Saint Giong Temple, also called Soc Son Temple, is located in Soc Son District of Hanoi, 40km from the city center.
Soc
Son Temple is one of the oldest and most holy sites in Vietnam. Coming
here, visitors will hace a chance to be far from the bustle of Hanoi. The
temple is built at the foot of the Horse Mountain which was believed to
be the place where Saint Giong stopped for a rest after fighting off
the invaders restoring peace to Vietnam...
Soc
Son Temple is surrounded by mountains: Mt. Cao Tung to the
South, Mt. Cấm to the East, Mt. Cổ Ngựa to the West, and the Mt. Rứa and
a piece of flat land to the Southeast. In the ancient past, these
mounts were covered with thick forests. The area is also bathed by two
rivers: one following from the North-West to the South-East, the other
from the West to the South.
According
to the legend, After defeating the Ân invaders, hero Dóng galloped to
the top of Mt. Sóc, then hanged his suit of armor on a scandal-wood
tree, and vanished into the sky with his iron horse.
In
commemoration of the event, a festival is held every year
in Sóc Sơn Temple, involving festivity, the Mộc Dục ceremony, the Bamboo
flowers procession, the Elephant procession, the Betel plant
procession, the Paper boat rituals, and the beheading of the enemy
commander.
Nowadays, visitors can
walk among these temples, pray to Thanh Giong and generally soak up the
ambience of the area. Anywhere at the foot of the mountain makes a great
picnic spot, but those feeling a bit more athletic can climb the steps
to the top of the mountain.
During
Tet, Soc Son also hosts one of the country’s biggest festivals. on the
sixth, seventh and eighth days of the Lunar New Year, it becomes an
explosion of colour, religion and tradition. Big crowds, processions and
even an amusement park for kids appear as if from nowhere. At other
times of the year, guests tend to be in the form of school trips bused
in from Hanoi. They climb the mountain, are taught the religious and
mythological significance of the place, recount their achievements for
the year, make resolutions and even listen to Vina-house while playing
tug-of-war. Other visitors are worshippers, daytrippers and the
occasional foreigner.
Compiked by Nguyen Hao
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