DONG NAI RIVER – BIEN HOA TOURIST’S ROUTE

1. Cu Lao quarter:

Flowing from Tri An waterfall to the East Sea, Dong Nai River leaves plenty of big or small sized isles, especially; in Bien Hoa it suddenly is splitted into branches locking a trip of land. It is Cu Lao quarter, also called Nong Nai Dai Pho located in Hiep Hoa commune, Bien Hoa city covering 6.93 square kilometers.

History book reads: In 1679, division commander Tran Thuong Xuyen accompanied by a group of people sought permission of settling in Vietnam and was accepted to break fresh ground in Dong quarter (Cu Lao today) by Nguyen Dynasty King. As soon as he came, Tran Thuong Xuyen had worked with locals to make Cu Lao quarter a big commercial port. Roads were expended; streets were built up; market was established; commodities got diverse; foreign cargoes and ships came and traded in. During its development history , a great deal of profession has been developed in Cu Lao quarter such as mat knitting, mulberry growing-silkworm raising, pottery, bronze casting, carpenter, firecracker making and molasses cooking and so forth.

However, the fight breaking out in 1776, battled by Tay Son and Nguyen Anh ruined all of its architectural structures and landscapes, which are only certain vestiges left today. The golden age of Cu Lao Quarter had gone away but it had finished its historical mission as the busiest southern commercial port.

Right after the liberation, Cu Lao quarter settlers reclaimed it to be a big granary in Bien Hoa city. There are currently five pagodas, three Buddhist temples, eleven communal houses and three shrines located in Cu Lao quarter. It can be said that there a complex of types of belief creating a mixed structure.

2.Dai Giac pagoda:

Dai Giac pagoda located in Hiem Hoa commune (Cu Lao quarter) is one of the three most ancient pagoda in Bien Hoa, which is recognized as the National Historical Relic. The two others are Long Thien pagoda (Nhon Trach) and Buu Long pagoda (Buu Long center for culture and tourism). The pagoda is designed as T-shaped architecture covers the total area of 1000 square kilometer including three main parts namely main palace, lecture hall and lounge.

Dai Gia pagoda was built since about earlier seventeenth century by Bonze Thanh Dang, one of the disciples of Initiator Nguyen Thieu (Lam Te branch) (rooted from Quang Dong, China)

In 1779 the third princess Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh of King Gia Long on fleeing way from Tay Son force once stayed at the pagoda. Afterward when coming to the throne, Nguyen Anh gratefully passed royal proclamation to upgrade the pagoda and donated a wooden Mytreya statue 2.56 meters high. Therefore people usually call it the big Buddhist pagoda. Under the rule of King Minh Mang the pagoda continued to be maintained. Princess Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh donated one large horizontal lacquered board engraved with three words “Dai Tu Giac” hang in front of the main palace.

In 1952, impacted by flooding aftermath, the pagoda was greatly degraded then it was restored. Unfortunately the original structure had been changed partially, bricked walls and concrete pillars instead of timber wattles and wood pillars.

3. Nguyen Huu Canh temple:

Nguyen Huu Canh temple also lies on Hiep Hoa commune (Cu Lao quarter).

In 1968, King Nguyen Phuc Cu ordered Nguyen Huu Canh to conquer Dong Nai land. He renamed it as Gia Dinh office and built Tran Bien palace. He divided the office into Phuoc Long and Gia Dinh districts, set up wards, hamlets, communes and human and land divisions and enlisted Ngu Quang migrants to Dong Nai.

The temple faces Dong Nai river in southwest direction with a large yard. At the front, a couple of green enameled pottery dragons sitting sided by a couple of unicorns. Row of front pillars was covered with dragon rolling on cloud with a pair of pots negative engraved on the walls.

In 1998, Party committee and People of Dong Nai province built stele house to list 300 years of Bien Hoa-Dong Nai land in the Nguyen Huu Canh temple campus. On May 16 and January 1 every year the locals often offer sacrifices, wishing peace and prosperity to people and commemorating merit of predecessors who broke fresh ground and founded administrative mechanism in the South.

Nguyen Huu Canh temple is recognized as Cultural Historical Relic by State.

4. Ong Pagoda historical relic:

Ong pagoda located in Hiep Hoa commune (Cu Lao quarter), Bien Hoa city, only 100 meters way from Nguyen Huu Canh Temple.

Ong pagoda is designed as “Khau” word architecture. Outside unique works with pottery statues by Cay Mai potters (Cho Lon) in theme of Vietnamese opera, imperial singing and dance, Sun and Mom statues and so on stay. In addition, stone artifacts by Buu Long stonemasons create typical features of Minh Huong architecture in Bien Hoa land.

As a belief establishment, Ong pagoda with its unique architecture attracts a lot of visitors coming to take sightseeing, do research, worship and try their luck.

