Duong Lam Village - Vietnam Travel

Duong Lam ancient village with is located near the center of Son Tay town, is prominent with ancient hamlets, dark red laterite walls, mounds, hills, deep drainage ditches - specific features of a midland village in Doai area.

Another name of Duong Lam ancient village is Kẻ Mía, which used to be in the areas of Cam Lam, Doai Giap, Dong Sang, Mong Phu, Phu Khang villages, Cam Gia Thinh district (usually called Cam Thinh), which belonged to Phuc Tho district, Son Tay province before 1945 and presently it is in Duong Lam village, Son Tay town, Hanoi.

Duong Lam is an ancient name, which appeared long time ago in Doai area. According to Thiên Nam ngữ lục - a historical epic written in Nôm scripts in the 17thth or 8th century, in close relation with the well-known feat of arms of the two national heroes Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen: century. The name Duong Lam appeared at ealiest since the 7

“Đường Lâm sinh có anh hùng

Bấy chừ một đạo quân Phùng nổi lên

Quyền cũng Đường Lâm con dòng

Cha làm châu mục lĩnh trong Nam thành”

(Thiên Nam ngữ lục)

(There were heroes born in Duong Lam

Phung Hung led army rose up

Ngo Quyen was also a son of  Duong Lam

His father was a district Chief in the Southern Capital.

(Thien Nam ngu luc)

Before that, according to Việt điện u linh book  (Anthrology of Mythical Stories’ of the Viet) (in 13th century) recorded that the ancestors of Phung Hung used to be chieftains of Duong Lam district. For many generations Encyclopedist Phan Huy Chu stated in Lịch triều hiến chương loại chí (Royal annals) book that Duong Lam district in the old days streched out from Ke Mia to Huong Pagoda of Doai region. At present around Duong Lam village, there are many traces of Ke Mia culture with such familiar names like Mia pagoda, Mia street, Mia port, Mia market, Mia Goddess, etc. There was a folklore song that the local people have passed down from generation to generation:

“Chẳng đi nhớ cháo dốc Ghề

Nhớ cơm phố Mía, nhớ chè Đông Viên

Chợ Mía mới họp đã to

Các thầy Mông Phụ cứ dò xuống chơi

Kẻ Mía kéo mật, trộn đường

Thợ rèn Quang Húc, Chu Chàng ươm tơ…”

(Going anywhere, but still remember the porridge in Ghe slope

The rice in Mia street, the pudding in Dong Vien

Mia market is crowded as when just opened

Mong Phu teachers like to come to enjoy

People in Ke Mia are busy in making sugar, and molasses.

Quang Huc is famous for black smith and Chu Chang is well known for making silk etc... )

According to legend, the 16th Hung King had a peerless beautiful daughter named Mị Ê. She did not like the strict life in the imperial palace, therefore, she often went out with her maids along to the lands the Cai river (Red river) bank to either grow maize, sweet potatoes together with common people or pick up flowers, or follow butterflies in rural areas, etc. In one burning hot summer noon, princess Mị Ê came across a plant that looks like reeds. As she broke its trunk, there was water inside which tasted nice, sweet and fresh. She was so delighted and asked the people to grow the plant right in the rive bank for trial. The plant grew quickly and soon became thick bushes. The local people then cut them down and pressed them to get the sweet water out for making molasses. When Tet (Vietnam New Year) came, the princess asked the people to select some big and delicious canes and some condensed molasses to make a present to the King. After tasting, Hung King liked it very much and decided to name the plant after his daughter - Mị Ê. Since then, Mị Ê plant had been grown all over the land along the Thao river, especially from Dong Vien hill to Phu Nhi village. As times passed, the name “Mị Ê” was gradually changed to the present name “Mia” (sugarcane). During “Mia” harvest time it was so crowded. The local people were eager to cut down the canes, then built the sugar mills - They also used buffalos to pull the rolling mills to extract the sugar. Therefore, smokes were seen days and nights during the time near the sugarcane fields. So that, first large area that grew the sugarcane was commonly called Ke Mia.

