The Hðáng Temple (, Chữ Hán: é¦Â寺) is a vast complex of Buddhist temples and shrines built into the limestone Hðáng TÃÂch mountains. It is the site of a religious festival which draws large numbers of pilgrims from across Vietnam. The centre of the Hðáng Temple lies in Hðáng Sán Commune, Mỹ ÃÂức District, former HàTây Province (now Hanoi). The centre of this complex is the Hðáng Temple, also known as Chùa Trong (Inner Temple), located in Hðáng TÃÂch Cave.
It is thought that the first temple was a small structure on the current site of Thiên Trù which existed during the reign of Lê Thánh Tông in the 15th century. Legend claims that the site was discovered over 2000 years ago by a monk meditating in the area, who named the site after a Tibetan mountain where Buddha practiced asceticism. A stele at the current temple dates the building of a terrace, stone steps and Kim Dung shrine to 1686, during the reign of Lê Hy Tông, at around the same time that Chùa Trong was being constructed. Over the years some of the structures were damaged and replaced. The original statues of Buddha and Quan ÃÂm were cast from bronze in 1767 and replaced with the current statues in 1793. More recently, damage was done during both the French and the American wars. Both the gateway and the bell tower at Thiên Trù Temple were destroyed, the bell tower rebuilt in 1986 and the gateway completed in 1994.
The many Temples that make up Chùa Hðáng are spread out among the limestone hills and tropical forests in the area of Hðáng Mountain.
Approaching from the ÃÂáy River, one will first come across ÃÂá»Ân Trình (Presentation Shrine), also known as ÃÂá»Ân Quan Lá»Ân (Shrine of High-ranking Mandarin), built to worship one of the generals of a Hùng King. This large shrine has a gate with two kneeling elephant statues on each side.
Beyond ÃÂá»Ân Trình is Thiên Trù (Heaven Kitchen) Temple, also known as Chùa Ngoài (Outer Temple). Here one will find Viên Công Bảo Stupa, a brick structure where Master Trần ÃÂạo Viên Quang, who led the reconstruction of the temple, is buried. Thiên Thủy stupa, a naturally occurring structure that is the result of the erosion of a rocky hill, is also nearby. Thiên Trù is also home to a bell tower and Hall of the Triple Gem, last restored in the 1980s. Inside the Temple there is a large statue of Quan ÃÂm Nam Hải.
On the route from Thiên Trù to Hðáng TÃÂch cave is Giải Oan Temple, also called 'Clearing Unjust Charges' Pagoda. Here there is a pond called Thiên Nhiên Thanh Trì (Natural Blue Pond), also called Long Tuyá»Ân Well, and Giải Oan stream, with its 9 sources.
The center of the Chùa Hðáng complex, Hðáng TÃÂch Cave houses Chùa Trong (Inner Temple). The mouth of the cave has the appearance of an open dragon's mouth with Chữ Nho characters carved in a wall at the mouth of the cave. The characters (Nam thiên ÃÂá» nhất ÃÂá»Âng) are translated as "the foremost cave under the Southern Heavens" and the carving is dated to 1770. The words are attributed by some to the ruler of that time, Ténh ÃÂô Vðáng Lord Trá»Ânh Sâm. Inside the cave there are many statues. There is a large statue of Buddha, as well as one of Quan ÃÂm, both made of a green stone. Quan ÃÂm's "left leg is stretched out and the foot lies on a lotus flower, her right leg is bent and is supported by a lotus flower with supple leaves; a hand holds a pearl." There are also statues of Arhats and various other figures. Among the naturally occurring features of the cave are numerous stalactites and stalagmites, some of which are worn smooth from years of rubbing by visitors to the cave.
Other sites included in the Chùa Hðáng complex are Thiên Sán Temple, Thuyết Kinh Grotto, PháºÂt TÃÂch Temple, and Cá»Âa Võng Temple.
There are many practices associated with Chùa Hðáng and its various temples. Some of these are specifically Buddhist, while others are animist or part of popular religion in Vietnam.
