Altar and statue of academic scholar Ha Chieu.

The book "Bac Giang dia chi” (Bac Giang Monography) by Trinh Nhu Tau (1937) mentions the names of Ha Chieu (Ha Van Chieu) and Duong An Quy in Nghia Phuong (now Luc Nam district) who won examination on Confucianism – “Thai hoc sinh” exam (a provincial second-degree examination in the feudal dynasty) under the reign of King Ly Anh Tong (1138-1175), and contributed to diplomatic relations of Dai Viet.

According to the "Bac Giang Monography": "Ha Chieu's parents were poor, earning their living by fetching firewood. But they often did charity work. Thanks to his intelligence and eagerness to learn, Ha Chieu won all three most important exams under the reign of King Ly Anh Tong and then undertook “Han lam hoc si” (a high-ranking academic scholar title)”.

"Duong An Quy, also Duong Ho, attended the “Thai hoc sinh” exam (provincial second-degree examination) and was awarded the “Cong cu” title (an academic title) and assumed the “Lenh doan” (district governor) position.

At present, Nghia Phuong still has relic sites worshipping the two scholars.

The Han Lam Temple is located in Tan Huong village, Nghia Phuong commune. The temple was said to be built in the Ly dynasty (the 11th-12th century), worshipping Ha Chieu. Legend has it that Ha Chieu's ancestors lived in Hai Duong, his father was Ha Cong Van and his mother was Pham Thi Chiem. Although they earned their living by fetching firewood, they often did good deeds and contributed to casting a bell at the pagoda. 

Acknowledging their heart, the Jade Emperor appointed “De luc trung tinh quan” in the South to reincarnate as their baby. On the 16th day of the seventh lunar month under the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong, Pham Thi Chiem delivered a son named Ha Van Chieu (Ha Chieu). Ha Chieu became more and more intelligent and eager to learn when he grew up. During the “Thai hoc sinh” exam, Ha Chieu won the “Tam giap” (Doctor) title and became a “Han lam hoc si” under the reign of King Ly Anh Tong. When Tan You Liang led troops to destroy Quang Uyen region, Ha Chieu was sent to the Song dynasty for negotiations, thus helping expel aggressors. Coming back home, Ha Chieu was promoted to “Thang Dich hau”.

Sometime later, King Ly Anh Tong sent Ha Chieu and Duong An Quy to the Song dynasty as the King’s envoys. Thanks to his fluent speaking skill, Ha Chieu was respected by the Song emperor. Unfortunately, he got sick and died on the Song land. The Song emperor was sad, ordering to make an iron coffin to repatriate his body to Dai Viet. King Ly Anh Tong asked mandarins to organize a funeral ceremony for him and promoted him to the position of “Thang Dich huong thien cu si dai vuong”.

Earlier, the Han Lam temple had two parallel sentences praising Ha Chieu’s great contributions. However, during the resistance war against French colonialists, the temple, including the two parallel sentences, was destroyed seriously. During 2004-2008, local people donated money to restore the temple on the existing land.

Ancestral tablet worshipping Ha Chieu at the Han Lam Temple.

The Gieng temple is now located in Quynh hamlet, Nghia Phuong commune, worshipping Vinh Dat Lord Duong An Quy. Legend has it that he attended the “Thai hoc sinh” exam organized in Thang Long, won the “Huong cong” (a high-ranking title) of the provincial first-degree exam and assumed the “Lenh doan” (district governor) position. Duong Anh Quy was also sent to the Song dynasty with Ha Chieu. He passed away in his hometown and was conferred to the title of “Hoang tan my hoa Vinh Dat Dai vuong” and worshipped at the Gieng temple.

Due to insufficient documentation of exams during the Ly and Tran dynasties, the list of people passing exams in nearly 400 years of the two dynasties was vacated. With the Han Lam and Gieng temples, stories and parallel sentences, we can affirm and be proud that Ha Chieu in Nghia Phuong was the first graduate of the court examination and Duong An Quy was the first graduate of the second-degree examination. The Han Lam and Gieng temples are typical relic sites of Bac Giang’s feudal examination.

Thu Huong