Unique ancient stele with four letters on each side in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - Existing for more than 300 years, the Kien Nghia stone stele at Tran Hung Nhuong temple in Xuan Hoa hamlet, Thanh Xuan commune, Thanh Chuong district is considered a unique ancient stele, of great value in historical and fine arts research.
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Kien Nghia stele is located in the Tran Hung Nhuong temple complex belonging to the temple complex of Duke Tran Hung Hoc - Tran Hung Nhuong in Thanh Xuan commune (National historical relic since 1996). Photo: Huy Thu |
The house was built in a neat and orderly manner. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Unlike many other stone steles, which are usually made of green stone and engraved on two sides, Kien Nghia stele is a quadrilateral marble block, engraved on four sides, with a harmonious and balanced structure like a lotus pedestal. The sides of the stele are decorated similarly: on the lower border, there are embossed images of two lions lying prostrate, in the middle is a scene of overlapping mountains and forests, and on the two sides of the stele are motifs of chrysanthemum vines. Photo: Huy Thu |
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The top of the stele looks like the top of a palanquin. On all four sides, where the top and the body of the stele meet, large Chinese characters are embossed. The front side has three characters: Kien Nghia bi, the other three sides have characters: su tich, lich tu, cong danh. Photo: Huy Thu |
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The four sides of the stele are engraved with Chinese characters, clearly recording the background, fame, and career of "Protecting the nation and pacifying the people" of the two Dukes Tran Hung Hoc (1631 - 1673) and Tran Hung Nhuong (1635 - 1710). The stele text was written by the Third Prize Winner Vo Thanh in the 19th year of Chinh Hoa (Mau Dan - 1699). Photo: Huy Thu |
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During the restoration of the monument, a “translation stele” engraved with Vietnamese characters and with an architecture similar to Kien Nghia stele was erected on the right side of the temple. From the upper temple, the two stele houses are symmetrical across the small yard. Through this “translation stele”, viewers can quickly understand the content of Kien Nghia stele. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Kien Nghia stele is uniquely and aesthetically crafted, not only a valuable source of information for studying and researching the lives and careers of the two Tran dukes and the history of the nation, but also helps people understand more about the level of stone carving of our ancestors in the 17th century. Photo: Huy Thu |