Tale 1: Lady Third Saves King Lê Lợi
According to legend, Lady Third (Cô Bơ) is the daughter of the Water King (Thủy Tề)—some sources say she is the daughter of the Dragon King (Long Vương) who served the Water Mother Goddess (Vương Mẫu Thoải Cung).
During the war against the Ming invaders, Lê Lợi once suffered defeat and was pursued deep into the wilderness. Heavy rain poured down; his horse collapsed and died. Exhausted, he stumbled upon a small shrine by the river, dedicated to Princess Thủy Tinh, and entered to rest. Though weary, he could not sleep, haunted by the fear of being captured.
In a half-waking dream, a goddess emerged from the water, appearing as a young woman in white robes, her hair coiled high beneath a conical crown resembling that of Guanyin. She spoke softly:
“General, you carry the Mandate of Heaven. Though many hardships await, your heart seeks to save the people and reclaim the land. Fear not—Heaven’s spirits shall aid you. Rest now, for I will guard your sleep.”
In his dream, Lê Lợi replied:
“Many spirits have promised me Heaven’s favor, yet my army has fallen time and again. My comrades and loved ones have perished. Even my dearest wife I’ve offered to a god for this cause, and still, my destiny seems broken.”
The Goddess answered gently:
“Do not lose faith. That past love was a bond fated to end. You and I share a connection from a previous life. Meeting here again is destiny. Would you take me as your wife?”
Lê Lợi laughed:
“Look at my state—hunted and worn. Yet if fate decrees it, I shall accept, though spirit and man dwell apart.”
The Goddess smiled:
“Sleep peacefully. When dawn comes, head south—your fortune will rise.”
When he awoke, the enemy had vanished. On the shrine altar stood a statue identical to the goddess in his dream. He knelt and said:
“You have saved my life. I vow, once I have restored the realm, I shall return with betel and areca to wed you—though mortal and spirit are apart.”
Following her guidance, he marched south and reunited with his men. From then on, his army triumphed wherever it fought.
After defeating the Ming and ascending the throne, the king returned to the forest with offerings to fulfill his vow—but the shrine had disappeared, leaving only an empty field.
In the royal court, people spoke of two Spirit Consorts of the king—one being Phạm Thị Ngọc Trần, his late wife, and the other, the White-Robed Water Goddess of the Shrine.
Hence, when mediums serve Lady Third, the Water Spirit, they wear white robes, a crown like Guanyin’s, and enact scenes of rowing a boat or offering healing herbs, symbolizing her divine acts of rescue and compassion.
The First Spirit Consort – Lady Phạm Thị Ngọc Trần
Lady Phạm Thị Ngọc Trần, from Quần Lai village, Thanh Hóa, was a wife of Lê Lợi and mother of King Lê Thái Tông. During the resistance against the Ming, she endured great hardship beside her husband.
At one besieged fortress, Lê Lợi dreamed of the Guardian Spirit (Thần Phổ Hộ) demanding a woman’s soul as an offering to secure victory. Lady Ngọc Trần had the same dream. She offered her own life, saying:
“If my death may save our cause, let it be so. Only promise not to forsake our child.”
She sacrificed herself on the 24th day of the 3rd lunar month, 1423. After victory, the king declared:
“She shall be queen of all spirits in our realm.”
He built temples in her honor and posthumously titled her Cung Từ Quốc Thái Mẫu, later elevated to Empress Dowager Cung Từ Quang Mục.
LADY THIRD, THE HUMAN SPIRIT (CÔ BƠ BÔNG HÀN SƠN)
Tale 1
Lady Third of the Water Palace (Cô Bơ Thoải Cung), daughter of the Water King, was said to have reincarnated during the Lê dynasty and helped King Lê Lợi in his uprising against the Ming.
When pursued to the Thác Hàn River Junction (Hà Trung, Thanh Hóa), the king met a girl tending cornfields. She hid his royal robe, disguised him in peasant clothes, and tricked the pursuing soldiers.
She later ferried troops and supplies across rivers, aiding the resistance. The king promised that, upon victory, he would bring her to court as his consort. But when he returned, she had already passed away. People believed a celestial carriage came to escort her back to the Water Palace.
She then appeared in visions helping sailors cross safely, earning the titles Lady Third of the River (Cô Bơ Bông) or Lady Third of Thác Hàn.
In spirit ceremonies, she appears in white robes, with a white headdress and oar, sometimes performing healing blessings. Her main shrine is Đền Cô Bơ Bông in Hà Sơn commune, Hà Trung district, Thanh Hóa, near the Temple of Mother Thác Hàn (Mẫu Thoải).
Tale 2
During King Lê Thánh Tông’s reign (1460–1497), the general Lê Thọ Vực guarded the frontier at Ba Bông – Hàn Sơn. In a fierce battle, he dreamed of a white-robed maiden descending from the clouds, saying:
“Withdraw to Nhị Sơn, pray to the Water Mother, and use the tide to strike your enemy.”
Following her guidance, he lured the invaders into a trap, using the tides and hidden reefs to crush their fleet.
To honor the divine aid, the king built a temple for Lady Third at Ba Bông, near the shrine of Mother Water Goddess of Hàn Sơn.
Tale 3
According to the Annals of the Lê Dynasty’s Outer Chronicles, in 1432 King Lê Lợi dreamt of a Water Princess who asked:
“Do you remember your promise, O King?”
He recalled the young woman who once saved him at Thác Hàn. Back then, he had said he would marry her to his nephew, General Lê Khôi (later worshiped as Prince Hoàng Mười).
But when peace came, she was gone. The king realized she was the daughter of the Water King who had descended to aid him. He honored her as a High-Ranking Deity (Thượng Đẳng Thần) and built a shrine in her memory.
Folk Traditions
Stories of Lady Third of Hàn Sơn often carry sorrowful tones. Thus, when mediums serve her, they maintain a solemn, graceful demeanor.
In contrast, Lady Third of the Water Palace is depicted with a gentle smile, symbolizing purity and mercy.
A Folk Verse Remembering Her
“In ancient Lê times the tale retold,
Of Lady Third, fair and pure as gold.
Loyal she stood in mortal strife,
Helping Lê’s cause through storm and life.
Hàn Sơn Temple, her sacred home,
She steered through waves where heroes roam.”
