Leaving Sòng Temple and heading east for less than one kilometer, visitors encounter nine natural spring mouths directly in front of a temple gate. Pilgrims usually pause there, look down into the water, and only then step inside the halls. Behind the wells stand four large stone pillars and the orange-red tiled roof of the sanctuary.
Those nine spring mouths give this place its name. Official records of former Bỉm Sơn town state that the temple worships Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ (Mysterious Lady of the Nine Heavens), while pilgrims commonly call her Cô Chín (Ninth Lady). This is a rare major shrine where the presiding deity belongs to the Lady (Cô) rank rather than the Mother Goddess rank, and the titles Cô Chín Sòng Sơn and Cô Chín Giếng both take their names from this spot.
ICô Chín and Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ
According to the former Bỉm Sơn town portal, the temple worships Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ, the ninth daughter of the Jade Emperor. Practitioners of the tradition identify this figure with Cô Chín, a deity of the Four Palaces Holy Ladies (Tứ phủ Thánh Cô) rank within the Four Palaces pantheon, below the ranks of Mother Goddesses, Mandarins, Dames, and Princes. Readers should understand that this identification belongs to local religious practice rather than historical epigraphy. Alongside the presiding deity Cô Chín, the three halls of the temple also co-worship the Three Palaces Mother Goddesses (Tam tòa Thánh Mẫu), the Five Mandarin Lords (Ngũ vị Tôn ông), Chầu Cửu (Ninth Dame), and the assemblies of Holy Princes and Holy Ladies according to Four Palaces custom.
Regarding which palace Cô Chín belongs to, chanted texts do not agree, as noted in the library's entry on Phủ Na. The library does not assign a single palace to her.
The three Chinese characters at the top of the page write the name Chín Giếng by meaning, where cửu means nine, tỉnh means well, and từ means temple. Those characters are inferred by the library rather than copied from a plaque at the temple.
In the pantheon arranged by practitioners, the Lady rank (hàng Cô) consists of young female deities who attend directly upon the Mother Goddesses and are regarded as closest to ordinary petitioners. Within that rank, Cô Chín is one of the most widely venerated figures and has her own incarnation (giá hầu) in spirit mediumship rituals. Because the Lady rank is felt to be approachable, a Lady temple such as this draws crowds no smaller than those at Mother Goddess temples.
As for why Chín Giếng is regarded as the primary seat of the Cô Chín incarnation, the library's Phủ Na article notes that the places of Cô Chín worship most frequently named are Sòng Sơn Temple and Chín Giếng Temple in Bỉm Sơn, whereas the Cô Chín shrine at Phủ Na is a secondary worship point within a complex centered on Mẫu Thượng Ngàn. Both titles Cô Chín Sòng Sơn and Cô Chín Giếng point directly here.
According to former Bỉm Sơn town documents, legend tells that when Princess Liễu Hạnh once fell into distress, she transformed into a dragon and hid inside the nine wells, where she was sheltered by Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ and rescued by Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (Quan Âm), after which the two figures became sworn sisters. That belongs to oral legend, and the library recounts it concisely as recorded in the source. This story forms the narrative bond between Chín Giếng Temple and Sòng Sơn Temple, the seat of Mother Liễu Hạnh right next door.
The title Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ carries two interpretations, both recorded here without ranking one above the other. In Chinese Daoist mythology, this title refers to a goddess where cửu thiên means the nine levels of heaven. Local materials in Bỉm Sơn, meanwhile, interpret the figure as the ninth daughter of the Jade Emperor and thus link her with Cô Chín. The number nine therefore appears three times in one place, namely the nine heavens in the title, the ninth Lady in the Lady rank, and the nine spring wells before the temple. The library notes this threefold convergence as a distinctive trait of local belief.
IIFrom the reign of King Lê Hiển Tông to the present
The exact year of construction has not been verified. Both the former Bỉm Sơn town portal and Nhân Dân Newspaper state that the temple was built during the reign of King Lê Hiển Tông, between 1740 and 1786. The library has not seen any stele inscription or royal decree cited by the sources as documentary proof for that date.
- 1740 to 1786Temple constructionBuilt under the reign of King Lê Hiển Tông according to the former Bỉm Sơn town portal and Nhân Dân Newspaper, without a specific year.
- 1939RepairThe temple was repaired according to the former Bỉm Sơn town portal. Neighboring Sòng Temple was also restored in this same year.
- 1993National heritage siteRanked as a national historical and cultural heritage site according to the former Bỉm Sơn town portal, Công Lý, and Nhân Dân.
- 2004Major restorationThe most recent major restoration mentioned in the sources, shaping the temple's current appearance.
- 2016UNESCO inscriptionPractices related to the Viet beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms were inscribed as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The temple is not inscribed individually.
- 2025Administrative mergerUnder Resolution 1686/NQ-UBTVQH15, former Bắc Sơn ward merged with Ngọc Trạo ward, Phú Sơn ward, and Quang Trung commune (former Bỉm Sơn town) to form Quang Trung ward, Thanh Hóa province.
A note on distance. Thanh Hóa tourism materials state that Chín Giếng Temple lies about one kilometer east of Sòng Temple. The coordinates in the library's table yield a straight-line distance of roughly 780 meters. The two figures do not conflict, since walking routes are longer than straight-line distances, so the library writes simply less than one kilometer. In addition to its 1993 national heritage ranking, Thanh Hóa Newspaper notes that Chín Giếng Temple, together with Sòng Sơn Temple and Khánh Quang Pagoda, has been recognized by the Thanh Hóa Provincial People's Committee as a provincial tourist site.
Another note concerns chronology. The Lê Hiển Tông date at Chín Giếng coincides with one of the two dates cited by the press for neighboring Sòng Temple. If both temples were built or expanded on a large scale in the 18th century, that fits their pairing in the festival procession. Without epigraphic proof from either shrine, however, the library simply notes the coincidence without drawing a conclusion. Both temples also underwent repairs in 1939 according to local sources.
IIIThree halls behind the nine spring wells
According to the former Bỉm Sơn town portal, the temple comprises three consecutive halls moving inward, namely a seven-bay outer hall, a five-bay middle hall, and a three-bay inner hall. Decreasing bay counts from front to back follow a classic northern and north-central Vietnamese temple pattern, where the outer hall is wide to receive crowds and the inner chamber is narrower and more secluded for the sacred altars. The facade features four large stone pillars and an orange-red tiled roof.
Located right in front of the temple. Nhân Dân Newspaper describes an underground cavern exposing nine spring mouths that well up year-round, and in the rainy season surface runoff joins the overflowing well water to form a strong stream flowing down into the Sòng stream.
Four large stone pillars standing at the front facade of the temple, as described in Thanh Hóa tourism materials.
The widest hall welcoming pilgrims. According to Đạo Mẫu community documentation, its central bay holds the Communal Council altar (ban Công đồng), with the Assembly of Holy Princes on the left and the Assembly of Holy Ladies on the right.
The transitional middle hall, narrower than the outer hall. Detailed accounts by practitioners note that its central bay houses the main shrine of Cô Chín, flanked by Chầu Cửu and the Five Mandarin Lords.
The innermost secluded chamber. General tourism introductions often refer to this rear hall as the chamber of the main altar, while detailed altar inventories record that the three-bay rear sanctuary enshrines the Three Palaces Mother Goddesses in accordance with pantheon hierarchy.
Local sources describe the well water as rising year-round and never running dry. The library records that description faithfully while noting that it comes from heritage introductions rather than hydrographic measurements. The Bỉm Sơn area lies at the foot of the Tam Điệp limestone range, and natural springs fed by karst groundwater that overflow into the Sòng stream during the rainy season, as Nhân Dân Newspaper describes, fit the local limestone terrain even though seasonal water-level data are unavailable.
IVThe lie of the land and orientation
If one had to choose a sanctuary whose very name speaks of the lie of the land, it would be Chín Giếng. Even so, the reading below remains the library's interpretation through the lens of traditional feng shui rather than statements from temple documents.
The first point is water rising from the earth. Most Mother Goddess temples use a river, lake, or stream as their bright hall (minh đường), meaning water flowing in from elsewhere. At Chín Giếng, water wells up right on the spot and in the rainy season flows out into the Sòng stream. In traditional geomancy, water rising naturally from underground is read as the sign of a vein (mạch), a point where subterranean qi surfaces. Placing the temple immediately behind those nine spring mouths sets the sanctuary directly upon the water vein.
The second point is its position within the complex. Sòng Temple sits at the foot of Ba Dội Pass backing against the mountain, the seat of the presiding Mother. Chín Giếng lies further east on flatter ground along the lower reach of the Sòng stream, the position of an attendant deity. The custom of carrying the Mother's palanquin from Sòng Temple to Chín Giếng during the second lunar month festival traces a loop linking the two points, where the superior rank visits the lower rank just as the legend tells of the Mother seeking shelter at the nine wells.
The third point is numerology. In traditional cosmology, nine is the highest single yang number. Nine wells, the Ninth Lady, and the nine heavens form a convergence noticed by past and present visitors alike. The library records this as a layer of meaning invested in the site by the community rather than asserting it as the original reason for choosing the site.
The fourth point is the sequence of wells in front, temple behind. At most temples, a well lies to the side or behind the sanctuary. Here the wells sit directly before the entrance, so pilgrims pass by the water before entering the halls. Traditional geomancy reads this arrangement as a layer of purification before stepping into sacred space, similar to a crescent pond before a grand temple, except that the water here was not dug by hand but surfaced naturally.
