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"The Emperor of Co Trai, The Princess of Tra Phuong"
According to historical records, the ancient name of Tra Phuong village was Tra Huong, located in Nghi Duong district, Hai Duong region. In 1813, due to name taboo, the Nguyen Dynasty changed it to Tra Phuong.
The most significant mark of Tra Phuong village is closely connected to the Mac Dynasty (1527-1593). The folk rhyme "Co Trai Emperor, Tra Phuong Princess" has been passed down through generations, reflecting the deep pride of Tra Phuong people about Queen Mother Vu Thi Ngoc Toan - wife of King Mac Dang Dung. She was a talented and beautiful daughter of the village who left a brilliant mark in history.
Trà Phương Village, Kiến Hưng Commune (new), is home to a temple dedicated to Thái Hoàng Thái Hậu Vũ Thị Ngọc Toàn, the wife of King Mạc Đăng Dung.
History and legend tell that in the mid-16th century, in Tra Phuong village, there was a young woman named Vu Thi Ngoc Toan who was famous throughout the region for her extraordinary beauty. She later became the main wife of Mac Thai To Mac Dang Dung. Queen Mother Vu Thi Ngoc Toan was renowned not only for her beauty but also for her virtues.
Queen Mother Vu Thi Ngoc Toan made great contributions to the villagers, buying rice fields for the poor, renovating temples, creating statues, and casting bells to promote Buddhism. When she passed away, the villagers honored her as the village's Guardian Deity.
The statue of Thái Hoàng Thái Hậu Vũ Thị Ngọc Toàn is worshipped at Trà Phương Village's temple.
Poems describing her beauty have been passed down through generations.
"Such heavenly beauty and grace divine
Oh! The Tra Phuong maiden so refined
With phoenix eyes and graceful brows
Pink lips blooming like spring allows
Teeth like pearls, pure and bright
Silken hair and skin of moonlight."
Inheriting this legendary beauty, the girls of Tra village today combine natural beauty with simplicity, carrying an elegant charm that captivates all who meet them.
Mr. Ngô Duy Chiểu's family, including his two beautiful daughters who are teachers in the local area.
During a visit to Tra Phuong village just before Lunar New Year 2025, VTC News reporters had the opportunity to meet and talk with Mr. Ngo Duy Chieu (born 1948), former Deputy Head of Propaganda for Kien Thuy district, to learn about the beauty that has graced generations of Tra village girls.
In Mr. Chieu's memory, the village girls were stunningly beautiful, with "phoenix eyes and delicate brows," skin as white as peeled eggs, red lips, long flowing hair, and graceful demeanor. Many wealthy men and village chiefs came to the village seeking these beautiful maidens for marriage.
Beauty queen Ngô Mai Phương - a pride of Trà Phương's homeland. (Photo: Facebook)
Mr. Chieu proudly recounts the "heavenly beauty" of the Tra village girls from the past, particularly highlighting three sisters: Mrs. Ngo Thi Dinh, Mrs. Ngo Thi Coi, and Mrs. Ngo Thi Rong, whose beauty was legendary in the early 20th century and is still celebrated by villagers today. These women were not only physically beautiful but also possessed admirable qualities like diligence, resourcefulness, and resilience.
Even today, the beauty of Tra village girls remains well-known far and wide. In the 2016 Student Beauty Pageant, Ngo Mai Phuong, a young woman from Tra Phuong village, won First Runner-up and Miss Friendly titles, bringing pride to her hometown.
The well has been restored and preserved at the foot of Trà Mountain.
Unveiling the Mystery of the "Princess Village"
According to historical records, Tra Phuong village dates back to the Hung Vuong era, belonging to the Duong region. The village is blessed with natural beauty, featuring winding rivers and mountains, and flat, picturesque rice fields in a scenic landscape. The Da Do River flows along the Northeast, while in the Southwest lies a long lagoon stretching from Thien Cam to Ky Son, known as the Princess's Belt.
Mount Tra stands like a natural screen guarding the eastern side of the village. At its peak lies the Fairy Chess Board, while at its foot rests the Linh Quy Temple, dedicated to the Golden Turtle God. Inside the mountain, there's a cave shrine honoring Lady Chua Thao. At the Linh Quy Temple site, there's a natural rock formation that remarkably resembles a large turtle, which locals believe holds special spiritual powers.
Villagers regularly visit to burn incense and pray.
Notably, Tra Phuong village features two ancient wells at the foot of Mount Tra, dating back to the 15th century. The water remains crystal clear and cool throughout the year, tasting even sweeter than rainwater. During summer, people from the entire district would come to collect water. For generations, villagers have relied on these wells for their drinking water. There's a local belief that the beautiful appearance of Tra village girls comes from drinking water that flows from deep within Mount Tra. This belief inspired the folk song "Tra Phuong's wells, both clear and cool..."
Daughters of Trà Phương Village are not only beautiful but also well-mannered, hardworking, and resilient. (Photo credit: Làng Văn hóa Trà Phương)
The villagers still pass down legends about the mirror, comb, and traditional Vietnamese breast cloth that the Princess, who later became Queen Mother Vu Thi Ngoc Toan, left for her descendants.
In the middle of a vast green field near the mountain's base lies a circular paddy field known as Heaven's Mirror. Whether in winter or during the hot summer, this field maintains its crystal-clear water supply from underground mountain streams year-round, sparkling like a mirror's surface. Above it, several rice fields resemble a comb, traditionally called Heaven's Comb, which locals believe contributes to the exceptional beauty of Tra Phuong women.
As time passed and things changed, only one of the two ancient wells remains today, with many historical traces gradually fading away. However, the story of these uniquely shaped fields - the mirror, the comb, and the clear water wells - continues to be told as an explanation for why the women of Tra village are known for their outstanding beauty.
Explaining the beauty of Tra village women, historian Ngo Dang Loi, former Chairman of the Hai Phong Historical Association, suggests it might be due to the village's special feng shui location and its historical connection to Queen Mother Vu Thi Ngoc Toan.
Looking down from Mount Tra, the rice fields naturally form shapes resembling a comb, a mirror, and a betel nut cutter - items that were inseparable companions of women in the past. At the foot of the mountain, there's a sacred Turtle God shrine and an ancient well with heaven-blessed cool water. These "sacred geographical" elements have contributed to shaping the beauty of Tra village women.
In the past, Tra Phuong, near the district's entrance lagoon, regularly held boat racing festivals. On moonlit nights, young men and women would gather to sing traditional love songs, a special feature of Kien Thuy region. Although modern development has touched Tra Phuong today, it still preserves its ancient traces, serving as evidence of a proud historical period of this "princess village" famous in all directions.
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Source: vtcnews.vn / 01-Feb-2025 / https://vtcnews.vn/giai-ma-bi-an-lang-cong-chua-noi-danh-dat-cang-ar921153.html
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