Description
The temple was built around the beginning of the 19th century, to worship Ba Thien Hau and Thien Ly Nhan, Thuan Phong Nhi, Lien Hoa Thanh Mau (her mother), Quan Thanh, Quan Binh, Chau Xuong, and Confucius. This is also the meeting place of the Cantonese Chinese community and is also known as Ba Pagoda.
According to historical documents, in the early years of the nineteenth century, in the east of Ninh Hoa district, Khanh Hoa province (now the area of Van Dinh village and neighboring villages of Ninh Phu commune) was a bustling trading port. Ships of East Asian and Southeast Asian merchants often dock at ports and then transport goods to Ninh Hoa market to trade and exchange. In which, most of them are Chinese, they bought a house on Dinh river as a place for relatives to worship, gather and become the shrine of Ba as today.
Since its construction until now, the temple has been restored and embellished many times in 1874, 1890, 1935, 1956, 1967, 1989, especially in 2004.
Thien Hau originated from China, was brought by the Chinese people to bring the cultural beliefs of worshiping the Mother of the residents of the southeast coast of China when they came to settle in Vietnam.
At the stele at Thien Hau Hai Nam pagoda, Ngoc Hiep ward, Nha Trang city, there is a record about her as follows: "Thien Hau Thanh Mau is the title of the imperial dynasty in the past, usually called the Mother Ancestor, the human being. Viet (Cantonese) Phu are all called (A Pho), from the historical records of Mother Ancestor gathered, it clearly proves that Mother Ancestor is the god of the Tich Thien Kim sect, the Phu Luc sect (charm). She is a filial daughter (filial daughter), originally from Chau My island, Hung Hoa province, Fujian province. Her ancestors from the Tang dynasty will forever be glorious, rich, famous literary Lam Quan family came to patrol. Her mother surnamed Vuong, Mother To is the 6th daughter of the Lam family, born in the first Sword Dragon year of King Tong Thai To, on March 23, Canh Than year, 960. That year, Tong Trieu Khuong was angry and deposed Emperor Cung. Hau Chau to ascend to the throne himself, the post Chau family died.
Mother Ancestor's mother ascended to the fourth year of Tong Ung Hy on September 9, Dinh Hoi year, in 987 AD, living in the world for only 28 years as an unmarried virgin. According to historical records, it is called Mother Ancestor on the day of the ninth month "September 9" in the year of the Pig. She and her sisters went up to Mi Phong mountain, at that time it seemed to hear the sound of the lute, flute, and harmonica in the air, looking up to see the car covered with a green roof, the flags clattering across the theater. next. Mother Ancestor riding the clouds forward, the people all sobbed in horror, in a moment the five-colored clouds came and could no longer be seen."
Tue Thanh Hoi Quan is located on a large flat land on the right bank of Dinh River, with a total area of 2,681.5m2. The layout of the premises includes: Nghi Mon, Thien Hau Palace (designed in a two-storey architectural style: the ground floor is the Assembly Hall, including the hall, the hall and the office; the second floor is the main shrine of the Lady).
The ceremony is the part that retains the wooden architecture of the old temple. The ceremony hall has a total area of 59.8m2, designed with three compartments. The roof is covered with jade green lapis lazuli tiles, on the middle of the roof is decorated embossed "Two dragons paintings", the decorative strip embossed mascots "Dragon and Lion". The background is tiled. The ceremony hall has a large door, the wing is made of wood, above the door is a horizontal plate: "Tue Thanh Hoi Quan". The architectural structure is designed according to the traditional architecture of the Chinese, the surrounding wall system with the basic material is brick and mortar, along with the main bearing system of columns, truss, combined with the system. horizontal system, guys, sesame support roof.
The hall is used as a meeting place for the Chinese community when there are activities in the association. The hall has an area of 144.4m2.
Upstairs is the main worship area of the temple, divided into two parts: the first is the main hall, the second is the main hall. The main hall has 3 compartments, an area of 52.9m2, where people prepare offerings to worship the Mother.
The interior of the main hall is arranged as follows: on the main door to the main hall, there are three exquisite ceramic reliefs, crafted from China and brought over on the occasion of the first temple restoration in 1897.
Connected to the lobby is the main hall, with an area of 92m2, including three wooden doors in the style of "Thuong Song Lower". The background is tiled. The roof is covered with lapis lazuli, on the roof bank is decorated with embossed "Two dragons adoring the day", the decorative strip embossed with the bat mascot. In the middle of the main hall is the altar to worship the Council, behind is the altar to worship Thien Hau and Van Thanh (Confucius), Vo Thanh (Quan Van Truong), Chau Xuong, Quan Binh, Thien Ly Nhan, Thuan Phong Nhi, Lien Hoa Thanh Mother (mother of Thien Hau Thanh Mau). On the truss, in front of Thien Hau's shrine is a trio of horizontal paintings with the content praising the merits of Thanh Nuong.
Every year on the 23rd day of the third lunar month is the birthday of the Holy Mother and this is the main festival of the temple.
Ba Thien Hau Temple is a relic formed early on the land of Ninh Hoa, designed in the typical architectural style of the Chinese with two functions, both as a place of religious activities and worship, as well as a meeting hall of the Vietnamese people. Vietnamese-Chinese community in Ninh Hoa. Through the history of Ba Temple and Ong Pagoda, also known as Vo De Mieu (Van Dinh Ha village, Ninh Phu commune) has helped us understand somewhat about the history of Chinese settlement and a busy trading port from downstream of Cai River to Dinh market in the land of Ninh Hoa. Because of the above typical values, Tue Thanh Hoi Quan was ranked as a provincial relic by the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province, issued Decision No. 2368/QD-UBND, dated August 31, 2011.