This is a Temple paying homage to Trac and Nhi Trung. These sisters are known for fighting with honour and peace. They excelled in martial arts and planned strategic battles with high intelligence. They were well-versed in literature. Both were from noble blood; Trung Trac was a Queen. These sisters rose women’s status above its usual place. The Trung Sisters are Vietnam’s legendary female duo, akin to Britain’s very own Boudicca.
Anyone believing in equal rights for women would visit this temple. Ly Anh Tong built this in the 12th century. The Trung Sister’s appeared to him as rain spirit encouraging him to find followers. The shrine itself was opened as a resistance movement against Chinese occupation. The Trung Sister’s legacy was for all to fight fiercely for independence and equality for all.
The Trung Sister’s received global recognition in 2017, when Donald Trump addressed the Trung Sisters, claiming they ‘first awakened the people of this land’, and that the Vietnamese people stood up for independence and pride’’ during their fight in 40ad. This spirit still stands strong in Vietnam today.
The Trung Sisters alter in the Temple shows both females to be at the point of their death. Some believe they became martyrs for a cause and sacrificed themselves, whereas others believe it is a depiction of their violent death at the hands of the conquering Han Dynasty. The activism of this duo attracts visitor admiration to the present day.
These sisters are an inspiration to women’s rights activists, revolutionaries for righteous global change and believers of independence across Vietnam and other parts of the world.
Hai Ba Trung Temple is in Dong Nhan, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi.