Roughly ten kilometers west of President Hồ Chí Minh's homeland in Kim Liên, the land of Nam Đàn on the northern bank of the Lam River preserves the traces of a major uprising from the period of Northern domination. In the early eighth century, Mai Thúc Loan, a native son of Hoan Châu, rallied poor laborers, united local heroes across the region alongside Lâm Ấp and Chân Lạp to rise against Tang rule, built Vạn An citadel, and proclaimed himself Mai Hắc Đế (the Black Emperor).
The memorial complex dedicated to him in Nam Đàn consists of three main sites set a few kilometers apart across the Hùng Sơn valley and neighboring hills, including the Temple of King Mai in the former Nam Đàn town area (now Vạn An commune), the Tomb of King Mai and the Shrine-Tomb of Mai Thiếu Đế at the foot of Mount Đụn, and the temple and tomb of his mother, Lady Mai Thị Điểm, in former Nam Thái commune (now Nam Đàn commune). In 2022, the complex was ranked as a special national heritage site.
IHistorical timeline
- Early 8th centuryMai Thúc Loan grows up in Hoan ChâuAccording to local tradition, Lady Mai Thị Điểm drifted from Mai Phụ (Hà Tĩnh) to Ngọc Trừng village (Nam Đàn), where she gave birth to Mai Thúc Loan. He grew up strong, dark-complexioned, and skilled in martial arts, and was conscripted as a corvée laborer carrying tribute lychees to the Tang court.
- 713Raising the banner of uprising in Hoan Châu and building Vạn An citadelIn the Quý Sửu year (713, the first year of the Kaiyuan era under Emperor Xuanzong of Tang), amid harsh oppression of the lychee-carrying laborers, Mai Thúc Loan launched an uprising in Hoan Châu, chose the Mount Đụn area and the banks of the Lam River to build Vạn An citadel, and took the title Mai Hắc Đế.
- 713 - 722Expanding forces and liberating Tống Bình citadelThe insurgent army grew to hundreds of thousands of troops, allied with Lâm Ấp and Chân Lạp, and marched north to capture the protectorate seat of Tống Bình (present-day Hanoi), forcing the Tang protector-general Quang Sở Khách (Guang Chuke) to flee north.
- 722 - 723Defense of Vạn An citadel and the passing of King MaiIn 722, the Tang court dispatched Yang Sixu at the head of a large army to attack. After fierce battles along the Lam River and around Vạn An citadel, the uprising was defeated. The king retreated into the Hùng Sơn mountains and passed away from illness and wounds in 722 or on the 16th day of the 9th lunar month of the Quý Hợi year (723) depending on the source, while his youngest son Mai Thúc Huy (Mai Thiếu Đế) carried on the defense until 723.
- Late medieval - Nguyễn dynastyFounding of shrines and Nguyễn-dynasty restorationsThe people of Hoan Châu erected a shrine at the king's burial site at the foot of Mount Đụn and built a temple in the Vạn An area. Later dynasties, especially the Nguyễn court in the nineteenth century, repeatedly granted imperial decrees and funded restorations of the temple and tomb.
- 1996 - 2022National heritage and special national heritage rankingsThe King Mai complex was ranked as a national historical and cultural heritage site on January 12, 1996 under Decision 51-QĐ/BT. On December 29, 2022, the complex was elevated to a special national heritage site under Decision 1649/QĐ-TTg and received its ranking certificate in early 2023, recognizing the historical value of the early eighth-century Hoan Châu uprising.
IIThe Black Emperor, the Holy Mother, and the successor king
The central figure venerated across the entire complex is Mai Hắc Đế (personal name Mai Thúc Loan). His statues in the rear sanctuary of the main temple and at the royal tomb temple depict him with a broad, dignified face, dark complexion, and commanding gaze, wearing an imperial flat-topped crown (bình thiên) and dragon robe. The title "Black Emperor" (Vua Đen) reflects both the sun-darkened skin of a working man from the coastal and mountain lands of Nghệ An and the classical East Asian cosmology in which the North corresponds to the Water element and the color black.
Venerated alongside him in the complex are Mai Thánh Mẫu (Lady Mai Thị Điểm, the king's mother), Mai Thiếu Đế (Mai Thúc Huy, his youngest son who succeeded him and fought to the end), his queens and princesses (such as Mai Thị Cầu and Ngọc Tô), and the generals of the Hoan Châu insurgent army.
The main worship site dedicated to Mai Hắc Đế along with his parents, queens, and insurgent generals, located on flat ground convenient for local residents and pilgrims.
The burial site of Mai Hắc Đế inside the Hùng Sơn valley, with the shrine-tomb of Mai Thiếu Đế set on the mountain slope about 50 meters to the north.
Located in Ngọc Trừng village, former Nam Thái commune, now part of the new Nam Đàn commune, honoring Lady Mai Thị Điểm, who gave birth to and raised the king in poverty.
