Temples and pagodas in Hanoi, Part III

Besides some big and famous pagodas, Hanoi also has many other smaller but really beautiful and interesting with both attractive sightseeing and mysterious legends.

1. TRAN QUOC PAGODA

Located in the North of Hanoi, in the middle of West lake, Tran Quoc pagoda is considered to be the oldest one in Hanoi. Tran Quoc pagoda is not only the oldest pagoda in Hanoi but it is also one of the most unique pagodas of Vietnam.

Tran Quoc Pagoda

Tower garden in Tran Quoc

This pagoda was built under Ly Nam De dynasty, about 544 – 548. At the first time, this pagoda located on Red river bank, An Hoa village, Quang Duc district (Yen Phu, Tay Ho now). At that time, there was a big collapse of the river bank, therefore, the pagoda was moved to the current place in 1615.

For many years, Tran Quoc pagoda has had many different names like Khai Quoc, An Quoc, Tran Bac. At the end of 17th century, under Le Hy Tong dynasty, this pagoda was named like it is today

2. NGOC SON TEMPLE

Considered to be one of the brightest stars in Vietnam's literary and intellectual circles. It is the place to worship National Hero Tran Hung Dao, who was the famous general, led the Vietnamese people to victory over the Yuan aggressors.

Ngoc Son Temple main gate

The temple as it is today was made by Nguyen Van Sieu in 1864. A Confucian scholar, Nguyen Van Sieu had a large pen-shaped tower built at the entrance of the temple. On the upper section of the tower, also called Pen Tower, are three Chinese characters: “Ta Thanh Thien”, which literally means "to write on the blue sky” is to imply the height of a genuine and righteous man's determination and will, meaning "ink stand", is carved from stone resembling a peach placed on the back of the three frogs on top of the gate to the temple; and The Huc bridge which means "where first coming of morning sunshine touch".

HOE NHAI PAGODA

Hoe Nhai Pagoda is located at 19 Hang Than street, Ba Dinh district. Hoe Nhai is pagoda’s location so people named for pagoda like that. The original name is Hồng Phúc Tự. It means “Pagoda of Immense Beatitude”.

Hoe Nhai Gate

It was built in 1010 under Ly dynasty. At the beginning time, it was one of the largest in the capital, covered 3000 m2 area. Because of war, pagoda was destroyed. Until 17th century, the nanny of King Le Hy Tong, who was born at this place, was rebuilt Hong Phuc pagoda. She invited Monk. Thuy Nguyet to become Senior Monk. Thuy Nguyet was the first monk who expanded Tao Dong sect into Vietnam.

Special Statue inside Hoe Nhai Pagoda

During its history, Hoe Nhai pagoda had 48 Senior Monks and had a lot of changed. Nowadays, Hoe Nhai pagoda covers 1000m2 with 5 houses, and surrounding garden and stupas.
There are 68 statues in pagoda, 28 stone steles. Moreover, Hoe Nhai pagoda is still keeping a lot of valuable stuffs for history, cultural, arts.

ONE PILLAR PAGODA

The One Pillar Pagoda or Dien Huu Pagoda , which literally means “long lasting happiness and luckiness”) is a historic Buddhist pagoda in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. As visiting Hanoi, tourists may come to various other monuments, parks and historical places. However, the One-Pillar Pagoda reflects the architectural splendor that the country has grown.

One pillar pagoda

It is said that, Emperor Ly Thai To of the Ly dynasty, who had no children, used to go to pagodas to pray to Buddha for a child. One night, he dreamt that he was granted a private audience to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who was sat on a great lotus flower in a square-shaped lotus pond on the western side of Thang Long Citadel, gave the King a Babyboy. One month later, when the Queen had pregnant and gave birth to a male child, the Emperor ordered the construction of a pagoda supported by only one pillar to resemble the lotus seat of his dream in the honor of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. According to a theory, the pagoda was built in a style of a lotus emerging out of the water.

LANG PAGODA

Lang Pagoda

The Lang Pagoda was built under the reign of King Ly Anh Tong (1138-1175). Over 8 centuries have elapsed since its original construction and its exterior has undergone numerous changes during repairs. It was last altered during the mid-19th century.

The beauty of the Pagoda's architecture is its own very composition, harmonious and balanced. The gate is a line of four brick pillars with three intricately curved roofs. The square pillars stretch skyward with the two central pillars the highest ones. The three curved roofs are not on top of the pillars but rather attached to their sides with the mid-roof higher than the other two, thus creating a solemn gesture.

