(VOVworld) – The northern province of Bac Ninh has a number of famous historical relics, temples and pagodas. Located in A Lu village, Thuan Thanh district, about thirty kilometers from Hanoi, Kinh Duong Vuong temple and tomb relic is part of the national relic complex that represents typical Vietnamese historical and cultural values. The site has become a popular destination for Vietnamese and foreign tourists.

A Lu is an ancient village on the southern bank of the Duong river. The village has 99 ponds and 99 dunes and is, according to legends, the meeting place of 4 holy animals: dragon, unicorn, tortoise, and phoenix. The village is the only place that has a tomb and temple dedicated to Kinh Duong Vuong, Lac Long Quan and Au Co- the ancestral founders of Vietnam.

Located on a hill by the Duong river, Kinh Duong Vuong mausoleum is surrounded by ancient trees. To the west of the village, there are two old temples. The first is dedicated to Kinh Duong Vuong and the second is in honor of Lac Long Quan and Au Co, who were the parents of the Hung Kings. The tomb and temple complex was badly destroyed by the French between 1949 and 1952, but was restored in 1971 by the locals. In 2000, a temple dedicated to the founders of the nation was erected on this site. Like most other temples in Vietnam, it is inspired by traditional Oriental architecture. The site consists of three main buildings: the front, the middle and the inner houses. Thanh Mai is a visitor from Hanoi: "This is the second time I’ve come here. Each time, I discover more of the culture and beauty of the temple. This time I’ve come with my little boy. I want him to learn about the nation’s roots and traditions to better understand the beautiful cultural values ​​of his country. I hope the temple and its antiquities are properly preserved for future generations”.

Over time, the temple and the tomb of Kinh Duong Vuong has retained its tangible and intangible cultural heritages such as decrees, stone steles or parallel sentences. In the Kinh Duong Vuong relic site, there is a stone stele engraved with the title “Kinh Duong Vuong tomb” dated 1840. All the parallel sentences, decrees, ancestral tablets, and funeral orations praise Vietnamese ancestors and temples. The relic also preserves 15 royal title conferment decrees for Kings Gia Long, Minh Menh, Tu Duc and Khai Dinh. Bien Xuan Sang lives near the site: "We are very proud to be children of the Dragon and Fairy, our legendary ancestors. This is why we have spared no effort to preserve the heritage handed down by our ancestors. Although some parts of the site have been damaged by time and war, the antiques are almost intact. "

The festival of the Kinh Duong Vuong Temple takes place annually from the 16th to the 18th day of the first lunar month to pay tribute to the first king of the nation. The festival is also an opportunity for Vietnamese people inside and outside the country to express their pride, and national solidarity and contribute to preserving the site. The festival strongly embraces typical Vietnamese cultural characteristics. Bien Xuan Pham is the Manager of Kinh Duong Vuong temple: “We have been blessed by our ancestral King Kinh Duong Vuong and our ancestral father Lac Long Quan. Over the past millennia, our Kings have always paid attention to preserving this historical relic site. Bac Ninh province has also invested in protecting and preserving the site”.

In 1993, the site was inscribed on the list of national cultural and historical relics. The local authorities have put in place several programs to help preserve and promote this relic.