Abstract

Ly Thuong Kiet was a prominent military commander of the Ly dynasty who made significant contributions to the development and defense of Dai Viet. In addition to being recognized in official historical records, he is worshipped in numerous localities. Drawing on historical sources and fieldwork conducted at selected worship sites, this article examines the transformation of Ly Thuong Kiet from a historical figure into an object of worship and identifies the characteristics of the network of sites dedicated to him in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, and Thanh Hoa. The findings indicate that this worship network developed primarily in areas associated with his homeland, military achievements, and life and deeds. At these sites, he is venerated in various capacities, including as a village tutelary deity (Thanh hoang), village founder (To lang), benevolent deity (Phuc than), and deified military commander. This worship network not only reflects the sacralization of a historical figure but also contributes to preserving historical memory, strengthening community identity, and promoting cultural values in contemporary life.

Keywords: Historical memory, Ly Thuong Kiet, sacred space, worship of deified historical figures.