Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda - Spiritual symbol in Hanoi

Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda, formerly known as the Temple, is located in the land of Chan Cam village, Tu Thap of Tien Tuc commune, Tho Xuong district, Thang Long citadel. The pagoda is called "Ly Trieu Quoc Su Tu". The pagoda is currently located at 50, Ly Quoc Su street, Hang Trong ward, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.

Origin of Ly Quoc Su Temple

Ly Quoc Su Temple, also known as Tien Thi Temple, was built during the Ly Dynasty to worship national teacher Minh Khong. His family name was Nguyen, his given name was Chi Thanh, born on August 14, Binh Ngo year, Long Chuong Thien Tu year 1, Ly Thanh Tong dynasty (1066), in Diem Xa village, Truong Yen prefecture (now Quoc Thanh village, Gia Thang commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province).

At the age of 11 (1077), he said goodbye to his parents, devoted himself to becoming a Buddhist monk, and sought the path with Zen Master Tu Dao Hanh. Praised by his teacher as talented and intelligent, and confirmed that he would later become a "Dharma vessel" in Zen, he was given the Dharma name Minh Khong, the 13th generation of the Tỳ Ni Đa Lưu Chi lineage. After a long time of studying the Dharma and realizing the true emptiness of Prajna, he became the abbot of Giao Thuy Pagoda (Nam Dinh).

National Master Minh Khong and his mission to heal

Minh Khong was not only a great master of Buddhist wisdom, admired by monks and nuns, but his reputation also spread far and wide and he was respected by the king. In May 1131, King Ly Than Tong himself ordered the construction of a house for him, emphasizing the importance of Minh Khong. This house was where the National Master often stayed during his visits to the capital to treat the king, mandarins and common people, and was the location of Tien Thi Temple later.

According to legend, while still studying Buddhism, Zen Master Dao Hanh gave medicine and told Minh Khong that if he saw the king suffering from a strange illness 20 years later, he must come and treat him immediately. This came true when King Ly Than Tong fell seriously ill in March 1136, and he cured the king, thanks to which Minh Khong was appointed as National Master and exempted from paying taxes for several hundred households.

Passing away and remembering the merits

On August 1, the 2nd year of Dai Dinh - Tan Dau (1141), after entrusting his will to his disciples, National Master Minh Khong peacefully passed away at Giao Thuy Pagoda, at the age of 76. To remember his merits, King Ly Anh Tong and the people built a temple to worship him at Tien Thi Temple. Not only in his life but also after his death, he always protected the country and saved the people. Dai Viet Su Ky Toan Thu recorded: "National Master Minh Khong was very responsive. Whenever there was a disaster, drought or flood, his prayers were always answered." After nearly 9 centuries, people still burn incense to worship him, praying for his prayers to be answered.

Change and preservation over time

In 1930, Venerable Thich Thanh Dinh, also known as Quang Huy, came to preside over the temple and added more Buddha and Bodhisattva statues and changed the temple to Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda. Along with the vicissitudes of history, the passage of time has made the temple no longer retain its original appearance. The temple has undergone two major renovations: in the spring of Giap Dan year (1674) during the Later Le Dynasty and in 1855.

The typical relics from the first restoration are the beautifully carved stone statues including the statues of the parents of National Master Minh Khong, Zen Master Tu Dao Hanh and Zen Master Giac Hai. These are typical works of this type of statue in the treasure trove of Vietnamese sculpture. Another relic is the stone pillar in front of the yard, on the top of which is placed the statues of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Thien Tai and Long Nu.

Recently, when digging to a depth of 1 meter at the base of the main hall, many large, black bricks similar to the Le dynasty bricks in the 17th century relics were discovered. The second major restoration in 1855 turned the temple back to its original eastward direction and expanded the architectural scale with 3 front halls, 5 rear halls, 2 rows of 3 rooms each, built a Tam Quan gate in front and repainted the statues in the temple, and re-sculpted the statue of National Master Nguyen Minh Khong.

Modern restoration and development

Since 1992, the pagoda has received support from the central and local authorities, along with contributions from Buddhists and people, to gradually repair items such as the Sutra Library, Mother Temple, and Ancestral Hall. On June 5, 2000, the restoration of Dai Hung Bao Dien began. This renovation retains the original architectural features and architectural decorations of the pagoda. In particular, the architectural decorations are noteworthy, still featuring the four sacred animals and four seasons, but all are meticulously and elaborately carved by skilled craftsmen in a famous village in Nam Dinh.

On November 13, 2000 (October 18, Canh Thin year), the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Great Hall of Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda was officially held. This is one of the works with the sign "Works to celebrate the 990th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi". Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda was ranked as a historical and architectural relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1995.