The name “Ke Mia” even existed before the name “Duong Lam”. According to “Dị vật chí” book by Duong Phu in Đông Hán times, people in South area (Vietnamese people) owned a lot of precious products, especially Mia (or sugarcane) in Giao Chi area (presently to the Northern area of Vietnam). The canes could be eaten freshly right after being cut down and were very sweet. If squeezed to get the sweet water out like malt water that was called “sugar” was very precious. If it was condensed and dried up to make into rock, which could be broken into small pieces and melt immediately when put into the mouth. Now people call it “rock sugar”. In the 3rd century The King of Ngo country in the Three Kingdoms period usually ate the sugar, tribute from Giao Chau. Since then, the people in Tu Xuyen, Quang Dong (China) also learnt the way to make sugar from the people in the South. The name Duong Lam means “sweet forest”, which was “Mia” in Chinese language, during period of Northern domination since the Lý - Trần dynasties. This land was called “Cam Gia” (Mia), Cam Tuyen (fresh water), “Cam Duong” (sweet water) then “Cam Lam” (sweet forest) etc. All there’ names originated from the name “Mia”. Till the Lê Dynasty, the area was separated into 2 districts: Cam Gia Thuong in Tien Phong district (which is Cam Thuong village at present), and Cam Gia Thinh in Thuong Phuc district (or Duong Lam village at present)...

In Duong Lam area, there are 36 hills and mounds, 18 deep ditches and ponds together with Tich river which has very clear water and is winding like a silk strip, thus creating such an interesting landscape. According to geomancy, Duong Lam land leans against the imposing Tan Vien mountain - the “ancestral” mountain ranges of Vietnam with grandiose land posture, “sacred land generates eminent heroes”. Ke Mia local people are very proud of their home town with the history of “one village with two kings” in connection to the two national heroes - Bố cái Đại vương Phùng Hưng (Great King or Great Father) and Tiền Ngô vương Ngô Quyền. The land also gave birth to many cultural celebrities who have contributed significantly to the national history and culture. Among them, Giang Van Minh and Kieu Oanh Mau were the outstanding.

There is rarely any other village that has such large historical records like Duong Lam. The place her converges in itself the whole community of cultural - historical relics and famous landscapes from the communal houses, pagodas, temples, churches, royal tombs to other sacred and legendary relics such as Phung Hung worshipping temple, the royal tomb and worshipping temple of King Ngo Quyen, Phu temple, Mia pagoda, Giang Van Minh worshipping, Mong Phu communal house, etc. Hum puddle, Ho Gam hill, Sa Mau hill, Nguc well, Streblus row for tying elephants nearby the tomb of Ngo Quyen King, etc.

Phung Hung communal house is impressive and ancient, and has distinct architectural style of the late 19th century. It is not far away from Ngo Quyen tomb. The tomb was constructed with four roofs and places on a high base, surrounded by brick wall. A throne is in the middle, which had simple design but still looks impressive and majestic. There are a lot of deep ditches near the historical area. Legend says that they used to be Lotus lake, where Ngo Quyen in his childhood used to swim and dive together with his buffalos friends, and play fighting games therein. There is a traditional museum about Ngo Quyen, where displays many worthy objects such as rock axe, Bach Dang wooden stakes, etc.

Mong Phu communal house is in the center of the village facing South West direction, and looking out to a range of hills succeeding one another like a tortoise herd running toward the foot of Ba Vi mountain. It consists of 5 compartments and 2 lean-tos and was designed like stilt-house style with tiled roof, and nearly 50 large and small columns. In Ky Mao year (1759), one house was built and now becomes the inner chamber. In Ky Mui year (1859) another house was built outside the old one and now becomes the outer chamber. The inner and outer chambers are connected with each other by part of “Ong Muong - or central chamber”, creating a shape like “Cong” character (Chinese script) at present. The heads of curve beams are decorated with “four fabulous animals” made of well-heated earthenware with buffalo-liver color which look strong and plain like the color of its native land. The chambers in the communal house are carved and decorated with the shapes of dragon and phoenix and familiar patterns such as “Cửu long tranh châu” (Nine dragon vying for a pearl), “Mẫu long huấn tử” (Mother Dragon teaches her child), etc. The carved patterns of dragons are characterized with the features of Lê-Nguyễn dynasty styles i.e. large head, with horns, bristly mane and feet with 5 ferocious curve claws

