Buzz
The historical relic site of the Tran dynasty in Dong Trieu encompasses the communes of An Sinh, Trang An, Binh Khe, Thuy An. It is currently the site that preserves the most significant traces of the illustrious Tran dynasty.
Historical relic site of the Tran dynasty in Dong Trieu – Preserving the legacy of a glorious dynasty
In the year of At Dau 1225, Ly Chieu Hoang abdicated the throne to her husband, Tran Canh, marking the transfer of power from the Ly dynasty to the Tran dynasty. From then on, the Tran dynasty ruled the country for 175 years, with 12 kings, creating the most illustrious dynasty in our country's history.
The Tran dynasty (1225 – 1400) with martial prowess and literary talent opened a glorious era in the history of building and defending the nation. According to historical sources, Dong Trieu region was the first settlement of the Tran clan. Later, this land was granted by King Tran Thai Tong to his brother Tran Lieu to establish a village.
With each new dynasty, attention was paid to two issues, geomancy for the capital region and yin and yang for the location of royal shrines and tombs. Alongside Thang Long being chosen as the capital, the Tran dynasty also constructed and developed two cultural centers, two mountainous tomb areas in the eastern and southern parts of the capital.
Many scholars have recognized Dong Trieu as a major cultural and religious center, alongside Thang Long – the political and economic hub, and Thiên Trường Long Hưng, the birthplace of the Tran dynasty.
The ancient name of Dong Trieu was An Sinh, which was changed during the reign of King Tran Du Tông, and it has become the current historical relic site of the Tran dynasty. This is a special national relic area consisting of tombs, shrines, pagodas, and towers with 14 scattered relics. It is a sacred land steeped in historical and cultural significance, serving as the ancestral homeland of the Tran dynasty.
Since the 13th century, the Tran dynasty built the Thái Miếu Temple, dedicated to the three holy ancestors of the Tran dynasty, which is the most important historical site. By the end of the 14th century, many tombs of Tran kings were relocated to Dong Trieu.
The historical relic site of the Tran dynasty includes 3 groups: shrine relic group, tomb relic group, and pagoda relic group. Temples and tombs are associated with the ancestral shrines of the Tran dynasty.
In addition to constructing tombs, the Tran dynasty also built temples to worship the previous emperors, and numerous pagodas were erected accordingly. However, at that time, Dong Trieu only served as a mountainous tomb area and had not yet become the Buddhist center of Dai Viet.
It was not until King Tran Nhân Tông renounced his throne to practice Buddhism on Yen Tu Mountain and founded the Truc Lam Zen sect that Dong Trieu truly became the center of Buddhism in the Tran dynasty. He unified the existing Zen sects and the entire Buddhist community of the Tran dynasty.
During this era, Dong Trieu emerged as a significant Buddhist center. The Tran kings constructed a dense system of temples, tombs, and pagodas here, spread across a vast landscape extending to the slopes of Yen Tu Mountain.
Ngọa Vân Hồ Thiên Pagoda is where the revered King Tran Nhân Tông delivered sermons, and it is closely linked to the propagation of Buddhism in Dai Viet, training higher-level monks.
At Hồ Thiên Pagoda, there is a mysterious 7-tiered stone tower whose architecture remains an enigma for researchers, attracting history enthusiasts and researchers from all over to visit and study.
Quynh Lam Pagoda is considered the first Buddhist university in Vietnam, housing one of the four great national treasures of Annam, the Buddha statue. The tower garden and stone tombs of the meditation masters in the pagoda feature unique architecture, representing not only Quang Ninh province but also Vietnam's cultural heritage.
Over time, natural disasters and wars have reduced many ancient structures in the historical relic site of the Tran dynasty in Dong Trieu to ruins. Nevertheless, these remnants still hold value in the hearts of the people.
Once known as An Sinh, Dong Trieu is now where the Tran kings expressed the fallen leaves' ideology about the roots of the Vietnamese people. Whether existing or buried underground, these remnants transcend time, bearing not only the historical value of the illustrious dynasty but also evidence of 700 years of pure Vietnamese Buddhism.
Nowadays, with the efforts of archaeology, the structure, scale, and appearance of these important historical relics are gradually being illuminated. The ancient relics carrying an entire glorious era are slowly returning to prominence at the historical relic site of the Tran dynasty in Dong Trieu.
According to Mytour
***
Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourOctober 21, 2022
