Bach Ma - An ancient temple with timeless beauty

Bach Ma Temple is one of the "Four Guardians" of the ancient Thang Long citadel. The temple was built in Tho Xuong district, Hoai Duc prefecture, now at 76 Hang Buom street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi. The temple worships Long Do god - the guardian god of Thang Long citadel, guarding the East (Thanh Hoang of Hanoi).

History and legend of Bach Ma Temple

According to Meritorious Artisan Nguyen Tat Kim Hung - the head of Nguyen Khiet Linh Tu Temple (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi), Bach Ma Temple is considered one of the most sacred places in Hanoi. Legend has it that when King Ly Thai To moved the capital to Thang Long, he ordered the construction of a citadel, but it collapsed many times after being rebuilt. The King immediately sent someone to the temple to pray, and immediately saw a white horse coming out of the temple, leaving footprints wherever it went, then the horse returned to the temple and… disappeared. Seeing this, the King immediately ordered the construction of a citadel and dike following those footprints and succeeded, so the temple was named Bach Ma Temple (white horse temple) and worshiped Long Do god as the Thanh Hoang of Thang Long citadel.

Ancient and unique architecture of Bach Ma Temple

Bach Ma Temple was built in the 9th century, with an ancient and solemn beauty with a yellow wall, a red wooden door carved with a golden dragon. The highlight of the architecture inside the temple is the entire wooden frame with a system of large ironwood columns, the roof support is made in the style of "gong price, beam, and two", the carvings are meticulous, strong and sturdy. The main worship house of Bach Ma Temple has an elaborate altar carved with red-lacquered dragons and phoenixes and gilded details. In particular, the details of the dragon's head, horizontal lacquered boards, and parallel sentences are not only gilded brilliantly but also extremely delicate and vivid.

Precious artifacts at Bach Ma Temple

This place also preserves many precious artifacts of great historical value such as: 15 stone tablets recording the legends, myths of the temple's construction and the rituals of worshiping the gods, and the times of restoration over the past 1000 years. In addition, there are: royal decrees, incense tables, vases, pairs of bronze bells, and palanquins. In the sacred space of Bach Ma Temple, amidst the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, it seems that Bach Ma Temple has become a unique and distinct beauty of the old town, becoming a special feature that only exists in Hoan Kiem Old Quarter, Hanoi.

Bach Ma Temple Festival and its historical and cultural values

With more than 1,000 years of history, Bach Ma Temple is one of the typical heritages of Hanoi Capital. The temple festival is held on the 12th and 13th of the second lunar month every year, a harmony between folk beliefs and royal worship rituals, creating a unique feature. Over the past thousand years, the temple has been restored many times but still retains its majestic landscape and rare ancient vestiges, carrying special historical and cultural values. In recent times, the People's Committee of Hanoi City and Hoan Kiem District have paid attention to preserving and promoting the values of the relics to serve the research work on history and culture and become a special tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors.

Bach Ma Temple in Thang Long Tu Tran

On January 18, 2022, Thang Long Tu Tran, including four typical relics, guarding the four directions East, West, South, North of the ancient Thang Long citadel, including Bach Ma Temple, was ranked as a special national relic by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. It is expected that the ceremony to receive the certificate of ranking the Thang Long Tu Tran - Bach Ma Temple as a special national relic will be held by the People's Committee of Hoan Kiem District on June 18, 2022.

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