IIIHùng Sơn valley, Mount Đụn, and the Lam River
The Lam River and Mount Đụn form the offensive and defensive terrain of Vạn An citadel: The land of Nam Đàn where Mai Thúc Loan chose to establish his capital has a distinct semi-mountainous terrain. To the north and west stretches the rolling Đại Huệ range, to the south flows the broad Lam River toward the Cửa Hội estuary, and rising in the middle of the valley is Mount Đụn (also called Hùng Sơn or Đụn Sơn). Standing on the slope of Mount Đụn, one can survey a long bend of the Lam River and the plains on both banks. In classical military geography, this lie of the land offered a position from which forces could advance to attack or retreat to defend, with river routes leading downstream to the Hoan Châu plains or upstream into the western mountains.
The Tomb of King Mai rests against a recess of Mount Đụn: The royal tomb of King Mai lies right at the foot of Mount Đụn inside a small valley embraced on both sides by two mountain spurs like the arms of a throne. The back of the tomb sits on the limestone slope and dense forest, while its front faces the level valley opening toward the Lam River. The enclosure of the mountain recess preserves a quiet, secluded atmosphere separated from outer residential areas.
The main temple on the Vạn An plain: Unlike the tomb tucked deep against the mountain foot, the Temple of King Mai stands on elevated ground amid the fields and hamlets of former Nam Đàn town. The temple axis faces southeast to catch the cool breezes blowing up from the Lam River, with a pond and a wide courtyard in front serving as the bright hall (minh đường) and providing an open setting for village festivals and year-round worship.
IVTown temple, Mount Đụn royal tomb, and the Holy Mother's tomb
The Temple of King Mai in Vạn An commune (former Nam Đàn town) features traditional Nguyễn-dynasty timber architecture comprising three main halls, namely the lower hall (hạ điện), middle hall (trung điện), and upper sanctuary (thượng điện), arranged sequentially along the sacred axis. Beyond the triple-arched ceremonial gate lies a wide brick courtyard where a stone military mandarin wearing a sword with a red horse stands on the left of the gate, a civil mandarin holding a scroll with a white horse stands on the right, and two kneeling stone elephants flank each side inside the gate. The roof trusses, tie beams, and ceremonial valances inside the three halls are finely carved with the four sacred animals and four noble plants, and the temple preserves 34 representative antiquities including imperial decrees, parallel couplets, horizontal plaques, and ritual vessels.
The Tomb of King Mai sits at the foot of Mount Đụn about three kilometers west of the main temple. The compound is enclosed by stone walls, with a triple-arched gate leading to the tomb shrine and the stone-built burial mound behind the rear sanctuary. The king's tomb rests on a raised platform shaded by ancient trees against the dark green slopes of Mount Đụn.
About 50 meters north of King Mai's tomb on the slope of Mount Đụn is the shrine-tomb of Mai Thiếu Đế, smaller in scale but built in the same style. According to tradition, this is the resting place of the youngest son who fought to defend Vạn An citadel to his last breath after his royal father passed away.
The temple and tomb of Mai Thánh Mẫu in former Nam Thái commune, now part of the new Nam Đàn commune, include her burial mound on Cồn Dẻ hill and a temple compound nearly 1 km away comprising a main hall, a ritual kitchen (nhà trù), and a commemorative stele. Behind the main hall stands a reconstructed thatched bamboo house with an apricot tree on its right side, evoking the place where she gave birth to Mai Thúc Loan according to local legend.
An archaeological excavation conducted in 2015 across more than 240 square meters at the Động Lỗ Ngồi area on the southern slope of Mount Đụn, about 50 meters higher than the royal tomb, uncovered stone-embanked foundations, column bases, Trần-dynasty leaf-tip roof tiles, and numerous ancient ceramic shards, showing that large-scale memorial structures stood here centuries ago.
VKing Mai festival at the first full moon
The King Mai Festival takes place annually from the 13th to the 15th day of the first lunar month (in addition to a death anniversary ceremony in the ninth lunar month). It is one of the major early spring festivals of Nghệ An province, opening the festival season along both banks of the Lam River.
The ceremonial part includes the eye-opening ritual (khai quang), announcement rite (yết cáo), water procession, palanquin procession from the Temple of King Mai to the royal tomb at the foot of Mount Đụn, and the grand sacrificial ceremony according to ancient custom. The procession of flags, parasols, gongs, drums, and dragon palanquins moving across the fields of Nam Đàn toward the foot of Mount Hùng Sơn creates a solemn spectacle.
The festive part is highlighted by traditional wrestling matches recalling Mai Hắc Đế's martial prowess and recruitment of commanders, alongside boat races on the Lam River, human chess, cockfighting, tug-of-war, and performances of Nghệ Tĩnh ví and giặm folk songs.
