Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) and Festival
Van Mieu (Temple of Literature), also called Van Mieu Xich Dang, is located on a 4,000 - square - metre - land area in Xich Dang village, Lam Son ward, Hung Yen city. Van Mieu was built in the 20th year of King Minh Mang (1839).
The most valuable items on display in Van Mieu are nine stone stelae, eight of which were erected in the 3rd year of King Dong Khanh (1888) and one was erected in the 18th year of King Bao Dai (1943). These stelae were inscribed with the names of 138 distinguished scholars of Hung Yen, who had gained high positions at national examinations held from the Tran dynasty to 1919 – the last year of the Confucianism examination in the country. Of the total 138 scholars, 21 were scholars of current Thai Binh province that used to be Tien Hung district of the former Hung Yen.
The highest-ranked scholars of Hung Yen were Doctor Tong Tran from An Cau village, Phu Cu district in the Tran dynasty; Doctor Nguyen Ky from Binh Dan commune, Khoai Chau district in the Mac dynasty. The locality’s highest-leveled mandarin was Le Nhu Ho – a duke of the Mac dynasty.
During the feudal time, at Van Mieu, the offerings to Confucius – one of the most influential philosophers in the history of China – were held twice a year, on January 10th and August 14th (In lunar year). There were many mandarins of the feudal dynasties taking part in the offerings.
Before the August Revolution in 1945, Van Mieu was a hidden establishment of the central, Northern Regional Party Committee and Hung Yen Provincial Party Committee.
In recent years, many traditional cultural activities have been organized at Van Mieu – a symbol of Hung Yen province’s culture.
