Photo: Ngoc Nhung

As the name of Quan Thanh De Pagoda, the main deity worshiped at Phuoc Minh Palace is Quan Cong, ie Quan Vu or Quan Van Truong - a general of literature and martial arts, famous for being loyal and filial to the meaning of Chinese history during the Three Kingdoms period. . After his death, the legend of sainthood and the worship of Quan Thanh Emperor became a popular belief as a traditional cultural value throughout China. Before the upheaval of the country, many generations of Chinese people migrated abroad to find a livelihood, including some coming to Tra Vinh, brought with them the belief of worshiping Quan Thanh Emperor while praying for his support. both to preserve the original cultural identity for generations of children and grandchildren born and raised in a foreign land.

 Along with Quan Thanh De at Phuoc Minh Cung, there are Phuoc Duc, the main god, the Lord of birth and refuge, and two subordinates of Quan Thanh Emperor, Quan Binh and Chau Xuong.

The righteous virtue in the concept of the Hoa Tra Vinh people is the identity of the Thong Cong, the God of Wealth and the Head of the Congregation. Bon, also known as Mr. Bon, is an official named Trinh Tu Hoa - who was sent by the Ming emperor to negotiate with the courts of Southeast Asian countries to create favorable conditions for overseas Chinese to do business and live.

Phuoc Sinh Niang, also known as Mother Thai Birth, in the Chinese concept, is the goddess who governs the birth and upbringing of children.

Phuoc Minh Palace is located at 44 Dien Bien Phu Street, Ward 3, Tra Vinh City. Ward 3 is a busy commercial center ward, with a large number of Chinese people residing, very convenient for cultural and spiritual activities not only in the locality but also the overseas Chinese community residing throughout the Southern provinces.

Photo: Ngoc Nhung

The temple campus is more than 800 m2 , the front door faces east to the front of Dien Bien Phu street, the back door turns to the west to Le Loi street. Like many other Chinese temples, Phuoc Minh Palace has an architecture in the style of " foreign internal and external"  (inside is the word "Cong", outside is the word "National"). The overall plan consists of three parallel electric, middle and main hall buildings; Along the two sides, there are two rows of houses Ta Dien and Huu Dien opposite each other, forming the shape of the word "Ku". Between the buildings, there is a quiet courtyard and a common corridor. All buildings are designed in layers and roofed with glazed tiles. The gable façade is decorated with traditional Chinese projects such as two dragon paintings, eight immortals, flowers, and animals.

From the main door entering through a narrow courtyard is the Temple of the Palace. The electric money has 16 ironwood pillars painted in vermilion color, of which there are 4 square columns on the round stone burial and 12 round columns on the square stone burial, symbolizing the harmony of yin and yang. The front hall is also the front of the temple, so it is very elaborately decorated. The door of the pagoda is made of precious wood with four wings and four frescoes depicting the images of four famous Chinese generals: Tan Thuc Bao, Uat Tri Cung, Tu Mau Cong and Wei Trung. Above is the big picture "PHUC MINH CUNG" in Chinese characters and reliefs showing traditional themes such as Song Tien, Taoyuan sisterhood, four people... Bao Lam is carved with a picture of two phoenix paintings, symbolizing vows. Yin and Yang harmonize, people and things grow and develop. The electric money is the place to worship the Jade Emperor in the middle court with the syllable Tien hien - Hau sage on both left and right sides.

Photo: Ngoc Nhung

The central hall is a small square building with four square columns on a round stone burial. This is where good men and women from all over the world gather to prepare sacrifices before entering the main hall.

The main hall is a building in proportion to the electricity bill with 16 round columns on a square stone burial. The main hall is divided into three compartments:

- The central pavilion places the altar to worship Quan Thanh De Quan under the great horizontal painting in Chinese characters "Chan Khon righteous air". There are three statues of Quan Van Truong in the middle with Quan Binh and Chau Xuong on either side with a rattan Xich Tho horse.

– The left compartment places the altar to worship the Lord of birth and refuge under the horizontal painting “Loading birth load” in Chinese characters.

– Gian must place the altar of worshiping the main god Phuc Duc under the horizontal painting “Ui Linh Uy Duc” in Chinese characters.

In front of the altars from the front hall to the main hall, there are arranged many worshiping objects such as drums, bells, book books, bowls of buu, hole sets, censers, incense burners, lampstands, etc., in which there are some antiques on hundred years old. The altars made of precious wood are meticulously and meticulously carved and painted.

The entire walls and pillars of the temple are painted mainly in lipstick color. The walls are decorated with frescoes, reliefs and wood carvings with themes bearing bold traditional cultural identities of the Chinese people such as eight fairy, long Van, two dragon paintings, and sister Dao Yuan. The system of horizontal paintings, Chinese characters expressing admiration for heaven and earth, the merit of raising children, promoting the spirit of loyalty, moderation, harmony... All works of art are arranged in a harmonious and strict manner from ideological themes, colors, layouts ... expressing the dream of generations of Chinese people in Tra Vinh land about a nature, people and things. constantly growing and developing.

Phuoc Minh Palace is really a "Museum of Traditional Fine Arts" of the Chinese community in Tra Vinh as well as in the South.

Phuoc Minh religious establishment is associated with the folklore festival of Nguyen Tieu Thang Hoi, which takes place on the night of the fourteenth and throughout the full moon day of the first lunar month every year. Originally, this was the custom of worshiping the Via Duc Quan Thanh Emperor on the fourth day of the first lunar month. Gradually, in order to be more convenient for local people as well as good men and women near and far, the festival was held on the occasion of Nguyen Tieu.

From the afternoon of the fourteenth lunar month, the Board of Directors of Phuoc Minh Palace decorated banners, pennants, red lanterns... from inside to outside the temple and along Dien Bien Phu street with drums, bells, and sounds. orchestra "floor" ... creating a festive atmosphere that is heartwarming. Tens of thousands of people in Tra Vinh city, districts and towns in the province and a large number of Chinese from all southern provinces and cities attended the event. They come with all sincerity to pray for favorable weather, good harvests, successful trade, happy families, and happy and prosperous society. Many folk games such as lion dance, dragon dance, lion dance with orchestras of Chinese guilds, traditional orchestras of Kinh and Khmer people alternately appear during the fourteenth night and the full moon day of the first lunar month. .

With the cultural values of architectural art, painting, sculpture, traditional music as well as the role of the temple in the spiritual and cultural life of the Chinese community, the role of strengthening the solidarity of the Ethnic groups living together in Tra Vinh, Phuoc Minh has been ranked as a national historical and cultural relic by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2005.

Today, Phuoc Minh is also a cultural and spiritual tourist destination with ethnic Chinese nuances and an important address in the chain of tourist addresses in Tra Vinh city.

Website: www.dulichtravinh.com.vn