Ha Doi Temple and the Giai Market Festival – Tien Thanh Commune Ha Doi Temple, a Valuable Historical and Artistic Relic.

The sacred ceremony and festival with unique folk games: human chess, tug of war, volleyball... attract a large number of people to participate.

2.3.1.4. Ha Doi Temple and Giai Market Festival - Tien Thanh Commune Ha Doi Temple is a valuable historical and artistic relic.

Ha Doi Temple is located on a large area of land in Ha Doi village, Tien Thanh commune, nearly 3km from Tien Lang district, which used to be a military base, the headquarters of a great general of the Tran Dynasty (1206 - 1400) - General Tran Quoc Thanh. His name and resounding achievements in the resistance war against the Yuan - Mongol invaders, especially the glorious victory of Bach Dang in 1288 of the nation, are closely associated with the contributions of people and the people of Ngoc Doi and Ngoc Dong.

Legend has it that during the reign of Tran Thanh Tong (1258 - 1278) in Vi Hoang village, My Loc district, there was a family famous for its benevolent family style. The husband was Tran Quoc Trung, the wife was Le Thi Trinh, who made a living by selling medicine and teaching. At an old age, they gave birth to a son, so they loved him very much and worked hard to educate him, hoping that he would become a man who would bring honor to the family. At the age of 3, his parents named him Quoc Thanh. At the age of 6, Tran Quoc Thanh was tutored by his father, studied very hard, and was more knowledgeable than others. At the age of 12, Quoc Thanh was well-versed in the classics, and was also interested in military strategy and martial arts. Thanks to his health, intelligence, and hard work, Quoc Thanh became famous throughout the region for his military strategy, both literary and martial arts. At the age of 18, both parents passed away, Quoc Thanh chose a good place to hold a funeral, and during the three years of mourning, he did not forget to study literature and practice martial arts.

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When the Mongol-Yuan invaders invaded the country, King Tran issued an edict to seek wise men, held literary and martial arts exams, and recruited talented people to help the country. Tran Quoc Thanh eagerly returned to the capital to take the exams and was selected to become a military officer. He was invited by King Tran to meet him. Thanks to his intelligence and understanding of military strategy, he was granted the position of commander-in-chief and allowed to return to his hometown to recruit militiamen, train troops, and await orders.

The army led by Tran Quoc Thanh was sent by the court to guard the coastal area, Hong route. Arriving at Ngoc Doi village, Binh Ha district, Nam Sach prefecture (now Tien Thanh, Tien Lang), he saw that this place had a terrain near the sea, surrounded by rivers on all four sides, very favorable for naval attacks and defense. In particular, although the land here was not high, not dangerous, it was fertile, with lush trees and a dense population, in line with the strategy of the National Duke, Commander-in-Chief Hung Dao Vuong, so he stayed, built forts, built ramparts, sought ways to destroy the enemy, and protect the country. The book Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi said that Tran Quoc Thanh was a famous general who many times followed Tran Quoc Tuan to defeat the Yuan - Mongol army in Chuong Duong, Ham Tu... The book Dong Khanh Du Dia Chi Luoc mentioned the temple of the Tran dynasty's royal family, Tran Quoc Thanh, in Ha Doi commune, Ha Doi canton, and emphasized that Tran Quoc Thanh fought the Yuan invaders and was killed in Ngoc Dong, but still

defeat the enemy by deep strategy

Today, Ha Dai temple still preserves relics recording the resounding victories of the ancients:

"The water formation of Chuong Duong, the gong and horse of Ngoc Dong, the bell of the spirit turns the land into a dragon"

When he passed away, people in many places built communal houses, temples, and shrines to worship and record his merits. Typical examples are Ha Doi Temple, Ngoc Dong Temple (Tien Lang), and Kim Ngan Temple (Vinh Bao). But unfortunately, many old structures no longer exist, Ha Doi Temple in Tien Thanh Commune (Tien Lang) has become a valuable memorial site of the famous person Tran Quoc Thanh.

