The temple of Princess Phat Kim, also known as Thuc Tiet Cong Chua Temple, or Ba Chua temple, is located in Tam Ky village, Truong Yen commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province.
Legend has it that the character worshiped in the relic is Princess Phat Kim, daughter of King Dinh Tien Hoang. The temple was built under the Dinh dynasty (10th century), over the years the temple was rebuilt in the Nguyen dynasty.
In 968, after finishing the rebellion of 12 warlords, Dinh Bo Linh ascended the throne, named the country Dai Co Viet, and chose Hoa Lu as the capital. In order to maintain independence, so that the ambassadors would not betray, King Dinh Tien Hoang married off Princess Phat Kim to Ngo Nhat Khanh, a palatine of the Ngo family lineage who had just been surrendered unconditionally by King Dinh. As a prince consort of the Dinh dynasty, Ngo Nhat Khanh still held grudges and plotted to seek help from Champa against the Dinh dynasty.
Temple of Princess Phat Kim
One day, Ngo Nhat Khanh asked his father-in-law to take his wife to visit Ai Chau (now in Thanh Hoa province). When reaching Ai Chau, the princess did not see the boat stopping but continued going. Suspiciously, the princess asked her husband, Nhat Khanh made it clear that the purpose of the trip was to go to Champa to ask for help to bring troops out to capture Hoa Lu citadel, rob the throne of her father and will make the princess the Empress consort. Phat Kim was so angry that she shouted: You are a traitor, why didn't God kill you? Unable to seduce his wife, Nhat Khanh drew his sword to cut his wife's cheek, chased her back to Hoa Lu capital Hoa Lu, while he ordered his troops to sail in the direction of Champa straight ahead. Being painful and humiliating, the princess tried to commit suicide, but the maids promptly stopped, they took her back to Hoa Lu citadel.
Returning to the capital, the princess was always sad, blaming herself for being unlucky for loving the wicked and rebellious man.
One day, the capital of Hoa Lu excitedly opened the festival, King Dinh sent princess Phat Kim a splendid dress and a jade brooch. She put on makeup, dressed, suddenly looked in the mirror and saw the scar on her cheek, she hugged her face and sobbed. Being angry and ashamed, she climbed upstairs to look at Hoa Lu citadel one last time, then jumped into the Ngoc well in front of the floor to commit suicide.
Both the court and local people felt great anguish at the death of Princess Phat Kim touched. The King built a temple right at Vong Nguyet palace, where the princess lived.
The temple of Princess Phat Kim was built on an area of about 500 m2, including 3 architectures: temple, Ta vu is the hall for the civil mandarins, and Huu vu is the hall for the military mandarins.
In front of the temple grounds is a screen decorated with the word "Tho", and the letter "The middle emperors" (Translation: Floor of the king's daughter). Next is Ngoc well built in octagonal shape, surrounding stone embankment. Through the small courtyard is the location of the temple.
The place to worship Princess Phat Kim
The temple was built in the style of Dinh (J), including two buildings: Tien Bai and Hau Cung, the roof bank is decorated with the theme of “lưỡng long chầu nguyệt” (ít means that two dragons adoring the moon). The temple is decorated with a statue of the Princess in the altar, this is a small statue carved in a sitting position. On either side there are statues of two maids standing on a wooden pedestal, wearing red robes. All decorative motifs on the statue are in the artistic style of the Nguyen dynasty. The front has a tablet titled "Thuc Tuyet Cong chua than vi".
Every year, the traditional festival of Princess Phat Kim temple is also included in the program of Truong Yen traditional festival (from March 8-10 of the lunar calendar).