One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi also has other names such as Nhat Tru Thap, Mat Pagoda, Lien Hoa Dai, etc. Not only is it considered a temple with unique architecture, but also a spiritual destination, attracting a large number of tourists and Buddhists to visit and worship. One Pillar Pagoda is located on a street in Ba Dinh district and is considered a symbol of Hanoi’s thousand-year culture.
One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi – The Ultimate Guide for Your Great Experience
1. One Pillar Pagoda history
One pillar pagoda history? According to legend, in the year of the Ox 1049, King Ly Thai Tong dreamed of Guan Yin Buddha sitting on a lotus throne radiating aura and invited the king to come with her. Waking up from the dream, the king immediately told the court officials about it. Monk Thien Tue, who was trusted by the king, advised the king to build a pagoda on a stone pillar just like in the dream, making a lotus throne for the Buddha to sit on. This pedestal is called Lien Hoa Dai, meaning lotus pedestal. This cluster of relics was named Dien Huu Tu with the hope of “long-lasting blessings”.
In 1954, the French army, before withdrawing from Hanoi, placed mines to destroy the One Pillar Pagoda. In 1955, after taking over the capital, the Ministry of Culture of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam researched and established a major restoration project to rebuild the One Pillar Pagoda exactly like the original architecture.
In addition, next to the One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi, there is also a pagoda with a three-entrance gate with a horizontal panel inscribed with the three words “Dien Huu Tu”. This pagoda was built during the Le Dynasty and restored many times.
2. Discover the meaning of One Pillar Pagoda
One Pillar Pagoda is a thousand year old cultural symbol of Hanoi capital, associated with the history of Hanoi. This pagoda was built to commemorate King Ly Thai Tong giving birth to Prince Ly Phat Tu. For a long time, the One Pillar Pagoda has been considered a symbol of Thang Long, a symbol of the strength and longevity of the Vietnamese people.
This place welcomes many visitors every year for pilgrimage and sightseeing. Tourists come here not only to admire the unique architectural beauty of the pagoda, but also to learn about the history and culture of Hanoi. This will help more people know about the capital Hanoi, attracting more tourists to Vietnam.
One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi is also a symbol of wisdom, carrying a profound humanistic philosophy. The unique architecture of the pagoda, with the image of a stone pillar supporting a lotus flower , is a symbol of the combination of yin and yang, between heaven and earth. The stone pillar symbolizes positivity, solidity and steadfastness. The lotus symbolizes sound, purity, and gentleness.
Besides, One Pillar Pagoda is also a symbol of enlightenment, of rising from the mud of life. The image of a lotus rising from the water is a symbol of overcoming difficulties and challenges and reaching for the good things of life.
When coming to One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi, anyone will feel peace and tranquility. With our minds directed towards Buddha, we will feel very light and peaceful. The scenery around the pagoda is also very peaceful and quiet, as if containing historical witnesses, our ancestors preserved and protected peace for the nation.
3. One Pillar Pagoda entrance fee
One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi is located in a complex of important historical and cultural relics of Vietnam, including Ba Dinh Square and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Therefore, the opening time of the pagoda also depends on the opening time of Ba Dinh Square and Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum. Specifically, the temple is open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day. Tour time usually ranges from 1 to 3 hours.
One Pillar Pagoda entrance fee? The pagoda does not collect ticket fees for Vietnamese citizens to visit, worship Buddha or worship. Particularly for foreign tourists, the ticket price to visit One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi is 30,000 VND/person. Join the Hanoi day trip to fully experience Hanoi capital in one day
4. Unique architecture of One Pillar Pagoda
4.1 Lotus station
The lotus flower is considered a symbol in Buddhist culture. The lotus flower is born from mud, but rises out of the mud, radiating a fragrant fragrance. This symbolizes rising from difficulties and challenges in life, towards good things.
