Relics

Protect and restore Mam Xoi mountain in Chi Linh

THANH HA November 2, 2024 10:45

With investment in renovation, Mam Xoi Mountain in Chi Linh City, Hai Duong Province will have a new look, worthy of being part of a special national relic site.

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The area to worship Cuu Thien Vu De is built simply.

Multiple values

Dragon Forehead Mountain has 3 peaks. The middle peak is Dragon Forehead, Nam Tao peak in the south, Mam Xoi peak in the north and running to the side is Duoc Son mountain (where Bac Dau temple is located so it is called Bac Dau mountain).

Between Mam Xoi mountain and Bac Dau mountain is a ravine, called Ganh Gach road during the Tran dynasty, going from Kiep Bac temple to Sinh Tu.

The entire Kiep Bac valley area, the mountains of Tran Rong, Mam Xoi, Nam Tao, Bac Dau, and the lakes are all forbidden areas. Pine, bamboo, and rattan forests are not allowed to be cut down or leveled. The landscape here is very beautiful and charming.

According to "Complete Annals of Dai Viet", in 1427, when the resistance war against the Ming army was victorious, Le Loi cut the budget, sent Duong Thai Nhat to repair the temple of Kiep Bac, issued an edict strictly prohibiting cutting trees around the temple and encroaching on relic land. On the mountains of Tran Rong, Mam Xoi, Nam Tao, and Bac Dau, there are still many architectural vestiges of the Tran Dynasty, which are stone embankments and architectural foundations arranged in levels on the mountain.

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The road up to Mam Xoi mountain is still a dirt road, difficult to travel.

From 1945 to the early years of the 21st century, this area was excavated to build military posts, roads, and dig holes to plant lychee and acacia trees. Recently, people living around the mountain have leveled the ground, dug holes, and replaced trees, affecting Mam Xoi mountain, affecting the architectural remains and tombs of the Tran Dynasty.

On Mam Xoi Mountain, there is a temple to worship Cuu Thien Vu De Tran Hung Dao, one of the important relics of Kiep Bac relic site. Legend has it that this is where Duc Thanh ascended to heaven, leaving behind a relic that is a spiritual mark associated with a series of stories and legends. The temple to worship Cuu Thien Vu De on Mam Xoi Mountain was destroyed long ago. At the beginning of the 21st century, people rebuilt the pedestal and a small yard, placing an open-air incense burner. Every year, on the 20th day of the 8th lunar month, they hold an incense offering ceremony, pay respect to Duc Thanh and hold a thanksgiving ceremony.

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Some houses encroached deep into the foot of the mountain, distorting the relic site.

To date, the architecture of the Nine Heavens Wu De Temple no longer exists, but the landscape and traditional rituals taking place on Mam Xoi Mountain have affirmed the cultural, historical and spiritual values ​​of this area. The Nine Heavens Wu De Temple on Mam Xoi Mountain is an important spiritual and cultural element to complete the worship structure at the Kiep Bac relic site.

The government intervenes, the people agree

Mam Xoi Mountain is nearly 70 m high, about 20 m wide, and about 100 m long. The mountainside is leveled like terraced fields. There are 42 households living around the foot of the mountain.

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Mr. Pham Van Hau's family in Bac Dau village, living at the foot of Mam Xoi mountain, said they are ready to move to preserve the relic site.

In 2019, when opening a residential road at the foot of Mam Xoi Mountain, some households along the route donated land to build the road. However, many households leveled, dug, and expanded the area, creating vertical slopes in some locations on Mam Xoi Mountain, changing the current status and affecting the landscape of the relic site.

Currently, the entire Mam Xoi mountain area is contracted out to households to look after, care for the trees and harvest. This activity also affects the stability of Mam Xoi mountain, potentially causing damage to the mountain.

To protect Mam Xoi Mountain, the People's Council of Hai Duong Province has decided to invest in the Project to Renovate and Restore Mam Xoi Mountain and the Lake North of Kiep Bac Temple with a total budget of 193 billion VND. Accordingly, 5 households that are greatly affected by Mam Xoi Mountain will be recovered, compensated, and relocated, and 3 households will be relocated to restore Ganh Gach Street.

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A house built deep into the foot of the mountain

Expanding Ganh Gach Street from Provincial Road 398 to the foot of Mam Xoi Mountain, about 250 m long and 10.5 m wide, with trees planted on both sides. Renovating the walking path from Ganh Gach Street to Mam Xoi Mountain. Building a protective embankment system around the foot of the mountain, filling the soil, planting trees to restore the mountain landscape...

This policy is agreed and supported by local authorities and people in the area around Mam Xoi mountain.

Mr. Pham Huu Hong, Vice Chairman of Hung Dao Commune People's Committee, said that to implement the Resolution of the Provincial People's Council, the locality has planned a resettlement area for households at the location of the Bac Dau village cultural house with an area of ​​1,200 m2.2This location is about 500m from where the households currently live, very convenient for people to travel and live.

Regarding the policy of moving and reserving land to expand and renovate the items of Mam Xoi mountain, Mr. Pham Van Hau, one of the households in the relocation area in Bac Dau village, also agreed. Mr. Hau said: "My family's current land area is more than 1,000 m2. If we move to a new place, the area will be smaller. However, we are willing to give this entire area to the authorities to carry out the project."

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The cultural house area of ​​Bac Dau village is expected to be used to resettle households giving up land to implement the Mam Xoi mountain project.

As an indispensable part of the Kiep Bac relic site, with the participation of all levels, sectors and the consensus of the people, the restoration of Mam Xoi mountain will be carried out in the coming time, contributing to preserving the cultural values ​​as well as beautifying the landscape here.

THANH HA
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Protect and restore Mam Xoi mountain in Chi Linh