According to the legendary genealogical record of Bui Tran clan in Quat Dong circumscription, Thuong Tin district, Le Cong Hanh was originally a son of the Mac clan. In 1546, Pham Tu Nghi, against court dignitaries will, supported the ascension of prince Mac Chinh Trung to the throne because prince Phuc Nguyen was too young to reign. And then, prince Mac Chinh Trung rose in rebellion. The offerings at Tu Thi communal house are all unique products of embroidery |
In 1646, at the age of 40, he was sent to China as ambassador. As a sensitive and clever person, he learned the sophisticated techniques of embroidery and parasol making, and then brought these trades to Vietnam. Being the Minister of Public Works and obtaining many achievements, he was given the permission to use the family name of the royal Le dynasty. He was called Le Cong Hanh from then on.
Le Cong Hanh died on the 12th day of the 6th lunar month of the year of the Buffalo Tan Suu (1661) at the age of 56. In memory of him, the people of 5 communes in Vu Du commune Thuong Tin district erected the temple and in the Thanh Thai era, they carved “Vu Du tien su bi ky” stele to record his biography. Every year, on the 12th day of the 6th month in the lunar calendar, palanquin procession to Ngu Xa temple and a ritual for offerings to the Patron Saint are held by the village embroiderers.
Among the flock of people who settled in Thang Long for business, Quat Dong village craftsmen established their business in Yen Thai Village.
The epitaph inside notes that the temple was built in the 3rd year of the Thanh Thai reign (1891), on a plot of land measuring 40m x 60m, with funding raised from 26 donors. Legend has it that the embroiderers in Yen Thai village sold their embroidery products on market day at the communal house, thus it’s called Tho Theu (embroiderer) communal house.
Over the past 100 years, the temple has retained its old beauty. Annually, on the 12th day of the 6th in the lunar calendar, Hanoi embroiderers come to Tu Thi communal house to celebrate the death anniversary of the Patron Saint. Ritual is also held as the Double Ninth festival (the 9th day of the 9th month in the lunar calendar) also known as Thuong Tan festival. Offerings include bananas, com (green sticky rice), red collared dove (cu ngoi), new rice. The all-volunteer team ranges from 9 to 12 members who are the elders of the embroidery guild. Tu Thi communal house offerings are special as they are hat, shoes, the patron saint’ clothes, parallel sentences, horizontal banner which are all made of embroidery.
The temple was recognized as a national relic in 2012.
