EARTH WORSHIPING HALL

Điện Kính Địa (Earth Worshipping Hall)

Earth Worshipping Hall bears the inscription “Vạn Cổ Anh Linh” (Eternal Heroic Spirits), signifying a sacred land that honors ancestors and historical figures who played vital roles in building Vietnam. The Trang An Landscape Complex preserves untouched historical values, from geological and geomorphological significance to the evolution of human civilization, spirituality, and artistic architecture.

Through extensive archaeological research and excavations within the Trang An Landscape Complex, scientists have uncovered prehistoric human remains dating back approximately 50,000 to 30,000 years. Remarkably, the DNA of a 13,000-year-old prehistoric individual, known as the “Binh Minh Warrior,” has been successfully sequenced, an extraordinary breakthrough in tropical conditions. These archaeological relics are now enshrined at Earth Worshipping Hall, offering future generations a place to pay homage, reflect, and explore the origins of their ancestry.

The Heavenly Cauldron – A Thousand-Year Sacred Hearth

At the sacred Heaven Worshipping Altar of Trang An, where heaven, earth, and humanity converge, a grand bronze cauldron stands at the Earth Worshipping Hall’s yard.

Weighing 9.95 tons and rising 4.5 meters, it honors Zen Master Nguyen Minh Khong – National Master of the Ly Dynasty, founder of bronze casting, and patriarch of traditional Vietnamese medicine.

In Eastern philosophy, the number 9 represents heaven and eternity, while thenumber 5 stands at the center of the Five Elements, symbolizing humanity’s place within the universe. The cauldron thus embodies the harmony of Heaven – Earth – Humanity.

THE HEAVENLY HEARTH – 13,000 YEARS OF FIRE

Archaeological traces of ancient hearths, shells, and early human life dating back 13,000 years were found here. That first flame marked the beginning of civilization, giving warmth, food, and community. From prehistoric fire to Ly Dynasty furnaces, the flame has never ceased, only transformed, from survival to creation.

MINH KHONG – THE FLAME OF WISDOM

Born on this land, Nguyen Minh Khong was an enlightened monk, healer, and craftsman. If prehistoric fire began life, his bronze furnaces began culture and craftsmanship.

THE CAULDRON – AXIS OF HEAVEN, EARTH, HUMANITY

Its rim opens like the sky, its body stands firm like a mountain, its base roots deep into the earth. Together, they form the axis of Heaven – Earth – Humanity, expressing the spirit of reverence for all three.

THE MEANING OF ETERNITY

This cauldron is not a symbol of power, but of gratitude to heaven, earth, ancestors, and Minh Khong. It stands not only by its weight, but by a thousand years of memory, present reverence, and future faith.