The pen-name of Mia pagoda is “Sùng Nghiêm tự” (Sung Nghiem pagoda) which is near the present Mia market. It was constructed by the funding from Imperial Concubine Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dao who was often referred to as Mia Goddess, on the ground of the old pagoda in the 3rd year of Long Duc (1632). There is a large luxuriant banian-tree of hundreds of years old in the pagoda. The bell-tower is designed like piling match boxes with 2 stories and 4 roofs and inside there is a large bonze bell cast in the 7th year of Canh Hung (1746). In addition, there are 2 large stone steles placed on the turtles’ back, which were constructed in the 8th year of Canh Hung (1747). The statue set in the pagoda are especially rich varied and prominent, including 287 large and small ones, of which plenty of round statues made of clay covered with paint that look very nice and vivid. Between the statues, there are some caverns scenes describing Budha’s legend such as Tuyet Son, Nam Hai cavern, etc.

The temple worshipping Mia Goddess is in high earth mound right in Phu village, where Mia Goddess’ family lived in the past. The temple was constructed in the 37thth year of Tu Duc (1852), and it was added with was “the mallet handle” in the back which was constructed to create the “Công” character architectural style at present. In addition, more support columns, decorated walls and dragon and phoenix-shaped patterns were constructed. In the middle room of the Altar chamber, there is a carved lacquered board with 4 characters “West Palace Queen Mother” together with a lot of red lacquered and gilded scrolls. The back chamber still keeps many precious sacrifice offering objects and ceremonial hangings in the shapes of knee-down elephants and horses on the surrounding walls. year of Canh Hung (1776), which consists of two house layers like “Nhi” character (Chinese script). The inner layer is the back chamber served for worshipping, and the outer worshipping layer is the altar chamber used for ceremonial activities for and meeting. It was repaired in the 5

The Phu temple lies in a compound with many trees and plants freshly green all year round. In front of the temple gate, there are 2 water wells which are considered as Dragon’s eyes. There still exist, visible traces of a stream running from the temple gate to the Cai river, which was called “Dragon spout”. Thanks to this stream, Lord Trinh Trang Lord of Thanh Do could travel by boat from Thang Long capital to the West palace to visit Mia Goddess. According to the stone stele which was constructed in the 6th year of Canh Thinh (1797), and placed in the back chamber of the temple, during an inspection tour to the East of Thang Long capital, Lord Trinh Trang met a grass-cutting girl who sang that:

“Tay cầm bán nguyệt xênh xang

Nửa lo việc nước, nửa toan việc nhà”

(Holding comfortably half of the moon in hand (half of the moon means sickle)

Half care for the state and half care for the family affairs.)

Noticing that the girl sang well, looked pretty and spoke fluently, Lord Trinh brought her to the Capital and gave her to the title Imperial concubine Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dao. Staying in the Capital for a while, Imperial concubine Ngoc Dao asked for permission to return to her home town to look after her parents. During this time, she carried out a lot of charity works for Ke Mia people and she was respectfully called Mia Goddess.

Duong Lam was once chosen as the chief town of former Son Tay. In Nguyễn dynasty the temple of literature of Son Tay province was build on a pretty pine hill on the bank of Tich river, in the area of Mong Phu village. During the war of resistance against French colonists, the temple of literature was destroyed and presently there is only a large bonze bell and a musical stone plaque left and they are kept in the traditional house of Duong Lam.

