The Temple Of Literature in Hanoi

Traveling to Hanoi, Vietnam, visitors should definitely not miss the Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university preserving the historical, cultural and studious spirit of past Confucian scholars through many periods. Currently, the Temple of Literature is attracting a large number of international visitors. So let Smile Travel introduce to you more about the Temple of Literature for tourists to understand.

Read more: Best places to visit in Hanoi with Smile Travel

Informations about The Temple Of Literature

1. Introduce about The Temple Of Literature

Address: 58 Quoc Tu Giam, Van Mieu, Dong Da, Hanoi.

Temple Of Literature entrance fee: 70.000 VND/ person (about 3 USD).

Temple Of Literature Opening Hours: 

+ 7:30 a.m to 17:30 p.m everyday in the summer.

+ 8:00 a.m to 17:00 p.m everyday in the winter.

The Temple of Literature is located around bustling streets with people and vehicles, so visitors can easily find and move here.

The Temple of Literature was built in 1970. As the first university in Vietnam, the Temple of Literature is like a shining example reflecting the spirit of learning, respecting talented people and promoting the tradition of studiousness of the  Vietnamese  people. This place has great architectural, aesthetic and artistic value.

It is interesting that the Temple of Literature is printed on the 100,000 VND banknote of Vietnam.

The Temple of Literature Hanoi Vietnam has been classified as a National Monument and 82 doctoral steles have been recognized by UNESCO as a “World Documentary Heritage”.

In particular, the Temple of Literature has just launched the Temple of Literature night tour, giving visitors a new experience by using 3D Mapping technology, combined with professional lighting and sound staging techniques. Diverse activities and experiences such as learning with masters, folk games, storytelling stone stele,… will bring you closer to the story throughout the journey of learning to become a person, learning to become a talent of Confucian scholars when entering the Temple of Knowledge.

Tip for tourists: the best time of the day to visit the Temple of Literature is in the morning, at this time there are not too many people visiting so you can walk around the Temple of Literature in the fresh air, quiet. During Vietnam’s Tet holidays, people will come here to pray for peace, so it will be a bit crowded and bustling. Especially in April and May is the graduation season, so there will often be many students coming to take yearbook photos in traditional Vietnamese ao dai costumes, so it will often be quite bustling. If you are a person who loves quiet, you need to consider these times.

2. Uniqueness in the Architecture of the Temple of Literature

Thanks to being well preserved, its architecture almost retains the features of a thousand years ago, creating a uniqueness that you cannot find elsewhere. That is why the Temple of Literature has become a long-standing cultural symbol of the Vietnamese people.

The Temple of Literature relic complex bears the bold architecture of the early Nguyen Dynasty of the Vietnamese people. The Temple of Literature is located in a large rectangular campus with an area of ​​up to 54,331 square meters including many different unique architectural works. The temple is surrounded by four solid brick walls.

Experiencing the ups and downs of history and the renovation process, this relic now includes: Van Lake, Temple of Literature, Dai Trung Mon, Khue Van Cac, Thien Quang well and doctoral stele, Dai Thanh Mon and Thai Hoc House.

This relic complex is designed according to a symmetrical layout for each zone and each layer on the North-South axis. In front of the Temple of Literature is a large lake called Van Lake. From the big gate, there are four pillars, on the left and right sides there is a stele “Ha Ma” and the area is surrounded by high walls.

You can refer to some Hanoi tour with Smile Travel for the best price and services:

>> Hanoi City Shared Day Tour

>> Hanoi Street Food Tour By Foot

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3. What to visit inside the Temple of Literature?

Van Mieu Mon

The three-entrance gate of Van Mieu Mon is the main door leading into the Temple of Literature relic area. Right from the first sight, it leaves a deep impression on visitors with its majesty, magnificence and ancient character. 

With a three-door, two-story architecture, the Tam Quan gate has profound symbolic meaning. The three main doors symbolize Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, demonstrating the harmony between heaven, earth, and humans. The upper floor of the gate is engraved with three Chinese characters “Van Mieu Mon” with flexible handwriting, showing respect for the place of worship and study.

On both sides of the gate are two large stone steles, engraved with parallel sentences in Chinese characters about the teacher’s educational career and morality. Above the gate, two majestic dragons flank each other, creating a solemn and sacred space.

Van Lake – Green pearl in the heart of the Temple of Literature

Van Lake, also known as Giam Lake or Minh Duong Lake – is like a pure green pearl, located entirely in the heart of the Temple of Literature, contributing to creating a peaceful and harmonious space for the relic complex. This. The lake is clear and reflects the surrounding ancient architectural works, creating a beautiful picture.

With profound feng shui meaning, Ho Van is considered an element that balances yin and yang, bringing harmony to the space. The sound of gurgling water, rustling leaves, and the image of swimming fish create a gentle harmony, helping visitors relax and find balance in their souls.

Around the lake, there are small winding roads, which are ideal places for visitors to walk, admire the scenery and enjoy fresh air. Especially, in the early mornings or late afternoons, when the sunlight shines on the lake surface, creating shimmering streaks of light, Ho Van becomes even more poetic and chaDai Trung Mon – Gateway to the world of knowledge

After passing the majestic Tam Quan gate, visitors will come to Dai Trung Mon, a unique architectural work bearing the mark of time. The gate was built with three compartments, two floors, and a tiled roof, creating a massive and imposing appearance.

