The folk legend in Co Loa has also keeped up the image of Princess My Chau, the daughter of King Thuc An Duong Vuong and the love of My Chau - Trong Thuy.
It is said that, after King An Duong Vuong ran to Mo Da mountain (Nghe An), the god Kim Quy told him that the person sitting behind him was the enemy, and immediately slashed Princess My Chau. Her blood leaked into the sea, oyster ate it then born precious pearl. The legend told that after death, Trong Thuy was buried at Cổ Loa and metamorphosed a precious stone. At Cổ Loa village there is now Ba Chua tomb (in the Northeast of Vang hamlet, the South of Ca pond area).
However, one other legend on Mỵ Châu and stone statues in Cổ Loa is still handed down. Buffalo children saw the stone, they were fun and climbed for naughty, after going the home they were sick. Since then the villagers knew that the stone was sacred, therefore, the people of several villages picked it up, but all the surrounding villages could not pick it up, only when Cổ Loa’s people brought a beautiful hammock to carry, and two great grandparent were sent to go to the stone, such stone rolled away immediately in the hammock and Cổ Loa’s people carried it. Going to the Mỵ Châu small temple, the hammock was broken, the people could not carry it away by any way, then the villagers established a small temple there to worship. Initial size of Mỵ Châu stone was small, then was bigger and bigger. And such stone stopped to grow only when the people begged. Folk stories through many historical periods reflect a deep imprint of Mỵ Châu in the spiritual life of Cổ Loa’s people with a reverend sacredness. The story of My Chau is a lesson that reminds us of the spirit of vigilance against all enemies, upholding the principle of " when drinking water, think of its source".
According to the book "Ngoc Pha Co Luc" was kept at Thuong temple (Co Loa commune, Dong Anh district, Hanoi city), the 13th day of the 8th lunar month every year is the day to “Ăn Sêu” (pre-wedding ceremony) Ba Chua My Chau - daughter of King An Duong Vuong. Sêu is an ancient custom of the Vietnamese people. This custom means that the groom brings offerings to his wife's house to show respect and gratitude for parents of his wife, as well as a proposal ceremon and a challenge for the future groom. The time “ăn sêu” is considered as a challenging period for the son-in-law: If the girl's family has a job, the boy must come to help, depending on the season, buy gifts to give to the girl's family, such as litchi in March, watermelon in May, geese in September, super in September persimmon, beaten green rice, new rice,...
“Quan đám” offer incense on the annual “ăn sêu” day
In Co Loa, on the 13th day of the eighth lunar month, everyone uses Mạch Tràng vermicelli as an offering to ancestors and as a family dish. In the past, in Co Loa village, there was a place where the custom of “Ăn sêu Bà Chúa” took place in three days such as in Chợ hamlet, Dõng hamlet (from the 13th to the 15th day of the 8th lunar month): On the 13th to eat vermicelli, on the 14th to eat grilled beef and on the 15th eat sticky rice tea. In Cau Ca village, people make vermicelli with pig's head and invite everyone in the family to eat together.
Today, the custom of "ăn sêu bà chúa My Chau" continues to be maintained as an example reflecting the deep historical imprint and is handed down in the spiritual life of the Co Loa resident community.
MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE CỔ LOA VESTIGE SITE
