Shennong Temple over time

Shennong Temple is located next to Ong Huyen Crossroads market, next to it is the Cultural Hall of Thoi Hoa area, Thoi An Dong ward. The temple is not large, because it is located inside the market, so it does not have a cool campus as is often found in the Southern communal houses, and temples. The temple has a single worshiping compartment, made of reinforced concrete, the main door is embossed with a pair of winding dragons. The main compartment worships Shennong with a wooden tablet placed in front of the two words "Shen Nong" in Chinese characters. Both sides worship Left Guard and Right Guard. In general, the temple has a simple altar layout and quite simple architecture.

Although this temple was newly restored in 2011, it is still named "Shennong Ancient Temple" because of its hundred years of history. According to the Worship Board, this ancient temple has existed since the 19th century, at that time it was a small simple temple made of leaves. The land on which the original temple is located belongs to Mr. Le Phat Dieu, known as healer Dieu, born in 1801, who belongs to the village. In 1858, this land was ceded to the La family. Later, Mr. La Thanh Co (commonly known as Huyen Ky) established a market and opened many properties on his land, so the place name Ong Huyen Crossroads was born. As for Mr. La Thanh Co and Ong Huyen Crossroads market, we will present them later in this article.

In 1890, Mr. La Thanh Co established Shennong temple on the family land, with the hope of "Peaceful for Nation and People. Favourable weather conditions". According to the story of Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, who spent time to stay here and study carefully the ancient temple in Ong Huyen Crossroads, the temple built in 1890 has a foundation of mountain stones, paved with red bricks, and reinforced concrete houses. The temple walls are built with terracotta bricks, and the roof is covered with red tiles. After the temple was built, it was assigned to the villager, Mr. Le Van Khoa, as Temple Keeper, to take care of worshiping incense, tea, and fruits. From this time on, the two major worshiping periods in the year of the temple were on the 23rd and 24th of the fourth lunar month and the 23rd and 24th of the 12th lunar month. In 1930, when he was 60 years old, Mr. Le Van Khoa passed away, the duty of taking care of the shrine was assigned to Mr. Nguyen Van Dat, self-proclaimed Mr. Dao Dat.

Also according to Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, in 1935, the people in the village appointed a Traditional Committee to look after and worship at Shennong Temple. Mr. Do Van Bay was appointed as Village Chief, Mr. Nguyen Van Kim as Village Intellectual, Mr. Nguyen Van Sanh as Village Mediationer, and Mr. Tran Van Thanh as Village Teacher. With the Traditional Committee, the worshiping at the temple is very large and well prepared. Every season, the Tillage preparing Ceremony and the Tillage ending Ceremony of Shennong temple are held on a great scale, with troupes hired to sing worship to Shennong and sing for the people.

In 1945, all the members of the Traditional Committees were old so they retired, Mr. Thai Van Chinh, self-proclaimed Mr. Dao Xa, taking care of worshiping Shennong Temple at Ong Huyen Crossroads. In 1947, the French occupied this land, and the temple of Shennong also disappeared. Mr. Dao Xa respectfully invited the spirit of Shennong to the family land and build a small temple to worship. In 1961, people in the region contributed human and financial resources to rebuild Shennong Temple right on the old temple's foundation, with simple leaves. It should be noted that at this time, the spirit is still worshiped at the house of Mr. Dao Xa, when the worshiping period comes the spirit will be invited to the temple to do the ceremony, then return back to the house.

By 1990, the cage market at Ong Huyen Crossroads was degraded, so it was demolished, and built a new one. The Worship Board has chosen to ask for a few blocks of wood as handrails,... to repair the temple. In 2011, the years passed quickly, the ancient temple was seriously degraded, so the Worship Board and the people in the area had a meeting to discuss the restoration and embellishment of the temple. After 2 months of construction, the temple was completed with funds contributed by The Worship Board and the people in the area. The Worship Board is also completed with the Head, Deputy Board, Village Writer, Village Musician, Village's Celebrant, Chief Priest, Assist Priest, Secretary...

