Have you ever heard about the Hanoi capital of Vietnam and its 1000-year-old guardians, Thang Long Four Sacred Temples? The country has nearly 4000 years of history and the fact that Hanoi can stay still up until now, after the ups and downs of many dynasties, two World Wars and thousands of big and small revolutions, seems not really because of its luck.
The legend of Thang Long Four Sacred Temples
Over a thousand years ago, in 1010, King Ly Thai To, one of the most famous Kings in Vietnamese History, decided to move the former capital of Vietnam, which was Dai Viet – the Great Viet, to the land where he saw a golden dragon flying to the sky in his magical dream. After that remarkably historic event, the land was named “Thang Long” which means “Flying Dragon” City, the old name of Hanoi.
Four Temples of Thang Long were built in separated times in history and still maintained up until now. It is believed that these temples stayed in 4 different directions of the wind and worshipped 4 different Gods to protect the city from devils as well as ominous signs from the East, West, South and North.
Bach Ma Temple (White Horse Temple) – The Guardian of the East
The most famous one among Thang Long Tu Tran is Bach Ma Temple which stays right at the middle of Hanoi Old Quarter. This is the first built temple and was finished in the 9th Century. Although at present, Bach Ma Temple is on a crowded street which is full of bar, café, restaurants, food vendors and other more. This temple is popularly packed with international and domestic tourists. In the 9th Century, it was built nearby the mouth of To Lich River and worshipped the Gods of River, To Lich God or Long Do God. Today the river still kept floating, but was shorten and now stays about 10km far from the Old Quarter.
About the To Lich River Gods, they were believed as the tutelary spirit of Thang Long and the main protector of this city. It was told that when Ly Thai To King chose Thang Long as the new capital of Vietnam, he made a decision to build the wall to protect the city first. However, the wall was failed to be built time after time. Therefore, the King let his functionaries delicate the offerings to To Lich River God right at the temple. After the offerings were sent to God, they saw a white horse go out from the temple and left the footprints on each step it made. People who built the city wall followed these footprints and the wall never felt again. Because of that event, the King named this temple as Bach Ma Temple meaning White Horse Temple and it officially became the Sacred Temple of the city.
Present address: 76 Hang Buom St, Hoan Kiem Dist, Hanoi, Vietnam