Mau Temple and Festival

Mau Temple – one of the most beautiful sceneries of Pho Hien - is situated in Quang Trung ward, Hung Yen city. Right beside Mau Temple is Ban Nguyet Lake (Semicircle) and it is also nearby Da wharf on the Red River. Da wharf used to be a place in the former Pho Hien for commercial boat landfall.

Mau Temple is dedicated to Queen Duong Quy Phi of the Sung dynasty (China), who was praised as the Exemplary Mother of the country. Due to the legend, in the 13^th century, when the Yuan troops invaded the Sung country, the King and royal family sailed to run away to the south. They jumped into the sea to express their resistance against the Yuan enemy’s oppression. Queen Duong Quy Phi’s body was drifted to the estuary area of Pho Hien and was carefully buried by local people. A servant of the Sung's imperial court – Eunuch Du – escaped from the disturbance and then went to Pho Hien. With the help of local people, the servant gathered Chinese expatriates in Pho Hien to build a temple worshipping Quy Phi and set up Hoa Duong village. When the eunuch died, villagers raised him to the Tutelary God of the village. His tomb has been in Hien Temple’s area until now.

Through many restoration times, with the last one conducted in the 8^th year of King Thanh Thai (1897), Mau Temple has a fully worked - out architectural structure, including: Tam quan (Three - door entrance), Thien huong, Tien te (Ancestor - worshipping house), Trung tu and Hau cung (Sanctuary). The halls of Tien te and Trung tu have many pictures carved with the four supernatural animals (Dragon, kylin, tortoise and phoenix) and four seasons. Duong Quy Phi’s statue and two statues of her maids – Kim Thi and Lieu Thi – in Hau cung date back to the 17^th -18^th century. The statue of Duong Quy Phi was carved out with vivid features. Beneath the altar lie vestiges of a small well. It is said that the well used to be the sea central. When the sea was repulsed far away, leaving Ban Nguyet Lake relic, the well’s water level raised and fall along with the lake’s water level.

There are many precious relics in the temple, such as hammock palanquin, King’s bed and King’s chair dating back to the 18^th -19^th century; fifteen conferment panels from the Le dynasty to the Nguyen dynasty; horizontal lacquered board, parallel sentences and those with words praising the virtue of Duong Quy Phi.

The temple is well known for ancient sanh, banian and si trees, which are in front of the temple gate. These trees are nearly 800 years old and their trunks get attached to each other, the trees’ roofs also create a firm tripod shape, creating the mysterious scenery for the temple.

Mau Temple’s traditional festival is held from 10^th to 13rd March (In lunar year). Firstly, there is a solemn sacrifice ceremony carried out by Mau Duong village officials. The next day, the muc duc ceremony will be held right after water carrying procession from the Red River. The liem (Sickle) and du (Elm) processions are the most exciting activities during the festival.

The liem procession takes place on March 12^th, staring from Mau Temple to Hien Temple and then turning back. Leading the procession are flags, drums, gongs, palanquins, eight valuable things for offerings, and then kylin and dragon dancers. Sometimes, the procession stops to perform flag dance. Four strong and young men carry four flags and dance following the drum rhythm. After each drumbeat, flag dancers shout "hu" loudly and long, therefore the performance is also called tung hu.

The du procession is organized the following day. The procession goes around Hung Yen city. There are also flags, drums, gongs, palanquins, eight kinds of weapon for offerings, kylin and dragon dancers at the du procession. Throughout the procession is performing dragon dance. “Con di danh bong” dance is also an activity of the procession. Wherever it goes, the procession is warmly welcomed by local people standing on the street sides.

During the festive days, a human chess contest is also held on the temple’s yard. There are to tom contest (Playing cards), cock fighting and chau van singing at night.