TL;DR: Chợ Củi Temple (folk name Đền Củi, also called Thánh Mẫu Linh Tu) in Nghi Xuân commune, Hà Tĩnh province, is a national historical and cultural relic recognized in 1993, worshipping the Three Holy Mothers and Ông Hoàng Mười within the Mother Goddess religion. The temple holds two major ceremonies: the death anniversary of the Holy Mother on the 3rd of the 3rd lunar month, and the death anniversary of Ông Hoàng Mười on the 10th of the 10th lunar month. In 2024 Nghi Xuân district organized it as a festival for the first time; in 2025 Nghi Xuân commune organizes it from the 3rd to the 10th of the 10th lunar month. Chợ Củi Temple in Hà Tĩnh is a separate temple, different from Ông Hoàng Mười Temple in Nghệ An.
Where is Chợ Củi Temple and who is worshipped there?
Chợ Củi Temple is located in Nghi Xuân commune, Hà Tĩnh province (before July 2025 it was Xuân Hồng commune, Nghi Xuân district), on the lower reaches of the Lam River[1][2]. The temple is known as a spiritual and cultural site more than 500 years old, popularly called Đền Củi or Thánh Mẫu Linh Tu[1][2]. The temple worships the "Three holy seats, eternal Motherhood", and belongs to the system of Mother Goddess worship of the Three Palaces of the Vietnamese people[3]. The altars at the temple are arranged according to the system of the Mother Goddess religion: the altar of Mother Thuong Thien, Mother Thượng Ngàn, Mother Thoai, followed by the system of the Five Great Mandarins and the ranks of the Hoang (Princes) from First to Tenth[3].
The temple was recognized as a National-level Historical and Cultural Relic in 1993[3].
The book Nghi Xuân dia chi by the graduate scholar Lê Văn Diễn in 1842 calls this "Liễu Hạnh Temple", a large temple worshipping the Mother Goddess at the foot of Tam Kỳ mountain[3]. Ancient couplets still preserved at the temple's ceremonial gate praise the grace and virtue of the Holy Mother[3].
Who is Ông Hoàng Mười and how many theories exist about his identity?
Sources record several different theories about the identity of Ông Hoàng Mười, and none of them has been established as the only one. Below are the theories that the sources state:
- First theory: Ông Hoàng Mười is the general Hoàng Mười, who rendered meritorious service in fighting the Ming invaders from the north, protecting the nation's borders and frontier passes during the Le dynasty[1][2]. He is honored as "Saint of Nghệ An", one who defended the country and sacrificed himself amid storms, and who works miracles to protect the people[2].
- Second theory: Folk belief holds that he is the incarnation of the famous general Lê Khôi, who rendered meritorious service in guarding Hoan Châu, suppressing invaders, and helping the people reclaim land and expand trade[3].
- Third theory: Some other legends tell of his tragic death in the Ngũ Mã area when a timber raft encountered a violent storm at the foot of the Hồng Lĩnh mountain range; his tomb was established right in this land, the people built a temple to worship him, and over time he came to be honored as a tutelary deity who works miracles to help the people[3].
The above theories are all legends and folk interpretations; no source has established any one of them as a proven historical event.
What does the Chợ Củi Temple Festival include?
The Chợ Củi Temple Festival is held with traditional rituals such as offering ceremonies, palanquin processions, and incense offerings[1][2]. In 2024, for the first time, Nghi Xuân district organized the Chợ Củi Temple Festival and the Death Anniversary of Duc Thanh Hoàng Mười with a series of activities including: a seminar on "Preserving and promoting the values of the national relic of Chợ Củi Temple"; the practice of Mother Goddess worship; a volleyball tournament in Xuân Hồng commune; the art program "The Sacredness of Chợ Củi Temple"; the death anniversary ceremony, palanquin procession, and incense offering[2]. In 2025, the festival was organized by the People's Committee of Nghi Xuân commune from the 3rd to the 10th day of the tenth lunar month; this was the second year the festival was held on a large scale with a series of cultural and sports activities[1].
The festive portion also includes volleyball, tug of war, art programs, Van singing, Ví Giặm singing, and activities of the Chau Van club and the school singing club[3].
Two major festival occasions each year at Chợ Củi Temple
| Lunar date | Festival | Main content |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd day of the third lunar month | Death anniversary of the Holy Mother | Traditional death anniversary ceremony for the Holy Mother[3] |
| 10th day of the tenth lunar month | Death anniversary of Ông Hoàng Mười | Festival and death anniversary of Duc Thanh Hoàng Mười, attracting pilgrims from everywhere[1][2][3] |
When does the death anniversary of Duc Thanh Hoàng Mười take place and who organizes it?
