In the past, Vietnamese people had a custom as a challenge for the future groom. Despite not be officially the bridegroom, the boy must come to help whenever the girl's family had important works and bring seasonal gifts to the family. This gift then usually was divided into two parts, one for the bride's family, the other was sent back to the groom's family. There is a saying:

“Think that you’re not married

So, I bring nuggets, persimmon asking you.”

The custom of An Sêu Bà Chúa is to pay tribute to the “engagement ceremony” of Princess My Chau, the only daughter of King An Duong Vuong. The festival starts from August 13th to the full moon of the 8th lunar month. During the festival, people normally eat vermicelli daily with many different types of dishes: vegetables, pork, or buffalo / cow meat, or crab. Other side dishes are sticky rice, sweet soup, and cakes.

The legend of My Chau – Trong Thuy is one of the most interesting folk stories, both legendary and realistic in the Au Lac period.

Many people often remember to My Chau – Trong Thuy story through this poem of To Huu Poet:

“I tell you the story of My Chau

She put her heart in wrong place

Unintentionally give the magic crossbow to the enemy

Put the country in danger”

Behind the love story of My Chau – Trong Thuy lied a cruel plan of Trieu Da, and the person who implemented this plan was his son, Trong Thuy. Princess My Chau was an innocent girl, who sincerely believed in love. That’s why she was accidently caught up in the enemy’s plan and betrayed her country.

Legend had it that, after many times failed to attack the Co Loa Citadel, Trieu Da negotiated a peace treaty and sent his son Trong Thuy to propose marriage with Princess My Chau. An Duong Vuong wished for the harmony between the two countries, by this marriage end the war and bring peace for his people. He would like to focus on building and developing a sustainable country of Au Lac.

Trong Thuy stayed in Co Loa, stole the magic crossbow that was given to An Duong Vuong by God Kim Quy. Trieu Da then launched a new attack to Co Loa. Be defeated, An Duong Vuong escaped to Da Son Tomb. He encountered God Kim Quy who told him “the enemy was siting right behind you”. Angered by his own daughter's betrayal, he beheaded her. Her body was lying in a pool of blood, the clams swallowed on the stomach and turned into pearl.

“After My Chau died for a while, a strange stone appeared in the Dam Ca area. A man went fishing, he didn’t catch anything but the stone. He tried to throw it back to the water many times, but unsuccessfully. Finally, he put it on the shore.”

Some children who took care buffalos found the stone; they were all sick after playing with it. The villagers realized that the stone was very sacred, they would like to bring it home, but no one can. Only until Co Loa people brought a hammock to dig, the stone immediately rolled in the the hammock. On the way back to the village, the hammock was broken at the place where lies the My Chau temple today. Couldn’t bring it further, people decided to build a shrine there. The My Chau stone grew bigger day by day until people had to pray it stop. Legend had it that there was a precious sacred jewel inside the stone. When the enemy took the gem away, the stone stopped growing. The place where the stone was found now is Ba Chua Temple.

Folk tales over times reflect a deep imprint of Princess My Chau in the people’s spiritual life with a respectful holiness.

MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF CO LOA VESTIGE SITE