In 1885, while wiring telegram cables, some French troops discovered a Champa temple complex under the cover of trees and vines in a valley 2 km in diameter. The valley is beside My Son village of Duy Phu Commune, Duy Xuyen district, 70 km to the South-West of Da Nang City.

In 1895, a French man named C. Paris had the area around thetemples cleared. In 1898-1899, French scholars L. Finot and L. De La Jonquière discovered 35 steles with inscriptions (1/5 of the total number of Champa steles found in the whole Middle of Vietnam). 

In 1901, French archeologist and architect H. Parmentier came here to study the art of architecture. 

Their first research papers, published in the journal of the École française d'Extrême-Orient, served as the basis for subsequent studies of Champa culture.

Experts say an early stele found at My Son recounts that around the IV century, King Bhadravarman had a wooden temple built at the site to worship God Shiva- Bhadravarman. 

It said, “Bhadravarman offers a land as an eternal tribute to the God, with Suhala mount to the East, Mahaparvata Mountainto the South and Kucaka mount to the West... together with the people living on it and all of its produce.”

According to the description of the mountains in the stele, researchers conclude that My Son Valley, surrounded by high sacred mountains, was chosen to be the spiritual capital of the Champa Kingdom. 

This spiritual valley was not far from the state’s center of power, Simhapura (Tra Kieu).

This fact shows that since the IV century, the Champa Kingdom had adopted Hinduism, thus accepting the influences of Hindu civilization.

Some later steles say that the wooden temple was completely burnt down by the end of the VI century. 

After that, by Royal order, a newtemple was built in place of the old one. Since then, every new Champa King comes to the Holy Land of My Son to be inaugurated, make offerings and build a new shrine. 

And so, from the VII to XIII centuries, over 70 towers were built in My Son valley.

Almost all the architectural structures at My Son are spiritual edifices to worship, make offerings, commemorate great conquests, andfor Champa Kings, to communicate with the Gods. 

This is also where the Kings’ spirits rejoin the Hindu Gods, especially Shiva, worshipped by some sects as the Supreme Being.

Almost all architectural styles of Champa art are found here, from the oldest ones to later ones such as Hoa Lai, Dong Duong, My Son, Po Naga and Binh Dinh. 

Not only temples and shrines, but also hundreds ofpriceless sculptures were found at My Son spiritual capital. 

The stone and brick sculptures reflect a creative way of mixing local culture with foreign influence. 

The most common themes include flowers, leaves, elephants, lions, Apsara dancers, musicians, divine governing body, and the aquatic monster Makara. 

Most of the sculptures found at My Son in the early XX century are exhibited at the Champa sculpture museum of Da Nang.

According to the reports of French experts, before 1946 at My Son, there were 68 architectural remains, quite well preserved. But after theVietnam-French and Vietnam-American wars, most of them are ruined. 

The spiritual capital of the kingdom, deceased in 1832, has only about 20 temples left, none whole. 

From 1980, the My Son vestige restoration subcommittee leadby architect Kazimierz Kwiatkowski was established. 

After 10 years ofreinforcement and renovation, the holiest expression of Champa art has been somewhat revived.

On Dec 1st, 1999 the My Son temple complex was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. 

To preserve the site, a green vegetation belt was restored around it. That somehow creates the feeling that Champa souls have blended in with today’s life.

VN Heritage