Regarding compass orientation, no source consulted by the library records a specific degree bearing for the temple, so it is left open.
VNinth day of the ninth month festival and the Mother procession
The temple observes two major occasions each year. The first is the Cô Chín Temple festival on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, the feast day of the presiding deity herself. The second is the procession carrying the Mother Goddess from Sòng Temple during the Sòng Sơn festival in the second lunar month, as recorded by the former Bỉm Sơn town portal and Nhân Dân Newspaper.
| Lunar date | Rite | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd month, during Sòng Sơn festival | Procession of the Mother to Chín Giếng | The palanquin of the Holy Mother is carried from Sòng Temple to Chín Giếng Temple, linking the two shrines in a single festival season. |
| 9th day of the 9th month | Cô Chín Temple festival | The temple's own main festival day, when pilgrims gather to offer incense for the feast of Cô Chín. |
| Year-round | Spirit mediumship and chầu văn | Mediumship rituals featuring the Cô Chín incarnation accompanied by chầu văn musicians. |
| 1st lunar month | New Year pilgrimage | Peak spring visitation following the general custom of Mother Goddess temples in the Bỉm Sơn area. |
Sources differ slightly on the exact day of the Mother procession to Chín Giếng. Thanh Hóa tourism materials and Công Lý Newspaper record the morning of the 26th day of the second lunar month for the palanquin procession from Sòng Temple to Chín Giếng Temple, while Nhân Dân Newspaper describes the procession to Chín Giếng as opening the festival. The library records it generally within the second lunar month Sòng Sơn festival, whose detailed schedule is covered in the Sòng Sơn Temple article.
Practices related to the Viet beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms were inscribed by UNESCO in 2016 at the level of the entire belief system. Chín Giếng Temple is not inscribed individually.
VILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Khu phố 5, phường Quang Trung (phường Bắc Sơn cũ, thị xã Bỉm Sơn cũ), tỉnh Thanh Hóa
- Getting there
- The temple is in Quarter 5, Quang Trung ward, Thanh Hóa province, formerly Bắc Sơn ward of former Bỉm Sơn town, less than one kilometer east of Sòng Sơn Temple.
- Coordinates
- 20.0995, 105.8626
By local custom, pilgrims visit Sòng Temple to pay respects to the Mother Goddess first and then come to Chín Giếng to honor Cô Chín. Around the nine spring wells, please walk slowly, keep young children close, and do not drop objects into the water. Inside the inner halls, please walk quietly and do not touch the altars. When encountering a mediumship ritual, please stand outside the ritual mat.
Nearby places in the library
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?Quick Questions
Whom does Chín Giếng Temple worship
According to the former Bỉm Sơn town portal, the temple worships Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ, the ninth daughter of the Jade Emperor. Pilgrims identify this figure with Cô Chín of the Four Palaces Holy Ladies rank in the Four Palaces pantheon. That identification belongs to local religious belief rather than historical epigraphy. Inside the temple, altars also co-worship the Three Palaces Mother Goddesses, the Five Mandarin Lords, Chầu Cửu, and the assemblies of Holy Princes and Holy Ladies.
Why is it called Chín Giếng Temple
Because directly in front of the temple lie nine natural spring mouths emerging from an underground cavern, described by local sources as welling up year-round without running dry and overflowing into the Sòng stream in the rainy season. Legend holds that Princess Liễu Hạnh once hid in the nine wells as a dragon when in distress and was sheltered by Cửu Thiên Huyền Nữ, after which the two became sworn sisters.
How do Cô Chín Temple in Bỉm Sơn and Cô Chín Temple at Phủ Na differ
Chín Giếng Temple in Bỉm Sơn is the most widely cited seat of Cô Chín worship, and the titles Cô Chín Sòng Sơn and Cô Chín Giếng both take their names from here. The Cô Chín shrine at Phủ Na in Xuân Du commune is a worship point within a larger complex centered on Mẫu Thượng Ngàn.
How far is Chín Giếng Temple from Sòng Temple
Less than one kilometer to the east. Thanh Hóa tourism materials give about one kilometer, while the coordinates yield a straight-line distance of roughly 780 meters. Both temples belong to the Sòng Sơn heritage cluster, and during the second lunar month festival a palanquin procession carries the Mother from Sòng Temple to Chín Giếng Temple.
When is the Cô Chín Temple festival held
The temple's own feast day is the 9th day of the 9th lunar month. In addition, during the Sòng Sơn festival in the second lunar month, a procession carries the Mother Goddess from Sòng Temple to Chín Giếng Temple. The temple was ranked as a national historical and cultural heritage site in 1993.