Strolling around Hoan Kiem Lake in the early morning, the mist still lingers on the lake surface, in the distance a red color appears curved like a peach silk strip. The Huc Bridge connects this side of Hoan Kiem Lake to the other side of Ngoc Island, where Ngoc Son Temple is located, has long been considered a cultural symbol of Hanoi.
The red The Huc Bridge stands out among the clear blue lake.
Explore the architecture of Ngoc Son Temple
Amidst the hustle and bustle of urban life, Ngoc Son Temple is quiet and still, as if separated from the outside world. Passing through the temple gate, everyone seems to bring their curiosity and respect to enter the world they have heard and read a lot about through the stories that make up Vietnamese history and culture. No matter what season of the year, this place is always crowded with tourists from all over the world coming to visit and worship.
Ngoc Son Temple was built in the 19th century, is an outstanding architectural work representing the traditional beauty of national culture. This is the intersection of three religions: Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, not only expressed in worship but also clearly reflected in the architecture of the Temple, from the system of parallel sentences, horizontal lacquered boards to other decorative objects.
Ngoc Son Temple is a famous spiritual and cultural symbol of Hanoi.
The middle gate is bordered by two pillars with two reliefs of the Dragon Gate - Tiger Board. This is a symbol of encouragement for learning according to Confucianism. According to the concept of Eastern people, the Dragon Gate represents success in exams with the legend of the carp jumping over the Dragon Gate and transforming into a dragon. The Tiger Board is a board recording those who passed the Doctorate, considered Dragons and Tigers in the literary world.
Ngoc Son Temple is divided into three main parts: the three-pavilion in the front (i.e. the wave-blocking pavilion), the main shrine in the middle, and the sanctuary in the back. The main shrine is the space for worshiping Van Xuong De Quan and other deities, the Taoist colors in this area are particularly clear.
The harem is the area to worship Tran Hung Dao. The statue of Saint Tran is placed at the central altar, on one side is the Buddhist altar with the statues of Bodhisattva Quan Am and Thien Tai Dong Tu (Tai Dong Tu appears in Buddhism, Taoism and folk tales, as a servant of Bodhisattva Quan The Am), the other side is for the altars of Son Than and Tho Dia, the main gods who manage the mountains and land.
The shrine is imbued with spirituality and tradition.
When visiting Ngoc Son Temple on Ngoc Island, every tourist visits the rare turtle specimen gallery. For every Hanoian, the "old" turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake is like a "treasure", closely associated with the culture of Hanoi for generations. Currently, the turtle specimen gallery has two "old" turtles. One "old" died in 1967, weighs 250kg, is 2.1m long, 1.2m wide, and is preserved by stuffing and chemical immersion. The second specimen belongs to the "old" turtle that died on January 19, 2016, weighs 169kg, has a shell 1.85m long, 1.08m wide, and is preserved by plastination technology of the Federal Republic of Germany.
These rare specimens not only bring visual value to all visitors who come here to admire and serve scientific research, but are also a vivid example for children to come and see the legendary turtle.
Turtle herbarium.
The Huc Bridge - the mark of Hoan Kiem Lake
Talking about Ngoc Son Temple without mentioning The Huc Bridge is a huge omission. In 1865, Phuong Dinh Nguyen Van Sieu - a poet and researcher of Vietnamese culture in the 19th century directed the construction and restoration of Ngoc Son Temple, turning it into a cultural symbol of "Northern scholars". At the same time, a few more structures were built, the most typical of which is The Huc Bridge connecting the shore and Ngoc Son Temple.
The Huc Bridge is the only way for you to get to Ngoc Son Temple, and is also a very famous check-in spot in Hanoi.
The Huc Bridge, meaning “condensation of halo” or “place where the early morning sunlight rests”, has 15 spans and 32 round wooden pillars in 16 pairs, a wooden deck, dark red painted walls and gilded The Huc letters. After the bridge collapsed in 1952, Hanoi mayor Tham Hoang Tin demolished the old bridge and rebuilt it according to the design of architect Nguyen Ngoc Diem. The bridge still retains its arched shape, but has a larger curvature, and still uses wood for the bridge deck and walls. Although the horizontal and vertical beams were cast in concrete, the bridge deck and walls were still made of wood.
The Huc Bridge, meaning "condensation of halo" or "place where the early morning sunlight rests".
Today, The Huc Bridge is still considered by the people of the Capital as a symbol of the sun, life and happiness not only because of its brilliant red color but also because the bridge faces the East, where the sun rises to receive all the bright vitality of a new day. The relic complex of Ngoc Son Temple - The Huc Bridge is considered an attractive tourist destination for tourists, a quiet space, quiet incense smoke in the heart of Hanoi Capital.
Square stone tower, 5 floors, 9m high, on the body embossed 3 large Chinese characters: "Ta thanh thien" symbolizing national culture.
Near Ngoc Son Temple, the Pen Tower has three engraved words “Ta Thanh Thien” - meaning “writing on the blue sky” built by Confucian scholar Nguyen Van Sieu. From there, it leads to Ngoc Island to Ngoc Son Temple via The Huc Bridge like a vermillion silk strip across the calm blue water.
Visiting Ngoc Son Temple, visitors will feel the quiet, peaceful atmosphere in the heart of the bustling city. This place is not only a spiritual place to offer incense, but also a space to relax and explore the unique features of the capital's culture. Walking around the temple, looking at the rows of trees casting green shadows embracing this ancient structure, listening to the tour guide tell the legendary stories of our ancestors, you will feel more deeply the reason why this small temple lying peacefully in the middle of the lake has become a symbol of the ancient capital, hiding so many precious values. That place still has ancient stories, old stories and is also a place to place a lot of faith in better things ahead.
Tourists who want to visit Hanoi can book in advance.plane ticketsandhotel. Besides, to make your exploration of the Capital more unique, you can joinHanoi Old Quarter Cyclo TourandTinh Hoa Bac Bo show.
It seems like this place can "freeze" time, separate from the hustle and bustle of life on both sides of the river.
Hanoi is gradually changing with the rapid development of modern high-rise buildings springing up everywhere. But somewhere there is still a Hanoi that is always diligent in preserving ancient architecture, the cultural quintessence of the nation, so that every Vietnamese person, when standing in the middle of the capital, still longs for the rhymes of folk songs:
"Let's see the scenery of Sword Lake together
See The Huc bridge, see Ngoc Son pagoda
Inkstone and Pen Tower are not worn out yet
Ask who built this country"
(Folk song)
Traveloka is offering up to 50% off on Tet flight tickets, hotels, sightseeing tickets, and Tet tours when booking from November 28, 2023 - February 25, 2024. See detailshere.
