The Sung Thien Dien Linh stele is located at Long Doi Son pagoda (Doi Son commune, now Tien Son commune, Duy Tien town, Ha Nam province), about 8km north of Phu Ly city.
According to historical records, the Sung Thien Dien Linh stele was erected on the 6th day of the 7th month of the Tan Suu year, the second year of Thien Phu Due Vu (1121). The stele is a unique artifact, the largest in size during the Ly Dynasty. In 2013, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 2599/QD-TTg recognizing the Sung Thien Dien Linh stele as a national treasure.
The stele is rectangular; 2.5m high; 1.75m wide (1.65m deep; 5cm border); 0.3m thick and the stele forehead is 0.3m high. The center of the stele forehead creates a rectangular frame with the stele name embossed in large white letters written by King Ly Nhan Tong. The two sides of the letters form two symmetrical acute angles, inside is a symmetrical decoration of a dragon motif facing the stele name, including two dragons.
The two sides of the stele are decorated quite uniquely, each side creating 9 square diamond-shaped boxes with a side of 8cm, connected to each other. The two corners of the diamond are adjacent to the edge, the upper and lower corners are connected to each other to form a closed decorative strip from top to bottom.
The national treasure, the Sung Thien Dien Linh stele, also has an oval stone pedestal 0.5m high; 2.4m long; 1.8m wide. The stele face is divided into two symmetrical parts, with a compartment in the middle for the stele. On each side of the stele pedestal, two dragons are carved. The dragons are embossed, with large, round, smooth bodies bent into five segments, their heads facing each other and facing up towards the stele.
After more than 900 years, the Sung Thien Dien Linh Stele is still quite intact in shape. "According to regulations, artifacts that are recognized as national treasures at relics will be managed and preserved by the Relic Management Board. Regarding the Sung Thien Dien Linh Stele, the Management Board of the special national relic of Long Doi Son Pagoda regularly cleans, sanitizes and promotes supervision to preserve and protect national treasures," said Mr. Do Van Hien - Director of Ha Nam Provincial Museum.
