Hanh Thien village was founded around 1500. The village name was given by King Minh Mang, simply understood as "Doing good deeds". Located at the confluence of the Red River and Ninh Co River, the village appears like a carp reaching out to the East Sea. Two small river branches embrace the body of the fish; the village entrance is a bustling market, "fish eye" is a clear well, and the bridges are arranged in soft fins.
From bringing to the fish's belly is a living space with 14 hamlets, straight alleys, 60m apart like regular scales. Where the fish tails settle is the pagoda, temple and cemetery - a peace closing the journey.
Mr. Nguyen Dang Hung - former Principal of Xuan Truong Specialized Secondary School (former Nam Dinh province), Head of the Hanh Thien Village Association for Promoting Education - said that the land of Hanh Thien village resembles a carp crossing the Vu Mon gate, with 14 hamlets, each hamlet has an alley resembling a fish bone.
According to Mr. Hung, the elders in the village are very interested in learning and value learning, taking learning as the top priority, so the elders built Van Chi house for Confucian students to read books and exchange poetry.
This village values learning, so all rich and poor people go to school, the whole village goes to school together," Mr. Hung shared.
Villagers have for generations believed that learning is first and foremost to cultivate virtue, accumulate merit, live more honestly, and know how to treat people. Therefore, there are old people who, although poor, still study, like Mr. Dang Xuan Bang. Because his family was poor, he only studied from his father at home, but he passed the doctoral exam. Mr. Dang Xuan Bang is the grandfather of the late General Secretary Truong Chinh.
According to records passed down by ancient people, the Nguyen Dynasty was the most brilliant and golden age of the village. Hanh Thien village had 7 grandfathers who passed the Dai khoa exam, 97 grandfathers who passed the cử nhân exam, and 248 grandfathers who passed the Tú tài exam under the Nguyen Dynasty.
Mr. Hung added that the tradition of studiousness is still maintained and promoted to this day. The Hanh Thien Village Association for Promoting Education was established in 1994, and since then has promoted the tradition of studiousness, valuing literacy, and valuing talent of Hanh Thien village.
The total number of professors and doctors of Hanh Thien village to date is 235, the most are those working in science.
Hanh Thien village has carved on stone steles (located at the village communal house) names of successful students, to save for posterity.
