Located on the side of National Highway 5, 15km north of Hai Duong city, in Cam Dien commune, Cam Giang district (Hai Duong), Mao Dien Temple of Literature is known as one of the few provincial temples of literature that still exist in Vietnam. Vietnam. The history of the Temple of Literature begins more than 500 years ago.
During the reign of King Le Thanh Tong, the court opened a number of more schools besides Quoc Tu Giam School in the capital to promote the development of Confucianism. In the East (including the whole of Hai Duong province, Hai Phong city, Dong Trieu district of Quang Ninh) , Mao Dien Temple of Literature was built both as a place to worship Confucian sages and as an exam school for the region.
From the mid-15th century until the last exam of the Nguyen Dynasty, this place became the poetry place of Hai Duong town. Especially during the Mac Dynasty (1527-1593), the university exam was held four times in Mao Dien.
Right from the time of construction , Mao Dien Temple of Literature has been a work with majestic and superficial cultural architecture. Going on Highway 5 in the direction of Hai Duong – Hanoi, from afar, we can see the massive Tam Quan of Mao Dien Temple of Literature in the middle of a vast rice field.
Through Tam Quan is an ancient rice tree more than 200 years old that is reflected in the cool blue lake, enhancing the solemn and quiet appearance of the Temple of Literature. According to the staff of the relic management board, it is said that this rice plant was planted in the 9th year of Canh Thinh (1801), the time of reconstruction of the temple of literature in Hai Duong town.
An ancient rice tree hundreds of years old in the Mao Dien Temple of Literature.
On the left and right in front of the main shrine row is a bronze bell tower weighing 1042 kg, mouth diameter 115cm, height 150cm, Dai drum floor has 150cm mouth, circumference of drum 565cm, length 188cm. The bell tower and the drum floor are designed in the traditional style of two floors and eight roofs made of ironwood, simple but very soft and flexible.
Source: Collected internet.