Temple of Literature Hanoi
Temple
of Literature (Vietnamese: Văn Miếu is a temple of Confucius in Vietnam.
Although several Văn Miếu can be found throughout Vietnam, the most prominent
and famous is that situated in the city of Hanoi, which also functioned as
Vietnam's first university. It is featured on the back of the one hundred
thousand Vietnamese đồng bank notes. The landmark was founded in 1070 as a
Confucian temple. Only parts of the Văn Miếu complex date back to the earliest
period, although much of the architecture dates to the Lý (1010 – 1225) and Trần
(1225 – 1400) Dynasties.
In
1076 Vietnam's first university, the Quốc Tử Giám or Imperial Academy, was
established within the temple to educate Vietnam's bureaucrats, nobles, royalty
and other members of the elite. The university functioned for more than 700
years, from 1076 to 1779. Given the extreme difficulty of the doctor laureate
tests, few students passed final examinations. The list of names engraved on
the stone stele every year during this period is very small. The stele records
2,313 students graduating as doctor laureates.
Emperor
Lê Thánh Tông established the tradition, dating back to 1484, of carving the
names of the laureates of the university on stone steles that were placed on
top of stone tortoises. Of the 116 steals corresponding to the examinations
held between 1142 and 1778, only 82 remain.
According
to the book the Complete History of the Great Viet, "In the autumn of the
year Canh Tuat, the second year of Than Vu (1070), in the 8th lunar month,
during the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong, the Temple of Literature was built. The
statues of Confucius, his four best disciples: Yan Hui (Nhan Uyên), Zengzi
(Tăng Sâm), Zisi (Tử Tư), and Mencius (Mạnh Tử), as well as the Duke of Zhou
(Chu Công), were carved and 72 other statues of Confucian scholars were
painted. Ceremonies were dedicated to them in each of the four seasons. The
Crown Princess studied here."
This
ancient Confucian sanctuary is now considered one of Hanoi's finest historical
sites. The temple is based on Confucius' birthplace at Qufu in the Chinese
province of Shandong. It consists of five courtyards lined out in order,
entrance to the first, via the impressive twin-tiered Văn Miếu gate, leads to
three pathways that run the length of the complex.
The
centre path was reserved for the king, the one to its left for administrative
Mandarins and the one to its right for military Mandarins. The first two
courtyards are peaceful havens of ancient trees and well-trimmed lawns where
scholars could relax away from the bustle of the city outside the thick stone
walls.
Entrance
to the third courtyard is through the dominating Khuê Văn Các (constellation of
literature), a large pavilion built in 1802. Central to this courtyard is the
Thien Quang Tinh ("Well Of Heavenly Clarity"), either side of which
stand two great halls which house the true treasures of the temple. These are
82 stones steles. Another 34 are believed to have been lost over the years.
They sit upon stone turtles and are inscribed with the names and birth places
of 1306 men who were awarded doctorates from the triennial examinations held
here at the Quốc Tử Giám ("Imperial Academy") between 1484 and 1780,
after which the capital was moved to Huế.
The
fourth courtyard is bordered on either side by great pavilions which once
contained altars of 72 of Confucius' greatest students but now contain offices,
a gift shop and a small museum displaying ink wells, pens, books and personal
artifacts belonging to some of the students that studied here through the
years. At the far end of the courtyard is the altar with statues of Confucius
and his four closest disciples. The fifth courtyard contained the Quốc Tử Giám,
Vietnam's first university, founded in 1076 by King Ly Can Duc, but this was
destroyed by French bombing in 1947.
The
complex has undergone much restoration work, most recently in 1920 and again in
1954, but remains one of the few remaining examples of later Lý Dynasty
(1009-1225) architecture within easy walking distance of Ba Dinh square.
