NGOC SOM TEMPLE

The Sword Lake is located at the heart of Hanoi. With the unique appearance, Ngoc Son temple becomes an attractive destination for almost tourists when visiting Hanoi for the first time. Coming here, you not only look the beautiful lanscape around the lake but also have deep understanding of Vietnamese culture.

Ngoc Son temple was built in 19^th century. In the past, its name was ‘ear of elephant’ (tuong nhi), then coming to Ly dynasty, its name was changed into ‘ngoc tuong’ and at last renamed Ngoc Son Temple. And Tran reign, people called it Ngoc Son pagoda. In 1865, Nguyen Van Sieu, a Confusion scholar, remodeled Ngoc Son Temple and built more the Pen Tower, the Ink-slab (Dai Nghien) and the Pavilion against Waves (Dinh Tran Ba) in order to make a unique project with historical meaning. In temple, people worshiped Saint Van Xuong, considered to be one of the brightest stars in Vietnam’s literary and intellectual circle and national big hero Tran Hung Dao who had led the Vietnamese people to victory over the Yuan aggressors. Besides, the Buddha was also worshiped to show the conception of three religions at the same time. In the time, the contemporaneous culture caught the unwholesome waves, thoughts, so Van Sieu had Dinh Tran Ba built with a view to preventing it from dirtying. Furthermore, he wanted to keep a studious tradition, a straight character living forever.

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