Ha Dai Temple is an architectural work built at the end of the 1st century.

17. The temple has a familiar triangle-shaped layout, including 5 outer shrines, 5 inner shrines and 3 rear shrines, with curved roofs. According to the memories of the elders, the middle shrine was built earlier, commonly known as Moc temple, the temple architecture is entirely made of ironwood, with tall pillars that cannot be hugged by a person, elaborately and delicately carved, famous in the region, ranked as one of the Five Spirit Temples of Tien Lang district. On January 24, 1948, the army

The French conquest burned down the two outer and inner temples, destroying this beautiful and sacred cultural work. The fire burned fiercely for several days and nights. Despite the bayonets and bullets of the enemy, the villagers promptly dismantled and hid the forbidden palace to pass on to future generations a part of his relics. Ha Doi Temple today is the three rear chambers of the old temple rebuilt.

Although it is a small, modest structure in the middle of a prosperous village, it is truly a valuable 17th-century work of art. The temple is built on a high, flat land with a dragon shape, the round well on the left is considered the dragon's eye. The main face faces the West, the temple has full curved edges of dragons, phoenixes, golden unicorns at the roof corners, two dragons facing the moon on the ridge, the roof is covered with large fish-tail tiles...

Ha Doi Temple is a place to preserve and maintain many ancient sculptures and fine arts relics rich in the creativity of the ancients, such as the 1.2m high statue of Tran Quoc Thanh, a pair of funny statues like clowns in respectful movements, a shrine decorated with dense patterns of dragons, phoenixes, flowers and leaves, in the same style as the architectural decoration (17th century), a statue of Princess Bang Ngoc, the daughter of Long Vuong who helped Tran Quoc Thanh fight the enemy, and a palanquin from the Le Dynasty. The relic was ranked by the State as a national historical and cultural relic in 1993.

Unique Giai fair festival.

Coming to Ha Doi village, Tien Thanh commune, Tien Lang district on the morning of the second day of Tet, you will attend a unique spring fair. Local people often call it Giai fair (the word "Giai" is the nom name of Ha Doi). Giai fair is associated with the story of Ha Doi temple. Legend has it that General Tran Quoc Thanh had great contributions in the victory over Bach Dang, to celebrate his victory he organized a feast for his troops right on this land with local products. Giai fair in early spring in Ha Doi was born from that. Gradually, Tran Quoc Thanh's feast day became a more bustling market day. It is worth noting that the nature of the market is very special. The market is not purely commercial in nature but heavily influenced by traditional culture. The market only meets once a year in the morning.

The second day of Tet. From early morning, the products were displayed everywhere, with all kinds of items bearing the flavor of Tet. Neither the sellers nor the buyers bargained, it seemed like they were buying and selling for luck. This is a famous big market in the southern coastal area of Hai Phong city.

The Giai Fair is not only a blend of cultural and economic exchange in the community but also an occasion for emotional exchange between talented men and beautiful women. On the morning of the second day of Tet, people flocked to the market, but the largest number were still young men and women dressed beautifully, jostling to the market. The unique feature of the market is that the girls of Giai village must find boys from other villages to be their “lovers” and the boys from all over the country coming to Giai market are also allowed to flirt with the girls of Giai village. To win back the girls of their village, the boys of Giai village must be good, talented enough to respond to and conquer the girls, be admired and loved by the girls, and immediately be paired up during the festival, and then become husband and wife. If the boys of Giai village fail, the girls of the village must choose their partners from other villages.

The morning of the second day of Tet at Ha Temple has become a cultural festival of the countryside here. A unique market, held right in the historical relic complex, has affirmed that this land is both rich in the tradition of patriotism against foreign invaders and rich in cultural traditions. Following the Central Resolution 5 "Building and developing advanced Vietnamese culture with strong national identity", the Spring Fair at Ha Dai Temple will certainly be continuously maintained and developed, attracting visitors.

