
Thien Mu Pagoda or Linh Mu Pagoda is one of the most ancient and beautiful pagoda in Hue royal city. As being located on the left bank of Huong river, in the romantic Ha Khe hill, thick green trees, cool wind of four season.
Thien Mu pagoda is famous and attracts visitors from various places not only by the legendary mysterious story, but a deeply ancient beauty and romantic peace as well. It is about 5kilometers west of Hue city. Thien Mu Pagoda was officially constructed in 1601 by Nguyen Hoang – the first Nguyen Lord in Dang Trong ( South Viet Nam).
Posibly Hue’s most numerous living, working buildings for its resident monks, a bell tower and a seven-tiered monument in front. Phuoc Duyen tower is a symbol associated with Thien Mu pagoda. The tower is 21 metres high, 7 storeys, was built in front of the temple and is visible from the Huong river. Each storey has a statue of Buddha. Inside there is a spiral staircase leading up to the top floor where the former Buddha statue in gold. Behind the tower is Huong Nguyen temple, on the roof is Dharma wheel( symbol of Buddhist) and it will turn when he wind blows. Besides Phuoc Duyen tower, Huong Nguyen temple, the pagoda also has some construction such as quadrilateral house, stele, marble turtle,… Moreover, on the grounds of the temple is a flowers and bonsai garden are cultivated daily. There is also a blue car- relic of the late monk Thich Quang Duc left before self-immolation to protest the Buddha suppressing policy of Ngo Dinh Diem regime in 1963. At the end of the garden is the tomb of the late Venerable Thich Don Hau, the famous abbot of Thien Mu Pagoda who devoted his lifetime for charitable activities.
This oldest pagoda also has a curse “separation of love” will happen to couples who love each other to pray or visit the temple. According to the local people here,the rumors stem from the tearful love story of the couple dating under Nguyen Lord. It is said that the couple are very loving each other but due to the poor family scene of the man so the girl’s family did not approve, then both find g death under Huong river to express the love of them. But on the contrary, the girl is not dead but the people save, lives and forget the old lover to marry a son of family mandarin. The soul of the old man can not find his lover, new memories enter the door and decide to define the couples love to visit the temple.
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Being viewed from a dragon boat floating about the Huong river is extremely beautiful and quiet. And sitting on the boat you can hear sound of bell clearest. The sound of Thien Mu bell is like the sound of Hue, ever resounding over the Perfume river flow winding in front of the Citadel, resonating in the hearts and minds of the people and of visitors to Hue, the ancient capital. It is a great idea when booking a dragon boat trip to immerse in the romany scene, go sightseeing the city under sunset.
Besides, you can know more about Buddhist from monks do their daily chores-including weeding the bonsai garden. If luckily, we can see a football match in the pagoda. Anyway, we moved on from the pagoda into the remainer of the grounds and these is really well kept. The peace and serenity from outside is interrupt by the football match being play by the local monks, who can be come from either orphaned beginning or broken house. After visiting the temple we can have a very nice meander through the well kept gardens and enjoy the peace and calmness that is around us at this location.
Thien Mu pagoda is not merely a spiritual place but also a wonderful place of sightseeing , which have been placed in the most beauty rankings of Hue. Within Thien Mu pagoda . it will be easy to feel the inspiration of a dreaming and romantic Hue. Through hundreds of years, every architecture express the belief, the solemn and the harmonious combination with the beautiful natural landscapes. Travelling Hue in general, and Thien Mu pagoda in particular, you will comfortably immerse your mind drifting Perfume river downstream to feel another life in a peaceful Hue.
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