The temple is also called Dong Nhan Temple because it is located in the area of Dong Nhan village in Hai Ba Trung precinct. The temple was built in 1142 inder the reign of King Ly Anh Tong. It is dedicated to the two Vietnamese heroines Trung Trac and Trung Nhi. At the inner sanctum of the temple there are two statutes made of fine clay dedicating the two ladies Trung. Flanking on either side of the two statutes of Ladies Trung are statutes of 12 women generals who followed the two Ladies leading their army to defeat the foreign aggressors. In the 5th and 6th day of the second lunar month there is a grand festival organized at the site of the temple to commemorate the two national heroines.
The Hai Ba Trung Legend refers to the Trung sisters. They were Vietnamese warriors and they are still celebrated heroes. There are statues and shrines throughout Vietnam dedicated to them.
The Chinese first annexed Vietnam in 111B.C. They sent Chinese officials to govern the province in all the top positions. They did however allow the Vietnamese to keep their own system of feudal chiefs at lower levels. These acted as landlords much like the lords in many European countries.
The legend goes that in the year 39 A.D. the Chinese governor of Chiao Chi decided to frighten some of the Vietnamese landlords, by assassinating one of them. The man who was assassinated was the husband of Trung Trac. She was well educated, strong-minded and versed in the military arts. She called upon her sister, Trung Nhi, and together they organized an army with the help of the other lords around them. This was the first major revolt and is still one of the most celebrated in Vietnamese history.
This early revolt led to the expulsion of the Chinese from Vietnam. It secured the independence of Vietnam for the first time in a century and a half. The Trung sisters were made Queens. They established a new capital at Me-Linh in present day Vinh-Phu province. However, this victory was only to be short lived. In 43A.D. the Chinese would attack and retake Vietnam under General Ma-Vien. The Trung sisters, rather than be captured drowned themselves in the Hat-Giang River on the 60th day of the second lunar eclipse. Today the temple of Ha-Loi, located in a village of the same name, in Vinh-Phu province near the Red River, where the Trung sisters' capital, Me-Linh was located, stands as a tribute to them as well as being an inspiration to revolutionaries against foreign rule. In addition each year a festival is held in their honor on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This includes a pageant, with the participation of 150 boys and 150 girls.