5. Tan Trieu grapefruit village tourist area:

It is place-name closely attached to Bien Hoa grapefruit specialty located in Tan Binh commune, Vinh Cuu district. There is a wide range of grapefruits such as sugary, sour, range and guava ones, and so forth. Tan Trieu soil is rich alluvium with a plenty water source enabling grapefruit tree to fast grow and produce tiptop quality of grapefruits. Tan Trieu grapefruit is not just the local area but also well-known nationwide and overseas. In harvest season, the branches are laden of fruits throwing themselves on the ground, available for visitors to pick out and enjoy.

6. Buu Long Center for culture and tourism:

About 6 kilometers from Bien Hoa city center, Buu Long tourist area and Long An lake is just like a zoomed-out painting on Ha Long Bay: high cliffs standing on clear water surface create charming landscape which is in harmony with art architectures marked by religion through ages.

Coming to Buu Long, visitors can go sightseeing by boat or swan pédallo, join mountain climbing, make camp under tree shadow and enjoy specialties..

Besides the lake there are two low mountains where the well-known Buu Long pagoda appears behind a big snowball; where there are Thien Mau shrine and Long So Thac Dong cave like a frog’s jaw covered by mysterious stalactites. When finishing the sightseeing, visitors can stop by Tan Trieu grapefruit village and visit traditional professional village of rock sculpture rooted from seventeenth century sculpture at the mountain bottom.

Buu Long center for culture and tourism and Buu Long pagoda are listed as National Relics.

Buu Long along with Long An Lake attracts tourists who wish to enjoy a relaxing day in nature.

7. Tran Bien Literature Temple:

In 1715, King Nguyen Phuc Chu ordered leader Nguyen Phan Long and Ky Lu Pham Khanh Duc to choose Tan Lai hamlet, Phuoc Vinh district (Buu Long ward, Bien Hoa today) in order to build up Tran Bien Literature Temple as a Cultural educational center for this region.

Tran Bien is the first Literature Temple built in South Vietnam. According to geomancy method, the place to build Literature Temple is good one. Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi book reads: “in the south, it looks out Phuoc Giang River, in the north it leans on Long Son Mountain, the most beautiful scenery in Tran Bien.” The temple was restored twice in 1794 and 1852.

In spring and fall every year, it was King Nguyen who came to the temple to celebrate a ceremony. In 1803 King Nguyen assigned military governor of Gia Dinh town and military governor of Bien Hoa and provincial educational officer to celebrate a ceremony on be half of the King every year.

In 1861, Tran Bien Literature Temple has been damaged by French Colonists when they attacked Bien Hoa province.

In 2002, Tran Bien Literature Temple was rebuilt on the base of ancient Literature Temple in Buu Long ward, Bien Hoa city some 3 kilometers from central Bien Hoa, nearby Buu Long center for culture and tourism. Literature Temple today is the place to worship cultural celebrity of Vietnam and South Vietnam, and to preserve and enter names of teams and individuals who have obtained considerable achievements, where National festival and cultural activities.

8. Gentleman Vo Ha Thanh’s multistoried house:

Passing the entrance of Buu Long tourist area (Street 24), visitors will meet Gentleman Vo Ha Thanh’s multistoried house- a well-known building in French architectural style built more than three quarters of century ago.

Vo Ha Thanh was born in 1876 in a poor family from Quang Ngai and the accompanied his father to Bien Hoa when he was a little boy. When alive he did a lot of job to earn living such as hired labor, rock exploitation, building worker, setting rubber plantation and so on and he step by step got rich and eventually became a boss of a large rubber plantation in Bien Hoa province and was elected as governor and rewarded the fifth ranking Great Bear medal.

The house was built in 1922 and completed in 1924 with structure resembling Bien Hoa building and the largest private house in Bien Hoa those days with all material imported and shipped from France.

In 1947 Vo Ha Thanh died, his descendants established royal tombs in artistic rocks, located on the way to Tran Bien Literature Temple.

Visiting Vo Ha Thanh’s house, visitors should take a walk to the tombs to further understand how a person descended from poor working class, living a vagabond life built up his bright achievements.

9. Tan Van-Hoa An pottery village:

Along National Road no. 1, from Ho Chi Minh city to Dong Nai bridge, turning left about one kilometer, visitors can access Tan Van-Hoa An pottery village.

First pottery-kiln was built in 1878. and then pot and jar making was formed to meet the demand of inhabitants in low section of Mekong Delta and of some fish source producing areas such as Ninh Thuan, Phu Quoc.

Certain Bien Hoa’s fine art pottery products used to be chosen to display in many countries and was rewarded with medals and certificates of merit by France, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Réunion. Bien Hoa was also fatherland of modern fine art pottery (since 1963) with its father was former professor Le Ba Dang from Fine art practice school of Bien Hoa.

Today, there are approximately 100 pottery workshops of all scales ranging from Tan Van, Bu Hoa wards to Hoa An commune. Bien Hoa Fine Art Pottery within three quarters has travelled to be Binh Duong pottery, Hoc Chi minh city pottery and Vinh Long pottery and many other places to bring grace to life.

