Teacher Kieu and his dedication to restoring the Nguyen Bieu temple.
(Baonghean) - Visiting the temple of the renowned figure Nguyen Bieu in Hung Lam commune (Hung Nguyen district), and hearing many stories about the Great Hero Nguyen Bieu from the people of Hamlet 2, we were particularly impressed by the story: "The relic of the Great Hero Nguyen Bieu, along with Lord Yen Quoc, is very sacred, a place for people to visit, offer incense, and pray for blessings for generations. Now, the Yen Quoc pagoda no longer exists. If it weren't for Master Kieu, the relic of Nguyen Bieu would hardly have survived."
Upon arriving at Mr. Kieu's house, his wife informed us that he had gone to Vinh to order a stele for the Nguyen Bieu temple. "He is deeply committed to the Nguyen Bieu temple; for two years he tirelessly worked and stayed there regardless of the weather," she said. We arranged to meet him at a riverside cafe by the Lam River.
Amidst the gentle August sun, Mr. Kieu reminisced: "The Nguyen Bieu temple is connected to our childhood. Previously, cultural and spiritual activities at the temple were very vibrant, but there was a period when it was abandoned. Around 2007, the temple was in danger of collapsing completely. As sons of this homeland, every tile, every pillar, every curve of the temple roof is deeply etched in the memories of each of us."
Teacher Kieu stands beside the restored Nguyen Bieu temple.
Unable to bear watching the relics, pride, and traditions of my homeland gradually disappear over time, I was determined to find a way to restore the historical site. I discussed this with Mr. Pham Manh Cuong, former Head of the Education Department of Hung Nguyen District, Mr. Dang Thai Anh (Hamlet 1), Mr. Nguyen Van Tu (Hamlet 1 leader)... to form a restoration committee.
"First, we collected documents and researched the royal decrees and ancestral tablets of the temple. I also know a little Chinese, so the research was quite convenient." After many days and nights of hard work, traveling to museums, libraries, and institutes, the "research project" of Mr. Kieu and the restoration team was basically completed with the following results: After Nguyen Bieu's death, in recognition of his contributions and gratitude for the integrity of the righteous King Nguyen Bieu, the people erected a shrine to him on Lam Thanh mountain, about 1 km from Yen Quoc pagoda. Initially, it was just a small shrine made of thatch, bamboo, and reeds. During the Later Le Dynasty, it was built with bricks, tiles, and sturdy wood. In the 7th year of Duy Tan (1913), the temple was built with the main hall and two rear chambers. Along with Nguyen Bieu, the temple also worships Phan Quoc Hoa, from La Son (Duc Tho), who passed the doctoral examination in 1535 during the reign of King Le Trang Tong, and died in a battle with the Mac army in 1557.
After the restoration plan for the historical site was approved by the authorities at all levels, the restoration committee sent members to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other localities to mobilize the people of Hung Lam and Hung Nguyen to contribute to the cause. Teacher Kieu and his children were the first to contribute.
For two years, with donations totaling approximately 200 million VND, Venerable Kieu and the members of the restoration committee persevered at the site, seeking ways to restore the deteriorated structures. The committee's principle was to strive to restore the original structure to its original state, and only if there was no other option would they resort to rebuilding. The temple's roof tiles were almost completely damaged; the old tiles were no longer produced anywhere, and replacing them with new ones would be unsuitable. Venerable Kieu visited families and clans who previously owned old tiles that were no longer in use, buying, exchanging, or requesting them back. They acquired over 7,000 tiles, enough to re-roof the main hall and the sanctuary. The two decorative pillars in front of the temple had tilted significantly; many suggested demolishing them and rebuilding them, but Venerable Kieu and the restoration committee were determined to restore them.
After many sleepless nights, Mr. Kieu devised a method using equipment to lift and pull the two ornate pillars back to their original positions. The construction site was muddy, and the workers were very apprehensive, only agreeing to proceed on one condition: Mr. Kieu's presence to supervise and direct the work. They believed he possessed a special spiritual power; only with his presence could the lifting and pulling of the pillars be successful. Indeed, the lifting and pulling process was safe, and the two ornate pillars and the front walls with their original patterns were re-erected, much to everyone's surprise. Later, when restoring the Nguyen Bieu Temple in Yen Ho commune, officials from Duc Tho district also sought Mr. Kieu's advice on how to restore the ornate pillars.
After two years of dedicated work, the efforts of Mr. Kieu and the restoration team were finally rewarded: the Nguyen Bieu Temple was recognized as a provincial-level historical site in 2009. To this day, within the approximately 3,000m² temple grounds, there is an ancient well, a triple-arched gate, two ancient walls, two elephant statues, two incense burning houses, a main hall, and two rear chambers containing the ancestral tablets of Nguyen Bieu and Phan Quoc Hoa. In front of the main hall is a horizontal plaque inscribed "Protecting the Nation, Sheltering the People" and a pair of couplets: "Thanh Lam, a sacred place of shared heritage - Yen Viet, a memorial to two loyal ministers." To the left is a poem by King Trung Quang bidding farewell to Nguyen Bieu on his diplomatic mission, and to the right is Nguyen Bieu's poem about "eating a feast of human heads."
Speaking about Mr. Kieu, parents and students in Hung Lam commune and surrounding areas proudly boast: Nguyen Bieu Secondary School, headed by Mr. Nguyen Van Kieu as Principal, is a leading school in Hung Nguyen district. For four consecutive years, the school has been in the top 3 of the district in terms of educational quality. The school also has many outstanding students at all levels in the district; in the 2010-2011 school year, one student won a national-level award. In the 2012-2013 school year, two students won second and third prizes at the provincial level in various subjects, and many students passed the entrance exam to Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School. Mr. Nguyen Van Kieu himself has been recognized as an outstanding worker at the grassroots level for four consecutive years.
Farewell, Teacher Kieu. Following the sturdy embankment of dike 42 beside the Lam River, laden with silt gathered from hundreds of streams and thousands of ravines in western Nghe An province, enriching the lush green cornfields and vegetable gardens, I kept thinking about the teacher and his mission to preserve and cherish every drop of the soul and essence of his homeland for his children and descendants for generations to come...
Tran Quang Dai
