So, all the old historical books have record Le Hoan was the first king under Vietnam feudalism to began the Plowing ceremony to encourage agricultural production. This ritual has existed in China for a long time, was applied in Vietnam by Le Hoan. The historical books didn’t record in detail but it was sure Le Hoan didn’t not copy the form and dimension of the Chinese ritual, because each country had different history and cultural.
The field used in the ceremony was under the government’s management; the kind of rice planted on this field was selected to provide delicious rice use in rituals, especially in ceremony that worship agricultural god.
The selection of the field depended on the concept of Fengshui and spirituality of each feudal dynasty. Why did Le Hoan chose and held the ceremony in the Doi mountain area? Before explaining, we also need to do some research on plowing field of later feudal dynasties. In the Ly dynasty, the fields were all in Red river delta, quite far away from Thang Long. In the tran dynasty, old historical books only recorded one time king Tran Minh Tong held the ceremony. In the Late Le dynasty in the reign of king Le Thanh Tong, the ceremony was held in Hoang Mai village, in the suburb of Thang Long. In the Nguyen dynasty, in the reign of king Gia Long, the ceremony was held in Hoa Thai ward, and moved to Yen Trach and Hau Sinh ward later.
Unlike the Late Le and Nguyen dynasty, Le Hoan didn’t choose the field near or inside the city but chose one pretty far away, just like the Ly dynasty. But, different from the Ly dynasty, Le Hoan pick Truong Chau land, which was his hometown to held the ceremony. After many debation, it is now confirmed Le Hoan was a Truong Chau native, his grandfather was Le Loc, who lived in Bao Thai war (Liem Can ward, Thanh Liem district today).
More than that, the field in Doi Son was part of the land managed directly by the King. The historical book recorded: After ascending the throne, king Le Hoan ordained his own children, including adopted children, and then sent them to govern the lands of the Northen delta and Thanh Hoa, except Truong Chau. Another reason: Doi mountain is a sacred mountain. Based on Sung Thien Dien Linh stele, we can decuded this mountain was name Long Linh mountain under Le Hoan reign, which meant the Dragon mountain. The archaeological findings around Doi Son proved from the boat graves of the Dong Son cultural, Han graves, to the graves of the Late Le dynasty, all the deceases were buried with their heads toward Doi mountain. It was also hand down from many generation this dialect:
Knee in Doi mountain
Leg in Tuan Vuong
Starter of the Emperor
Passed down through thousands generations.
We knew about Doi mountain, and Tuan Vuong is a part of Red river, next to Ly Nhan district and My Loc ward, Nam Dinh province. This area had big waves, strong winds which caused many dangers. Boats were afraid to go through this area. “Even twelve ocean gates have to respect Tuan Vuong”. If there was work require going through this area, you must hold a ceremony worshipping the Water god. Could this dialect represent the yin yang philosophy: Doi mountain (yang), Tuan Vuong (yin), yin yang pressure upon each other in harmony brings advantages to everything. It presents a wish, a prayer more than an obvious fact.
From Long Dinh in the Early Le dynasty, to the Ly Nhan Tong reign, the mountain was then named Long Doi Son. “Dai Nam Comprehensive Encyclopedia” book, compiled under the Nguyen dynasty recorded: ”At the foot of the mountain, there were 9 springs, and a grave called Ham Rong”. According to the five elements of yin and yang philosophy of ancient oriental, number nine is the sacred number, which is a positive figure, the symbol of the birth and development of rational (permanent top, ruling the kingdom, eternal heaven...).
In the Late Le dynasty, it was changed to Doi Son. Doi in ancient Vietnamese meant “a bowl”. Probably because the mountain looks like a bowl upside down, hence the name Doi Son. All the geography books in the Nguyen dynasty call it Long Doi mountain, Long Doi Son mountain. Nowadays, people just call it Doi Mountain; the ward where the mountain located in is called Doi Son. The folk legends still remember the event took place 1010 years ago. The field which king Le plowed in located in the western foothills, on this field, there are some landmarks still remain: the constitution (where people offer food to the king), the mansions (where the king lived), the outside mansions (where the mandarins lived), the horses vessels (where the king’s horse and mandarins’ horses were raised).
