Tiếng Việt
When mentioning the That Son Bay Nui region, besides the majestic natural scenery, the spiritual stories of Nui Cam have always been passed down by the locals to this day. Mysterious, fascinating, and unique are the feelings you will experience when you hear the people on the mountain tell about this place directly. Let Tieu Dao Tu explore the spiritual stories of Nui Cam through the article below!
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Travel to Mount Cấm – The Pride of the Fairyland An Giang
Mount Cam is located in An Hao commune, Tinh Bien district, An Giang province. Today, Mount Cam tourism remains a top choice for people in the Mekong Delta when mentioning the fairy land of An Giang. Perhaps, the ethereal beauty of this place has attracted not only pilgrims but also young people and families who come to visit and sightsee.
Mount Cam is the highest mountain in the That Son (Seven Mountains) range of An Giang, reaching a height of 705m. On Mount Cam, there are many famous landmarks: the Maitreya Buddha statue on the mountaintop, Thuy Liem Lake, Van Linh Pagoda, Big Buddha Pagoda, Thanh Long Stream, and Bo Hong Electricity (the highest point of Mount Cam – an ideal cloud-hunting spot). Along with that are many beautiful landscapes, and Mount Cam’s cuisine will not disappoint you.
In addition to the beautiful scenery, this place also attracts the curiosity of near and far visitors through the mysterious and fascinating spiritual stories of Mount Cam.
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Legends of the name of Nui Cam (Forbidden Mountain) in An Giang
Throughout history, there have been numerous legends explaining the name of Nui Cam in An Giang (also known by various other names such as Nui Ong Cam, Thien Cam Son, Thien Cam Son).
The first explanation suggests that the name Nui Cam originated from the order of King Nguyen Phuc Anh (the former name of King Gia Long) to forbid people from climbing the mountain. The king once took refuge from the Tay Son army on this mountain and therefore issued a ban on people visiting the place. Currently, Gia Long electricity is still on Nui Cam to worship King Gia Long.
The second explanation suggests that Nui Cam was once the habitat of white tigers (Bach Ho), hence the prohibition against people climbing the mountain. On Nui Cam today, there are up to 10 “Ong Ho” caves, leading many to believe that many tigers once lived on this mountain.
Another theory suggests that the name Nui Cam originated from the prohibition of Buddha Master Tay An – Doan Minh Huyen (the founder of the Buu Son Ky Huong sect in the That Son region) against his followers going up the mountain and defiling it, hence the name Nui Cam.
Finally, there is another hypothesis explaining that this is a pristine mountain with a landscape of “thuy tu son ky” (beautiful water and unique mountains) that is beautiful like flowers and brocade in all four seasons, hence the name Nui Gam (now pronounced as Nui Cam) or Thien Cam Son.
Regardless of the origin of the name Nui Cam, the picturesque and fairy-like beauty of Nui Cam has been recognized by many tourists, hasn’t it?
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Spiritual Stories of Nui Cam
According to the books of feng shui masters, because the That Son region runs along the western side of An Giang, amidst the fertile plains – where yin and yang energies converge – Nui Cam is considered a Dragon’s Lair, possessing the full essence of heaven and earth. Perhaps that is why the temples on the mountain become more sacred and attract a large number of Buddhist followers.
There’s an old folk saying: “Cultivate Buddhism in Phu Yen, cultivate immortality in Bay Nui.” Bay Nui means That Son, with many high mountain ranges belonging to Tri Ton and Tinh Bien districts. Among them, Nui Cam is the highest mountain, associated with many spiritual stories of Nui Cam about tigers, pythons, thunder roaring across the sky, etc.
Stories about the cloud tiger snake (ran ho may) of the That Son region always cause curiosity and fear. Some say it’s a giant snake, with a body as thick as a log, so each time it moves, it causes storms; when it coils up, it’s as big as a large jar. Others tell stories of people encountering “Ong May” (Mr. Cloud), but because it’s a creature that has cultivated for many years, it doesn’t eat people! Or the story of the spirit White Tiger becoming a demon and being subdued by a hermit is a story everyone in the region knows.
Here, every bush, blade of grass, and rock is associated with a fascinating legend, with Vo Thien Tue – one of the five “vo” (small hills) in the Nui Cam mountain system – being a prime example. Because even the hypothesis about the origin of this place name is shrouded in legend. Some people rumor that this name was given by King Gia Long because it was his residence. Others believe that it was named so because the cycads grew abundantly like a territory.
Or even more chilling is the story of the warning about the fate of the people here, when the “Ong Ket” mine completely returns to Nui Cam, Nui Cam will have three thunderous explosions, opening up countless golden palaces, at which time the good-living, virtuous people will be led here to enjoy a peaceful life, while the evil and bad people will be punished accordingly by “Ong Nam Cheo.”
The spiritual stories of Nui Cam are countless; if visitors have time to come to this land, follow the elderly Taoist hermits on the mountain, and ask them, they will tell stories for three days and three nights without running out.
Although no one has proven whether the mystical spiritual stories in the That Son region are real or just legends with religious beliefs, listeners should think more openly that these spiritual stories of Nui Cam have a good purpose, which is to teach people to live righteously, cultivate themselves, and those who live virtuously will surely meet with good fortune.
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