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Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue, the beautiful ancient temples

Location

Thien Mu Pagoda, also known as Linh Mu pagoda is an ancient temple located on Ha Khe Hill, the left bank of the Huong river, from the center of Hue City (Viet Nam) about 5 kilometers to the west.

History of Thien Mu Pagoda

Before start-up time of the temple, on Ha Khe Hill have also called Thien Mo pagoda or Thien Mau, is a temple of the Cham.

The gate of Thien Mu pagoda
The gate of Thien Mu pagoda

Legend has it that, when Lord Nguyen Hoang to make proconsul of Thuan Hoa, Quang Nam. He has personally reviewed the terrain here in preparation for expanding the inheritance, built for the Nguyen dynasty later. In once roamed the horses and upwards along the Perfume River watershed, he saw a small hill rising in the blue water meandering, the land as a dragon looking back, this hill is named Ha Khe Hill.

Locals said, this place usually at night an old woman dressed in red pants appeared on the hill, telling people: “Then there will be at the Lord to establish the temple, making the country’s sustainable, powerful nation”. Therefore, it is also called Thien Mu Son.

Thought of Lord Nguyen Hoang seems to be in tune with the will of the people. Nguyen Hoang whole celebration, in 1601 was to build a temple on the hill, facing the river, named the ” Thien Mu”.

Characteristics of Pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda officially started up in the year of the Buffalo (1601), the Lord – Nguyen Hoang. Under Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu (1691-1725) according to the rise and flourishing of Buddhism, the temple was rebuilt larger. In 1710, the Lord Quoc to cast a large bell, weighing over two tons, called Dai Hong Chung, engraved a poem on it.

By the 1714, the Lord Quoc had restored temple with dozens of buildings such as Thien Vuong temple, Dai Hung temple, a lecture hall, Library, Accomodation of Monk, Zen house… but much work of which today no longer exists. The Lord Quoc, he also personally wrote the text, carved into a large beer (tall 2m60, wide 1m2) about the construction of the buildings here. He also asks the people to come to China to buy more than 1,000 Buddhist sutras take place on the floor of the library, praised the philosophy of Buddhism, clearly state the monk Thach Liem – who have great success Nguyen Lords in helping revive Buddhist. Beer is located on the back of a large turtle stone, decorated simple but beautiful.

panoramic view of Thien Mu pagoda
panoramic view of Thien Mu pagoda

With its natural beauty and the scale is expanded since that time, Thien Mu Pagoda has become the most beautiful temples. Through the events of history, Thien Mu Pagoda was once used as a place of worship Land under the Tay Son reign (around 1788), but was rebuilt and reconstructed several times under the reign the Nguyen emperors.

Inside of Thien Mu pagoda
Inside of Thien Mu pagoda

In 1844, on the occasion of celebrating “80 years old” of Thuan Thien Cao Queen, King Gia Long’s wife, grandmother of King Thieu Tri, King Thieu Tri built the temple in a larger, build an octagonal tower called Tu Nha (later renamed Phuoc Duyen), Huong Nguyen and up 2 stele recording the tower building, temple and the poem written by the King.

Phuoc Duyen Tower

The Phuoc Duyen Tower is a famous symbol affixed to the Thien Mu Pagoda. the tower high 21 m, 7 storeys, built in front of the temple in 1844. Each story tower is worshipping the Buddha statue. Inside there is a spiral staircase leads to the top floor, where a formerly golden Buddha statue. In front of the tower is Huong Nguyen temple, top is wheel, symbol of Buddhism. The wheel put on Huong Nguyen temple spin when the wind blows.

Phuoc Duyen Tower of Thien Mu pagoda
Phuoc Duyen Tower of Thien Mu pagoda

In 1904, Thien Mu pagoda had devastated by storm. Many buildings were damaged, including Huong Nguyen temple collapsed completely (still remains). In 1907, King Thanh Thai to rebuild, but the temple was not as great as before. Both sides have two quadrangular towers, put two steles King Thieu Tri. Go deep inside the two hexagonal, a home for a beer and a bell cast to Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu. Thien Mu Pagoda is ranked 20 famous spots, with poems Thien Mu by King Thieu Tri composed and recorded in the stone building near the entrance.

Through many large and small restorations, apart from structures  such as Phuoc Duyen Tower, Dai Hung temple, Dien Tang temple, Guan Yin temple, the gravestone, copper bells, nowadays, Thien Mu Pagoda is a place for many valuable antiques are not only historically but also in art. The statue of Ho Phap, Thap Vuong statue, Happy Buddha statue, or the horizontal, sentences are marking the golden period of the history Thien Mu Pagoda. In the campus of the temple is a floral garden,  cultivate daily care.

In there, the bonsai of the music profession of Tuong Vietnam, Dao Tan  is placed near cars – relics of the late monk Thich Quang Duc leave before the fire burned himself to protest the persecution of Buddhism of Ngo Dinh Diem regime in 1963. End of the garden is the tomb of the late monk Thich Don Hau, the famous monk of Thien Mu pagoda, who has devoted his whole life to helping life useful activities.

a painting of Thien Mu pagoda
a painting of Thien Mu pagoda

Thien Mu Pagoda is not only a work in the service of the religious life of the people of Hue, but also place to have contributed greatly to the beauty of the Hue – a unique characteristic beauty only in Hue.

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About the author

Hi, I'm Ho Lam! That's me, the boy who wants more experience each day. I'm slowly but surely working my way, travelling and sharing is my taste. The articles of this blog are not only from me, but also from my friends and the travellers mailed to me.

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