Ba Hoang Temple – Where the People of Cao Bang Honor the Memory of Empress Minh Duc A Nung
In the Na Can area, right on the edge of downtown Cao Bang, there stands a small temple beside a crystal-clear stream that flows out to the surrounding rice fields. Every year, on the full moon of the first lunar month, people from all over come here to burn incense in memory of a woman from the 11th century: Lady A Nung, wife of the chieftain Nung Ton Phuc and mother of Nung Tri Cao. To the people of Cao Bang, she is more than an empress from the history books — she is also remembered as the woman who taught locals to weave indigo cloth and to heal sick livestock. A visit to Ba Hoang Temple is a chance to hear the story of a mother, a brave and gifted woman from this borderland.
Where Is Ba Hoang Temple?
Ba Hoang Temple is located in Group 26, Nung Tri Cao Ward, in the Na Can area (formerly Song Bang Ward). In earlier times, this land belonged to Phu Van Village, Kim Pha Commune, Thach Lam Prefecture.
To the right of the temple runs a clear stream that flows year-round into the Na Can fields, watering the rice and crops below. It’s just a few minutes’ drive from the city center, making it an easy stop for a relaxed morning outing.
Lady A Nung – A Woman of the 11th Century
According to Cao Bang Newspaper, Ba Hoang is revered by locals under the name A Nung. She was a Tay woman from Khau Sam Prefecture (now part of Nung Tri Cao Ward), born into a well-off and educated family. Her husband was Nung Ton Phuc, chieftain of Quang Nguyen Prefecture.
In 1038, Nung Ton Phuc seized the two prefectures of Vu Lac and Quang Nguyen, founded the state of Truong Sinh, proclaimed himself Emperor Chieu Thanh, and named her Empress Minh Duc. When the Ly Dynasty sent troops to crush the uprising, Nung Ton Phuc was killed, and Lady A Nung fled with her son Nung Tri Cao to Loi Hoa Cave.
In 1041, when Nung Tri Cao was just 16, mother and son led troops from Loi Hoa Cave back to Thang Do Prefecture, where they rallied forces and founded the state of Dai Lich. Later, the Ly Dynasty appointed Nung Tri Cao Governor of Quang Nguyen Prefecture, then granted him the title of Grand Protector, along with additional territory for mother and son to govern together.
The history of this borderland in the 11th century was turbulent, and accounts of it vary. But in the hearts of the people of Cao Bang, Lady A Nung remains a steadfast mother who stood by her son through war and chaos — a rare and strategically gifted woman of her time.
The Woman Who Taught Indigo Weaving, Protector of Livestock
What earns her such deep reverence among the people, however, comes from everyday life. According to local legend, she was the one who taught the community the traditional art of indigo-dyed weaving.
She was also well-versed in letters and knew many remedies for treating sick livestock, helping locals overcome disease outbreaks and protect their livelihoods. For this, she came to be worshipped as the “Protector of Livestock.”
Editor’s tip: the next time you spot indigo garments worn by Tay or Nung people on the streets or at a Cao Bang market fair, remember that, according to legend, this weaving tradition traces back to Lady Ba Hoang’s own hands. This small story might just change the way you look at that indigo cloth.
From Empress Minh Duc to Ba Hoang Dai Vuong
The Ly Dynasty posthumously conferred upon Lady A Nung the title of Ba Hoang Dai Vuong (Great Deity Ba Hoang), and the temple has been known as Ba Hoang Temple ever since. Under the Ly Dynasty, she was further granted the title Thuong Dang Than (Supreme Deity), with state rites performed in her honor twice a year, in spring and autumn. Successive dynasties continued to bestow further honorific titles upon her.
Her story and her temple have been recorded in ancient texts such as Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu (Complete Annals of Dai Viet). In the book “Shrines and Mausoleums of Vietnam,” Ba Hoang Dai Vuong A Nung is also honorably recorded.
A Temple Through Times of Change
Much like the life of the woman it honors, the temple itself has weathered many upheavals. In 1947, French colonial forces tore it down to build a garrison protecting Na Can Airfield. Unwilling to let their place of worship disappear, the people of Na Can rebuilt the temple on its original site to keep the incense burning for Lady Ba Hoang.
In 2008, Ba Hoang Temple was recognized as a Provincial Historical and Cultural Relic. In 2018, with over 981 million VND raised through public contributions, the temple was rebuilt on a site of more than 400 square meters, including the main sanctuary, a courtyard, and a surrounding wall, to better serve visitors coming to tour the site and offer incense.
Each time the temple has been rebuilt, it has been another expression of the Na Can people’s devotion to Lady Ba Hoang. That devotion is perhaps the most precious thing you’ll sense when you visit.
Ba Hoang Temple Festival – Full Moon of the First Lunar Month
The Ba Hoang Temple Festival is held during the full moon of the first lunar month, featuring distinctive local traditional rites, starting from the 14th day of the month. The festival is held to honor and give thanks for the achievements of Empress Minh Duc A Nung.
It’s an occasion for locals and visitors alike to offer incense with sincerity, praying for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, and bountiful harvests. In 2026, the People’s Committee of Nung Tri Cao Ward held the festival’s opening ceremony, drawing large crowds of locals and visitors from near and far.
If you’re visiting Cao Bang in early spring, don’t miss this festival. The solemn atmosphere of the ceremony, paired with the lively spirit of the crowds taking part, will show you just how alive this temple still is within the community.
Following the Trail of the Nung Tri Cao Family
Ba Hoang Temple is one piece of the larger story of the Nung Tri Cao family in Cao Bang. If you have time, follow the full journey:
- Ba Hoang Temple, Na Can: dedicated to Lady A Nung.
- Ky Sam Temple, Ban Ngan: the largest temple honoring Nung Tri Cao in Cao Bang. In the inner sanctuary, the central altar is dedicated to Nung Tri Cao, with his mother Lady A Nung worshipped on the left and his three wives on the right.
- Nung Tri Cao Temple, Quang Uyen: linked to the Firecracker Head Scramble Festival, a national intangible cultural heritage.
- Great King Nung Tri Cao Temple: located in Coc Vuong hamlet, formerly part of Soc Ha Commune and now part of Truong Ha Commune.
Three temples, three stops, together forming the thousand-year story of the ancient land of Quang Nguyen.
Tips for Visiting the Temple
- Dress modestly and keep a respectful, solemn demeanor when entering the temple.
- The Full Moon Festival of the first lunar month draws large crowds, so arrive early and park some distance away.
- Help keep the stream beside the temple clean and avoid littering.
- If you want to learn more, chat with the elders in the Na Can area. Many of them still keep oral stories about Lady Hoang alive.
Ba Hoang Temple may be small, but it holds the story of an extraordinary woman: a queen, a mother who endured war alongside her son, and a teacher who passed on weaving skills and healing knowledge to the local people. Through a thousand years, the temple has been destroyed and rebuilt again, and the people of Na Can still burn incense for her beside the clear stream. Come here, and you’ll understand that the history of Cao Bang was written not only by generals, but also by mothers.