Lotus station is crafted in the image of a lotus flower placed on a high stone pillar in the middle of Linh Chieu Lake as if it is reaching up to escape the worldly world. This image is extremely elegant, pure and unique. It carries a profound philosophical meaning of Buddhism, which is enlightenment, the overcoming of worldly constraints.
The Lotus station is square in shape, each side is 3 meters long and it is supported by a system of solid military columns, each column is 0.4 meter in diameter and 3.2 meter high. Below are large wooden beams securely attached directly to the stone pillars. The tenon joints are precisely chiseled to each joint to fit tightly together.
This structure ensures that the Lotus Station can withstand the weight of the tile roof and Guan Yin Buddha statue inside. The Lotus Station has existed for more than 1,000 years and remains intact to this day.
The altar in the Lotus Station is decorated very solemnly and beautifully. The altar is painted with gilded vermilion and intricately carved. On the altar is a gilded statue of Guan Yin with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands.
Around the altar are displayed many other worship objects, also made from precious materials. The pair of ceramic water vases are carved in the shape of Lotus flowers, the lotus vase is made from bronze, the altar tea set is made from white porcelain, and the incense burner is made of bronze. All are exquisitely decorated, imbued with traditional Vietnamese culture.
On the innermost ceiling of Lien Hoa Dai is a small horizontal panel with three golden words “ Lien Hoa Dai’’ which means the house is as beautiful as a lotus flower.
4.2 Tam Quan Gate
If you have the opportunity to visit One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi, don’t forget to visit the Tam Quan Gate to learn about the meaning and value of the unique architectural work.
Tam Quan gate was built in recent years as an expansion project of the One Pillar Pagoda. The gate has the same architecture as traditional Vietnamese communal houses and pagodas, including 2 floors and 3 passages.
The meaning of the Tam Quan Gate is the three perspectives of Buddhism: objective, non-critical and neutral. Tam Quan Gate is a symbol of harmony between secular and spiritual values. It represents the Buddhist spirit of Vietnamese people, a place where people can come to purify their souls, guide goodness and pray for peace.
4.3 Temple roof
On the top of the temple roof is the image of “two dragons flanking the moon”, this is a typical architectural feature in pagodas, temples, communal houses and shrines. The two dragons bend their bodies and turn their tails toward each other, but their heads are facing the moon. This architectural feature symbolizes fertility and harmony of yin and yang.
On the top of the roof of the One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi, the image of two dragons flanking the moon is displayed very delicately and vividly. The dragons are meticulously carved, softly curved, imbued with traditional folk art. This image has contributed to creating the majestic, ancient and sacred beauty of the temple.
5 Places to visit near One Pillar Pagoda
One Pillar Pagoda is located in the center of Hanoi city, close to other famous relics of the city. Therefore, you can completely combine many attractions in one day. You can read more things to do in Hanoi to better understand places worth visiting in Hanoi.
After visiting One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi, you can visit other tourist attractions, such as:
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the resting place of President Ho Chi Minh, the great leader of the Vietnamese people. The mausoleum was built in 1973 and inaugurated in 1975. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Vietnam.
- Hanoi flagpole: Hanoi flagpole is a symbol of the capital Hanoi, located on the grounds of Thang Long Imperial Citadel. The flagpole was built in 1812, under the reign of King Gia Long. The flagpole is 33.3 meters high, built of brick and stone. At the top of the flagpole is the red flag with the yellow star of Vietnam.
- Ba Dinh Square: Ba Dinh Square is one of the largest squares in Vietnam, located in the center of Hanoi city. Ba Dinh Square is where many important events in Vietnamese history took place, such as the declaration of independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2,1945.
- Thang Long Imperial Citadel: This is an important historical and cultural relic complex of Vietnam, recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. Thang Long Imperial Citadel is where the vestiges of the capital Thang Long – Dong Kinh, the capital of Vietnam for many centuries, are preserved.
If you have the opportunity to return to your beloved capital, do not miss this monument! One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi will bring you wonderful experiences about Vietnamese culture and history.
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