Gio An elders lay the groundwork to build a temple to worship Lord Nguyen Hoang - Photo: Hoang Tao

The ceremony was attended by many commune officials, village elders and local people, expressing their consensus and excitement at this meaningful event. According to information from Gio An Commune People's Committee, the temple was built with the main direction facing North, with an estimated cost of about 2 billion VND, and an ancient design of 3 rooms and 2 wings. After completing the basic construction, the locality will continue to call for support to cast a statue of Lord Nguyen Hoang, contributing to creating a solemn and sacred worship space.

Mr. Nguyen Truong Cam (76 years old), former head of An Nha village, who devoted much effort to restoring the relic, shared: “The villagers have always been concerned about rebuilding a worthy place of worship for Lord Tien. The economic conditions of the villagers are still difficult, so the construction of the temple has been delayed for many years. Today, witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony, everyone in the village is very excited because the long-standing dream has gradually become a reality.”

“The idea of ​​rebuilding the temple of Lord Nguyen Hoang has been cherished for a long time, but it was not until 2023 that the project was actually implemented through many stages of preparation and connection,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Song, Chairman of the People's Committee of Gio An commune.

Representatives of Gio An Commune People's Committee committed to manage, supervise and construct the project to ensure quality, aesthetics, progress and safety, so that the project can be put into use soon. Gio An Commune also called for continued attention and support from leaders at all levels and sponsors to complete the infrastructure system at this relic site.

Mr. Song informed that the locality strives to complete the construction of the temple by August this year, expected to coincide with the birthday of Lord Nguyen Hoang, so that people and tourists can come to worship and commemorate the lord who made great contributions to the nation's history. The construction of the temple is not only a material construction but also an act of profound cultural and humanistic significance, contributing to educating traditions and arousing national pride in the community.

What is special is that the current location of the temple used to be the site of a temple dedicated to Lord Nguyen Hoang built 400 years ago.

According to records at the construction site, the original monument still has a stone foundation, stone pillars, surrounding stone walls and ancient pineapple trees. In front of this area is a natural mound, considered a protective screen. Notably, some ancient stone pillars were once brought home by local people but were later returned to their original positions, showing respect for the heritage.

The relationship between Lord Nguyen Hoang and Gio An has a deep history. According to historical documents, in 1572, after defeating the Mac army, Lord Nguyen Hoang allowed the surrendered Mac soldiers to stay in Con Tien land, establishing 36 wards of Bai An commune (Gio An land, Gio Linh district today).

To remember the merits of Lord Nguyen Hoang, the descendants of the Mac soldiers who were spared and settled here built a temple to worship Nguyen Hoang in An Dinh Nha (now An Nha village, Gio An commune).

Historical documents do not specifically record the exact year that the Nguyen Hoang temple was built. However, there is information that the temple was built after Lord Nguyen Hoang passed away in 1613 to show the gratitude of the local people, especially the descendants of the Mac soldiers who he allowed to settle in this land.

Through the ups and downs of history, the original temple has undergone many changes. During the reign of King Minh Mang, in 1823, the temple was converted into Long Phuoc Pagoda.

However, due to war and the ravages of time, Long Phuoc Pagoda was abandoned and ruined in the 20th century. Even so, the image of the ancient temple is still deeply imprinted in the minds of Gio An people, urging them to cherish the idea of ​​restoring the place of worship of the lord who had great contributions to the land.

Long Phuoc Pagoda, formerly a temple to worship Lord Nguyen Hoang, was ranked as a provincial historical and cultural relic according to Decision No. 707/QD-UBND of the People's Committee of Quang Tri province on July 12, 1996.

Hoang Tao

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/dong-tho-xay-dung-den-tho-chua-nbsp-tien-nguyen-hoang-192991.htm