1. Phung Son Pagoda
This pagoda is a bit of a walk from the centre of Cholon, but worth a visit nonetheless.
It has been rebuilt a number of times, but was originally erected on what are thought to have been Funan ruins.
At one time, plans were made to move the pagoda to another site. To facilitate this move, a large white elephant was loaded up with all the valuable items and was to be led to the new site but the beast stumbled more or less where it was loaded, dropping all the valuables into the pond still there. This was taken as a clear message from the gods that the pagoda was to stay exactly where it was.
2. Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda
Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City is a place that can alleviate the homesickness of migrants from the North.
It also gives southerners and tourists an opportunity to experience the charm of the real One-Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi Vietnam. This pagoda, at 100 Nguyen Van Bi Street in HCMC’s Thu Duc District (Saigon Vietnam), is a replica of Hanoi’s famous Mot Cot (One Pillar) Pagoda. Designed by architect Nguyen Gia Duc, the Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda was built in 1958 by Buddhist monk Thich Tri Dung. Its rafters, tile roofs, floral patterns and the arrangement of altars are the same as the Hanoi original. The Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda is perched above a square lake of about 600 square meters. It sits on a 12-meter-high cement pillar in the middle of the lake.
It also gives southerners and tourists an opportunity to experience the charm of the real One-Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi Vietnam. This pagoda, at 100 Nguyen Van Bi Street in HCMC’s Thu Duc District (Saigon Vietnam), is a replica of Hanoi’s famous Mot Cot (One Pillar) Pagoda. Designed by architect Nguyen Gia Duc, the Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda was built in 1958 by Buddhist monk Thich Tri Dung. Its rafters, tile roofs, floral patterns and the arrangement of altars are the same as the Hanoi original. The Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda is perched above a square lake of about 600 square meters. It sits on a 12-meter-high cement pillar in the middle of the lake.
Inside, there are altars for Sakya Muni Buddha, Wan Yin Boddhisattva and other sacred beings. Behind the main section is a tower and a commemorative room. The lake has a lot of fish and turtles. The staircase up to the pagoda is decorated with ornamental plants. In the compound of the Nam Thien Nhat Tru Pagoda, there are big statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas (Buddhist deities) in different postures. The view of the pagoda gives visitors a feeling of comfort and relaxation. An original sanctuary The original Mot Cot Pagoda, or One-Pillar Pagoda, is located in Ba Dinh District in Hanoi. It is also known as Lien Hoa Dai (Lotus Calyx) and Dien Huu (Long-Term Good Luck). The original One-Pillar Pagoda was built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong, who ruled between 1028 and 1054. The Mot Cot Pagoda has become one of the symbols of Hanoi.On May 4, 2006, the Mot Cot Pagoda was included in the Book of Vietnam Records as “the pagoda with the most original architecture in Vietnam.”
3. An Quang Pagoda
An Quang Pagoda is the headquarters of the United Church of Vietnam. Since the pagoda was founded in 1948, it has been the training ground for thousands of Buddhist monks and nuns as well as teachers of Dharma. The temple gained some notoriety during the war for being the home of Thich Tri Quang, a monk who led protests during the 1960s against the South Vietnamese government, championing freedom of expression and religion. After being placed under house arrest and later solitary confinement by the conquering North he was released and is rumoured to still be living in the pagoda.
4. Thien Hau Pagoda
Chùa Bà Thiên Hậu (The Pagoda of the Lady Thien Hau) is a Chinese style temple located on Nguyen Trai Street in the Cho Lon (Chinatown) district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is dedicated to Thiên Hậu, the Lady of the Sea ("Tian Hou" as transcribed from the Chinese), who is also known as "Mazu".
Thiên Hậu is a deity of traditional Chinese religion, who is revered in the southern maritime provinces of China and in overseas Chinese communities. Thiên Hậu is worshipped in the seafaring Chinese communities of Fujian, Guangzhou, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. She is not specifically a deity of Taoism or of Buddhism, though she has been brought into connection with figures and themes from Taoism and Buddhism. For example, at Quan Am Pagoda, also in Cho Lon, Ho Chi Minh City, the two major altars are dedicated respectively to Thiên Hậu and to Quan Âm (the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara).
The temple is located right on busy Nguyen Trai Street. It can be accessed by entering through an iron gate and crossing a small courtyard. The roof is decorated with small delicately fashioned porcelain figurines expressing themes from Chinese religion and legends. Lanterns and wooden models of Chinese theaters hang over the entrance.
The interior of the temple is actually a partially covered courtyard, at the end of which is the altar to Thiên Hậu. The exposed portions of the courtyard contain incense burners, and open the view to the remarkable porcelain dioramas that decorate the roof. The dioramas show scenes from a 19th century Chinese city, and include such colorful figures as actors, demons, animals, and Persian and European sailors and traders. In one scene, actors depict a duel on horseback battle between the revered halberd-wielding general Guan Yu of the novel Three Kingdoms and another fighter. Another scene depicts the three Taoist sages representing longevity, fecundity and prosperity.
The altar to Thiên Hậu is dominated by the three statues of the goddess. The faces are bronze in color, and the clothes and crowns are multi-colored. Incense burners are all about.
5. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
Inaugurated in 1971, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is the biggest pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. Built in modern style, but the structure draws its inspiration from traditional Vietnamese culture and a touch of Japanese architectural style. The pagoda features a vast sanctuary and an eight-storey tower. On the first and fifth of lunar months, believers throng the pagoda to pay their respects, make offerings and pray for blessings.
LocationVinh Nghiem Pagoda is located at 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Road, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
5. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
Inaugurated in 1971, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is the biggest pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. Built in modern style, but the structure draws its inspiration from traditional Vietnamese culture and a touch of Japanese architectural style. The pagoda features a vast sanctuary and an eight-storey tower. On the first and fifth of lunar months, believers throng the pagoda to pay their respects, make offerings and pray for blessings.
LocationVinh Nghiem Pagoda is located at 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Road, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
