Tran small-temple

21/03/2025 07:56

(BNP) - Tran Nghe (small-temple) is located on the top of So Mountain (Tran Temple, Hap Linh Ward, Bac Ninh City) - is a place to worship the Saint "Thien Quan Dong Vinh" Dai Vuong, who fought against the Ming invaders to protect the independence of the nation in the 15th century. Tran small-temple was ranked as a provincial historical relic in 2015.


 

According to the elders, the old temple was initially a tiny shrine with a throne and a Saint's tablet. In front of the temple was a big brick mausoleum of Thanh Hoang. During the resistance fight against the French and the cooperative time, the temple location was extensively degraded, with the tomb dug up, trees cut down, and the temple itself severely destroyed. From 2012 to 2014, the locals worked together to repair the Thanh Hoang temple on the previous land, making it much more spacious.



 

From the outside in, the Nghi Mon is first, made of monolithic stone in the style of four pillars, with the two inner pillars being higher than the two outer pillars, creating three passageways; the sides of the pillars are embossed with the "four seasons" pattern; above the pillars are lanterns; and the top of the pillars is carved with four phoenixes with their tails together forming a diamond shape.



 

The screen is approximately 2 meters high and guards the gate's center path.  It is shaped like a scroll and is constructed of solid stone. It is embellished on both sides with classic embossed motifs including dragons, tiger faces, longevity characters, and floral vines.  Through the screen, two stone elephants lie prostrate, facing each other.




 

The small-temple's main structure is accessible via the main gate, the screen, and the elephants.  It is an architecture of Chinese “Dinh” letter with one main room, two wings in the front, and three main rooms in the back.  A very big Thanh Hoang mausoleum lies in the center of the edifice, encircled by green stone blocks and carved with rather complex designs with traditional motifs of "four sacred animals, four seasons".


 

In the small-temple area, there is also a 3-room guest house, newly built in 2014, which is where guests are welcomed and offerings are prepared before incense offering.


 

Although the architectural works of the relic have been restored and embellished in recent years, they are all made according to traditional architecture.