Tu Hieu Pagoda, Which Is Associated with The Name of A Famous Zen Master: Tu Hieu Pagoda is one of the ancient pagodas dating back to the Nguyen Dynasty. This is the place where Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh left home to practice and recuperate under the care of the attendants, and passed away here. The following article provides some information about Tu Hieu pagoda, hopefully, it will be useful for you in your exploration of the ancient capital.
Table of Contents
1. Where is Tu Hieu Pagoda?
Tu Hieu Pagoda is hidden in a pine forest on a hill. The temple campus is about 8 acres wide. In the front, there is a curving water slot, poetic landscape. The Pagoda is located on Le Ngo Cat Street, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue Province, North Central Coast of Vietnam. Tu Hieu Pagoda is the ancestral home of many pagodas in Hue, many monks and nuns have Practice here.
2. The history of the formation of Tu Hieu Ancestral Home
Originally, Tu Hieu Pagoda was a bamboo hut made of bamboo and thatched roof, founded in 1843 by the monk Nhat Dinh to support his elderly mother. In 1848, a number of eunuchs in the Imperial Palace of the Nguyen dynasty asked the court for support to build Tu Hieu Pagoda with three compartments and two wings, carved pillars. Behind is the buildings of Thong Hoi Duong, Lac Thien Duong, Ai Nhat Duong, and a stele tower.
3. Architecture of Tu Hieu pagoda
In front of the temple gate, there is a 3-storey high tower used as a place to store scriptures according to the king’s decree. The gate of the temple is built in the style of a rolling arch, with two roofed floors. Right in front of the gate is a paved road and a semicircular lake that grows lotuses and raises ornamental fish.
In front of Tu Hieu Pagoda
On both sides of the temple yard, there are two stele floors to record the history of temple construction. The pagoda was built in the style of the word khẩu (口). The main hall has three departments, two wings, the front worships Buddha, the behind worships ancestors. The rear house is Quang Hieu House, The middle worships Ta Quan Le Van Duyet, the left worships Buddhists that died, the right worships the eunuchs. On the left of the backyard is Ta Lac Thien (the monk’s house) and on the right is Huu Ai Nhat (guest house).
The main hall of Tu Hieu Pagoda
4. The extreme special feature of Tu Hieu Hue Pagoda
Tu Hieu Pagoda is famous throughout Vietnam and the world because this is the Pagoda where Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (A monk having great influence in the world) began as a monk in the past. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh chose the Pagoda as a retreat at the end of his life and a place where he passed away. He passed away at the pagoda on January 22, 2022. His funeral was a special one, unprecedented in the world. The funeral did not have any wreaths, no drums, and trumpets, no one talked loudly, daily there was time to meditate. The cremation ceremony took place in silence, there were only words of deep remembrance and soft singing.
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh was 16 years old in Hue when he started his life as a monk
5. What to experience when coming to Tu Hieu pagoda?
Enjoying quiet and peaceful space
The ancient Tu Hieu Pagoda is located on a hill among shady trees and fresh air. Here you will feel comfortable, relaxed and peaceful.
Visitors are walking around the pagoda.
Visiting the special cemetery of the eunuchs of the Nguyen Dynasty
Tu Hieu Pagoda has a very special area. It is a cemetery located behind the main campus of the temple. Few people know that this is the resting place of 24 eunuchs of the Nguyen Dynasty.
This land has an area of up to 1000m2 and there is a table recording the contributions of the eunuchs to the ancient court.
The Tombs of the eunuchs at Tu Hieu Pagoda
As introduced above, Tu Hieu Pagoda is the place where Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh used to live in his youth as a monk, where he recuperated when he was old and passed away. Therefore, coming here, visitors can go to his altar to pay homage to a person rich in compassion, peace-loving, and having efforts in promoting the Buddha’s mindfulness practice method (According to him, mindfulness is you know clearly what you’re doing. When you eat tangerines, you only know you’re eating tangerines, not thinking anything else).
Zen Master Nhat Hanh is explaining immortality
6. Note when visiting Tu Hieu pagoda
As a dignified place, when entering the temple to burn incense, when sightseeing and taking photos, you must always remember to dress politely, avoid wearing short, revealing clothes. Maintain hygiene, limit noise, affecting the pure practice place.
