TEMPLE OF TWO DUKES TRAN HUNG NGOC AND TRAN HUNG NHUONG – THANH CHUONG

Temple of two Dukes Tran Hung Hoc and Tran Hung Nhuong is located in Thanh Xuan commune, Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province.

Tran Hung Hoc and Tran Hung Nhuong were born in a family with a tradition of Confucianism and martial arts. Their father is Tran Van Canh - used to hold the position of Secret police, commander-in-chief in the life of King Le Than Tong (1623), a talented and virtuous person. After being died, the people in 4 communes and 2 border areas of Bich Trieu (now Thanh Xuan commune) honored him as a village Gods, worshiped in the village communal house, and engraved his name on the stone stele to be memorized and handed down. Tran Hung Hoc is the eldest son, born in the year of the Goat (1631); Tran Hung Nhuong is the second son, born in the year of the Pig (1635).

The two men had great merit in contributing together with Trinh army to liberate Thanh Chuong district, next, liberate 7 districts on the south side of Lam river in Nghe An region. After the great victory of Trinh army, Tran Hung Hoc and Tran Hung Nhuong were considered for the award. After the great victory of the Trinh army, brothers Tran Hung Hoc and Tran Hung Nhuong were considered for awards and conferred titles.

After the two factions Trinh - Nguyen ended the war, taking the Giang River as the dividing border between the two regions. In the North, the Trinh family assigned the brothers Tran Hung Hoc and Tran Hung Nhuong to take charge of the defense. With their talents and virtues, the two men helped the People to live a peaceful and prosperous life, and were praised by the people. In the year of the Buffalo (1673), Tran Hung Hoc fell sick and died at the age of 43. He was posthumously awarded the title of Nhuan Duke by King Le.

In January of the Tiger year (1674), King Le ordered Tran Hung Nhuong to return to the capital, ordained as deputy commander of the army, to govern the Uu Tien army belonging to imperial court’s Thi Hau guard, title of the duke. Until October of the year of the Pig (1695), he was promoted to the governor, title of the Duke. In the last years of his life, when he was settled in the locality, Tran Hung Nhuong still contributed his efforts to economic expansion and protection of the homeland. In the Vinh Thinh 06^th year (1710), he died at the age of 76.

To remember the merits of brothers of the Tran Hung family, the people of Bich Trieu land established temples for Tran Hung Hoc, Tran Hung Nhuong, and Tran Hung Thi in Thanh Xuan commune, Thanh Chuong district. At present, these temples still keep many precious artifacts, marking their great merits in the protection and revitalization of the country. In 1996, the Minister of Culture and Information signed a decision to recognize Tran Hung Hoc and Tran Hung Nhuong temples as the national historical relics. This is a great pride and invaluable spiritual asset of the Tran Hung family as well as of the people in Thanh Chuong land which is rich in patriotic tradition.