2.3.1.5. Lat Duong mat weaving village.

Lat Duong mat weaving village is located in Lat Duong hamlet, Quang Phuc commune, about 3km southeast of the district center. It is the only traditional craft village in the district that is still maintained and developed to this day. Mat weaving was introduced from Hai Duong around the 17th century, but it is unclear who the founder of the craft is. Currently, there are 379 households in the village, of which 350 households are engaged in this profession. The village produces two types of mats: bean mats and regular mats, with

Many different sizes: 1.6m; 1.5m, 1.4m, 1.2m, 1m... also depends on the size of the person ordering.

The process of making a mat takes a lot of effort, time and requires the skillful hands of the craftsman. The production process includes the following main stages:

Sedge planting stage: mainly planted in alluvial soil, alluvial soil along the Van Uc River, if planted in the field, the field must have regular water flow. People choose sedge varieties with round stems (chopstick sedge). Then plant sedge in clumps. The time to plant sedge is usually after the Lunar New Year. The first harvest is at the end of the 5th lunar month. After harvesting, continue to plant the second crop, the second harvest is around the end of August and the beginning of September of the lunar calendar. If after this time the sedge is crowded, the top will be burnt.

Raw material processing stage: harvest, use manual cutting, classify length, split, dry, package to store raw materials for 1 year

Finished product stage: weaving frame includes: go, horse, tube pole, main pole, military pole, couch, chair... materials include: jute, sedge. A normal mat needs about 2.5kg of sedge and 0.25kg of jute. The price for 1 mat is from 45-50,000 VND/piece. For bean mats, 5.5kg of sedge and 0.3kg of jute are needed, the average price is 70,000/piece, the nice type is 200,000/piece. Labor to weave 1 mat needs 2 people: 1 weaver and 1 carrier.

Weaving time: with normal mats, if woven quickly, it takes 1 hour, and if woven slowly, it takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. With bean mats, it takes longer, about 1.5 hours, and if woven slowly, it takes 2 hours. After finishing, cut, pin, trim, and if it is bean mat, the two edges must be bound.

Processing stage: after weaving, bring to printing agents. The letters and content are printed according to customer requirements. Types of printing include: brocade mats, flower mats, wedding mats... according to pre-made molds.

In addition, the village also produces handicrafts: sedge baskets, sedge bags, sedge plates... which are very popular in the Do Son market.

The village mainly produces mats for military units and hospitals, and sells them mainly on the open market. There are 150 people in the village who sell mats by bicycle or motorbike.

The special feature of the Lat Duong sedge mat weaving village is the afternoon market. The market opens at 12 noon. The market only sells mats, the people who go to the market are all craftsmen and the market only opens for about an hour. This is a unique activity of the craft village that few people know about.

In the near future, with the efforts of the craft village people and the investment and development policies of the State, Lat Duong will build its brand in the market, attract businesses to invest and become an attractive tourist destination for visitors to visit and learn.

2.3.1.6. Tien Lang Tobacco.

I don't know since when, the folk song:

“Missing someone is like missing tobacco

"Bury the cigarette and dig it up again"

It has been associated with two places, Tien Lang and Vinh Bao. It is only known that until now, in Tien Lang, there is still a legend that "the land next to the tomb of the maternal grandfather of Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem (now in Nam Tu village, Kien Thiet commune) specializes in growing tobacco to present to the King. Tobacco is also called Tuong Tu Thao, which was introduced to our country in 1660 during the reign of King Le Thanh Tong. Although grown in many localities, tobacco in Kien Thiet commune is considered the most delicious, with a famous brand throughout the region.