10. Nguyen Tri Phuong temple:

Nguyen Tri Phuong was an ingenious brave general in late nineteenth century and had great contribution to setting plantations and breaking fresh ground in South Vietnam. After his death, Bien Hoa inhabitants built up his temple at My Khanh village, Tran Bien palace (Buu Hoa ward, Bien Hoa today) to show their admiration and mourning over the hero. The temple has been recognized as National Relic since 1992 by Ministry of Culture and Information.

On annual festivals, the locals gather at the temple to thurify for blessing. In mid-October every year, Ky Yen ceremony is held lasting three days with wide range of traditional rites. The ceremony often attracts a number of participants who come from various regions.

11. Hung Vuong Temple:

Hung Vuong temple in Bing da is a place to worship national lord Hung Vuong. The temple located by National Road no.15, quarter no. 3 in Binh Da ward Bien Hoa city. It was built in 1968 and finished in 1971, the co-work of 14 presbyters in Hoa Hiep commune mobilized form the locals. The temple is also used to worship President Ho Chi Minh and the presbyters who have contributed to founding it.

The main ceremony on the anniversary of Hung Vuong’s Death is celebrated on October 3 of lunar calendar ever year. In addition, the offerings are made of Uncle Ho’s Birthday (May 19). The ceremony is regarded as asking Uncle Ho to worship ancestors. Afterward, the official ceremony will be carried out.

12. Tan Hiep Jail:

From central Bien Hoa, along National Road no.1 about 3 kilometers to Northern direction, visitors will meet Tan Hiep Jail. The jail is located in Tan Tien ward, Bien Hoa city, Bien Hoa center for correction.

Here on Sunday December 2, 1956, when the gong was banged signaling the guards to shift, all imprisoners, the communist take control of important points such as telephones, gun stores, control jail master and examiners and helped more than 400 soldiers to escape out, including those were afterward officials in Vietnamese Communist’s Party and State.

13. “Green House” Relic:

From central Bien Hoa along National Road No.15 to May Cua T-junction, turning left about 500 meters; visitors can meet Green House, former French colonist’s headquarter of Bien Hoa Subsection.

The House campus covering over one hectares was built in French building architecture: all floors seem to be alike, top roof covered with fish-scale bricks, surrounded by conscious guards. Here on July 7, 1959, a renowned battle happened nationwide and worldwide. A Vietnamese commando section comprising 5 soldiers made surprise attack to Green House, hurt two American advisers and some of the officers (in the US, the these two names are engraved on top list on New York monument wall).

The battle showed attack spirit and will of Bien Hoa military and people to reveal the US invasion plot and the lackey nature of nominal Saigon government.

The Green House was recognized as national relic by Ministry of Culture and Information.

14. Tan Lan communal house:

Tan Lan communal house lies on populated area on Nguyen Van Tri street, Hoa Binh ward, Bien Hoa city. The communal house was recognized as national architectural art relic by Ministry of Culture and Information. Legend has it that Tan Lan communal house first was a small shrine in Ken citadel built by villagers since Minh Mang rule in order to express their distant admiration to Tran Bien commander-in-chief, general of the army Tran Thuong Xuyen, who had great contribution to broke fresh ground and developed Dong Nai-Gia Dinh land. Today location resulted from the two transitions. Every year, on anniversary of Tran Thuong Xuyen’s death, the locals hold a great deal of traditional rites.

15. Binh Truoc meeting house:

Binh Truoc meeting house is located in central Bien Hoa, in opposite of Dong Nai provincial hospital in, Thanh Binh ward, built by French province chief called Bolen in 1936, is place to hold meeting and working place for Village Officials and local puppet administration. It is also the provincial revolutionary relic and the place where the Bien Hoa provincial Party committee was located after attaining the government in 1945.

16. Trinh Hoai Duc royal tomb:

Trinh Hoai Duc (1765-1825) is a National Cultural Celebrity, who rooted from different origins: Vietnam anh China but Tran Bien is his homeland since his coming to the world.

Trinh Hoai Duc royal tomb is situated in intersection of National Road no.1 and Nguyen Van Troi district in Trung Dung ward Bien Hoa city. His tomb is built next to his wife’s, surrounded with the stone wall. In front of the tomb, there is a small altar which was engraved in details. Tombstone is decorated with charming patterns, color in harmony with surroundings. There is a concrete relief in dragon-hold-cloud shape.

Every year, on grave visiting festival, people from different places come to pay homage   to commemorate his righteousness and generosity and contributions.

17. Doan Van Cu temple:

The temple lying on Tam Hiep ward, next to National road no.15, was built in 1956 covering an area of some 3000 square kilometers.  The temple is the place to worship Doan Van Cu, leader of the secret society of Thien Dia Hoi in Bien Hoa and 16 insurgent troops died in the French attract to Bung Kieu in 1905.

The temple is constructed from the main houses: Vo Ca house, 304 square meters, situated opposite to main temple hold a wooden stage inside. Here is a place Vietnamese opera singing, arts performance on occasion of temple celebrations. Every year on lunar calendar April 8, locals solemnly celebrate anniversary to commemorate Doan Van Cu’s strong impetus and 16 soldiers’ sacrifice.

Ministry of Culture and Information recognized it as National Relic in 2002.