One Pillar Pagoda - Chua Mot Cot
Close-by
the impressive presidential palace is a treasure and a landmark of Ha Noi. It
appears somewhat bizarre, but is a small and fine gem: „the Một Cột Pagoda”
(One-Pillar Pagoda). The name is immediately evident; its second name is Pagoda
of the goddess Quan Âm. Quan Âm is the goddess of the mercy. According to the
legend the goddess Quan Âm appear to King Lý Thái Tông (1000 - 1054) in a
dream. The king was already old and still childless and sought a successor. In
the dream Quan Âm handed him a son while seated on a lotus flower. The king
then took a farmer girl as concubine and had a son by her, who is the long
desired successor to the throne forecasted by the goddess. Deeply gratefully Lý
Thái Tông built in the year 1049 the Một Cột Pagoda in honors of the goddess of
mercy. As the name suggests the pagoda stands on one pillar in the middle of an
artificial square lake. In the season, the lake is covered by lotus flowers.
The pagoda itself is wooden and about 3 x 3 meters. Inside resides a statue of
Quan Âm. In the course of its 1000 year history this pagoda was destroyed – and
rebuilt - many times. The French occupation army last destroyed it shortly
before quitting Viet Nam. In 1955 it was – again – reconstructed, this time –
unfortunately! - with a concrete pillar instead of the original wooden pillar.
Unfortunately? It could be seen as the pragmatic Vietnamese attempt to connect
the tradition with the modernity. Whether concrete or wood, the Bodhisattva
Quan Âm will continue to be admired here as child-bringing goddess. This
delicate pagoda is worth a visit anyway.
Do Temple
Location:
Located in Dinh Bang Village, Tu Son Town, Bac Ninh Province, 15km from Hanoi.
Characteristics:
Do Temple worship the eight Kings of Ly Dynasty and is famous for its unique
architecture.
Formerly,
the Do Temple was famous for its architecture, highly praised through the
verses:
"The
architecture of the Do Temple is marvelous,
Worthy
to the thousand-year-old history of Thang Long"
Do
Temple was built during the Le Dynasty and has been altered several times
since. The major reconstruction took place under the reign of Le Trung Hung, in
the 17th century.
In
front of the Temple lies a semi-circular lake, with clear and full water all
the year round. The lake is connected with two ponds at both ends of the
village, with the Tieu Tuong River in front of the village. In the center of
the lake stands a square house reserved for water puppetry performances with
two beautiful tiered roofs. To the south of the lake, there is a huge pavilion
to preserve stone slabs inscribed with the merits of the eight kings of Ly
Dynasty, and to the north of the lake, a 5-compartment floating house for
visitors to take a rest.
The
Temple's gate includes five doors made of hard wooden plates assembled together
and carved on top images of dragons waiting upon the moon. When the door opens,
its two leaves are wide apart, and the two dragons on top of the doors seem to
be soaring. On day, the dragons' eyes when catching the light shine like
gemstones. Along the three-step staircase, are carved two stone dragons with
clouds around, on a green stone floor, symbolizing the Thang Long (Soaring
Dragon) Capital.
Passing
the gate and a large yard, a green stone paved road leads visitors to a square
house, with eight tiered roofs and three compartments, 70m2 in area. Then there
is a 7-compartment front worship house, 220m2 in area, whose front walls are
hung with two big posters displaying capital letters: "Eight Kings
together brightening" and "Co Phap Commune - a foundation of the Ly
Dynasty".
Then
a three-compartment house, 80m2 in area, with eight tiered roofs. These three
compartments are spacious and ventilated and on the axis leading to the Co Phap
ancient back pavilion, 180m2 in area, and with the floor space in the shape of
a Cong letter...
Different
parts of the Do Temple are being restored one after another by skilful
craftsmen. A rolling of drumbeats was suddenly heard, signaling the start of a
procession to bring the tablet of King Ly Thai To from the Do Temple to the Ung
Tam Pagoda where the King's mother was worshipped for a reunion of the King and
his mother. The procession was attended by a thousand of people, who expressed
the spirit of the Vietnamese, i.e. "when drinking the water, think of its
source".
