Hang Ma Temple (Tran Hung Dao temple)
(BNP) - Tran Hung Dao temple was built a long time ago on Hang Ma Street, worshiping Hung Dao Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan, a man with great contributions to the people and the country. Currently, the temple is located in the middle of residential quarter 5, Tien An ward, Bac Ninh city.
The first floor has 2 front compartments and 3 back ones.
The temple used to have an architecture of Chinese “Nhi” letter, with a 3-compartment Front Ceremonial Hall, a 3-compartment Emperor’s Harem, an ironwood frame, a tiled roof, and stylized floral carvings in the Nguyen Dynasty art style.
The second floor is the main place of worship.
In 1998, the local people renovated the temple into a 2-storey style. The first floor is used for receiving guests. The second floor is the main place of worship, with an architecture of Chinese “Tam” letter, divided into 3 sections: the outer section, the inner section and the upper section. The frame is made entirely of sturdy ironwood, connected by 4 rows of horizontal columns and 12 rows of vertical ones running throughout the 3 sections.
Mother Goddesses altar.
The outer section consists of 1 compartment. The inner section has 1 compartment. The upper section includes 3 compartments.
There are some artifacts such as ordinations, horizontal lacquered boards, and parallel sentences praising the merits of Saint Tran Hung Dao.
The temple has great value in many aspects such as: history, culture, beliefs, etc. The outstanding value of the temple is the documents and artifacts such as ordinations, worship statues, bronze bells, horizontal lacquered boards, parallel sentences praising the merits of Saint Tran Hung Dao. Tran Hung Dao temple was ranked as a provincial historical and cultural relic in 2009.
Bronze bell is from the year of Thanh Thai At Ty (1905).
The 19th day of the 8th lunar month is the festival day of Tran Hung Dao temple. Every two years, the local authority and people organize a procession of his palanquin from Tran Hung Dao temple to Kiep Bac temple to worship him. After the ceremony is the festival with many folk games such as: Quan Ho singing, Cheo singing, cockfighting, human chess, Chinese chess, badminton and so on. The festival attracts a large number of local people to participate in joyful and healthy spiritual, religious and cultural activities.
