Hà Nội - West lake temple
Legend has it that the Temple was built as early as around seventeenth century. The main temple has a three-door gate with a raised line written in Han script “Tây Hồ Hiển Tích” (the mark on West Lake) elaborately decorated near the top, followed by a small building constructed as a square pavilion with eight roofs.
The position
Situated on a small peninsula on West Lake (now in Quảng An ward, Tây Hồ district), West Lake Temple is not only a tourist attraction but also a place of religion for Hanoi people.
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The temple
Legend has it that the Temple was built as early as around seventeenth century. The main temple has a three-door gate with a raised line written in Han script “Tây Hồ Hiển Tích” (the mark on West Lake) elaborately decorated near the top, followed by a small building constructed as a square pavilion with eight roofs.
Ha NoiHanoiPhu Tay HoTay Ho templeViet NamVietnamaltartemple
Lieu Hanh statute
The Statue of Mother Goddess Liễu Hạnh is in the inner palace at the back of the main temple. She was conferred many times by the kings of the dynasties from Le to Nguyen as “The Model Mother under Heaven - The Mother of the Whole People”.
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Son Trang
The Palace of Mountains and Forests seen from outside has three floors and eight upward-curved roofs. Inside, there are two floors, the upper part is used to worship Quan Yin Goddess, and the lower part is the Moutains and Forests Temple divided in three open compartments, with the centre one is used for worshipping the Second Mother Goddess of Mountains and Forests.
Ha NoiHanoiPhu Tay HoTay Ho templeViet NamVietnamaltartemple
Temple of young boys
Outside, on the Temple’s yard, stand the two small temples worshipping Cô (young maiden) and Cậu (young boys).
Ha NoiHanoiPhu Tay HoTay Ho templeViet NamVietnamaltartemple
Prayers
The first and fifteenth days of every lunar month, especially the full-moon day of the first month, are much more crowded than all the others. However, there are quite a lot of people go to the temple to give offerings and tourists visiting on ordinary days.
Ha NoiHanoiPhu Tay HoTay Ho templeViet NamVietnamaltartemple
Writing service
Along the way to the Temple, there are plenty of stalls close to each other providing petition writing service, selling offerings and food.
Ha NoiHanoiPhu Tay HoTay Ho templeViet NamVietnamaltartemple
Carps statue
People often go to the Temple to pray for happiness and wealth. Many people believe that carp stands for wealth and success in studying and examinations.
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Heritafe tree
Every time visiting the Temple, people have chances to sit under the shade of the century-old weeping fig which is recognized as Viet Nam Heritage Tree, and feel undisturbed.
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Golden buffalo
Near West Lake Temple is Golden Buffalo Temple, with a statue of the divine buffalo under an ancient banyan tree. The legend of the Golden Buffalo explains the existence of Golden Buffalo River and West Lake.
Ha NoiHanoiPhu Tay HoTay Ho templeViet NamVietnamaltartemple