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Cửa Ông Temple
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Cửa Ông, standing on a
mountain top, provides a magnificent view of Bái Tử Long Bay. It is
located in the Cửa Ông Quarter of Cẩm Phả Town, 40 km from Ha Long
City to the north-east.
The temple was built at the
beginning of the 19th century, and included three main
areas: the lower temple (Đền Hạ), the middle temple (Đền
Trung) and the upper temple (Đền Thượng). In the lower
temple, people observe the cult of the mother (Mẫu), while
the upper temple is sacred to the cult of Trần Quốc Tảng. Formerly,
in the main temple, people observed the worship of Hoàng Cầu, a
regional hero, but it was later changed to honour the third son of
Trần Hưng Đạo, who was very heroic in the defence of the border in
the Cửa Suốt area.
It was built according to the
Chinese character "công" (I) which consists of a
three-compartment in the Front Ceremonial Hall, a two-compartment in
the Back Ceremonial Hall, and a three-compartment in the Back
Santuary. This unique temple is sacred to the cult of the whole
family of Trần Hưng Đạo. There are 34 statues and statuettes,
elaborately and meticulously carved, and with striking engravings
depicting various scenes. These statues are of: Trần Hưng Đạo, his
wife (Thánh Mẫu), the two princesses (Trần Hưng Đạo's
daughters), Trần Quốc Tảng, Trần Anh Tông, Trần Khánh Dư,
Yết Kiêu,
Dă Tượng, Phạm Ngũ Lăo, Lê Phu Trần and Đỗ Khắc Chung.
The
Cửa Ông Temple's annual festival begins on the
second day of the first lunar month and lasts for three months in
spring.
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