The amazing Ong Dung rock with giant footprints in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - Existing on the slope of Da mountain, An Phong hamlet, Thanh An commune, Thanh Chuong district (Nghe An), for generations, Ong Dung stone has been known as a sacred rock associated with mysterious and fascinating local stories.
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Infolk, Mr. Dung is a character with many legendary characteristics (huge body, extraordinary strength, ability to move mountains and fill seas...). Since ancient times, Mr. Dung has been considered by people as one of the original gods, leaving traces in all regions and being worshiped by people everywhere. In Thanh Chuong district, in addition to Mr. Dung's rock in Thanh An commune, there is also a temple to worship Mr. Dung... In the photo: Mountain with Mr. Dung's rock in Thanh An commune. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| The unique Ong Dung Rock in An Phong hamlet, Thanh An commune is a large rock protruding from the mountainside, covering an area of about 15 square meters and about 2.5 meters high. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| This rock block consists of many layers of rock stacked on top of each other, dark brown, mossy, looking like a block of ore. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| According to local people, in the past, Ong Dung rock was located in the middle of a dense forest, with few people passing by. Now, this area has been planted with acacia trees, so the rock is surrounded by acacia gardens. From the foot of the mountain, go up to the top about 80m to reach the rock. Ong Dung rock is located under the canopy of a lush green poplar tree. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| The top of the rock is quite flat. There are indentations about 3 cm deep, about 0.4 m long, and about 0.15 m wide, resembling the shape of a human foot. The footprints “terrible” lying along the rock. In the photo: the "giant" footprint on the left. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| According to the elders here, for generations, the locals have passed down the story of the “giant Mr. Dung” and believe that these are Mr. Dung’s footprints left on the Stone Mountain. Legend has it that Mr. Dung often sat on this rock to enjoy the cool breeze andgo fishingunder Bau Trung. In the photo: "Giant" footprint on the right. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Underneath the rock is a small cave. When it rains, children tending buffaloes often sit under the rock to take shelter from the rain. Local people do not know when Ong Dung rock got its name, they only know that it is a rock with many ancient legends, considered a sacred rock in this land. Recently, many curious people have also come here to "witness" Ong Dung rock. Photo: Huy Thu |
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According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Giai (73 years old) in An Phong hamlet, Thanh An commune (Thanh Chuong): In the past, at the foot of Da mountain was Bau Trung. Opposite Ong Dung rock through Bau Trung was an ancient pagoda built on Chua mountain. The pagoda had an ancient banyan tree, a well and an ancient tomb (on the tomb there was a line of Chinese characters). After the pagoda was demolished, the ancient tomb was smashed, leaving only the banyan tree. In 1985, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Thuyet, while plowing the pagoda ground to plant cassava, discovered a basket of copper coins. Immediately after that, many groups of strangers brought metal detectors to search for treasures underground around Ong Dung rock. In response to that incident, a local resident brought a hammer to smash all the "toes" on Ong Dung rock, in order to erase the "direction arrow" so that strangers could not search. Since then, the "giant" footprints on Ong Dung rock no longer had the shape of toes and the movement of searching for treasures here also subsided. In the photo: The remaining banyan tree on the top of Chua mountain. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| Also related to Mr. Dung, in Thanh Xuan commune (Thanh Chuong), there is an ancient temple named Ong Dung temple. Mr. Nguyen Canh Lan (78 years old) - a local resident said: The temple was built hundreds of years ago to worship the Dung Son landscape. This is the sacred temple of the old Xuan Dien village (now Xuan Lan hamlet). Due to deterioration, the temple was restored in 2009. Photo: Huy Thu |
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| In front of Ong Dung Temple is Ong Dung Well, with clear, sweet water, a precious source of water for the village. When Ong Dung Temple was restored, the locals also restored this ancient well. Ong Dung Stone as well as Ong Dung Temple are being preserved and protected by local people. Photo: Huy Thu |
