Quan Thanh Temple
Encyclopedia
Quán Thánh Temple formerly known as Tran Vu Temple (Hán Việt: Trấn Vũ Quán, Hán tự: 真武觀), is a Taoist temple
in Hanoi
, Vietnam
. Dated to the 11th century, the temple was dedicated to Xuan Wu
, or Trấn Vũ in Vietnamese, one of the principal deities in Taoism. As one of the Four Sacred Temples of the capital, Quan Thanh Temple is located near West Lake
in a ward of same name, Quán Thánh Ward, and is one of the leading tourist attractions in Hanoi.
district. Although smaller than Quan Thanh Temple, Tran Vu Temple is also dedicated to Tran Vu with a 9-tonne statue of the deity. Considered a masterpiece of Vietnamese bronze casting and sculpture, it is the second biggest bronze statue in Vietnam.
Nowadays, after many geographical changes to the city layout, Quan Thanh Temple is located on the corner of Quan Thanh Street and Thanh Nien Street, facing West Lake. It is a short walk from Truc Bach Lake where pilot and future United States senator John McCain
was shot down in October 1967.
tree and a shrine that contains the famous bronze statue of Tran Vu.
In 1677 during the reign of King Lê Huy Tông, artisans from the nearby village of Ngũ Xã offered Quan Thanh Temple a very large statue
of Tran Vu in black bronze
, which remains today. This statue is measured 3.96 metres (13 ft) in height, weights around 3600 kilograms (7,936.6 lb) and depicts Tran Vu as a deity with his two symbolic animals, the serpent and the turtle. This artwork is evidence of the advanced technical standard of bronze casting and sculpture of Vietnamese artisans in the 17th century. Cast at the same time as Tran Vu's statue was a 1.15 metres (3.8 ft) bronze bell
. Those were creations of a master craftsman
named Trùm Trọng, who had his own statue in Quan Thanh Temple placed alongside the Tran Vu statue. Beside the statues of Tran Vu and Trum Trong, the main shrine also has a valuable collection of ancient texts such as poems or duilian
s which date from the 17th and 18th century. After each restoration, a stele
was often kept in temple for the record; the oldest one dated from 1677 while the latest was made by viceroy Hoàng Cao Khải
in 1894 during the reign of Thành Thái
Emperor during the French colonial era.
Because of the famous statue, Quan Thanh Temple was once wrongly named by the French as "Pagoda
of the Big Buddha
" (French: Pagode du Grand Bouddha).
(Lunar New Year) or the first and fifteenth of each lunar month (new and full moon respectively) to worship and pray for health, luck and happiness.
With its history and architecture, Quan Thanh Temple is one of the tourist attractions in Hanoi. It is also a training venue for several traditional martial art classes including Vovinam
.
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Dated to the 11th century, the temple was dedicated to Xuan Wu
Xuan Wu (god)
Xuan Wu , posthumously known as The Dark/Mysterious Heavenly Upper Emperor , as well as True Warrior Grand Emperor , and commonly known as The Northern Emperor or Emperor Lord or Teh Kong in Hokkien...
, or Trấn Vũ in Vietnamese, one of the principal deities in Taoism. As one of the Four Sacred Temples of the capital, Quan Thanh Temple is located near West Lake
West Lake (Hanoi)
West Lake is a freshwater lake in the center of Hanoi, Vietnam. With a shore length of 17 km , this is the largest lake of the capital and a popular place for recreation with many surrounding gardens, hotels and villas. A small part of West Lake is divided by Thanh Nien road to form Truc Bach...
in a ward of same name, Quán Thánh Ward, and is one of the leading tourist attractions in Hanoi.
History
Legend has it that Quán Thánh Temple was established during the reign of Emperor Lý Thái Tổ (reigned 1010–1028) and was dedicated to Tran Vu, Deity of the North in Taoism, whose symbols of power are the serpent and turtle. It is one of the Four Sacred Temples that were built in four directions to protect the capital from malevolent spirits. In Hanoi, there is also a second Tran Vu Temple in Gia LamGia Lam
Gia Lâm is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Gia Lam Airport is located in the district. At one time Vietnam Airlines's headquarters were on the airport property....
district. Although smaller than Quan Thanh Temple, Tran Vu Temple is also dedicated to Tran Vu with a 9-tonne statue of the deity. Considered a masterpiece of Vietnamese bronze casting and sculpture, it is the second biggest bronze statue in Vietnam.
