(HBO) – After years of implementation, a project to restore and upgrade the historical and cultural relic site of Thac Bo Temple has been completed, making it an attractive cultural, historical and spiritual tourism destination next to Hoa Binh Lake in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

The project covers about 4,500 square metreson Hang Than hill in Pho Bo hamlet, Vay Nua commune of Da Bac district. The beautiful natural landscapes are surrounded by forests with diverse biological systems and spectacular caves and limestone mountains.

Some items that have been accomplished include the main temple, two houses in the left and the right, the temple’s three-door gate, and auxiliary works. The site was constructed based on historical documents and legendary stories about the site, ensuring the religious, spiritual requirements as well as visitors’ demand for discovering the local history and culture.



The Stele of Le Loi in the Thac Bo Templein Vay Nua commune, Da Bac district, is attractive to visitors who wish to discover the culture and history.

Thac Bo (Bo Waterfall), which was formerly Van Bo waterfall, is formed by hundreds of rocks of different sizes, which look like a giant herd of elephants on the bawling Da River.

Poet, encyclopaedist Le Quy Don wrote in his book that: "The waterway of Da River, with tough waterfalls and rapids, comprises 83 renowned waterfalls, of which Van Bo is the most dangerous one”.

The legend has it that the Bo Temple worships Thac Bo Goddesses Dinh Thi Van, a Muong woman, and another unknown woman from the Dao ethnic minority group, who supplied Le Loi King with food and boats to overcome the Bo waterfall to reach Muong Le in Son La to fight Deo Cat Han rebels.

After they died, their souls often came back to help people pass the waterfall safely, blessing locals with good weather conditions. Therefore, local residents honoured them as the Goddesses and built the temple to worship them. King Le Loi also honoured their efforts and ordered the construction of the temple.

The building of the temple and the worshipping of the Thac Bo Goddesses showed the people’s wish for peaceful and happy lives, which also reflects their respect for the nature and the God, and the spiritual beauty of local residents.

The Le Loi Stele is also known as the Hao Trang ancient stele, which is made of a huge rock on the side of Thac Bo mountain in Hao Trang commune, former Da Bac district. The smoothed limestone rock is over 4m in height, forming a plain surface with a thickness of 1.5m and height of nearly 1m.

The poem carved in the Le Loi’s stele in Thac Bo is said to be made with his sword on his way back to the capital after he successfully fought the Deo Cat Han rebels.The poem’s major meaning is "I pass this place after fighting Deo Cat Han. I write a poem to show the younger generations tactics to combat the enemy”.

The poem not only affirmed the sovereignty of the nation at that time, but also educated those with rebelling plots and highlighted his military talent and wish for a peaceful nation.

The complex of Thac Bo temple and Le Loi Stele has beautiful landscapes, making it a peaceful spiritual, cultural, historical site for visitors both in and outside the province./.


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