By custom, on the 10th day of the tenth lunar month every year, the Party Committee, government, and people of the former Nghi Xuân district (now Nghi Xuân commune) organize the festival and the Death Anniversary of Duc Thanh Hoàng Mười at Chợ Củi Temple[1][2]. In 2024, the People's Committee of Nghi Xuân district organized the Death Anniversary of Duc Thanh Hoàng Mười on the morning of November 10, that is, the 10th day of the tenth lunar month[2]. In 2025, the People's Committee of Nghi Xuân commune organized the Chợ Củi Temple Festival and the Death Anniversary of Duc Thanh Hoàng Mười on the morning of November 29[1].
The death anniversary ceremony aims to spread awareness and educate generations about the tradition of patriotism, love for the homeland, and national pride, while also promoting the culture and image of the homeland to domestic and international visitors[1][2].
The ancient trading port of Chợ Củi and the temple's standing
Chợ Củi Temple is closely tied to the land beside the Lam River, where the ancient trading port of Chợ Củi was located[3]. The temple was built during the Later Le dynasty, on land with mountains at its back and a river curving in front[3]. Its architecture leans against Thap mountain and faces the Lam River[3].
Ancient historical sources still recorded, such as the Hà Tĩnh epitaph, indicate that the temple has existed since ancient times, and only from the Minh Mệnh era onward was a stele erected to record the restoration and repair[3]. The epitaph describes the scene of the temple once being desolate and ruined, and only thanks to the merit of people from everywhere was the three-seat hall and the worship objects restored with solemnity[3].
The temple is near National Highway 1A and, leaning on the mountain and looking out at the river, has become a familiar stopping place for many generations, from merchants and fishermen to travelers from afar[3]. The temple is both a sacred place and a layer of cultural memory present in the life of the residents of the lower Lam Giang area[3].
The practice of Mother Goddess worship at Chợ Củi Temple
Chợ Củi Temple is a hall worshipping the "Three holy seats, eternal Motherhood", belonging to the system of Mother Goddess worship of the Three Palaces, an intangible cultural heritage representative of humanity inscribed by UNESCO[3]. In documents such as Nghi Xuân di tich va danh thang, the altars at the temple are arranged according to the standard system of the Mother Goddess religion[3].
In 2024, the festival included the practice of Mother Goddess worship[2].
How does Chợ Củi Temple differ from Ông Hoàng Mười Temple in Nghệ An?
Chợ Củi Temple in Nghi Xuân commune, Hà Tĩnh province is a separate temple, different from Ông Hoàng Mười Temple in Nghệ An. Both are associated with the worship of Ông Hoàng Mười, but they are two different relics in two different provinces.
Visitor numbers and current temple management
Every year, Chợ Củi Temple receives more than 300,000 visitors coming to offer incense and sightsee[3]. Thanks to innovation in management and services in recent years, the National-level Historical and Cultural Relic of Chợ Củi Temple has attracted hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, notably during the early spring of the new year and the occasion of the death anniversary of Duc Thanh Hoàng Mười[1].
Mr. Nguyễn Công Đức, acting Head of the board in charge of Chợ Củi Temple, said that after taking over management, the Management Board of Public Utility Services and Tourist Sites of Nghi Xuân deployed many solutions to improve service quality and make the relic's activities transparent[3]. Infrastructure serving pilgrims has been improved: 5 free electric cars carrying visitors from the parking lot to the temple; a spacious parking lot, an operations house, and a 2 km road from National Highway 1A to the temple have been upgraded[3]. The 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 an accountant, a treasurer, administrative staff, security, and internal affairs[3]. In 2024, donation revenue reached more than 28 billion dong, and as of October 30, 2025, it had reached more than 19.3 billion dong[3].
Points to keep in mind when learning about the Chợ Củi Temple Festival
When learning about the Chợ Củi Temple Festival, it is necessary to clearly distinguish between layers of information: the rituals and festival days are cultural practices currently taking place; the theories about the identity of Ông Hoàng Mười are legends and folk interpretations, not proven historical events; and the figures on visitor numbers and donations are data from the sources at the time of recording.
The available sources do not state any intangible heritage title for the Chợ Củi Temple Festival; they only record that the temple is a National-level Historical and Cultural Relic from 1993[3]. Therefore, this festival should not be called an intangible heritage.