Duong Lam - Ke Mia have kept in themselves so many cultural - historic evidences. On the land of Duong Lam, people still seems to feel the magnanimous atmosphere of a time when people and soldiers with horses and weapons following Bố Cái đại vương Phùng Hưng to rise up in arms for liberty, and to see the brilliant colors of the red lacquer and gilded west palace of the Queen - Mia Goddess and the scene of busy trading urban area in a chief town of the ancient and modern times.

Passing through a long history, with long-standing cultural traditions, with evidences of material and spiritual cultures, the existence of national heroes, cultural celebrities, historic relics, customs, and practices, etc... Duong Lam is deserved to be granted the honor title of a village of a thousand-year-golden culture and the name “Hoa thiên cảnh” (Place of Heaven Flowers engraved) on the gate of Dong Sang/Mia village or Duong Lam village at present.

Having undergone so many ups and downs, Duong Lam is still able to keep the typical image of an ancient village in Vietnam with village gate, banian trees, water wells, lotus ponds, etc. Behind the two village gates worn out by weather’s impact under a large banian tree if more than 300 years old, are the hamlets, village, paths, tiled roofs, laterite wall and ancient architectural works assemble together in the living space of a community rich in characteristics of a purely agricultural village and traces of a wet rice civilization.

The outstanding feature of Duong Lam ancient village - is wooden houses with laterite walls, laterite gates, high threshold... built inside a compound surrounded with laterite walls and tiled lanes running between walls, etc. House gates are usually built in the form of basket strap, look lissome with outlines and solid with laterite materials. The Mandarins’ houses usually had badge-mounted semi-circular gates, covered with shapes of dragon, unicorn, tortoise, phoenix or “lưỡng long chầu nguyệt”([1]). Old table-shaped doors were normally used to open and close, but when there was some ceremonies they can be taken down to use as tables. Each house is considered a family treasure, a history, a culture as well as sacred place of worship of each family.

Nowadays, in Duong Lam, there are nearly 1000 houses built in the traditional way. Many houses had been built since 1649, 1703, 1850... The oldest house is in more than 400 years and still keeps a Hán-script funeral oration written with Chinese ink on a panel. In the village, all houses are built with the style of “nội tự - ngoại khách”([2]); the house yard is lower than the road surface, so when it rains, the rainy water would flow from outside to the yard, then drained through culverts in accordance with the philosophy “tụ thuỷ sinh tài” (assembled water generates talents).

In the village, all lanes and alleys were blind in order to prevent burglars and robbers. Every house had secret door and shortcut leading to communal house’s yard. Due to having good slope and not so many auxiliary occupations, the lanes and alleys in Duong Lam were quite clean and spacious.

The most typical and unique feature of the village is shown in its architecture. Fishbone-shaped ways consist of one main path with many sidelines and alleys connected with one another. The village can take any path or alleys and all lead to their houses. In any happening, it was easy and quick for villagers to gather at one point from many lanes or alleys and it was useful to guard against evildoers and to fight fire.

On deserted lanes and alleys, with laterite walls on the two sides spotted with moss and closed gates, the reddish color of laterite walls looks bright in the afternoon sunlight in Doai homeland. In the thought of the local people here, the image of the village is connected to the laterite bricks. Laterite is a precious material which is durable with the time and good for building houses and does not need much coating but still ensure the thickness of the walls and can keep the house cool in hot days, and warm in cold days. As time passes, the laterite walls become even more solid and that fact makes the people have more confident and fonder of the houses in which they are living.

People in Duong Lam are very much aware of their village’s cultural values. They know that the profound and ancient beauty of their old houses is a very valuable heritage of their ancestors and a bridge linking the people of today and the people of the past.

Coming to Duong Lam, we can not be unamazed at a village which has been able to keep the colors of time and a world containing many secrets which have been gradually opened up before our eyes. Amid the hurry circles of modern life, Duong Lam quietly keeps itself closed in a corner so as to reserve the images of the past, of the things that are deemed to be obsolete, keep a calm space in order to comprehend and absorb itself in a rarely secluded and quiet atmosphere that exists in the consciousness of each person at the same situation.

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