Pagoda in Saigon – Guide Vietnam

Giac Lam Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 19:00:28 +0000

Giac Lam Pagoda, built in 1744, is the oldest Buddhist temple in Ho Chi Minh City and as such was listed as an important historical site by the Vietnamese Department of Culture in 1988. Situated in Binh Than District, the pagoda is surrounded by spacious, walled garden and fronted by statues of mythical dragons, the protective guardians to many temples here.

Inside, this richly decorated shrine is comprised of three areas: the ceremonial hall, the chanting hall and the refectory. This large and sprawling establishment houses beautifully rendered images of Buddha in various incarnations, along with numerous Taoist deities, each with own altar. All the wooden pillars are decorated with red-and-gold Chinese characters.

The ceremonial hall is dominated by the large statue of Amitabha Buddha, who is surrounded by five smaller Buddha images. Also in the main hall is the ‘nine dragon altar’ depicting the birth of Prince Sidharta, the future Buddha Gotama.

Outside, a new addition, the 32-metre tall stupa dominates the temple grounds. This seven-story high, hexagonal structure contains a Buddha relic housed on the top floor. Visitors can climb up to the top floor for panoramic views of the city. In front of the stupa stands the white statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy on an open lotus flower, a symbol of purity.

Opening Hours: 05:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 20:00 daily
Location: 118 Lac Long Quan, District 3

Map of Giac Lam Pagoda

The post Giac Lam Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh appeared first on Guide Vietnam.

Thien Hau Temple in Saigon

admin — Sat, 24 Apr 2021 19:32:26 +0000

Thien Hau Temple in Saigon is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu. It’s believed that she protects and rescues ships and people on the sea by flying around on a mat or cloud. Mazuism is connected with traditions and beliefs from both Taoism and Buddhism. Mazuism is therefore an incorporation of different aspects and traditions which have merged to form a new belief. You will find this temple in ‘Cholon’ (Chinatown) in District 5, which is roughly a twenty minute drive from the city centre.

Thien Hau Temple was built in 1760 to honour Mazu the ‘Lady of the Sea’ and when you enter through the iron gate you will see massive stone incense burners in front of the entrance of Mazu’s altar. The exterior is beautifully designed with the traditional curvy roof on which small porcelain figures are standing symbol for themes from Chinese religion and legends.

The interior has colourful dioramas decorating the roof by representing scenes from the nineteenth century in a Chinese city. Besides this, the most prominent visible interior design items are the three statues of the ‘Lady of the Sea’ that dominate the main altar. When visiting make sure you take your time to look at all the small corners this temple has, as there are many sculptures, statues and artworks to discover.

Opening Hours: 08:00 – 16:30
Location: 710 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Map of Thien Hau Temple

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