The Tomb and Temple of Nguyen Xi is a historically and architecturally significant heritage site in Nghe An Province, associated with the life and career of Grand Tutor and Duke Cuong Quoc Nguyen Xi, one of the prominent founding meritorious officials of the Early Le Dynasty. The site is currently located in Dong Loc Commune, Nghe An Province, in the ancestral homeland of the Nguyen Dinh family.
Nguyen Xi was born in 1397, the Year of the Ox, in Thuong Xa, Chan Phuc District, Hoan Chau, into a family engaged in the salt trade. Numerous historical sources, including Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu, Lam Son Thuc Luc, Kham Dinh Viet Su Thong Giam Cuong Muc, Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, Lich Trieu Hien Chuong Loai Chi and Nghe An Ky, together with stone inscriptions, royal decrees and the genealogical records of the Nguyen Dinh family, document his significant contributions to the history of Vietnam and his native Nghe An.
Nguyen Xi and His Career under the Early Le Dynasty
From the earliest days of the Lam Son uprising, Nguyen Xi and his elder brother Nguyen Bien joined the rebel forces. Demonstrating military talent and agility, Nguyen Xi soon gained the trust of Le Loi and became one of the commanders who made major contributions to the resistance against the Ming forces.
Throughout the ten-year uprising, Nguyen Xi participated in many important battles, including Bo Dang, Tra Lan, Nghe An Citadel, Dien Chau Citadel, Tot Dong, Chuc Dong, Dong Quan and Xuong Giang. These victories contributed to the success of the Lam Son uprising, ending Ming rule and opening a new period of development for Dai Viet.
In 1428, Le Loi ascended the throne, and Nguyen Xi was recognized as one of the founding meritorious officials. He was granted the royal surname and appointed to several important positions. In 1429, when the court ordered the engraving of stone steles honoring meritorious officials, Nguyen Xi was ranked fifth and granted the title of District Marquis.
He continued to serve under four Le emperors: Le Thai To, Le Thai Tong, Le Nhan Tong and Le Thanh Tong. In 1445, he became a Court Commander, and in 1448 he was promoted to Thieu Bao, overseeing military and civil affairs. In 1460, under the reign of Le Thanh Tong, he was further honored with the titles of Khai Phu Nghi Dong Tam Ty, Imperial Inspector and Grand Guardian, overseeing important military and state affairs, and was granted the title of A Commandery Marquis.
In addition to his military and political contributions, Nguyen Xi also played an important role in reclaiming land, organizing settlements and developing the economy in Nghe An. The court granted him more than 5,000 mau of stipend land distributed across various areas from Hai Duong to Nghe An and Ha Tinh. In Nghe An, these lands helped facilitate agricultural reclamation, village formation and the stabilization of local communities.
Nguyen Xi paid particular attention to the Cua Lo – Cua Hoi area, where during the 15th century large areas remained saline, waterlogged and sparsely populated. In addition to the land granted by the court, he purchased hundreds of additional mau of land and entrusted them to his descendants and local people for reclamation. His sons continued to recruit settlers, reclaim land and establish villages in many coastal and riverside areas, contributing to the transformation of Cua Lo into an increasingly populated and prosperous region.
He also cared about the livelihoods of local communities by building roads and bridges and promoting trade. Son Market in Long Trao Village, now in the Khanh Hop area, was established during this period and later became one of the major markets in the Nghi Loc region.
The contributions of Nguyen Xi and the Nguyen Dinh family to land reclamation and settlement played an important role in the formation of many villages and communities in Nghe An during the 15th century. These efforts helped integrate an area once regarded as a frontier region of Dai Viet more deeply into the country’s economic and social life.
The Teachings of Nguyen Xi and the Tradition of the Nguyen Dinh Family
Nguyen Xi had 16 sons and 8 daughters. Many of his children became officials under the Later Le Dynasty. In subsequent generations, different branches of the Nguyen Dinh family continued to develop, producing many officials who held important positions and received titles under various dynasties.
One particularly important part of Nguyen Xi’s spiritual legacy is a set of teachings he left for his descendants. The text expresses principles concerning loyalty and righteousness, as well as responsibilities toward the country, the imperial court, the family and the wider community. These teachings were approved by Emperor Le Thanh Tong and became a valuable historical document, not only for the Nguyen Dinh family but also as a reflection of the moral values and social ideals of 15th-century Dai Viet.
Nguyen Xi died on the 30th day of the tenth lunar month in the sixth year of the Quang Thuan reign (1465), at the age of 69. The imperial court held an elaborate funeral, and on the 13th day of the twelfth lunar month of the same year, he was buried in his native homeland beside the tomb of his father.
Two years after Nguyen Xi’s death, Emperor Le Thanh Tong ordered the construction of a temple dedicated to him in his homeland. Throughout the Le, Tay Son and Nguyen dynasties, Nguyen Xi continued to receive posthumous honors and worship as a blessed protective deity. His worship was not limited to Nghe An but was also maintained in many other localities, including Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh and Hanoi.
