Where is Cho Cui Temple and who is worshipped there?
Cho Cui Temple is located in Nghi Xuan commune, Ha Tinh province (before July 2025 it was Xuan Hong commune, Nghi Xuan district), on the lower reaches of the Lam River12. The temple is known as a spiritual and cultural site over 500 years old, with the folk name Den Cui or Thanh Mau Linh Tu12. It worships the "Three Holy Seats, Eternal Mother Model," belonging to the Vietnamese Mother Goddess religion3. The altars at the temple are arranged according to the Mother Goddess system: the altar of the Heavenly Mother, the Mountain Mother, the Water Mother, followed by the system of the Five Great Mandarins and the ranks of the Princes from First to Tenth3.
The temple was recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic in 19933.
Kind of knowledge: DocumentedHistorical record. Backed by a document, a date and a source; the note number beside it points to that source. The five labelsThe book Nghi Xuan dia chi by scholar Le Van Dien in 1842 calls it "Lieu Hanh Temple," a large Mother Goddess temple at the foot of Tam Ky mountain3. Ancient couplets still kept at the temple gate praise the grace of the Holy Mother3.
Who is Ong Hoang Muoi and how many theories exist about his identity?
Sources record several different theories about the identity of Ong Hoang Muoi, and no single theory is established as the only one. Below are the theories that sources mention:
- Kind of knowledge: SchoolSchool's interpretation. How one school or one book reads it; other schools may read it differently. The five labelsFirst theory: Ong Hoang Muoi was a general named Hoang Muoi, who fought against the Ming invaders from the north, protecting the borders and passes of the country under the Le dynasty12. He was honored as "Saint of Nghe An," a national protector who died in storms and manifested to protect the people2.
- Second theory: Folk belief holds that he is the incarnation of General Le Khoi, who guarded Hoan Chau, suppressed rebels, and helped people reclaim land and expand trade3.
- Third theory: Some other legends tell of his tragic death in the Ngu Ma area when a timber raft met a storm at the foot of Hong Linh mountain range; his tomb was built there, people established a temple, and over time he was honored as a benevolent spirit helping the people3.
Kind of knowledge: UnprovenNot enough evidence. Someone has claimed it, but no source or study is strong enough to confirm it. The five labelsAll the above theories are legends and folk interpretations; no source establishes any one as a proven historical event.
What does the Cho Cui Temple Festival include?
The Cho Cui Temple Festival is held with traditional rituals such as offerings, palanquin processions, and incense offerings12. In 2024, for the first time, Nghi Xuan district organized the Cho Cui Temple Festival and the Death Anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi with a series of activities including: a seminar on "Preserving and Promoting the Values of the National Relic Cho Cui Temple"; practice of Mother Goddess worship; a volleyball tournament in Xuan Hong commune; an art program "Sacred Cho Cui Temple"; and the death anniversary, palanquin procession, and incense offering2. In 2025, the festival is organized by the People's Committee of Nghi Xuan commune from the 3rd to the 10th of the 10th lunar month; this is the second year the festival is held at scale with a series of cultural and sports activities1.
Kind of knowledge: SchoolSchool's interpretation. How one school or one book reads it; other schools may read it differently. The five labelsThe festival also includes volleyball, tug of war, art programs, Van singing, Vi Giam singing, and club activities for Chau Van singing and school singing3.
Two major ceremonies each year at Cho Cui Temple
| Lunar date | Ceremony | Main content |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd day of 3rd month | Holy Mother's death anniversary | Traditional death anniversary of the Holy Mother3 |
| 10th day of 10th month | Ong Hoang Muoi's death anniversary | Festival and death anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi, attracting pilgrims from everywhere123 |
When does the death anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi take place and who organizes it?
By custom, on the 10th day of the 10th lunar month each year, the Party committee, government, and people of the former Nghi Xuan district (now Nghi Xuan commune) organize the festival and the Death Anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi at Cho Cui Temple12. In 2024, the People's Committee of Nghi Xuan district held the Death Anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi on the morning of November 10, which is the 10th day of the 10th lunar month2. In 2025, the People's Committee of Nghi Xuan commune held the Cho Cui Temple Festival and the Death Anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi on the morning of November 291.
Kind of knowledge: DocumentedHistorical record. Backed by a document, a date and a source; the note number beside it points to that source. The five labelsThe death anniversary aims to propagate and educate patriotic and hometown traditions and national pride for generations, while promoting the culture and image of the homeland to domestic and international visitors12.
