The couple in the sacred temple
Don Rieng Temple is located in Hoa Nghia Ward, Duong Kinh District, Hai Phong, and is one of the temples of Saint Tran Hung Dao Dai Vuong, the four kings of the Three Emperors, General Pham Ngu Lao, General Yet Kieu and Emperor Co Nuong. In 2009, the temple was recognized as a city-level historical site.
According to the History of the Hai Phong City Party Committee, Don Rieng Temple is located right in the alluvial land of the historic Rieng River, in the middle of the spectacular landscape of the village, the river is covered with clouds and sky and trees. The left-right gate layer is built with two floors of curved roofs, rising between the airy flower beds, separated by two rectangular columns with a roof top that forms a lantern shape running on two ends.
The temple has a Dinh-shaped structure, including 5 front rooms and 3 back rooms. The interior of the temple has been firmly restored above and below in harmony and harmony between traditional stone wood and concrete columns with round concrete pillars and square planks. The decorative motifs are mainly the shape of leaves, flowers, dragons, lions, phoenixes... creating a sacred look, not far from the traditional architecture of the relic.
In addition to impressive architecture, Don Rieng Temple is also famous for its majestic, towering banyan trees that surround the entire relic site. According to the elders, when they first settled down here, there was a temple and two green banyan trees that rose high in the middle of the mangrove forest in the wild landscape of the beach. Up to now, there is no evidence to determine when the two banyan trees were built, but compared to the other two banyan trees in Hop Le village planted on Mac Dynasty Road since 1905, the two banyan trees in Don Rieng Temple are much larger.
Saved in a big storm
In the 2 heritage banyan trees, the tree in front of the temple has a broad-brimmed, rough base. From the base of the tree to 2 meters, the trunk is divided into 2 branches, one branch leaning down to view the lake surface, the other branch leaning into the temple yard. The banyan tree behind the temple is standing straight, with a wide canopy like a large umbrella covering half of the temple roof. The tree trunk has many layers of roots stuck to the soil, twisting like giant calves, and many people have to hug it before growing.
People say that the two banyan trees are two "saviors". During the storm in 22, when the water rose, the villagers took shelter in the temple and were cramped, many people had to climb two banyan trees. The branches of the two banyan trees, like hundreds of arms, stretched out to save people from danger.
After this event, the villagers wrote a poem "Remembering the years of floods - The place where all the roofs of houses are hanging - The communal house and two banyan trees - stood there to save the people - Thank you for the thousand thanks - reached out to save the people". At the banyan tree in front of the temple yard, people placed incense bowls to worship the two banyan trees as two "saviors".
