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The ancient temple, dating back over 300 years, preserves many historical values.
Thanh Am Pagoda, also known as Chay Pagoda, is located in Chan Ky village, Trung Tu commune, Ung Hoa district, Hanoi. The pagoda holds a special place, closely linked to the history of the heroic Chay area of the Northern Vietnam Party Committee, which served as a hiding place for many revolutionary cadres throughout history.
Thanh Am Pagoda, dedicated to the Goddess of Fire, is located 30 km south of Hanoi, making it an ideal spot for day trips to enjoy peace and tranquility. Visitors to the pagoda will be pleasantly surprised by the rustic, authentically Vietnamese countryside scenery.
The pagoda was built in the traditional architectural style, reflecting the rustic atmosphere of Northern Vietnam.
Historically, the pagoda was built during the reign of King Le Hy Tong, and its first abbot was Zen Master Phap Nghien, whose religious name was Huyen Tien Dieu Tong. To date, Thanh Am Pagoda is over 300 years old, exuding an ancient, serene, and peaceful beauty. In 2016, the pagoda was rebuilt and renovated to serve tourists and Buddhist followers from all over. Walking around the pagoda grounds, visitors will feel as if they are stepping back in time, on a journey to rediscover ancient values.
The image shows the Tam Bao church, an important architectural feature within Thanh Am Pagoda.
The most important architectural feature of Thanh Am Pagoda is the main hall (Tam Bao) with its system of Buddha statues placed inside and outside the hall, bearing the distinctive mark of pagodas in the Northern Delta region. On either side of the main entrance are horizontal plaques with couplets, and inside are gilded statues, creating a sacred spiritual space for visitors.
The image shows a statue of Buddha placed in front of the sacred Three Jewels Hall.
Behind the main hall is the ancestral temple, consisting of nine bays and two rows of verandas for receiving guests, built entirely of wood. Inside the ancestral temple, the Goddess of Fire and the successive abbots of Thanh Am Pagoda are worshipped.
The area surrounding the temple offers a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. The path leading to the temple is lined with lush, cool green trees. The temple recreates a familiar scene of a Northern Vietnamese village with lotus ponds, tea tables, earthenware jars, wooden trellises, etc. In the middle of the lotus pond, two tea tables are arranged for visitors to sit, enjoy the scenery, and relax.
The entrance to the temple is covered with lush green foliage.
Tea tables are placed in the middle of the lotus pond so that visitors can enjoy tea and admire the scenery.
Despite its simple architecture, the rustic countryside setting with its lush green bamboo groves, thatched roofs, and fragrant lotus ponds creates an impressive green space, offering visitors a sense of peace and tranquility as they stroll around. The temple's scenery evokes many thoughts about life, serving as a reminder of the passage of time, hoping that people will cherish the beauty of life more, strive to overcome hardships, and move towards enlightenment.
The temple's scenery evokes many thoughts about the laws of life.
The temple offers many ideal spaces where visitors can relax in hammocks, enjoy tea, and appreciate nature. Many visitors come here every weekend or holiday to find moments of peace and tranquility after the hustle and bustle of life.
The miniature landscapes within the temple are arranged with exquisite detail and meticulousness.
The temple grounds are filled with the shade of bamboo trees.
What particularly attracts many visitors here is something not found everywhere: the opportunity to enjoy lotus-infused tea, made from lotus flowers grown at the temple. These warm cups of lotus tea from Thanh Am Temple have become a source of pride and a unique feature of Ung Hoa district, Hanoi.
Today, the monks continue to make lotus tea to serve visiting tourists. This demonstrates the temple's efforts in preserving and promoting the cultural identity of its homeland, as well as its flexibility and creativity in adapting to the changes in social life.
The ancestral hall behind the temple and the guesthouses on either side are built of bamboo and wood.
Every detail of the temple's decor is meticulously cared for by the venerable monks and the volunteer Buddhists.
With its picturesque and rustic setting, the temple attracts many tourists and Buddhist followers from near and far.
"The temple roof shelters the soul of the nation."
"The age-old way of life of our ancestors."
For a long time, pagodas have been considered a symbolic image of the Vietnamese way of life, becoming a place for spiritual activities, a place of healing, and a place to experience simple life for those who want to temporarily forget the hustle and bustle of city life. Stepping into Thanh Am Pagoda, it seems that all worries and anxieties will disappear, replaced by a feeling of peace and tranquility, as if strolling through a pure land on earth.