In the old days, in addition to betel leaves as a conversation starter, tobacco was also brought out to invite guests. Smoking tobacco was also called eating tobacco. Wherever a noble person went, a servant would always carry a pipe to serve them. When smoking, they would leave the pipe far away, then ask the servant to fill it with tobacco, light it, and bring the pipe to their mouth to smoke. Common people used a water pipe, which was a piece of bamboo or reed, with a clear top and a bowl, and when smoking, water was added to make a loud noise. In addition, when there was no available

Pipe, people can use banana leaves, roll paper, hold a sip of water in their mouth and then smoke tobacco.

The elaborateness of growing tobacco begins with the soil preparation stage. The soil for growing tobacco must be soft loam, low-lying soil, or acidic soil. The tobacco grower must take care of the plant like a baby, morning and evening, rain or shine, he must look after it in the field. Harvesting also requires a lot of effort: when the plant is old, people must choose the right time to break the leaves, usually during the period when the west wind suddenly changes to the east wind, then people break the leaves. After the tobacco is broken, people use a hook to cut off the stem and arrange the tobacco leaves into rolls, then leave them for a few days until the leaves turn yellow, then slice them. The day of cutting tobacco is also a very important day. If it is sunny, the tobacco will dry quickly and produce delicious golden tobacco. If it rains, to prevent the tobacco from rotting, people use straw to burn the tobacco. The burned tobacco has a very distinctive and delicious smell. Finally, the tobacco storage stage. People pack the tobacco into round cakes as big as the mouth of a white plastic bag, then carefully insert banana leaves, and put them in a jar for a while to let the tobacco steam before using and selling.

The way to smoke is also relatively simple, just roll the tobacco into a ball the size of the tip of your little finger and put it in the pipe bowl. Then use fire to burn the tobacco to create smoke while using your mouth to smoke. Light the fire, it is best to use a match, which is a thin piece of bamboo, rattan, wood, etc. to let the fire burn for a sufficient amount of time, and there is no smell mixed in like when using matches or gas lighters.

Nowadays, tobacco production is no longer completely manual as before due to the appearance of tobacco cutting machines, so it no longer retains the flavor and appearance as before. However, tobacco is still a typical cultural activity and indispensable in the lives of Tien Lang people. And it is still a precious product of this countryside.

2.3.1.7. Culinary culture.

Closely associated with the daily life of the people, Tien Lang still retains intact some local specialties such as Doi market sausage, dog meat which is famous for its rich flavor and has a long-standing brand.

Every year, in the 9th and 10th lunar months, it is the season of rươi - a natural specialty rich in protein, a delicious and nutritious dish that has become famous and not available in every locality.

2.3.1.8. Some other human tourism resources. The maternal home of Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem.

Coming to Tien Lang, you will also hear many legends about the land of An Tu Ha, Kien Thiet commune - the place where Doctor Nhu Van Lan, Nguyen Binh Khiem's maternal grandfather, is worshiped, and his mother Nhu Thi Thuc gave birth to Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem. She was the daughter of the Minister of the Ministry of Finance Nhu Van Lan. Trained by her father, she was well-versed in the classics, good at literature, and good at physiognomy. According to Phan Ke Binh, she chose a husband until she was over 20 years old, and saw that Mr. Van Dinh had the appearance of giving birth to a noble son, so she married him. In the year of Tan Hoi, Hong Duc dynasty, Nguyen Binh Khiem was born. When she was old, she returned to her parents' house in An Tu village to live. Later, Nguyen Binh Khiem sent his seventh son from Trung Am (Vinh Bao) across the Han River to Tien Lang to take care of the two elders and his maternal grandmother. The grave of Mr. Nhu Van Lan, his grandmother and daughter is about 5 sao wide. The land is flat and only one type of grass can grow. Strangely, over four centuries have passed, and no one has dared to violate this land and grave. In March 2005, the historical and cultural relic complex of Dr. Nhu Van Lan was recognized as a city-level historical relic.

Memorial House of President Ton Duc Thang.

Located near Highway 10, about 8km from the district center, the memorial house of President Ton Duc Thang is under construction under the direction of Hai Phong Electricity Company. This is a practical work to celebrate the 79th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

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