Bắc Nga Temple

About

Bắc Nga Temple stands on a hillside facing the Kỳ Cùng River. Though modest in size, it is known for old trees, Hán-Nôm materials and a spring festival associated with the sli and lượn singing traditions of Tày and Nùng communities.

Visitor information

Founded

The site has an inscription dated 1562; its development from a shrine to a Buddhist temple took place over several stages.

Visiting hours

Visiting hours may vary with the temple's daily religious schedule. Please contact the temple before your visit.

Fees

No fee has been confirmed by the temple. Please check the information posted on arrival; outside services may be charged separately.

Address

Thôn Bắc Nga, khu vực Gia Cát trước đây, nay thuộc phường Kỳ Lừa, tỉnh Lạng Sơn.

Highlights

• ✓Landscape beside the Kỳ Cùng River
• ✓Steles and Hán-Nôm materials
• ✓Old trees within the grounds
• ✓A temple festival featuring sli and lượn singing

History and origins

An inscription records the construction of a shrine and well in 1562, restorations in 1837 and 1901, and donations in 1927. These sources describe a development from a shrine to immortals into a space also accommodating Buddhist worship. Because accounts of its foundation differ, the age of the stele should not be equated with that of all present buildings. The temple was designated a provincial monument in 2002.

Architecture & surroundings

The worship layout is relatively simple, with a front hall and a sanctuary of the Three Jewels. Old trees shade the grounds. Statues, inscribed boards, parallel couplets and steles reveal several cultural layers within a border-region temple.

Cultural value

Religious life at Bắc Nga combines Buddhism with the worship of immortals and local beliefs. A legend of celestial maidens is transmitted as part of folk culture. The festival provides an occasion for meeting, courtship singing and preserving sli and lượn traditions and bonds between villages.

Events & festivals

Bắc Nga Temple's festival is held on the full moon of the first lunar month, with incense offerings, lion dancing, folk games and courtship singing. It was inscribed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2023. Each year's detailed programme follows local announcements.