Nhut Thanh Temple of Binh Duong to be recognized

At the end of 2019, Dinh Nhut Temple was recognized as province-level cultural and historical monument by Provincial People's Committee. At this moment, this is the latest recognized monument of Binh Duong...

Nhut Thanh Temple's view from outside.

A temple of Vietnamese home village

Nhut Thanh Temple (also known as Nhut Thanh ancient temple) located in Nhut Thanh hamlet, Thanh Hoi commune, Tan Uyen Town. The temple was built on a high, airy mound, facing People's Committee of the commune.

The population made donation to built this temple in about 1848 to worship the tutelary god. At first, the temple was made of mixed wood, thatched roof, bamboo wall, soil ground. Later, the villagers together contributed money and labor to the reconstruction of the new temple including three compartments, two wings. During the resistance war against French enemies, some temples in Thu Dau Mot, Bien Hoa were occupied by the enemies as a military post for their operations. Therefore, villagers dismantled the temple. Later, when the war was temporarily settled, villagers rebuilt the temple with what were available. Dinh Nhut Temple has undergone many amendments and repairs to have this present-day's spacious face. Tutelary god of this temple was conferred in 1852 by Tu Duc King. This title has been preserved in the temple. According to Provincial Museum, based on this conferred title and historical documents, Nhut Thanh Temple was established in the period before the year 1852.

In addition to being a place for cultural and religious activities of local community, in the early years of resistance war against the French, Nhut Thanh Temple is also a place to hide revolutionary officers and activists who struggled for the national independence. According to Nguyen Long Nha, Head of Nhut Thanh Temple's Management Board, said that the area had many secret tunnels, which was the refuge of local revolutionary officers; but later to serve the renovation of agricultural land, the secret tunnels were filled.

At present, the temple also preserves cultural and traditional worship etiquette of Vietnamese traditional village. Nhut Thanh Temple now maintains cultural activities of folk belief and traditional worship rituals, such as: Ky Yen festival (takes place on lunar 15th February), Ky Bong festival (on lunar 15th August). In addition, on monthly full-moon day, people around this region often come to the temple to burn incense, make offerings.

In terms of the overall architecture, Nhut Thanh Temple consists of following main categories: Gate, folding screen, "nhà túc" and main hall. The main hall is built with the combination of three-space and four-column architectural style, yin and yang roof, tiled grounds. Façade are decorated with many beautiful pictures of dragon, tiger, and ancient ceramic plates to create a unique, the ancient beauty. All lacquered boards, parallel sentences are painted and gilded, praising the sustainable fatherland, merits of ancestors and deities. Carvings and images of fetishes (dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix) make the temple be more solemn, ancient. It also demonstrates skillful and creative hand of local artisans. Façade of the main hall is built elaborately, exquisitely.

Retention of various values

Nhut Thanh Temple has existed for almost 200 years in Binh Duong land and has bold architectural style of an ancient Southern temple. Many lacquered boards, parallel sentences preserved in the temple is an important source of historical materials of the temple as well as Thanh Hoi Isle. Through these antiques, the traditional beauty is manifested in a specific and deepest way. It can be said that Nhut Thanh Temple has a lengthy history from the process of fresh ground breaking, construction of villages, to the development of inhabitants. The existence and development process of this temple is always associated with the struggle of defending the country.

During the two national resistance wars, Nhut Thanh Temple used to be the base of revolutionary activities. In addition to being a place for traditional cultural activities of local people, the temple is also a place where local revolutionary soldiers train, mold their wills, organize forces to kill the enemies.

Nhut Thanh Temple is a place to worship tutelary god of this village and ancestors who reclaimed this land, gathered inhabitants, created villages and built this temple. With nearly 200 years of existence and development, Nhut Thanh Temple has become a monument that contains historical, cultural, architectural and artistic values expressed through tangible and intangible heritages in the temple. It is a valuable asset constructed, preserved, and passed down by our ancestors to their children forever. According to Provincial Museum, the historical, cultural and artistic values stored in Nhut Thanh Temple are the heritage and potential for exploiting and promoting tourism, develop research, and educate traditional culture.

To have a plan for protecting and upholding values of this monument, at the end of 2019, Provincial People's Committee decided to recognize Nhut Thanh Temple as a province-level historical-cultural monument.

 Reported by H.Thuan, T.Dan - Translated by Ngoc Huynh