Den Cung - Gieng Ngoc in Bac Ninh welcomed a steady stream of residents and visitors on the final day of the Lunar New Year holiday.

The site is renowned for its open-air well of crystal-clear water. Folklore holds that those who pray with sincerity will receive blessings and see their wishes fulfilled. Each spring, people return to seek prosperity, romance and a peaceful year ahead.

The ancient well lies at the heart of the temple grounds, fed by a source from Kim Linh Mountain. Shaped like a half moon and covering around 20 square meters, it features 11 brick steps, four stone steps and a final ironwood step descending to the water’s edge.

During the early days of spring, as crowds move up and down the steps, the bricks can become slippery. To ensure safety, the management board provides high-friction slippers for visitors.

Nguyen Linh, from Lang Son, said she had researched Gieng Ngoc before making her pilgrimage. Trusting in the temple’s sacred reputation, she made the journey to pray for love at the start of the year.

“I wash my face with the well water, hoping for clear eyes and a clear heart, so that this year I may choose the right partner,” Linh shared.

Many visitors bring bottles, containers and even buckets to draw water, taking it home to wash their hair or share with relatives. The management board advises that, as three large sacred carp are raised in the well, visitors should limit themselves to washing hands and faces and avoid drinking the water directly to maintain hygiene.

Nevertheless, some tourists still drink the water immediately after drawing it. One woman said she found it remarkably sweet and cool.

Several female visitors did not hesitate to splash water over their heads and faces, praying for enlightenment and sharper minds in the new year.

After visiting the sacred well, many young people confidently drew fortune sticks for the year ahead, smiling when the predictions promised smooth romance.

Local residents say that in the past, villagers would fetch water from Gieng Ngoc to brew tea for guests and distill liquor for important family and clan occasions. There is also a long-held belief that thanks to drinking the well’s water, the girls of Diem village possess particularly smooth and clear Quan ho folk singing voices, famed across the region.

Legend has it that within Gieng Ngoc lives a sacred fish believed to be over a thousand years old, respectfully called “ong ca than” by locals. During historic floods in 1957 and 1971, when Diem village was deeply submerged, the three sacred fish remained in the well and did not leave.

For visitors coming to Den Cung to offer incense and prayers, the water of Gieng Ngoc is believed to bring good fortune. Those who drink it, people say, will see their wishes come true.

Thach Thao