Con Son – Kiep Bac complex is one of Vietnam’s twenty three specially important national relics. The complex is situated in Chi Linh commune, Hai Duong province, making good stops for a couple of hours en route to Hai Phong or Ha Long City.

Con Son – Kiep Bac is associated with the lives and careers of national heroes Nguyen Trai, Tran Hung Dao, and many national cultural celebrities. The highlights here include Con Son pagoda and Kiep Bac temple.

Con Son Pagoda, also known as Hun Pagoda or Thien Tu Phuc Monastery, was built in 13th century. The pagoda, which has undergone several restorations during recent years, has 83 rooms with 385 statues; some of which are two to three meters tall. The first statue to come into sight is the 3 meters high Amida statue, on a large pedestal in the pagoda. Behind the pagoda, there are statues of Truc Lam’s three ancestors (Tran Nhan Tong - Phap Lao - Huyen Quang), Tran Nguyen Dan and his wife. In addition, other two statues have just been identified as the statues of the great national hero Nguyen Trai and his concubine Nguyen Thi Lo.

The five meter high Dang Minh Bao Thap (Dang Minh Tower) was built with blue stones at the site of Huyen Quang’s grave. A statue of the scholar is inside the tower. Behind the tower-grave is a wide path with ancient pine trees growing on both sides and footsteps leading to the peak of the mountain. Censers spread their sweet fragrance and the clumps of peonies with dark blue leaves blossom into blazing red flowers at the formerly Buddhist hermitage.

On the way up Ky Lan Mountain visitors can call at Gieng Ngoc (pearl well), known as the eye of the kylin. At the peak, there exists Am Bach Van (White Cloud Temple), where the hero Nguyen Trai lived at the end of his life, and Ban Co Tien (fairy chessboard). Legend has it that old men come down from the sky to play chess here.

Some kilometers to the west is Kiep Bac Temple, the estate and garrisoning camp of Tran Hung Dao after the first victory over the Yuan invaders in 1258. This beautiful temple was founded in 1300 and built the site where Tran Hung Dao is said to have died. The temple was built not only for the general, but also to honor other notable members of his daughter, Quyen Thanh, who married Tran Nhat Ton, the person credited with founding the Vietnamese sect of Buddhism called Truc Lam. The Tran Hung Dao Festival is held at Den Kiep Bac very year from the 18th to the 20th day of the eighth lunar month.