Embarking on a journey to the Mõ temple with its unique ancient rice tree over 700 years old.

The Mõ temple, situated in Kiến Thụy district, Hải Phòng, venerates Princess Quỳnh Trân, daughter of King Trần Thánh Tông. Notably, in the temple courtyard stands a rice tree now 738 years old (planted in the Year of the Wood Horse 1284).

Visiting the Mõ temple with its exceptional ancient rice tree over 700 years old is an unforgettable experience.

The Mõ temple honors Princess Quỳnh Trân, who played a significant role in opening up this land. Legend has it that the princess, known for her beauty and virtue, despite living in luxury, felt a sense of discontent. She often disguised herself as a commoner to find solace in the simple life.

One day, while passing through Nghi Dương village, in the Kinh Môn district (now Ngũ Phúc commune, Kiến Thụy district), she noticed the picturesque landscape, with hills, rivers, and vast waters, and requested her father, the king, to establish a meditation retreat here. In the year 1283, Princess Quỳnh Trân renounced worldly life and took refuge in Buddhism. Despite his deep affection for his daughter, the king had to agree to her resolute decision.

In Nghi Dương, alongside establishing the retreat, Princess Quỳnh Trân also recruited settlers to cultivate and establish hamlets, providing food, money for the poor, organizing farming estates, setting up markets for trade, and gathering people in the region to settle here.

In 1991, the Mõ shrine was recognized as a National Cultural Heritage Site. In 2011, on the day of the Mõ shrine festival, the ancient rice tree, over 700 years old, was acknowledged by the Vietnam Association for Nature and Environment Protection as a Vietnamese Heritage Tree.

For the locals, the Mõ shrine and the rice tree within its courtyard have become deeply familiar symbols of faith. The rugged yet majestic beauty of the rice tree and the sight of thousands of rice blossoms blooming in spring resemble a myriad of burning flames, forever etched in the minds of both local inhabitants and wandering travelers.

According to Mytour

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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide