Nguyen Tat Thu Church historical site

From Vinh City, travelers should head north on Highway 1A, towards Vinh-Hanoi, until reaching the Dien Chau intersection. Turn left and travel approximately 28km to Khuon Bridge, then turn left again and follow the Tan Son-Minh Son inter-communal road for about 2km to reach Hamlet 13, Tan Son Commune, where the Nguyen Tat family church is located on the left side of the road.

Nguyễn Tất Thự, whose given name was Nguyễn Tất, and whose posthumous name was Lê Giáp, was the son of Đại lý thừa thiếu Khanh Nguyễn Văn Lự and Bùi Thị Phan, and lived during the Later Lê Dynasty.

According to genealogies and legends in Tan Son region, Do Luong district: Le Giap was born in Bau Coc village, Ha Trung district, Thanh Hoa province, into a family of "meritorious officials" of the Le dynasty. Born and raised in a family of officials, Nguyen Van Thu had the opportunity to study and train. From a young age, he was quick-witted and intelligent. With his father's tutelage, Le Giap soon displayed extraordinary talent and willpower. Besides studying literature, Le Giap diligently practiced martial arts and military strategy. His family sent him to study at the National Academy in Thang Long. After graduation, he was appointed as "Left Commander" under the Le dynasty.

When the Le-Mac war broke out, the country fell into chaos. Nguyen Van Lu (father of Le Giap) was very worried, because his wife, Bui Thi Phan, was the daughter of Bui Dinh Khue, a general of the Mac dynasty. Nguyen Van Lu sent his two sons, Nguyen Van Du and Nguyen Van Thu, to a desolate place to try to make a living. Nguyen Van Du and his wife and children fled to Son Nam (present-day Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh). Nguyen Van Thu, meanwhile, took his wife and children south, where there was more land to live on.

In those days, the Le Lau and Kiet Nghi Trang areas were still wild and sparsely populated. Seeing that this place had peaceful rivers and mountains and abundant auspicious energy, he decided to stay and make a living there. From then on, he changed his name to Nguyen Van Thu.

To secure a long-term livelihood, he diligently studied the local geography and terrain. Seeing that many mountains, hills, valleys, and ravines remained uncultivated, and possessing both wealth and extensive knowledge, he requested permission from the local authorities to organize a reclamation force. He mobilized his family and friends, bringing rice, salt, hoes, axes, and other supplies to the valleys and hills to build shelters, raise livestock, hunt, and cultivate fields. He also recruited impoverished and displaced people from neighboring areas due to war and natural disasters to establish settlements and reclaim land. During his free time, Nguyen Tat Thu and the young men of the village hunted birds and wild animals to supplement their family's food supply. After a long period of hard work, the barren, overgrown lands from Tan Son and Minh Son to Hoa Son were transformed into numerous new settlements. The people now had land to cultivate rice, other crops, and raise livestock.

As a man of foresight and vision, Nguyen Tat Thu expanded the knowledge of the people through literacy and martial arts lessons. Being a kind and compassionate person with a deep understanding of medicine, Nguyen Tat Thu often spent time visiting and inquiring about the health of his fellow villagers, personally prescribing medicine to many.

The contributions of Nguyen Tat Thu, who continued the tradition of establishing the Nguyen Van clan from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An, becoming the Nguyen Tat clan in Tan Son, Do Luong, are remembered by history and the people. In the history book of the Party Committee and people of Tan Son commune, it is written: "A prime example of the pioneering spirit, from the 15th century, was Mr. Nguyen Van Thu. He was a pioneer in establishing settlements and developing the land with his fellow villagers, transforming a barren area into a vast field of hundreds of acres."

At the age of 80, Nguyen Tat Thu passed away. The people of Kiet Nghi Trang gathered at Ngai islet, Tien Son, to bid him farewell and lay him to rest on Ngai islet (about 20 meters from the church). Remembering his great contributions, the people of Kiet Nghi Trang erected the De Tam Temple (commonly known as the Le Village Temple) to worship him and honor him as the village's tutelary deity for his role in "protecting the nation and the people." Considering Nguyen Tat Thu's contributions to land reclamation and development, the Nguyen dynasty bestowed upon him the title "Bao Son Thach Co Hien Ung Thanh Hoang, Gia Tang Duc Bao Trung Hung Don Ngung Linh Phu Ton Than." In 1890, King Thanh Thai presented the temple with two horizontal plaques inscribed "Bao Nga Le Dan" and "Van Co Anh Linh" to express his respect for him and to remind future generations to live worthy of their homeland and country.