Hanoi still has so many other interesting temples and pagodas that are very closed to Hanoi people's life. Hope that you may have interest on things like that

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Amazing North Vietnam

Hanoi – Ha Long – Ninh Binh

In the early morning in North Vietnam, we went to the airport and pick up the guests at Noi Bai International airport. It took a long time to wait for the airport. When tourists came, they were very tired and seemed not to be welcomed, but when we introduced about Hanoi and the itinerary of the day, they became more interested. After leaving the airport, the driver took us to the temple of literature, the first university of Vietnam. It was on the 3^rd of Vietnamese New Year holiday, so there are so many tourists came there. We had chances to see the tradition of Vietnam people of Tet Holiday (according to the Vietnam’s words) with many “old teachers” sitting in front the temple writing the lucky parallel.  It was so lucky for us to see that. Lunch in Hanoi was very different; we ate “Pho” – special of Hanoi.

First gate of the temple

Constellation of Pavillion in Temple of literature

In the afternoon, we came to see the Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple. That time, the guide told us about the legend of Hoan Kiem Lake related to the golden turtle and Le Loi King. It was really interesting story. Ngoc Son Temple is much different from the temple we had visited in the morning. Besides worshipping Confucius, they also worship Taoism in that temple. We had chances to see the golden turtle. Is the legend of Hoan Kiem Lake a true story? That question the guests still wonder until now. Before coming back to dinner, the guide took us around the Hanoi Old Quarter with many ancient houses, narrow alley and beautiful structure. The evening food was much better than the lunch as we can try rice, normal food of Hanoian as well as Malay people.

Next morning, we came to the hotel very early to pick up guests to Ho Chi Minh complex as we knew that these days, if we did not come early, we need to wait for a long time, so many tourists came there to visit Uncle Ho (Ho Chi Minh President due to Vietnamese). After 1 hour and a half waiting, we came inside the mausoleum to see our own eyes how Unlce Ho looks like. After that we visit some other places in the complex like the house on stilt, the government house, One pillar pagoda… 

Mausoluem of Ho Chi Minh

The next destination of the morning is the museum of Ethnology with many objects about ethnic group of Vietnam like the houses, the clothes and other tools inside. After the museum, we came to KOTO restaurant to have lunch. KOTO means “Know one teach one”, very meaningful restaurant in Vietnam. At 1:30pm, we drove to Ha Long. It took us 4 hours to drive there and just when we reached Ha Long, checked in the hotel for the guests, we took them for dinner in Ha Long with many delicious sea-foods. In the evening, we took the tourists to the night market in Ha Long for them to choose the souvenir they like and for other kinds of products.

The third day, we took a ship to go around Ha Long, listen to the legend of Ha Long Bay and visited the beautiful caves there: Thien Cung grotto and Wooden Steak cave. These are the most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay. Inside the cave, there are many stalactites with different shapes of the dolphin, couple of lovers, the eyes of dragon… We also visited the Incense Stick Burner cave in the middle of the bay. Moreover, there was an interesting cave Fighting cocks islands. The shape of that one like two baby cock facing together. The trip ended with the lunch on boat, we can enjoy the view  of the bay while trying our meals with delicious dishes from sea food that we chose and bought from the bay. It was so interesting. The whole afternoon, we drove back to Hanoi to enjoy the water puppet show at 6:30 pm. It is the most attractive kind of art of Vietnam that hardly can anyone pass when coming to Vietnam. The third day ended with the delicious dinner at the hotel.

Memory in HaLong Bay

The next day, we once again drove to Ninh Binh, a province in the south of Hanoi to visit Dinh – Le King Temples. Many interesting and attractive things there, the Kings beds with dragon and phoenix, ther exhibition of the citadel… Lunch in Ninh Binh is different, no more seafood, no more noodles, in Ninh Binh, we tried the goat meat with bare-foot chickens. But it seemed not suitable to the one guest as he has no teeth. It is a pity for him. In the afternoon, we took a sampan in Tam Coc to visit the 3 caves. In the way to the cave, we saw the beautiful picture of Vietnam, the field of rice, it is really impressive. Moreover, we can also receive many pictures without taking. Many of the local people they are very friendly and they helped us do that during the trip in Tam Coc. They were pretty picture for a good memory in Vietnam.

The last day in Hanoi, we had to wake up very early to take the guests to the airport to fly back their country. It was too hard to say goodbye to them. A tour with many memory about Vietnam and Hanoi.

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