Dai Trung Mon

Dai Trung Mon is not only an entrance gate but also a symbol of the expansion of knowledge. The name “Dai Trung” means “big in the middle”, expressing the central position and importance of the gate in the entire relic site. When passing through Dai Trung Mon, visitors seem to enter a new world, a world of knowledge and culture.

On both sides of the gate are thick brick walls, creating a feeling of solidity and safety. On the wall, there are elaborately carved parallel sentences in Chinese characters, expressing noble ideas about education and morality.

rming than ever.

Khue Van Cac

Khue Van Cac is one of the outstanding highlights of the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. Built in 1805, this work quickly became a symbol of Hanoi, symbolizing the intelligence, culture and development of Vietnam.

The architecture of Khue Van Cac bears bold characteristics of traditional Vietnamese architecture. With the shape of a gong (an ancient musical instrument), Khue Van Cac consists of two floors, four roofs, decorated with sophisticated patterns. The name “Khue Van” means “pure literature”, expressing the noble meaning of promoting the value of knowledge and culture.

Khue Van Cac is not only a beautiful architectural work but also a place where many cultural activities take place. In the past, this place used to be a place for scholars to read books, write poetry and exchange academics. Today, Khue Van Cac has become a place that attracts a large number of tourists to visit and learn about the history and culture of Vietnam.

Thien Quang well and doctoral steles

Amidst the quiet space of the Temple of Literature, Thien Quang well and 82 doctoral steles emerge as vivid historical witnesses. On both sides of the well, stone steles stand on the backs of turtles like book pages recording the aura of scholars through the ages.

Thien Quang Well, with its square shape, symbolizes heaven and earth, is a place to receive sunlight, symbolizing clear wisdom. Around the well are 82 doctoral steles, erected in 1484 under the reign of King Le Thanh Tong, registering those who passed high scores in Confucian examinations. Each stele is a unique work of art, with skillful handwriting depicting names, hometowns and epitaphs praising the talents of the doctors.

The erection of doctoral stele is not only to remember the merits of talented people but also to encourage the spirit of studiousness and honor the value of knowledge. Doctoral stele are not only valuable historical documents but also an endless source of inspiration for younger generations.

When standing in front of the ancient stone stele, visitors seem to be immersed in the solemn atmosphere of a bygone era, feeling the appreciation of the ancients for knowledge and talent.

Dai Thanh Mon 

The gate was built with three compartments, two floors, and a tiled roof. On the roof of the gate, there are often elaborate decorations such as dragons, phoenixes, or traditional patterns. Dai Thanh Mon is not only an entrance gate but also a unique work of art, demonstrating the talents of ancient artisans.

Dai Bai Duong

Located in the center of the Temple of Literature, Dai Bai Duong is where important sacrificial rituals take place, showing respect to the saints. With its massive and imposing architecture, Dai Bai Duong is like the heart of the entire relic complex, attracting all eyes.

Dai Bai Duong was built in the style of the word “Cong”, consisting of three compartments and two wings, with a funny-nosed tiled roof, creating a majestic and solemn appearance. On the rafters and columns, decorative motifs are intricately carved, demonstrating the talents of ancient artisans.

The interior of Dai Bai Duong is solemnly decorated with worshiping objects made of wood and bronze, and parallel horizontal panels bearing bold traditional culture. Here, people worship Confucius and other saints, showing respect for those who have made great contributions in spreading Confucianism.

Thai Hoc House

Built according to traditional architecture, Thai Hoc House has three rooms and two wings, with a tiled roof, creating a majestic and solemn appearance. The interior is decorated simply but no less solemnly with wooden tables and chairs, and signs with the names of kings and famous scholars.

The name “Thai Hoc” means “great learning”, demonstrating the importance of this place in the country’s education system. Previously, Thai Hoc House was where scholars came to study and practice to participate in Confucian exams. Those who pass highly will be honored and become prestigious mandarins in society.

4. Experience visiting the Temple of Literature

When visiting the Temple of Literature, visitors should note the following: 

• Comply with the management board’s regulations, respect the monuments, and do not harm artifacts or landscapes
• Do not pat the turtle’s head, do not sit on the doctoral steles
• Wear appropriate, neat clothes
• Keep order, don’t swear
• Each person only lights one incense stick…

How to get to the Temple of Literature:

• Visitors can freely walk, or use means of transportation such as taxis and cyclos to get to the Temple of Literature.
• In addition, visitors can use public transportation such as buses to travel, some bus routes such as: 02, 28, 32, 38, 41, E08, E09 stop at the Temple of Literature, then you just need to walk about 350m to get there.

5. Some tourist attractions near the Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature is located in the center of Hanoi capital, so there are many interesting tourist attractions around for you to explore further. Below are some tourist destinations near the Temple of Literature that Smile Travel recommends for tourists:

Destination	Distance
Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts	400m
Hanoi flagpole	900m
Vietnam Military History Museum	950m
Lenin Park	950m
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long	1,1km
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum	1,2km
Hoa Lo Prison	1,4km
Presidential Palace relic area	1,5km
Hanoi Cathedral	1,8km

 

In short, despite experiencing a long culture and history, the Temple of Literature still retains the uniqueness and beauty of the intellectual value of the Vietnamese people. Hopefully the information that Smile Travel provides to visitors will help visitors better understand the Temple of Literature. In addition, Smile Travel provides tourists with tours in 3 regions of Vietnam, please contact us via email: info@smiletravel.com.vn for advice and support 24/24h.

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