Nguyen Tat Church is a place that commemorates historical events:
Built in a beautiful, secluded location, the Nguyen Tat ancestral temple faced a lake and open fields, backed by a forest, and flanked by villages. This location made it ideal for family and community gatherings. When the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement broke out in 1930-1931, the Nguyen Tat ancestral temple served as a meeting place and a secret printing site for Party documents. On the morning of September 8, 1930, people from the surrounding area gathered in large numbers in front of the temple, then marched down the street along with people from across the Do Luong district to protest…
Mr. Nguyen Tat Ngan, the first Party Branch Secretary in the locality, often came here to encourage his children and grandchildren to participate in the revolutionary movement.

During the two wars of resistance against France and the United States (1945-1975), the Nguyen Tat family church was frequently used as a meeting place for soldiers and local authorities to discuss plans for consolidating the rear and providing support to the battlefield. For over 70 years, the Nguyen Tat family has had 54 martyrs who bravely sacrificed themselves to save the country and protect the homeland.

From ancient times to the present day, the historical site has been closely associated with the cultural and spiritual life of the descendants of the family and the people in the region. On the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, descendants come to the ancestral temple to offer prayers for blessings, peace, prosperity, and wealth. Especially on the 15th day of the first lunar month, descendants of the Nguyen Tat family gather at the temple to hold the ancestral worship ceremony. The ceremony takes place over two days. On the 14th day of the first lunar month, the temple is cleansed and purified, with a thorough cleaning of the interior and exterior areas, and ceremonies such as the bathing of the deity, the changing of the deity, the placement of the deity, and the announcement. The main ceremony is held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, comprising the grand sacrifice and the thanksgiving ceremony.

The church was built during the Nguyen Dynasty (1869). It is a valuable, ancient architectural structure with beautiful scenery, built in the shape of the Chinese character "Tam" (three), consisting of the following sections: courtyard, gate, lower hall, middle hall, and upper hall. The outer courtyard, covering 480 square meters, serves as a parking area. The east, west, and south sides are surrounded by brick fences, while the north side houses the church gate. The church entrance is constructed of brick and limestone mortar; it is not large but quite beautiful. A pair of white stone lions stand in front of the main pillars. The church entrance is connected by main and secondary pillars and sturdy brick walls. The tops of the pillars are adorned with two ceramic mythical creatures facing the church entrance, and the front features two couplets.
"Acting meritorious deeds to achieve immortal status"
"Heaven is high, earth is low, there will be prosperity."
The inside has two couplets:

"Entering and seeing the beautiful temple."
"Looking forward like fearing the high ground of the gate"

The connecting section between the main and secondary pillars is a false roof wall. Near the main pillars, the wall features two guardian deities guarding the temple. Adjacent to this wall is a false roof wall, with two horses with saddles and bells sculpted in relief on the front.
The side pillars are similar in style to the main pillar, but the tops do not have the mythical creature (Nghê), and the pillars are smaller and shorter. The front features a couplet:
"Blessing of the Light"
"Mindfulness creates merit"
The front yard has an area of ​​20.21 square meters, with a paved surface using square tiles. In front of the yard is a small rectangular gate decorated with a tiger and couplets.
The Lower Hall has an area of ​​51.6m2, consisting of 3 bays and 2 gables. The roof is covered with yin-yang tiles, and the straight ridge is decorated with dragons flanking the moon, cloud patterns, and sparks. The entire frame of the house is made of ironwood, with the truss structure following the front pillar and connecting beam style. To create harmony, the ends of the beams and rafters are carved in relief with images of dragons, lions, turtles, phoenixes, cloud patterns, and floral motifs.
From the Lower Hall to the Middle Hall is a central courtyard with an area of ​​20.21 m². The Middle Hall is similar in style to the Lower Hall, with an area of ​​51.6 m², consisting of 3 bays and 2 gables, a roof covered with yin-yang tiles, and a straight ridge decorated with dragon and moon motifs. The steps of the Middle Hall are narrow, and the entrance is stepped back two levels. On both sides are wall panels decorated with guardian deities. At the foot of the guardian deities is a small brick and mortar altar, on which are placed an incense burner, a tray of offerings, a wine flask, and cups.

