Diem village, also known as Viem Xa village, belongs to Hoa Long commune, Bac Ninh city. About 40km from Hanoi, this ancient village is like a piece of country soul separating itself from the modern competition of the city. Looking back to the village that has sobbed nostalgic hearts, we find our hearts filled with love for a land of thousand years of civilization.
Arriving at the village gate, following the small road lined with green trees, the cool and peaceful atmosphere of the old countryside makes our souls – people who are used to noise and dust suddenly feel very peaceful.
The ancient village gate opens up a nostalgic corner of the sky – Photo: Collectibles
Stopping at the Cung Temple, after offering incense and performing rituals, tourists from afar often spend time looking at the clear Ngoc well associated with the legend that has become extremely famous. It is said that, a long time ago, there were three magic fish living in a pearl well over 1000 years old.
The Jade Well in front of the Cung Temple is still handed down many legends – Photo: Le Bich
According to people in the village, those 3 god fish are the incarnations of two princesses of the Ly Dynasty: Thuy Tien and Ngoc Dung with a maid. Cung Temple is also the place to worship the two women who established the village and passed on the profession to the people. The god fish residing in the jade well has witnessed many ups and downs and changes in the village of Diem for generations.
Ngoc well rests a piece of village soul – Photo: Le Bich
The special thing is that no other species can live in Ngoc well other than 3 fish. The villagers had tried to release more fish, but after a while, the fish that were released appeared like they were about to die, and even the turtles had to crawl ashore and move to another pond. Then the great floods in 1945, 1957, 1971 made the water overflow the well surface, but the fish still did not leave. It is these strange, difficult to explain things that the existence of 3 magic fish in the well has a very sacred meaning.
Ngoc Well and this land have experienced many ups and downs – Photo: Le Bich
On the occasion of the 1000 Thang Long-Hanoi festival in 2010, the three old fish gods went to the fairy, the villagers considered this to be a very important thing. All the villagers gathered in large numbers to perform a solemn farewell ceremony for the 3 god fish. Later, the people of Diem village performed a ceremony and released 3 other carp into the jade well from Uncle Ho’s fish pond with the desire to maintain traditional and spiritual values as well as keep forever the image of the God Fish – Ngoc Well. into the hearts of many generations.
Well of Ngoc – Ca Than has been in the hearts of Diem villagers since childhood – Photo: naynay.vn
Unlike other wells, the jade well is almost a square, surrounded by a well wall and a staircase leading down to the well surface, including 11 brick steps, 4 stone steps and the last step is ironwood. At first glance, Ngoc well looks like an artificial lake, but it is actually a treasure of nature.
Well Ngoc has been attached to the lives of the people of Diem village from the past to the present – Photo: S Viet Nam
Located in high terrain next to Kim Son and Linh Son mountains, but Ngoc well has been given an abundant source of water that has never dried up for thousands of years, which is a rare thing. Moreover, the water here is very clean, sweet and extremely cool due to the well water flowing from the mountain, filtering through many layers of natural rock underground. Standing on the side of the lake, visitors will be surprised by the clear blue water color and see the honeycomb stones at the bottom of the well.
Laterite bricks covered with moss over the years – Photo: naynay.vn
If you want to go down to the well to get water, you have to leave your shoes on. Putting bare feet on the cool steps, beside the clear water, grabbing a glass of cool water will feel light and refreshing. Everyone who comes here once wants to taste the water from the well of Diem village to feel the purity and sweetness that is hard to find anywhere else.
The water is as clear as jade – Photo: Collectibles
Legend has it that this precious well water was the birthplace of a quan ho village with deep, sweet Northern folk songs that captivated people’s hearts. The boys and girls in the village who drink Ngoc well water will have a very beautiful voice, very typical of the Bac Ninh mandarin area. People in the village still use well water to make tea, cook rice and drink for generations, even though the village now has tap water. They say that only Ngoc well water can make sweet and delicious tea cups that keep the original tea color, delicious meals or cups of cool, pure water.
Diem village is famous as the cradle of Bac Ninh quan ho folk song – Photo: vanhoattdlbacninh.gov
From ancient times to the present, despite being used so much, even during the drought season, people have never seen the well water dry up. The water is still blue, fresh, and peaceful lying in the old laterite bricks covered with moss over the years like a jade.
Bac Ninh girls with sweet, deep voices captivate people – Photo: Collectibles
Many tourists from far away, hearing the name Gieng Ngoc, went all the way to Diem village to visit the Cung Temple and ask for water to drink with the desire to be healthy, mentally sharp and lucid. Belief keeps growing day by day in each person, each generation, although it has never been verified, Gieng Ngoc in Diem village has always been a sacred and mysterious place.
There is still clear, pure water for thousands of years – Photo: Le Bich
The Jade Well is located in front of the Cung Temple, idyllic and rustic over the years, neither outstanding nor inlaid with pearls and ivory, but the crystal clear water like jewels contains the quintessence of heaven and earth. Walking around Diem village on a sunny day, my heart suddenly wakes up with very gentle peace, and then we see in this village a village soul from the North as if it had never been buried by time.
Source: Collected internet.