So it was clear that king Le Hoan plowed the president field in the Doi mountain area, but there was another place remains as a suspected existence of historians. Back to the recording in the “Abridged Chronicles of Viet”, there were some notable details. According to it, after plowing in Doi Son, king Le Hoan moved to Ba Hoi mountain. Ba Hoi is a Han word. Ba means silver, white; Hoi mean wealth. Combine with the recording of the “Complete Annals of Dai Viet”, the king plowed in Doi mountain and got a gold jar; plowed in Ba Hoi mountain and got a silver jar so it was called “Honeysuckle field” (Kim Ngan field).
It is clearly that the plowing president field of king Le Hoan in two places next to each other in a close distance. According to the “Dai Nam Comprehensive Encyclopaedia” book: “Nearby (Doi mountain) was Diep Son, also called Kim Nguu, shaped like a buffalo laying down. On the mountain, there was a pagoda, the front overlooking the river, the scene was beautiful”. Both Doi Son mountain and Diep Son mountain was actually over looking Chau river.
The buffalo is a symbol for many generations of rice cultures (the buffalo is the speculation). The name Kim Nguu (golden buffalo) are capable of affecting the records of past history when it comes to the event of king Le Hoan plowing field.
It was not accidental when king Le Thanh Tong, during his tour around the country, king Le Thanh Tong visited Diep mountain and wrote a poem:
Through Diep Son
River tides goes up with the golden stream
Willow tinged in spring seem to be greener
Guest spent some talk of mercy
Rowed the boat closely to the limestone and ask the mountain’s name.
“Talk of mercy” probably mentioned about Le Hoan plowed the president field was not remain. Later, Nguyen Du had a poetry “Vi Hoang Danh” which the ending sentence was:”Diep mountain didn’t change, still that old green color”
Was Diep mountain the place where Le Hoan plowed the president field, this is the theory that need to be proven by field survey data anf folk legends.
Said the King debuted the Early Le, the Ly dynasty was very concerned about encouraging agricultural production, not just plowing the president field, kings of the Ly dynasty also held ceremonies worshipping the Land God and the Agricultural God, held buffaloes fights, tour around the country to see the farmer harvesting, sowing… The president field in the Ly dynasty was placed n O Lo, Tin Huong, Bo Hai Khau, Kha Lam. Ung Phong and Loi Nhan in the Red river delt and near the river, near the sea. In Ha Nam, president field was no long in Doi Son area but moved to Loi Nhan area, which today is the region of the People's Committee of Phu Phuc (Ly Nhan) belonging to the ancient village of Ly Nhan, on the right bank of Red river.
As explained above, the product of the president fields were use in rituals. During the reign of King Ly Thai Tong, there was a pagoda on Doi mountain. By the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong, he ordered to build Sung Thien Dien Linh sacred tower, completed in 1121. The Queen mother, former royal concubines Y Lan, donated 72 acres to the temple. At that time, Doi mountain, Sung Thien Dien Linh tower were a great spot, and also a royal place. So it’s easy to understand why the president field was no longer placed in this area.
And why did the Ly dynasty picked the royal area Loi (Ly) Nhan to be their president field?
According to the old records, royal palace Ly Nhan was existed before Ly Thai Tong. But perhaps it was directly related to the president field since King Ly Thai Tong fought Champa in 1044, it is recorded: “September, after arriving at the royal palace Ly Nhan, the king told the servants to call My E, Sa Dau’s concubines, to serve the kind. My E was resentful, she wrapped herself in a blanket and jump into the river to her death. The king praised her virginity and dignity, honored her Huu Thien Lady”
Local legend says, king Ly Thai Tong later built a temple for My E.
During the Ly dynasty, old historical book recorded many times the king visited Loi Nhan area to encourage agricultural production. June 1067, king Ly Thai Tong watched the harvest and boat racing. Ly Thai Tong came to see the harvest twice in October 1077 and August 1080; watch the sowing one time in June 1101. King Ly Anh Tong in February 1146 and spring 1148 plowed the president field. King Ly Than Tong visited Ly Nhan to watch the harvest in October 1137. On Giap Dan day (day of the tiger), November 1217, king Ly Hue Tong came to Doi Son to watch people fishing. Plowing the president field under the feudalism was one way to encourage agricultural. The founder of this ritual was the king who started the Early Le: Le Hoan, contributing to the good traditions and customs of the nation.