VIWhere historical sources differ
Because Mai Thúc Loan's early eighth-century uprising is recorded only briefly in Chinese and Vietnamese official histories, several differences exist between dynastic chronicles and the folk traditions of Nghệ An.
On the date of the uprising (713 or 722): The New Book of Tang (Tân Đường thư) and the Complete Annals of Đại Việt (Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư) record only the events of the Nhâm Tuất year (722, the tenth year of the Kaiyuan era under Emperor Xuanzong of Tang), when Mai Thúc Loan rose up in Hoan Châu, proclaimed himself the Black Emperor, and was defeated by the Tang general Yang Sixu. By contrast, spirit registers, clan genealogies, and folk traditions in Nam Đàn state that he raised the banner of uprising in the Quý Sửu year (713) and maintained an independent administration for nearly ten years prior to the campaign of 722. Many modern historical studies and the special national heritage dossier recognize the 713 - 722 timeframe. Regarding the year of his death, dynastic histories link it directly to the defeat of 722, whereas stele inscriptions and site records state that he retreated into the Hùng Sơn forest and died of recurring wounds on the 16th day of the 9th lunar month of the Quý Hợi year (723).
On the exact location of Vạn An citadel: Although Vạn An citadel is frequently mentioned in historical texts and oral traditions, its ancient earthen ramparts have been heavily eroded over more than a millennium of shifting courses of the Lam River and agricultural cultivation, and archaeologists continue to survey the foot of Mount Đụn and surrounding areas to determine the exact perimeter of the eighth-century fortress.
On the date of the special national heritage decision: Decision 1649/QĐ-TTg ranking the Temple of King Mai Hắc Đế as a special national heritage site was issued on December 29, 2022 and the certificate reception ceremony took place in early 2023, although several press reports in 2024 misprinted the signing date as December 29, 2023.
VIILocation And How To Get There
- Address
- Khu vực núi Đụn và thung lũng Hùng Sơn, xã Vạn An (trước 01/07/2025 là thị trấn Nam Đàn) và xã Nam Đàn (trước là xã Nghĩa Thái, xã Nam Thái cũ), tỉnh Nghệ An
- Getting there
- From the center of former Vinh city (now in Nghệ An province), follow National Highway 46 west past Kim Liên for about 22 km to the former Nam Đàn town area (now Vạn An commune). The Temple of King Mai stands in Thượng Sơn quarter right near National Highway 46, where signposts direct visitors about 3 km west to the royal tomb at the foot of Mount Đụn, while the temple and tomb of Mai Thánh Mẫu lie in Ngọc Trừng village, new Nam Đàn commune (former Nam Thái commune).
- Coordinates
- 18.7021, 105.4937
The complex consists of three separate sites, with the Temple of King Mai and the Tomb of King Mai set about 3 km apart and the Temple and Tomb of Mai Thánh Mẫu located a few kilometers to the north. Pilgrims should allow at least half a day to visit both the main temple and the royal tomb at the foot of Mount Đụn. The Tomb of King Mai and the shrine-tomb of Mai Thiếu Đế feature stone steps leading up the mountain slope, so visitors should wear low-heeled shoes and walk carefully in damp weather. Dress respectfully and maintain quiet inside the rear sanctuary of the temple and around the stone tombs at the foot of the mountain. A trip to Nam Đàn can easily be combined with visits to the Kim Liên Relic Site (the paternal and maternal homelands of President Hồ Chí Minh), Đại Tuệ Pagoda on the peak of Mount Đại Huệ, and Hoành Sơn Communal House.
Nearby places in the library
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?Quick Questions
Are the Temple of King Mai and the Tomb of King Mai in the same compound?
No, they do not share the same compound. The Temple of King Mai stands in the former Nam Đàn town area (now Vạn An commune) near National Highway 46. The Tomb of King Mai and the shrine-tomb of Mai Thiếu Đế lie at the foot of Mount Đụn (Hùng Sơn) about 3 km west of the temple, while the temple and tomb of Mai Thánh Mẫu are located separately in Ngọc Trừng village, former Nam Thái commune, now part of the new Nam Đàn commune.
Why was Mai Thúc Loan honored with the title Mai Hắc Đế?
According to folk tradition and historical chronicles, Mai Thúc Loan had a strong, dark complexion, so the people called him the Black King (Vua Đen). In terms of imperial titulature, the title "Hắc Đế" (Black Emperor) also relates to the ancient Five Virtues cosmology, in which the North corresponds to the Water element and the color black.
In what year was the King Mai complex ranked as a special national heritage site?
The Temple of King Mai Hắc Đế complex was ranked as a national heritage site on January 12, 1996 under Decision 51-QĐ/BT and was elevated to a special national heritage site under Decision 1649/QĐ-TTg on December 29, 2022.
When is the King Mai Festival held?
The main festival takes place annually from the 13th to the 15th day of the first lunar month across both the temple and the tomb complex, featuring a palanquin procession to the foot of Mount Đụn and traditional wrestling matches.