Thien Mu pagoda

Thien Mu is a well-know pagoda in Hue. The pagoda is located on Ha Khe hill, Huong Long commune, Hue city. It possesses an ancient architecture style which is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Hue.

The name Thien Mu is originated from a legend. It is said that, long ago, there was an old woman who often appeared on Ha Khe hill. She said: this land would welcome a Lord who set up a Pagoda there to keep the land sustainable. After that, the old woman disappeared. And her foretell has come into real life when Lord Nguyen Hoang visited the land. Upon being told about the strange story, he decided to set up the pagoda with the name Thien Mu as we can see today.

The pagoda was constructed in 1601 and upgraded in 1655. The pagoda had been upgraded and repaired under the Nguyen dynasty by King Gia Long, Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, Thanh Thai.

PhuongDuyen Tower(which is initially called Tu Nhan Tower) was constructed in 1844 by King Thieu Tri. This 7-floor octagonal tower also contributes to the special architecture pattern of Thien Mu Pagoda.

Dai Hung temple is the main court hall of the Pagoda. This is a majestic architecture construction with shining Buddha statues made of copper. Along the two sides of the pagoda are the two area of houses, one is home to the bonzes and the other is the guest house to welcome visitors to the Pagoda.

The pagoda is surrounded by gardens of trees and flowers which make the atmosphere more peaceful. There is a poetic forest of pine trees behind the Pagoda. Thien Mu Pagoda was once destroyed in 1943. Since 1945, Thich Don Hau, a bonze has successfully carried out the 30-year long reconstruction to rescue the pagoda.

Today, Thien Mu Pagoda continues to be repaired and reconstructed to welcome visitors from all regions of Vietnam as well as all over the world.

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