Architectural and Artistic Relic: Đa Phước Temple Đa Phước Commune - An Phú District

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         From Long Xuyên City, visitors can follow National Highway 91 to Châu Đốc City. From there, crossing Cồn Tiên Bridge and traveling about 700 meters will bring you to Đa Phước Temple. The temple is located in Đa Phước Commune, An Phú District, An Giang Province.

         The temple is situated at the end of an islet, amidst the vast Hậu River. The gentle, clear blue water reflects the clouds and turns a rich, alluvial brown during the flood season.

         When Vietnamese settlers arrived in this area and established their livelihoods, they built the temple in 1832. Initially, the temple was constructed with lightweight materials and simple wooden structures. In 1908, it was rebuilt by village mayor Lê Hữu Dõng and Mr. Phủ Vương Bửu Ngưu to its current form. The architectural structure of the temple features round Pyinkado wooden columns with a diameter of 0.4 meters. The walls are built with bricks and coated with a traditional lime and oyster-shell plaster, 0.2 meters thick. The curved roof is tiled with large tubes. The style and materials remain intact to this day. The layout of the temple is divided into three compartments and two wings. In front of the main hall are the nhà văn and vỏ ca (front section, used as a space for traditional performances.), providing ample space for annual festivals attended by many people. The main hall has four horizontal rows of columns connecting the wall sections. The cross beams, the trusses, and the four main pillars support the roof structure. The nhà văn is designed with overlapping beams and hidden pillars supporting the ridgepole. The trusses and hidden pillars are intricately carved with floral patterns by local artisans. The roof of the temple and the nhà văn are adorned with relief sculptures of dragons chasing pearls, the Eight Immortals, yin and yang symbols, flowers, leaves, birds, and animals, symbolizing prosperity, happiness, and peace.

         A distinctive feature of the architecture of Đa Phước Temple is the way the beams rest on the column heads. Each beam is carved with a tapering design, starting small at the base and gradually widening towards the end, ensuring both strength and decorative appeal with intricate floral patterns. The bases of the columns are set on 1-meter-high stone pedestals with an octagonal shape, and the column tops are adorned with reliefs of blooming lotus flowers. This design helps protect the temple columns during the annual flood season.

         The interior of the temple is adorned with 17 carved decorative frames, 28 couplets, and 35 horizontal lacquered boards, all intricately crafted with high artistic value. The diverse themes include flowers, dragons, clouds, birds, animals, the Four Sacred Creatures, the Eight Immortals, and fish transforming into dragons, symbolizing prayers for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, and a rich harvest. These carvings praise the deities' virtues, all coated in gold leaf and red lacquer, creating a solemn, magnificent, and elegant atmosphere. Additionally, the temple preserves cabinets and altar tables inlaid with mother-of-pearl, featuring various historical stories, a large round wooden great drum, a main drum, ceremonial items like the ritual set, lamps, fruit trays, and a meticulously carved ceremonial palanquin of high artistic and historical value.

         The deities worshiped in the temple include General Lễ Thành Hầu Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, who is credited with protecting and opening up the southern region of Vietnam, including An Giang. Additionally, other honored figures such as Thoại Ngọc Hầu and Lê Văn Duyệt are also venerated here.

         Preserving and promoting the value of this historical site is our duty today towards the heritage left by our ancestors. It also provides visitors with historical resources to learn about the homeland and people of An Giang. The architectural and artistic site of Đa Phước Temple was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a national cultural heritage site under Decision No. 05/1999/QĐ-BVHTT dated February 12, 1999.