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One Pillar Pagoda

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Heather F
Heather F
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5 out of 5
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Tiny Lotus Temple

  • October 25, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by garymarsh6 from Gravesend, United Kingdom
Tiny Lotus Temple

One Pillar Pagoda Hanoi.

The one Pillar Pagoda can be found in Hanoi not too far away from Ho Chi Minhs Mausoleum.

Emperor Ly who ruled Vietnam from 1028 to 1054 had this Small temple built in the middle of a lotus pond. Apparently as legend goes he did not have children and used to go to a temple everyday to pray for the birth of a child. He met a peasant girl and married her. One night the Emperor had a dream of a lotus pond and in the dream he saw a small pagoda in the shape of a lotus.

He was told by a monk that he must build this temple when his wife gave birth.

Several months later his wife gave birth and in 1049 he built the temple which is still standing today.

The temple is on a single pillar of stone and is made of wood. It measures about one and a half metres in diameter. The roof is shaped so as to look like a lotus in bloom.
It was renovated in 1105 and a large bell was cast to place inside it but the bell was too large so it was removed and sent out into the country side. The emperor used to hold a ceremony every year where all the monks would gather and the Emperor would bath the Buddha. The emperor would then release a bird which the pilgrims would try to follow.

It was destroyed by French forces when they withdrew from the city in 1954 and has been rebuilt again to its former glory in 1955 as a replica of the original one Pillar pagoda. The stone on which it is placed now is in fact concrete so it is not perhaps as beautiful as it once was.

It is so sad to think that many religious and historical buildings and monuments were damaged by invading forces and particularly cruel when they are religious buildings and so very disrespectful. Throughout Vietnam buildings that were hundreds and thousands of years old were destroyed by bombing or sheer vandalism.

The one pillar pagoda is quite beautiful to look at and it is not too far from the Presidential palace and Ho Chi Minhs wooden house. It is worth going to see when in the area.

From journal Vietnam a Fairly New Holiday Destination. Go before the Masses

One Pillar Pagoda

  • October 7, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Heather F from Heywood, Australia
Originally built by Emperor Ly Thai Tong, the One Pillar Pagoda is a small, wooden shrine atop a stone pillar, 1.25 metres in diameter. It resembles a lotus blossom (symbol of purity) rising out of a sea of sorrow, a small lake. Many loyal followers may be seen kneeling deep in prayer at the altar and reverently leaving incense sticks behind.

From journal Hanoi Highlights

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