Many Vietnamese people visit Chùa Hðáng on religious pilgrimage. The standard greetings from one pilgrim to another are "A Di ÃÂàPháºÂt" or "Namo Amitabha Buddha". For the purpose of pilgrimage there are various routes that one might take, but the most popular is to take a boat from Yến wharf, stopping at Trình Shrine to 'present' themselves at the 'registration shrine'. The pilgrims then make their way to Há»Âi bridge and visit Thanh Sán temple inside a cave. The next stop is Trò wharf, from which pilgrims travel on foot to Thiên Trù Pagoda. After Thiên Trù comes Tiên temple, followed by Giải Oan temple. It is believed that Buddha once stopped here to wash himself clean of the dust of humanity, and many pilgrims will wash their face and hands in Long Tuyá»Ân Well in hopes of washing away past karmas. While here, pilgrims may also visit Thuyết Kinh cave and Cá»Âa Võng Shrine to worship the Goddess of the Mountains, or PháºÂt TÃÂch Shrine where there is a stone believed to be the preserved footprint of the Quan ÃÂm. From here pilgrims head toward the final destination: Hðáng TÃÂch Cave. At Hðáng TÃÂch there are statues of deities, but many pilgrims come to get blessings from the stalactites and stalagmites, many of which are named and have special purposes. Many childless pilgrims seek fertility from Núi Cô (the girl) and Núi CáºÂu (the boy), while others visit stalactites and stalagmites thought to give prosperity. Pilgrims often gather under one particular stalactite, which resembles a breast, to catch drops of water in hopes of being blessed with health from the 'milk' of the 'breast'. Other names of stalactites and stalagmites include the Heap of Coins (ÃÂụn Tiá»Ân), the Gold Tree, the Silver Tree, the Basket of Silkworms (Buá»Âng Tằm), the Cocoon (Nong Kén) and the Rice Stack (ÃÂụn Gạo).
The main pilgrimage season at Chùa Hðáng is during the Hðáng Temple festival, when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims make their way to Hðáng TÃÂch cave and the other temples. The longest lasting festival in Vietnam, it officially begins on February 15 on the lunar calendar, but the peak in visitors lasts from the middle of January to the middle of March. The Festival is seen by some as a good opportunity for young people to find romance and begin courtships. Many restaurants in Hðáng Temple kill and butcher wildlife including civets, deer, porcupine, wild pig and serve it as special, rare or expensive meat which is particularly popular during the festival period.
There are many legends about Chùa Hðáng and its various temples. Hðáng TÃÂch cave is an especially sacred place because "the legend says that Bodhisattva (Quan ÃÂm) went South and stayed at Hðáng TÃÂch Temple in order to help save human souls." A stone at PháºÂt TÃÂch temple is said to be her preserved footprint.
One particular legend about Chùa Hðáng has been preserved in a poem by NguyỠn Nhðợc Pháp. The poem tells the story of a girl who accompanied her father on pilgrimage to Chùa Hðáng and found love while there. The following is a translated excerpt from the poem:
Much Vietnamese literature has made Chùa Hðáng its focus, including the following song, written by Chu Mạnh Trinh:
Delights of Hðáng Sán
Hoàng Quý, a popular Vietnamese musician who lived in the early to mid-20th century, sang about the experience of visiting Chùa Hðáng in his song 'Hðáng Temple':
A Very Famous Song By Trung ÃÂức & Lyric By Nguyá» n Nhðợc Pháp Has been a big song in the culture of Chùa Hðáng
Going To Chùa Hðáng (Em ÃÂi Chùa Hðáng) â Translated Version
<nowiki/>Yesterday I went to Chùa Hðáng
Flowers are translucent mist
Also I see myself in the mirror
Small towel, high ponytail
I wear a silk undergarment
Pants comfortable, A new shirt
My hands carry Nón Quai Thao
My feet in high shoes.
Going To Chùa Hðáng (Em ÃÂi Chùa Hðáng) â Untranslated Version
Hôm nay em ÃÂi chùa Hðáng
Hoa cỠcòn mỠhái sðáng
Cùng thầy me em vấn ÃÂầu soi gðáng
KhÃÂn nhá»Â, ÃÂuôi gàcao
Em ÃÂeo dải yếm ÃÂào quần lãnh, áo the má»Âi
Tay em cầm chiếc nón quai thao
Chân em di ÃÂôi guá»Âc cao cao