Above the central hall are decorative horizontal plaques and couplets praising the virtues of ancestors and the sacredness of the ancestral temple, while also reminding descendants to preserve the family's traditions.
The first horizontal plaque is inscribed with the Chinese characters "Viện bản nguyên," meaning "Always uphold the family traditions."
The second horizontal plaque reads: "Vạn cổ anh linh," meaning "sacred for all eternity."
The decorative items below the horizontal plaque include an incense altar and a two-tiered altar, painted in red and gold, similar to the altar in the Lower Hall. On the incense altar are placed an incense burner, bronze candlesticks, etc.

From the central hall, passing through a small courtyard measuring 20.21 m2, you enter the upper hall.
The main hall of the temple is built in the style of the Nguyen Tat era. This is where the ancestral deity Nguyen Tat Thu and other meritorious ancestors are worshipped.
The main hall is made of ironwood, with a truss structure in the style of a front-pillar and connecting beam. Overall, it has 4 main columns, 12 smaller columns, 2 end pillars, and numerous rafters, purlins, and purlins… The ends of the rafters and purlins are carved with relief patterns of clouds and floral motifs. The supporting beams are shaped like pig's belly beams, with the base of the pillars carved with relief patterns of lotus petals.

In front of the main hall is a terrace, brick wall, and corner pillars. The pillars at the front and back are built in a straight style, overlapping to form square capitals, with protruding edges on the outside. The inside is inscribed with couplets:
"Dan Nam Te Pho Dong Than Nguyet"
"Accumulating good deeds is like performing great meritorious acts."

In the left-hand side is an altar dedicated to Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh, the second ancestor of the Nguyen Tat family. The altar behind it has two levels, made of red-painted wood, with an incense burner in the front. The higher level displays offerings such as a tray, a dragon throne, and a wooden sword, dedicated to Mr. Nguyen The Ngu, son of Mr. Nguyen Tat Thu, who "contributed to reclaiming and cultivating over 100 acres of land, ponds, and gardens."

On the left is an altar dedicated to Mr. Nguyen Tat Lu, the third ancestor of the Nguyen Tat family. Behind it is a throne dedicated to Mr. Nguyen Chan Tinh, the eldest grandson of Mr. Nguyen Tat Thu. He was "recognized for his contributions in leading troops to suppress rebels, defending the local area, and maintaining security and order, and was rewarded by the court with the title of District Magistrate."

In the center of the room is an altar and a two-tiered shrine. It is dedicated to Mr. Nguyen Van Lang, the first ancestor of the Nguyen Tat family. Behind the main altar is a dragon throne dedicated to Nguyen Tat Thu. The dragon throne is gilded and lacquered, exquisitely carved. The legs are carved in a kneeling style, and the surrounding wooden surface is decorated with dragons, mythical creatures, turtles, phoenixes, lotuses, chrysanthemums, bamboo, and plum blossoms. The body of the throne resembles a seated figure, and the curved wooden arms are stylized with two dragon heads. Supporting the arms are round carvings of dragons. Above the head is a stylized human head with a round moon bordered by rays of light. The head of the throne is adorned with a crown decorated with dragons and a moon. The dragon throne is a symbolic worship item for the ancestral deity, the tutelary god Nguyen Tat Thu, who was instrumental in developing the Le Lau Kiet Nghi Trang region and expanding the Nguyen Van family from Thanh Hoa to the Nguyen Tat family in Do Luong, Nghe An.

Recognizing the family's contributions to their homeland and the historical and cultural value of the ancestral temple, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Tran Duc Luong issued Decision No. 563/2005/QD/CTN on June 7, 2005, awarding the Second Class Resistance Medal to the Nguyen Tat Ancestral Temple in Do Luong, Nghe An.