Nowadays, after many geographical changes to the city layout, Quan Thanh Temple is located on the corner of Quan Thanh Street and Thanh Nien Street, facing West Lake. It is a short walk from Truc Bach Lake where pilot and future United States senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
was shot down in October 1967.
Architecture
During its long history, Quan Thanh Temple has been renovated several times, most recently in 1893 when the principal gate and the shrine were redone, so the architecture is a mixture of the many different styles of the imperial era. The main features of Quan Thanh Temple are a large yard shaded by a giant banyanBanyan
A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
tree and a shrine that contains the famous bronze statue of Tran Vu.
In 1677 during the reign of King Lê Huy Tông, artisans from the nearby village of Ngũ Xã offered Quan Thanh Temple a very large statue
Bronze sculpture
Bronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply a "bronze".Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Then, as the bronze cools, it...
of Tran Vu in black bronze
Black bronze
Black Bronze may refer to#Hepatizon, also known as Black Corinthian Bronze#Shakudō, a Japanese decorative billon...
, which remains today. This statue is measured 3.96 metres (13 ft) in height, weights around 3600 kilograms (7,936.6 lb) and depicts Tran Vu as a deity with his two symbolic animals, the serpent and the turtle. This artwork is evidence of the advanced technical standard of bronze casting and sculpture of Vietnamese artisans in the 17th century. Cast at the same time as Tran Vu's statue was a 1.15 metres (3.8 ft) bronze bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
. Those were creations of a master craftsman
Master craftsman
A master craftsman or master tradesman was a member of a guild. In the European guild system, only masters were allowed to be members of the guild....
named Trùm Trọng, who had his own statue in Quan Thanh Temple placed alongside the Tran Vu statue. Beside the statues of Tran Vu and Trum Trong, the main shrine also has a valuable collection of ancient texts such as poems or duilian
Duilian
In Chinese poetry, a couplet is a pair of lines of poetry which adhere to certain rules . Outside of poems, they are usually seen on the sides of doors leading to people's homes or as hanging scrolls in an interior...
s which date from the 17th and 18th century. After each restoration, a stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
was often kept in temple for the record; the oldest one dated from 1677 while the latest was made by viceroy Hoàng Cao Khải
Hoang Cao Khai
Hoàng Cao Khải was a viceroy of Tonkin , the northernmost of the three parts of Vietnam under French colonial rule. He is best known for his role in helping the French authorities to hunt down Phan Đình Phùng, the leading Vietnamese revolutionary of the time.-External links:*...
in 1894 during the reign of Thành Thái
Thanh Thai
Emperor Thành Thái of the Vietnamese Nguyễn Dynasty was born Prince Nguyễn Phúc Bửu Lân, son of Emperor Duc Duc. He reigned for 18 years, from 1889 to 1907.-Biography:...
Emperor during the French colonial era.
Because of the famous statue, Quan Thanh Temple was once wrongly named by the French as "Pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
of the Big Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
" (French: Pagode du Grand Bouddha).
Activities
By tradition, Hanoians often come to Quan Thanh Temple on the occasion of TếtTet
Tet can mean:*Tết or Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese new year**Tet Offensive, a military campaign that began in 1968*Têt in Roussillon, France*Equal temperament, abbreviated as 12-TET, 19-TET and so on...
(Lunar New Year) or the first and fifteenth of each lunar month (new and full moon respectively) to worship and pray for health, luck and happiness.
With its history and architecture, Quan Thanh Temple is one of the tourist attractions in Hanoi. It is also a training venue for several traditional martial art classes including Vovinam
Vovinam
Vovinam is a Vietnamese martial art.Vovinam is practiced with and without weapons. It is based on the principle of between hard and soft. It includes training of the body as well as the mind. It uses force and reaction of the opponent. Vovinam also includes hand, elbow, kicks, escape- and levering...
.