THANH HOA - The Kinh Lang stele was erected in 1505 to honor the talent and virtue of King Le Tuc Tong, the seventh king of the Le So dynasty, even though he only reigned for 6 months.
Le Tuc Tong (1488-1505), real name Le Thuan, the third son of Le Hien Tong, was intelligent and filial, so he was appointed crown prince. In July 1504, after King Le Hien Tong passed away, Le Thuan ascended the throne and took the reign name Thai Trinh.
According to Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu , Le Tuc Tong was close to virtuous people, loved good deeds and was a good king who kept the country peaceful. He fell seriously ill after only 6 months on the throne and passed away at Hoang Cuc Palace on January 12, 1505, at the age of 17. In the third lunar month of 1505, his coffin was brought back to Tay Kinh (or Lam Kinh) and buried in Kinh Lang.
Kinh Lang Stele (Dai Viet Lam Son Kinh Lang Stele) was erected in 1505 in Lam Kinh. Photo: Le Hoang
The Kinh Lang Stele (Dai Viet Lam Son Kinh Lang Bi) was erected at the same time on a mound facing southeast, about 100 meters from the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong. This place belongs to the Lam Kinh special national relic complex, about 4 kilometers east of the central area. Previously, the tomb area belonged to Giao Xa village, Thuy Nguyen district, now belongs to Kien Tho commune, Ngoc Lac district.
Le Tuc Tong is considered by history books to be the last king in the prosperous period of the early Le dynasty. Because after his death, Dai Viet began to decline due to the debauchery and brutality of his second brother Le Tuan, namely King Le Uy Muc.
The stele is engraved entirely in Chinese characters, in Kaizhen script with about 47 lines and 1,500 words, praising the king's merits. The stele was compiled by four doctors: Dam Van Le, Nguyen Nhan Thiep, Pham Thinh and Trinh Chi Sam.
At the beginning, the stele cites the virtues of the Chinese kings Nghiêu, Thuấn, Thành Thang. Next, the authors recount that King Lê Túc Tông was naturally intelligent, filial, and loved all living beings. He behaved properly, calmly, and honestly towards his officials. Therefore, all officials were respectful and everything went well. The king ruled effectively, maintained the rules, and was able to succeed the sages of the past, opening up a career for future generations...
When he first ascended the throne, the king ordered the release of prisoners, the release of palace maids, the cessation of non-urgent matters, the reduction of heavy work, the reduction of offerings, the lightening of corvee labor, and the devotion and love of relatives and strangers. "There was nothing the king did not do thoroughly in the matters of repairing great enterprises and establishing foundations. However, the king's life was not long, causing the heavens, the earth, and all living beings to feel pity."
Historians evaluate the main content of the Kinh Lang stele as a historical essay praising the merits of King Le Tuc Tong, written in parallel prose mixed with prose, "citing accurate historical references, the writing is melodious and gentle but very concise and condensed".
The stele weighs about 13 tons. Photo: Le Hoang
The Kinh Lang stele weighs about 13 tons, including the stele body and the turtle, carved from a single block of stone, entirely by traditional manual methods. The rectangular stele is 2.6 m high, 1.8 m wide, and 0.29 m thick. The statue of the turtle carrying the stele is 3.3 m long, 2.95 m wide, and 0.43 m high.
The front (forehead of the stele) is shaped like an arc, divided into three panels, each panel has a dragon carved inside. The dragon in the middle is carved in a larger size, in the form of a coiled dragon in the style of the Chinese character Vuong. The dragon's head in the center is carved in the style of a beast's face, its feet clearly showing five sharp claws.
The two dragons on both sides face the central dragon, carved in the style of a dragon's return, with its body winding in a sine wave, its head raised high, its mouth wide open. The entire background of the stele's forehead is decorated with stylized patterns of fire and swords and clouds. The harmonious composition creates a space of movement and dance.
The central border of the stele is carved with the image of a sun with six fire blades, corresponding to three blades on each side, four dragons facing each other, two on each side. The two border borders are carved symmetrically with six dragons on each side, flying towards the top border. The bottom border is carved with four dragons symmetrically with two on each side. Separating the borders are two parallel lines extending along the shape of the stele. Dragons are also carved inside the border.
The turtle statue is crafted in the style of a soft-shell turtle, with a thick, plump, and strong body, expressing fullness. The turtle raises its head as if moving forward. The entire back of the turtle is left smooth, and the stele is erected in the middle of the body. The turtle's feet are carved with five claws, made small, not showing the claws as on the Vinh Lang stele, the turtle's tail is carved gracefully, closed behind the turtle's shell.
The Kinh Lang stele was erected about 100 meters east of King Le Du Tong's tomb. Photo: Le Hoang
Currently, the Kinh Lang stele has a relatively intact body, but the turtle statue's head is almost completely broken. Made of limestone, the stele has weathered over time, causing most of the letters to fade.
Due to meeting the criteria of uniqueness, unique form and special historical value, in January 2020, Dai Viet Lam Son Kinh Lang Bi was recognized as a national treasure. This is also the fifth national treasure at Lam Kinh historical site to be recognized by the Prime Minister after Vinh Lang, Chieu Lang, Du Lang and Khon Nguyen Chi Duc steles.
According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Toan, Head of Lam Kinh Historical Relic Management Board, Kinh Lang stele is a treasure in the treasure trove of Vietnam's cultural heritage. The stele is considered a valuable work of art, a valuable document serving the research of decorative arts and stone sculpture in Vietnam in the 16th century.
VnExpress Newspaper
Source
Comment (0)