MOUNTAIN

1. Pha Lai Mountain

Pha Lai mountain, or also called Voi Phuc mountain, is in Pha Lai hamlet, Duc Long commune, Que Vo district, on the East North pole of Bac Ninh province, from a white sand-bank (Bach Sa bank) up to Dong Du mountain. This is a small mountain in the shape of saddle, in the direction of East North – West South. Standing on top of the mountain and looking around 4 directions, travelers can have a general feel about the scenery of river and mountain gather together to Luc Dau river.

Right next to Pha Lain mountain’s foot, Luc Dau river lead water to the sea, and further on Nguyet Ban bank, there is Tam Phu temple. In Tran dynasty, the king met all of his mandarins and discussed the plan to fight Manchou enemy. Surrounding the mountain foot are sunken rice fields such as Cau Tuan, Du Gia, Tu Van.

On the top of the mountain, there are temples to Prince’s Teachers Duong Khong Lo and Khong Minh Khong in Ly dynasty. Pha Lai pagoda had its pen name as Co Am, then be changed into Then Phuc pagoda. According to Kinh Bac Shiji: The Pagoda used to have 100 compartments, in the dynasty of Ly Than Tong king, it was opened up to 100 compartments more with 40 ha including Kinh Thien palace, Bell tower, drum tower, Monk home, etc.

Annually, from the 13^th – 15^th date of August mon calendar, people hold a festival to commemorate merits of ancestors and perform in imposing ceremony.

2. Tieu Son Mountain

On a very large field, it appears a mountain of 300m height called Tieu Son mountain or Ba Tieu mountain. The mountain is in Tuong Giang commune, Tu Son town.

On Tieu Son mountain, there are Tieu Pagoda and Trang Lieu pagoda. Historical books said that Pham Thi, mother of Ly Thai To king, usually visited Tieu Son pagoda, loved Divine man and gave birth to the King.

Nowadays, Tieu Son pagoda still has its tomb tower and physical body of Buddhist Priest Nhu Tri who passed away in the year of Quy Mao (1723), a person who has merit of re-carved and printed the book of Thien Uyen Tap Anh; there is also statue of Buddhist Priest Van Han who brought up Ly Cong Uan king.

3. Tam Son Mountain

Next to Tieu Son mountain is Tam Son mountain which makes a great scenery with three mountains rising in the middle of a fields like a pearl necklace.

The mountain foot has a range of rock in the form of dragon: on top of the mountain, there is a big cave called as Dragon by local people. Tombs of two families Ngo and Nguyen are buried right here. In the career of royal examination, Tam Son village had 22 people who became Pre-Court Competition-Examination, was the only village had Tam Khoi (three first candidates in the three kinds of examination) “2 first doctoral candidates, 1 second laureate and 1 third highest academic title”. These talented and righteous people have major merits to their homeland and our country.

4. Thien Thai mountain

It is the most famous mountain of Gia Binh. The mountain is from Lan Kha mountain in Tien Du district, goes along left bank of Duong river and up to territory of Mon Ai hamlet, Lang Ngam commune, Gia Binh district on the river’s bank, up to Yen Son with a continuously winding mountain side. Yen Viet mountain is on the right, Du Chang mountain is on the left, Thien Thai mountain is in the middle playing the role of boundary between Bao Trien and Dong Cao hamlets. In the front and next to the river, there are numerous mountains surrounding. On the mountain top, there is Tinh Lu pagoda which was built in 1050 with the large size and used as preaching place of famous teachers. In 1645, King Trinh Trang ordered to build a pagoda with hundreds of compartments, former Long Phuc palace for taking a rest as inspecting Kinh Bac. There is Great Tutor Le Van Thinh on Hoan Son mountain. There is Quan Cong temple (in Dong Cao) with Gold Quan statues Sophistically carved on wood board.

Historical books had shown that the mountain was not too high but beautiful, its relics were not strange but ancient and deserved to be the leading tourist attraction area in Bac Ninh.

5. Lan Kha mountain

Lan Kha mountain is in Phat Tich commune, Tien Du district with about 400 m of hiight, in the direction West North – East South. The book Dai Minh Le Chi says that Tien Du mountain was 1 of 21 famous mountains of An Nam. There is Phat Tich pagoda on the mountain, a great famous one in Ly dynasty. Legend has it that Lan Kha mountain connected closely with the legend about Vuong Chat, who came from Sop village, now is Canh Hung commune, Tien Du district: one day, as came for picking firewood on the mountain, he met fairies who were playing chess. After watching the game, he came back and found out that his axe handle was rotten. He came home and no one realized him anymore. Then he found out that he passed 5 lives already. The book of scattered stories says that “in February, there was usually peony festival with large visitor. There was a beautiful woman who broke a peony branch and tied by a Buddhist monk. Fortunately, the Magistrate of Tien Du district name Tu Thuc passed through and helped her. Several years later, Tu Thuc resigned and traveled for sightseeing; he came to Thanh Hoa cavern and met her again. Therefore, the mountain was named Tien Du. And legend has it that Phat Tich village on the mountain foot was supported by a fire chicken and enjoyed peaceful. The chicken usually appeared in the twilight and disappeared in the mountain, so people called mountain as Hoa Ke Son. Nowadays, travelers as contemplating the mountain scenery, they also have a chance to see Phat Tich pagoda with the Amida Buddha statue, a national precious object.

RIVER

1. Cau River

Cau River has other names such as Nguyet Duc, Nhu Nguyet orr Phu Luong, a river associated with many historical marks of our nation.

The river originates in the Southern of Ngoc Long river, in Cho Don district, Bac Kan province, crosses the territory of Cho Moi district, Bac Kan country town and Bac Thong district. Cau river goes through Thai Nguyen province and Soc Son district, Ha Noi and meets Ca Lo river and gathers together to Ba Xa, in Tam Giang commune, Yen Phong district. The river goes through Bac Ninh city and towards Que Vo district, lead to Luc Dau river and come to mother sea.

Cau river (Nhu Nguyet river), with a beautiful terrain of horizontal crossing thousands miles from Lang Son to Ha Noi, had been the place witnessed numerous important historical events of our nation. In 1075, army and people of Ly dynasty leaded by Ly Thuong Kiet chosen and built up a defense range along Nhu Nguyet river, from Nga Ba Xa to Luc Dau river. At the moment of fierce fight on the defense range along Nhu Nguyet river, Ly Thuong Kiet did wrote a poem for fostering his warriors’ spirit.

Nam country’s rivers and mountains, Nam Emperor ruled

Completely delimited in the bible

As which the enemy arrive to invade it

Thou can come here to take a false defeat

The poem was the very first declaration of independence of our nation.

In the resistance war against Manchou enemy in 1285, Thoat Hoan was defeated in Thang Long capitol and retreated to Nhu Nguyet river. Our Tran King maneuver his troops and defeated him completely.

Cau river has a mild flow, annually raises the level of alluvial soil, is an important waterway of Bac Ninh province and the region. In 2014, Bac Ninh province perform a general project related to the front range of Nhu Nguyet river in order to let our mighty victory of our nation reappear.

2. Duong River

Duong river, so called Thien Duc river, is an affluent of Hong river which separated from the territory of Xuan Canh commune, Dong Anh district, flows through Dong Anh, Gia Lam, Long Bien and breaks into Bac Ninh province. Total length of Duong river on Bac Ninh province is 42km, the last point is at My Loc three way crossroad, in Trung Kenh commune, Luong Tai district. Duong river has large flow which makes it become an important location for waterway transportation connected hai Phong and Ha Noi. The river also contributes in flood adjustment for Ha Noi Capital.

Duong river carries a deep depth of history and cultural; along both banks of the river, you can find a system of relics such as Kinh Duong Vuong relic, Phat Tich pagoda, Cao Lo Vuong temple, Le Chi Vien relic connected closely with the famous injustice legend of Great Poet Nguyen Trai.

3. Tieu Tuong River (Tieu Luong)

Tieu Luong river has a strong attachment to consciousness of Bac Ninh local people. According to the book Dai Nam Thong Nhat Tri: “The old Tieu Luong river was in the territory of Tu Son prefect, originated from a large lagoon in Phu Luu commune, Dong Ngan district, flowed from West to East North, through Tieu Son commune, Yen Phong district, divided into the territory of Tien Du and Que Duong district and poured into Thien Duc river.” Nowadays, Tieu Tuong river was divided into short sections, but the image of a river is still here in Kinh Bac local people’s minds through stories, legends and lyrical songs. Legends said that the river was the way that King Ly Cong Uan usually passed as from Thang Long capital coming back to his homelands; and until nowadays, the love story of Truong Chi and princess My Nuong is still here in folk mind.

4. Ngu Huyen Khe River

Ngu Huyen Khe river is an affluent of Duong river, originates from Dong Anh district, through Tu Son town. Water from fields in Dong Anh, Tu Son and Yen Phong districts flows through Khuc Toai, Dang Xa, Qua Cam and gathers at Cau river. This is the lifeline of our old Co Loa capital. From Century X-XV, along the banks of Ngu Huyen Khe river in Qua Cam, there was a large pottery production center at that time.