Up to now, the ancient temple still maintains the ancient tradition, the two major worshiping times of the year, namely the Tillage Preparing Ceremony (April 23 and 24 of the lunar calendar) and the Tillage Ending Ceremony (23 and 24 December of the lunar calendar). The ceremony of Tillage Preparing and Tillage Ending is conducted according to the following process: inviting Shennong (18:00 on the 23rd), Debuts (19:00), cultural performances (20:00), Chief Priest (6:00 on the 24th), put Shennong in place (10:00).

The main temple worships Shennong. Photo source: DUY KHOI

The Story of Ong Huyen Crossroads

Ong Huyen Crossroads Market is not very large now, only serving the trading of people in the vicinity, because there are Long Tuyen market, Binh Thuy market, Ba Se market... quite big. Besides, Ong Huyen Crossroads Market is also far from the main road, which is National Highway 91B. Few people know that this market used to be the second largest in the ancient Long Tuyen - Binh Thuy region with stories steeped in time.

Binh Thuy old market was established before that by Mr. La Ich Ky, but it is not clear what year, in 1927, Mr. Huyen Ky - La Thanh Co established a market at the Crossroad, called Ong Huyen Crossroads, so it was called the new market. From the time of opening, setting up the property, and opening the market on the first day, it took more than 1 year. Author Tran Hoai Linh in the article "A prosperous market remains only in everyone's memory" (printed in the book "The first step to learn Binh Thuy - Long Tuyen folklore", Ho Chi Minh City Arts Publishing House, 2005 ), narrated: “There are spaces for the docks of the trawl and boats to dock. Above Village way and along the banks of Nga Tu Be canal are shopping streets and tennis courts. Inside are the restaurant and the theater. Further, the football field (made after the market was established for 1 year) runs all the way to the "Cotton Garden". Not only busy during the day, but also at night, the new market located at the crossroad is also full of bustle and romance. Author Tran Hoai Linh said: “On nights when the sky is clear and moonlit, a few square-roofed boats (boats) of leisure people float on the river. From afar, harmony songs with melodious tunes throughout the river in the countryside of Ong Huyen Crossroads".

Mr. Huyen Ky - La Thanh Co is mentioned as a benefactor who performed many charity and social security works for the old land of Long Tuyen - Binh Thuy. “The merit of Mr. Co for the people of Binh Thuy - Long Tuyen is truly great. The establishment of a new market at the crossroads, charity work, opening a village to establish a hamlet, building roads, building bridges ... made people in the region love him." - author Tran Hoai Linh wrote in the book "A prosperous market is only in people's memories".

According to research, Mr. La Thanh Co is the youngest son of Mr. La Ich Xe (common name is Ba Xe), a rich man who does many good deeds for society. Typically, Mr. Ba Xe opened the road from Binh Thuy to Giai Xuan and then through Phong Dien, rounding up to the current Ba Xe (Ba Xe was named after him). Mr. Ba Xe also contributed money to the fund to build a large hospital (now Can Tho City General Hospital) with the amount of 5,000 Indochina Cents, the price of rice at that time was only 4 cents per 20 kilograms. (quoted from "A story like a legend" by Le Ngoc Mien - Hoai Phuong, printed in the book "First steps to learn Binh Thuy - Long Tuyen folklore", Ho Chi Minh City Arts and Publishing House, 2005). Mr. Ba Xe also stood out to build the main hall of Ong Pagoda in Binh Thuy (now in An Thoi ward), later on, Mr. La Thanh Co - Huyen Ky, following in his father's footsteps, built a large house in front of the main hall, used as a guest house.

Many researchers believe that La Thanh Co, besides being a philanthropist, is also very sharp in business, urban planning, and establishing a new civilized lifestyle. Therefore, the people of Binh Thuy - Long Tuyen always refer to him with admiration and love.

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The small temple in the heart of Ong Huyen Crossroads market is still full of incense smoke day and night, blending the fragrant hearts of the people of this land with the God who looks after agriculture and those who have publicly established their fortunes in the past. It is also the cultural identity that is preserved and handed down in modern life after it has been "Choose the good, get rid of the bad".