One Pillar Pagoda is one of the most unique architectural temples in Asia and a cultural symbol and spiritual destination in the capital city of Hanoi. It is considered a symbol of Hanoi city with a thousand years of civilization due to bearing the architectural splendor hallmark of the famous historical dynasty in Vietnam.
Introduction to One Pillar Pagoda
One Pillar Pagoda, known as Nhat Tru Thap or Chua Mat in Sino-Vietnamese, also goes by other names such as Dien Huu Tu or Lien Hoa Đai. The pagoda is located on a street of the same name in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. Its construction began in the year 1049, during the reign of King Ly Thai Tong. During the Ly Dynasty, the pagoda was situated on the land of Thanh Bảo village, Quang Đuc district, west of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. Today, the pagoda is situated in Ba Dinh District, within the park behind Ong Ich Khiêm street, adjacent to the complex of Ba Dinh Square and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
One Pillar Pagoda History
Dien Huu Pagoda represents the lotus flower that the Bodhisattva Quan Am bestowed upon King Ly Thai Tong in a dream in the year 1049. According to legend, King Ly Thai Tong dreamt of the Bodhisattva Quan Am seated on a lotus pedestal, inviting him to join. Upon hearing about the king’s visionary dream, the Zen master Thien Tue advised the king to construct a temple with a stone pillar and a lotus-shaped structure on top, just as he had seen in his dream. The temple was named Diên Hựu, meaning “prolonged blessings and longevity.
In 1105, One Pillar Pagoda underwent expansion and beautiful renovations, with the addition of Lien Hoa Đai Lake, also known as Linh Chieu Lake, Bich Tri Lake, and the treasure tower. Out of deep reverence for the Buddha, every year on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month, King Ly Nhan Tong organized a bathing ceremony for the Buddha and released animals in a symbolic act of liberation. This grand event was witnessed by a multitude of monks and people from all across the capital city of Thang Long. Three years later, Empress Consort Y Lan had a large bell cast, known as “Giac the chung,” symbolizing the awakening of humanity’s consciousness.
During the Tran, Le, and Nguyen dynasties, Diên Hựu Pagoda and Liên Hoa Đài experienced severe deterioration, prompting numerous reconstruction and restoration efforts under the reigns of different kings. Eventually, the overall structure of Diên Hựu Pagoda was reduced to only the architectural feature of Liên Hoa Đài on the stone pillar. This portion has been regularly repaired and preserved by later generations to safeguard the sacred soul of Thăng Long land, earning it the name “One Pillar Pagoda.
By 1955, One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi was restored and has been preserved until the present day. In 1954, during the French military withdrawal from Hanoi, the French forces placed explosives to destroy the pagoda. However, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam government initiated a major reconstruction project based on the remaining architectural drawings from the Nguyen Dynasty. By April 1955, the restoration was completed. Since then, One Pillar Pagoda has been continuously maintained and preserved as a cultural, historical, and architectural heritage of the Vietnamese people.
In 1962, the complex of One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi was recognized as a National Historical and Artistic Architectural Monument. In 2012, One Pillar Pagoda had the honor of being acknowledged by the Asian Record Organization as the “Pagoda with the most unique architecture in Asia”.
One Pillar Pagoda Architecture
The architecture of the pagoda draws inspiration from the image of a lotus flower blooming on water. The lotus flower is the national flower of Vietnam, symbolizing nobility, sharing, and love, and representing the highest moral qualities. The current structure of One Pillar Pagoda includes a pillar, the Lotus Tower, and the pagoda roof.
The pagoda has an area of approximately 3 square meters, and it is entirely constructed from wood with a tiled roof. The ancient tiled roof combines the “Luong xao” style, featuring curved sword-like edges, with a dragon motif on top. The pillar of One Pillar Pagoda is formed by two stacked stone columns, creating a standing pillar with a height of 4 meters (excluding the submerged part at the base). The stone column has a diameter of 1.2 meters. What makes it particularly special is that the entire pagoda is situated on a single stone column. The upper part of the pillar bears eight wooden wings, resembling the blossoming of a lotus flower.
The Three-Gate Entrance of One Pillar Pagoda: The gate consists of two tiers with three entrances, with the central door being larger and serving as the main entrance, similar to the architectural style of traditional Vietnamese communal houses and pagodas.
The staircase leading to the main sanctuary: To enter the temple, visitors must climb 13 steps with a width of about 1 meter. These steps were built since the time of the Lý Dynasty and have remained almost intact to this day. Particularly, the two brick walls on both sides of the staircase feature stone steles introducing the history of the temple.
The Altar of Quan Yin Bodhisattva: It is placed at the central position of the Lotus Platform, which is the highest point of the Lotus Platform. The base of the statue is a meticulously carved wooden lotus flower, adorned with gold gilding. Surrounding the altar are vases of flowers, bronze censers, and other decorative elements. While not overly elaborate, they exude a distinctive elegance and beauty.
The Bodhi Tree: Within the temple grounds, there is a tall Bodhi tree – a gift personally presented by the President of India to President Ho Chi Minh during a visit in February 1958. At the base of the tree, there is a stone plaque with the inscription: “This Bodhi tree originates from the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment in India. In February 1858, President Rajendra Prasad presented it to President Ho Chi Minh during his visit to India.”
One Pillar Pagoda, an ancient and revered temple, is a famous spiritual destination in the capital city of Hanoi, renowned for its architectural beauty and Vietnamese Buddhist culture. If you have the opportunity to visit the capital, don’t miss out on this masterpiece of art.
[addthis tool="addthis_inline_share_toolbox_fwv8"]