The Tomb and Temple Complex
Nguyen Xi’s tomb is located in the Dong Lam area, in his ancestral homeland. The tomb stands amid agricultural fields, approximately 300 meters from the temple. The surrounding landscape includes mountains, rivers and place names associated with the history of land reclamation in the Cua Lo area, including Co Mountain, Kiem Mountain, Mao Mountain, Dai Mountain, Voi Mountain, Ngua Mountain, Lo Son, Cua Xa and Cua Lo.
The temple was built on a high and open mound facing south. A semicircular lake lies in front of the temple, contributing to the landscape while also creating a characteristic feng shui setting associated with traditional Vietnamese architecture.
The temple follows an “inner Cong, outer Quoc” layout, with its structures arranged symmetrically according to traditional spatial principles. The present buildings strongly reflect Nguyen Dynasty architectural characteristics, as the complex underwent several restorations following historical upheavals. According to materials from the Nghe An Monuments Management Board, part of the temple was destroyed during the Mac Dynasty and subsequently restored during later periods.
The temple complex formerly consisted of three main halls: the Upper Sanctuary, Middle Sanctuary and Lower Sanctuary, together with a three-gate entrance, bell tower, drum tower, left and right auxiliary buildings. Among these structures, the Middle Sanctuary is particularly notable for its multi-tiered roof architecture and rich decorative system.
The artistic value of Nguyen Xi Temple is also clearly expressed through its wood carving and architectural ornamentation. Decorative themes featuring sacred creatures include the Four Sacred Animals, two dragons facing the moon, dragons and fish playing in water, phoenixes holding books, dancing phoenixes, tiger masks, the Dragon Horse carrying the Hetu diagram, the Divine Tortoise carrying the Luoshu diagram, turtles carrying cranes, nghê, kylins, lions, elephants, horses, bats, fish and birds.
Floral and botanical motifs are equally diverse, including the Four Seasons, plum branches transformed into dragons, bamboo transformed into dragons, vines transformed into dragons, floral medallions, pomegranates, peaches, grapes, Buddha’s hand fruits, chrysanthemums, lotuses and bodhi leaves. Other decorative imagery depicts human figures and auspicious objects, including guards, the Eight Immortals, the Eight Treasures, musical instruments such as zithers and flutes, swords, fans, wine gourds, poetry bags and calligraphic seals.
These decorative elements are primarily expressed through wood carving and plasterwork, creating an artistic system that combines religious symbolism with reflections of Vietnamese thought, aesthetics and concepts of social order throughout history.
The Nguyen Xi Temple Festival
The Nguyen Xi Temple Festival is one of the important traditional cultural activities associated with the site. The main festival is usually held on the 30th day of the first lunar month and the first day of the second lunar month each year, attracting members of the Nguyen Dinh family, local residents and visitors who come to offer incense and commemorate the founding meritorious official of the Le Dynasty.
In addition to the main festival, several other ceremonies are held at the temple throughout the year, including the Tieu Trai Dan ceremony and the death anniversary of Duke Cuong Quoc Nguyen Xi.
The Tieu Trai Dan ceremony takes place on the 16th day of the sixth lunar month. Traditionally, Buddhist monks are invited to establish a vegetarian altar, chant sutras, perform Buddhist rituals, practice repentance and pray for the souls of those who sacrificed their lives for the people and the country. The ceremony reflects the interaction of Confucian, Buddhist and folk religious elements within the local cultural tradition.
The death anniversary of Nguyen Xi is held on the 29th and 30th days of the tenth lunar month. On the 29th, the Yet Cao ceremony is conducted according to traditional ritual practices. The 30th is the main commemorative ceremony, held solemnly with the participation of local representatives, elders, descendants of the Nguyen Dinh family, residents and visitors.
These ceremonies not only commemorate Nguyen Xi but also provide an opportunity for the community to recall history, pass on traditional values and preserve cultural practices transmitted across generations.
Historical and Architectural-Artistic Value
The Tomb and Temple of Nguyen Xi preserves the memory of a historical figure who played an important role in the Lam Son uprising and in the establishment of the Dai Viet state under the Early Le Dynasty. The site’s value is also reflected in its worship spaces, traditional architecture, wood-carving art, royal decrees, stone inscriptions and historical artifacts preserved at the temple.
The complex also reflects the history of the formation and development of Nghe An, particularly the process of land reclamation, village establishment, settlement organization and economic development in the Cua Lo – Cua Hoi area. The tradition of worshiping Nguyen Xi across generations demonstrates his enduring position in the cultural life and collective memory of the Nghe An region.
With its outstanding historical and architectural-artistic values, the Tomb and Temple of Nguyen Xi was recognized by the Prime Minister as a Special National Monument under Decision No. 2280/QD-TTg dated December 31, 2020. It was one of seven sites recognized as Special National Monuments in the 11th recognition round in 2020.
Today, the site continues to serve as a place of commemoration for Nguyen Xi and as a venue for traditional ceremonies of the local community and the Nguyen Dinh family. It also functions as a cultural destination that introduces the history, architecture and traditions of Nghe An.