Thien Mu Pagoda
Location:
Thien Mu Pagoda is situated on Ha Khe Hill, on the left bank of the Perfume
River, in Huong Long Village, 5km from center of Hue City.
Characteristic:
It was built in 1601, and then Lord Nguyen Phuc Tan had it renovated in 1665.
In 1710, Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu had a great bell cast (2.5m high; 3,285kg) and in
1715, he had a stele (2.58m high) erected on the back of a marble tortoise.
The
name of the pagoda comes from a legend: a long ago, an old woman appeared on
the hill where the pagoda stands today. She told local people that a Lord would
come and build a Buddhist pagoda for the country's prosperity. Lord Nguyen
Hoang, on hearing that, ordered the construction of the pagoda of the
"Heavenly Lady".
Several
kings of the Nguyen Dynasty such as Gia Long, Minh Mang, Thieu Tri and Thanh
Thai, all had the pagoda restored. Phuoc Duyen Tower (at first called Tu Nhan
Tower) was erected in 1884 by King Thieu Tri. This octagonal tower has seven
storeys (21m high). Dai Hung shrine, the main-hall, presents a magnificent
architecture. As well as bronze cast statues, it shelters some precious
antiques: the bronze gong cast in 1677, the wooden gilded board with Lord
Nguyen Phuc Chu's inscriptions (1714). On both sides of the pagoda are a room
for the bonzes and a guest-room for visitors.
The
pagoda is surrounded by flowers and ornamental plants. At the far end of the
garden stretches a calm and romantic pine-tree forest. The pagoda was heavily
damaged in 1943. Bonze Thich Don Hau hence organized a great renovation of the
pagoda that lasted for more than 30 years.
Thien Hau Temple in Hochiminh city
Chùa
Bà Thiên Hậu (The Pagoda of the Lady Thien Hau) is a Chinese style temple
located on Nguyen Trai Street in the Cho Lon (Chinatown) district of Ho Chi
Minh City, Vietnam. It is dedicated to Thiên Hậu, the Lady of the Sea
("Tian Hou" as transcribed from the Chinese), who is also known as
"Mazu".
Contents
Thiên
Hậu is a deity of traditional Chinese religion, who is revered in the southern
maritime provinces of China and in overseas Chinese communities. Thiên Hậu is
worshipped in the seafaring Chinese communities of Fukien, Canton, Taiwan, and
Southeast Asia. She is not specifically a deity of Taoism or of Buddhism,
though she has been brought into connection with figures and themes from Taoism
and Buddhism. For example, at Quan Am Pagoda, also in Cho Lon, Ho Chi Minh
City, the two major altars are dedicated respectively to Thiên Hậu and to Quan
Âm (the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara).
The
temple is located right on busy Nguyen Trai Street. It can be accessed by entering
through an iron gate and crossing a small courtyard. The roof is decorated with
small delicately fashioned porcelain figurines expressing themes from Chinese
religion and legends. Lanterns and wooden models of Chinese theaters hang over
the entrance.
The
interior of the temple is actually a partially covered courtyard, at the end of
which is the altar to Thiên Hậu. The exposed portions of the courtyard contain
incense burners, and open the view to the remarkable porcelain dioramas that
decorate the roof. The dioramas show scenes from a 19th century Chinese city,
and include such colorful figures as actors, demons, animals, and Persian and
European sailors and traders. In one scene, actors depict a duel on horseback
battle between the revered halberd-wielding general Guan Yu of the novel Three
Kingdoms and another fighter. Another scene depicts the three Taoist sages
representing longevity, fecundity and prosperity.
The
altar to Thiên Hậu is dominated by the three statues of the goddess. The faces
are bronze in color, and the clothes and crowns are multi-colored. Incense
burners are all about.
This
article written by Lanh Nguyen from Vietnam Heritage Travel
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