Tan Loc Islet is a fertile piece of land, located in the middle of Hau River. This place is not only famous with green orchards but it also preserves several works with different architectural styles, one of which is Tan Loc Dong Temple, situated at Tan My 1 Area, Tan Loc Ward, Thot Not District, approximately 40 km southwestern from Can Tho City center.
After nearly 100 years of existence, the temple still remains its traditional cultural character. It is a special site in spiritual life of local residents in Thot Not District in particular and Can Tho City in general.
Originally, the temple was built with simple bamboo leaves on Cat Islet (currently Tan Loc Ward) to worship gods. By early 19th century, when more and more people came over to Cat Islet to live, Tan Loc Dong village was founded. The temple was renovated and named Tan Loc Dong Temple. On 29 November, year of Nham Ty (1852), Tu Duc King deified Bon Canh Thanh Hoang to Tan Loc Dong village. Since then, the villagers had prosperous and happy lives.
In 20th century, when the population was quite crowded, seeing that the temple was small in area and with inconvenient transport and space for public gatherings, local residents discussed and decided to move the temple to a new location on the land donated by Ms. Tran Thi Trieu (aka Nam Trieu). In 1922, the temple was constructed with solid materials, and in 1925, it was completed and remained until now.
Tan Loc Dong Temple was built in the shape of “Nhat” (一 ) on an area of 2,884 m2, including the following items: three-gate hall, singing performance hall, worshipping hall, main hall, master hall, guest hall, and smoky hall (kitchen), etc.
The three-gate hall is made with solid reinforced concrete, the roof in “bat” shape (八) and thatched in fish film style. The roof is also decorated with curved broadswords and the words ““Đình Thần - Tân Lộc - Phía Đông” (the temple in the east of Tan Loc) and the huge board written in old Chinese Vietnamese “廟 隍 城 ” (Thành Hoàng Miếu) (Deity Temple). The entrance of the main gate is designed with bold images of two dragons on a pole, with a golden turtle underneath. The three-gate hall is decorated with the themes of “dragon-qilin-turtle-phoenix”, as well as the lacquer board of traditional classic stories such as Lac Long Quan and Au Co, and countryside landscapes.
Tan Loc Dong Temple’s singing performance hall is the place for performing groups to serve public audience during festival seasons. In order to have an airy place, the walls of singing performance hall are built with wooden gratings to get the fresh air from outside. In particular, on two sides of the hall, there are wooden grandstands in the style of “three-step staircase” so that local residents can sit to enjoy the show without being hidden by people in front. This is one of the distinguishing features of Tan Loc Dong Temple compared to other temples in Can Tho City.
In the center of the worshipping hall, there are alters for Hung King and President Ho Chi Minh; on two sides there are alters for Dai Bai, Pho Bai, Boi Bai, Chanh Te, Dong Hien, and Tay Hien.
The main hall is the most formal and solemn place of the temple, worshipping Bon Can Thanh Hoang. In addition, along two sides of the main hall, there are alters for Ta Ban, Huu Ban, Tien Hien, Hau Hien, Bach Ma, Thai Giam, and Tien Thuong.
Like other temples in the South of Vietnam, besides worshipping the main deity, which is Thanh Hoang Bon Canh, Tan Loc Dong Temple also worships martyrs, and ancestors having founded this village, as well as masters teaching handicrafts to local residents.
Tan Loc Dong Temple is built in traditional architecture, in the structure of four pillars connected with each other through tight wooden pegs; the roof is in “bat” shape (八) with double tile system; pillars are linked together creating a complete architecture system which is firm and supports truss beams and upper roof floors.
Besides the value in architecture, Tan Loc Dong Temple remains valuable in arts through delicate engravings with images of dragon, qilin, turtle, phoenix, flowers, leaves, etc. In addition, the temple is the place for traditional historical and cultural values such as the deified board, lacquer board system, parallel panels, and worshipping items with more than 100 years old.
Every year, Tan Loc Dong Temple has two major festivals:
Ha Dien Festival is the starting festival for a cultivation crop and the appreciation to gods for a good season. This is considered as a largest in the year, taken place in 3 days (11, 12, 13 of April in lunar calendar). During the festival, besides the thrilling sound of trumpets and drums, the organizing board also bring together arts performance of traditional stories. In these days, visitors and local residents eagerly participate in the bustling activities at the temple.
Thuong Dien Festival, taken place on 20 and 21 November (lunar calendar), is the occasion for expressing respect to Thanh Hoang (Deity) and wishing for mild weather and peace, as well as remembering ancestors and martyrs who have contributed their lives to the country.
Local residents on Tan Loc Islet have the tradition of celebrating Doan Ngo Festival (taken place on 4, 5 of May in lunar calendar) to drive away the pests destroying crops. On this occasion, people from An Giang, Dong Thap, and Kien Giang provinces gather in Tan Loc Islet, making it an annual festival. Since 2018, Doan Ngo Festival has been upgraded to a city-level festival of “Tan Loc orchards tourism day”. Tan Loc Dong Temple is the venue for organizing the festival with attractive events. Local residents and visitors will have the chance to enjoy local fruits and traditional cuisines, as well as attend thrilling activities such as: fruit and vegetable arrangement competition, bonsai competition, singing and fighting birds competition, traditional fighting roosters, book display, calligraphy exhibition, traditional games (e.g. pig catching, fruit picking, pot breaking, bag jumping). This is also the occasion to appreciate the cultural traditions, promote Tan Loc orchards and tourism, and admire the ancient temple of this islet.
Tan Loc Dong Temple is a precious cultural site of Can Tho City in particular and South Vietnam in general. With such value, on 22 May 2017, Tan Loc Dong Temple was ranked city-level historical – cultural site by Can Tho City People’s Committee via Decision No. 1342/QĐ-UBND./.
Lê Thị Kim Thúy
