One-Pillar
Pagoda
One-Pillar Pagoda is a attraction which you can not do without in your Hanoi trip or Hanoi city tour.
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Original One-Pillar Pagoda |
This complex
includes a pagoda and a tower built in the middle of square lake. It was
officially called Dien Huu Pagoda – Lien Hoa Turret. Later, it was given the
popular name of Mot Cot Pagoda. It is square in shape and its cylindrical stone pillar supports a system of wooden beams which serve as
a strong framework for the turret. The whole thing resembles a blossoming lotus
stretching up out of a square pond which has surrounding brick wall. The wall
has an opening through which a path runs to a nice ladder leading up to the
turret. Over the entrance of the turret, there is a wooden board carved with
Chinese characters “Lotus Platform”. It is written in one historical document
that: “ King Ly Thai Tong, in his dream, saw Avalokitesvara (Kwan – Yin, Phat
Ba Quan Am) sitting on a lotus – shaped tower to which the King was led. Later,
the King told the mandarins about his dream and sought their advice. Some of
them advised the King to build a lotus – shaped base on a stone pillar in the
middle of a pond just as the King had dreamt. After that, Buddhist monks were
asked to perform rites to pray for the King’s longevity. The pagoda was
consequently called Dien Huu (Prolonged happiness). That event took place in
1049. Thus, originally, the pagoda and the lotus turret were built at the same
time. The former side is not known but the latter is described in an ancient
stone stele as follow: “Linh Chieu lake was dug, in the middle of which was
erected a big stone pillar. At the top of the pillar, there was a stone lotus –
flower with thousands of petals on which was placed a blue pavilion. Astue of
Kwan – Yin was situated in that pavilion. There was a corridor surrounding the
lake. Bich Tri pond was dug behind the lake. An arch bridge ran from the front
of the lake through the turret to the lake’s back. The front yard of the bridge
was flanked by two towers decorated with emeralds. So, the original Lotus
Pagoda in the Ly Dynasty was far bigger than the present pagoda. It had more
incorporated architectural structures.
The present
One – Pillar Pagoda has undergone numerous changes and repairs.
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One-Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam |
On 11th September 1945, before their withdrawal, the
French army mined and destroyed the Lotus Turret. When Vietnamese soldiers took
over Hanoi, the government rebuilt the pagoda in accordance with its original
architecture. The reconstruction was completed in April 1955.