridge span 2010" in July 2010 in the central province of Quang Tri, with the participation of art troupes from Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and China.

- Miss World 2010 pageant in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province in September and October 2010, which will be combined with activities to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary.

- Da Lat Flower Festival 2010 in Da Lat city, Lam Dong province.

III. Overseas activities to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will combine with other ministries, agencies and associations at home and abroad to organise cultural and art activities to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary.

IV. The great celebrations of the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary (From October 1, 2010)

1. Opening day (October 1)

- The opening ceremony will be held by the Hanoi authorities and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the Ly Thai To statue, Dinh Tien Hoang road and the space around the Hoan Kiem Lake in the morning of October 1.

- The exhibition of economic and social achievements of Vietnam and Hanoi will open in the afternoon October 1 at the Giang Vo Exhibition Centre.

- The exhibition of literary works of Vietnam through various periods at the Cultural and Art Exhibition Centre, 2 Hoa Lu, Hanoi.

- "The country with Hanoi" special show on the Vietnam Television in the evening of October 1, with the direct participation of many people in different sites in Vietnam and abroad.

- A general cultural and art performance organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Hanoi in the evening on October 1. The show will have the contribution of foreign experts

2. Activities from October 2, 2010

a. Cultural and art activities:

- Cultural exchange festival for ethnic groups in Vietnam to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary in Hanoi

- A week for historical films in Hanoi

- "Thang Long impetus and the song for the country" music show at the Hanoi Opera House

- Performance of selected new songs to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary at the Ba Kieu Temple stage

- Street festival and cultural-art programme of young Hanoians at various places in Hanoi

- The first international festival for young bands in Vietnam at the My Dinh National Convention Hall

b. Sports activities

- Final round of the international Thang Long – Hanoi Football Cup in Hanoi and other provinces

- Performance of Vietnamese martial arts at the Quan Ngua sports palace

- Ha Noi Moi newspaper's running contest around the Hoan Kiem Lake

- International trans-Vietnam cycling tournament 2010 from HCM City to Hanoi

c. Tourism activities

- A tourism festival in Hanoi

- An exhibition of antiques, documents and objects about Thang Long – Hanoi in the Thang Long ancient citadel, Hanoi

- Exhibition of ornamental trees and flowers in the Thang Long ancient citadel

- Festival for craft villages in Hanoi

3. Other activities to celebrate the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary in Hanoi from October 1, 2010

- A special circus show entitled "Hanoi – The city for peace" at Thien Quang Lake, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc square and the National Circus.

- Music concerts by famous Vietnamese artists at the Hanoi Opera House.

- Performance of ancient dances of Thang Long – Hanoi at the Ly Thai To Flower Garden.

- International music and stage festival with the participation of art troupes from some 1000 year-old cities in the world (around 29 troupes).

- A big concert performed by Vietnamese and foreign orchestras at the Hanoi Opera House.

- A parade and performance by contestants in the Miss World 2010 pageant in Vietnam.

- The national press awards ceremony about 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary.

- The awards ceremony of the international competition on knowledge about Thang Long – Hanoi, entitled "Hanoi – Your Rendezvous".

- The awards ceremony of the contest on knowledge of Thang Long – Hanoi for Vietnamese citizens.

- Photo exhibition of Hanoi at 93 Dinh Tien Hoang street and 45 Trang Tien street.

- A calligraphy exhibition and festival at Van Mieu (Temple of Literature).

- Bat Trang ceramic – Tradition and Modernity exhibition on Yen Phu road, Bat Trang village.

- Exhibition of famous battlefields and campaigns in the military history of Vietnam at the Vietnam Military History Museum.

- Exhibition of national heroes and famous scholars of Vietnam at the Revolution Museum.

- Exhibition entitled "Hearts to Thang Long – Hanoi", which will display products of individuals and organisations presented to Hanoi on the occasion of the 1000th Thang Long – Hanoi anniversary at the Hanoi Friendship Palace.

- Ancient Thang Long – Hanoi exhibition at the Hanoi Museum.

- Performance of traditional ao dai.

- Hanoi food festival.

- A kite-flying festival.

- The launching ceremony of a collection of books about Thang Long – Hanoi

- The announcement ceremony of a national research work about 1000 years of Thang Long – Hanoi

- Inauguration ceremony of the Hanoi Museum on Pham Hung road, Tu Liem district.

- Inauguration of Hoa Binh Park in Tu Liem district.

- Inauguration of statues of President Ho Chi Minh and President Ton Duc Thang at Thong Nhat islet in Thong Nhat Park.

- Inauguration of the Workers' Theatre on Trang Tien street.

- Inauguration of the Thanh Tri and Vinh Tuy bridges across the Red River.

- Exhibition of the development plan for expanded Hanoi at the Planning and Construction Exhibition Palace in Tu Liem district.

- Inauguration of the Lang – Hoa Lac Highway.

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