Dau Tra Bo and Festival

Tra Bo is one of seven relics called "Dau" – a specific cultural feature in Hung Yen. Dau Tra Bo, also called "Dau Che Nhang" or "Sung Hung Dien", is located in Tra Bo village, Phan Sao Nam commune, Phu Cu district (The former Ba Dong canton, Phu Hoa district, Khoai Chau district).

According to the "Dau Tra Bo records" written by Great Dr. Nguyen Binh in 1527, and then transcribed by Nguyen Hien in the third year of King Vinh Huu reign (In 1737), Dau Tra Bo is dedicated to three Gods: Quy Minh Hien Duc Dai Vuong, Tinh Minh Bao Huu Dai Vuong and Duc Dong Hai Doan Thuong Dai Vuong.

It was recorded that in the King Hung Due period, there was a man called Cao Nguyen Cong in Thanh Xuan ward, Gia Hung district, Hung Hoa (Presently Ha Tay province), who was wise, talented and virtuous. The Hung King always believed and highly praised him. He had two wives but they could not have a baby, so he was very upset. After he had found out a good land on Tuu Linh Mountain to build the tombs for his parents, his wife was pregnant, and then gave birth to three children. The eldest child was Sung Cong, with official name of Cao Son; the younger child was Hien Cong, with official name of Quy Minh; and the youngest child was Tinh Minh, with official name of Minh Cong. When his children grew up, all of them were intelligent and strong men. The Hung King appointed them to generals of upper Son Nam and lower Son Nam areas.

During their sightseeing tour, Quy Minh and Tinh Minh stayed in Tra Bo, Phu Hoa district (Presently Phu Cu district). Due to Tra Bo’s good terrain, they chose this area for their settlement. They taught local people agricultural methods and helped them fight against evils. When Thuc troops from Ai Lao came to invade the country, Quy Minh and Tinh Minh recruited troops from Tra Bo and its neighbouring areas to quell the rebellion. The troops of the two generals won glorious victories after 36 combats with the Thuc troops.

Three years later, Thuc troops took revenge but they were defeated by Quy Minh and Tinh Minh. King Hung Due wanted to cede his throne to the Genie of Tan Vien Mountain – his son-in-law – but the Genie of Tan Vien Mountain refused it. He consulted the King to invite Thuc Lord to be the King to keep the country peaceful. Thuc Lord became the King, renamed Thuc An Duong Vuong, chose Co Loa as the new capital to replace Phong Chau and united Van Lang with Thuc to form Au Lac. Hearing the news, Quy Minh and Tinh Minh lamented: "The country has fallen into the hands of the outsider". They didn't want to serve the new dynasty so they went sightseeing with their courtiers. One day, when the two brothers came to Tu Phap village, Bat Bat district, Gia Luong, Hung Hoa, they climbed to Thu Tinh Mount and flew to the Heaven on March 12nd, in Binh Than lunar year. Tra Bo villagers killed a buffalo, a cow and a pig for taking offerings to the two deities. They built a shrine for worshipping the two deities on the place of their house. Through dynasties, they were mentioned with the nice words “Thuong dang phuc than”.

According to the "Dau Tra Bo records", at the end of the 11^th century and the early 12^th century, Doan Thuong – a son of Doan Trung and Hoang Thi My in Hong Thi market, Thuong Hong district, Hai Duong (Presently Gia Loc district, Hai Duong province) – was an outstanding man. He loved using bow and reading military manual. During the King Ly Hue Tong period (1211-1224), Doan Thuong was assigned as the Viceroy of Son Nam and Hung Tuyen. When the Ly dynasty collapsed and the Tran dynasty replaced it, Doan Thuong was very angry. He came to Hong Chau to recruit the troops, built ramparts at An Nhan commune and called himself "Dong Hai Dai Vuong" (The king of the Eastern Sea). One day, Doan Thuong (Thuong Cong) came to Tra Bo commune and heard that Luong Cong’s shrine was very sacred. He established military base in Tra Bo in the hope of getting the help from the two deities. Since then, his troops won a lot of victories over the Tran dynasty's soldiers. Nguyen Non, a meritorious mandarin of the Ly dynasty but bribed by the Tran dynasty, consulted Doan Thuong to pretend to ease the tension with the Tran dynasty. On December 4^th, he was betrayed by Nguyen Non and lamented that: "I am killed before dispatching the troops. The hero's tear will flow forever." Then he killed himself by his sword.

On the same day, villagers of Tra Bo and Doan Dao… held offerings to Thuong Cong and  worshipped him together with Luong Cong (Quy Minh and Tinh Minh) at their shrines in Tra Bo. Tra Bo has become one of 71 places worshipping Dong Hai Dai Vuong.

As usual, Dau Tra Bo Festival is held from 12nd to 18^th March (In lunar year). On the first festive day, following the statue sanctifying ceremony is the procession carrying statues of three deities from Phu shrine and the statue of Holy Mother Lieu Hanh from the temple to the main Dau. From 13rd to 17^th March, visitors make vegetarian meals for offerings to the deities. On March 18^th, there is another procession carrying back statues of three deities from the main Dau to Phu shrine.