The ancient trading port of Cho Cui and the temple's position
Cho Cui Temple is tied to the land by the Lam River, where the ancient trading port of Cho Cui was located3. The temple was built during the Later Le dynasty, on land with mountains at its back and a river curving in front3. The architecture leans against Thap mountain and faces the Lam River3.
Kind of knowledge: DocumentedHistorical record. Backed by a document, a date and a source; the note number beside it points to that source. The five labelsAncient historical sources such as the Ha Tinh stele record that the temple has existed for a long time, and from the Minh Menh reign onward, steles were erected to record renovations3. The stele describes the temple once being desolate and ruined, and only thanks to the merit of people from everywhere were the three sanctuaries and worship objects restored with dignity3.
The temple is near National Highway 1A and leans against a mountain facing a river, making it a familiar stop for generations, from traders and fishermen to distant travelers3. The temple is both a sacred place and a layer of cultural memory present in the lives of residents in the lower Lam Giang area3.
Practice of Mother Goddess worship at Cho Cui Temple
Cho Cui Temple is a shrine of the "Three Holy Seats, Eternal Mother Model," belonging to the Mother Goddess religion, a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity inscribed by UNESCO3. In documents such as Nghi Xuan di tich va danh thang, the altars at the temple are arranged according to the standard system of the Mother Goddess religion3.
Kind of knowledge: SchoolSchool's interpretation. How one school or one book reads it; other schools may read it differently. The five labelsIn 2024, the festival included activities practicing Mother Goddess worship2.
How does Cho Cui Temple differ from Ong Hoang Muoi Temple in Nghe An?
Cho Cui Temple in Nghi Xuan commune, Ha Tinh province is a separate temple, different from Ong Hoang Muoi Temple in Nghe An. Both are tied to the worship of Ong Hoang Muoi, but they are two different relics in two different provinces.
Visitor numbers and current temple management
Kind of knowledge: DocumentedHistorical record. Backed by a document, a date and a source; the note number beside it points to that source. The five labelsEach year, Cho Cui Temple receives over 300,000 visitors coming to offer incense and sightsee3. Thanks to innovations in management and services in recent years, the National Historical and Cultural Relic Cho Cui Temple has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors, notably during the early spring and the death anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi1.
Mr. Nguyen Cong Duc, acting head of the management board of Cho Cui Temple, said that after taking over management, the Management Board of Public Services and Tourist Sites of Nghi Xuan has implemented many solutions to improve service quality and transparency of the relic's activities3. Infrastructure for pilgrims has been improved: 5 free electric cars transport visitors from the parking lot to the temple; a large parking lot, an operations house, and a 2 km road from National Highway 1A to the temple have been upgraded3. Management of donations has been tightened under a new process; all points in the temple have cameras, the counting room has 2 surveillance cameras, and the counting team includes accounting, treasury, administration, security, and internal affairs3. In 2024, donation revenue reached over 28 billion VND, and as of October 30, 2025, it had reached over 19.3 billion VND3.
Points to note when learning about the Cho Cui Temple Festival
When learning about the Cho Cui Temple Festival, it is necessary to distinguish clearly between layers of information: the rituals and festival days are ongoing cultural practices; the theories about Ong Hoang Muoi's identity are legends and folk interpretations, not proven historical events; and the numbers on visitors and donations are source data at the time of recording.
Available sources do not mention any intangible heritage title for the Cho Cui Temple Festival, only recording the temple as a National Historical and Cultural Relic in 19933. Therefore, this festival should not be called an intangible heritage.
References
1: Tam An, "Cho Cui Temple Festival and the Death Anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi in 2025," Nghi Xuan commune portal, accessed 2025. viTri: section on organization and visitor numbers. nguyenVan: "In 2025, the festival is organized by the People's Committee of Nghi Xuan commune from the 3rd to the 10th of the 10th lunar month."2: Tam An, "Nghi Xuan district organizes the Cho Cui Temple Festival and the Death Anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi in 2024," Ha Tinh newspaper, 2024. viTri: section on activities. nguyenVan: "In 2024, for the first time, Nghi Xuan district organized the Cho Cui Temple Festival and the Death Anniversary of Saint Hoang Muoi."3: Tam An, "Cho Cui Temple: History and Culture," Nghi Xuan cultural heritage documents, 2023. viTri: sections on architecture, management, and practices. nguyenVan: "The temple was recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic in 1993."
