(VEN) – Going to pagodas and temples early in the lunar year is a Vietnamese tradition. Like many other localities nationwide, Nghe An Province has many pagodas and temples that attract visitors, one of which is the Con Temple in Phuong Can Village, Quynh Phuong Commune, Hoang Mai Town.
The Con Temple is one of four sacred temples in Nghe An Province. It was built nearly 800 years ago for the worship of the four mother goddesses. The site comprises an inner and outer temple. Its location by the seaside and adjacent to mountains makes for a picturesque backdrop. Though not very large, the temple is where special cultural and historical values converge, making it a sacred place for people to pray for peace and good luck.
Tourists to the site can admire 142 precious artifacts and 28 stone and wooden statues from the Le Dynasty. Kings of the Tran Dynasty regularly visited the temple and some renowned poets, including Nguyen Du and Le Huu Trac, composed their works inspired by the temple’s beauty.
Due to its architectural distinction and historical significance, the Con Temple attracts not only residents in Nghe An Province. People from all over the country come here every spring to recognize their origin and pray for peace, wealth and good luck. The temple becomes busier during its festival that takes place from the 15th day to the 21st day of the first lunar month.
The Con Temple Festival offers visitors a chance to commemorate the four mother goddesses and participate in various cultural activities, including a reconstructed naval battle that tells a legend about the history of the temple, wrestling, chess playing, and dragon boat racing. A highlight of the festival is the custom of running from Con Temple to Oi Island that is associated with a legend about the four mother goddesses and a monk worshipped at the Quy Linh Temple in Quynh Luong Commune.
Apart from the Con Temple, Hoang Mai Town also has other nationally-recognized spiritual tourism sites, such as Phung Hung Temple in Quynh Xuan Ward, Vuu Temple in Quynh Vinh Commune, Binh An Temple, Bao Minh Pagoda, and Hoa Tien Cave in Quynh Thien Ward. The accommodation facilities and tourism services in the town have improved. The provincial tourism sector expects Hoang Mai Town will become a typical spiritual tourism destination and attract more visitors to Nghe An Province.
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The Con Temple has been recognized as a national historical and cultural relic, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors annually. |
Hoa Quynh
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