The stronghold is located on the west side of Nua Mt. in Thien Xuan Hamlet, Hanh Tin Dong Commune, Nghia Hanh District, 45 km southwest of Quang Ngai City.

Thien Xuan Village existed for hundreds of years in another name known as “Xoay Village”. Local residents said the name of the village derived from the fact that Ve River used to run across the village and blocked by a rock mount (called Dau Mount), making a whirl in its flow (Xoay means a whirl in English).

This explanation still needs reliable data and scientific researches to verify, however, what can be sure now is Ve River did some hundreds of years ago flow next to the foot of  Dau Mount before it became a paddy field as it is today.

Results of a site study recently conducted by archeaologists show the village is of 14.850 m², contoured with stones with average height of 1.5-2 m, the base is 3 m wide and the top from 1.5-2 m wide, supposed to be for the guards to patrol the village.

All pieces of stone were placed one on another with not any sign of motar or joining materials found by the archaeologists, but forming firm and strong structures.

Inside the village there are still traces of stoned arranged to form square and rectangular plots of 200m2 per each. Each plot demarcated by stone arrangement is assumed to be for each household residing in the village.

Scientists assumed as many as approximately 50 families used to dwell in the village.

Garden trees such as jackfruit, carambola, betel (species that are very commonly grown by households in the countryside of Vietnam) are still available in the village. A water well whose wall made of stones was also found in the village.

A canal, paved with natural stone, conducting water from Ho Cai was also found there. Researchers said the uniqueness of the canal must have been made by Champa people.

Ouside the stronghold at the foot of Dau Mount traces of a temple was found. There remains only the foundation of the temple with a stone (its face was polished) as large as 1m2 that local residents said was where sacrifices were placed to offer to gods.

There have been so far no reliable evidences to tell the age of the stronghold which requires further excavation and research. Nonetheless, some scientists suggested a guess of the village age as old as some 400-600 years.  

Thien Xuan Stone Village has now been under further research and excavation by scientists and archaeologists. 

                                                                                                           M.T