Have an interesting visit to the Temple of Literature in Vietnam

The Temple of Literature Hanoi address: No.58 Quoc Tu Giam Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi.
The Temple of Literature entrance fee: 30000 VND/ticket for adults.
The Temple of Literature opening hours: 7.30 AM to 6.00 PM in summer, 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM in winter.

History of the Temple of Literature in Vietnam

In Vietnamese tradition, the Turtle Steles were to record the names of those successful at the imperial exams. Now they have become an attractiveness in the city tour of Hanoi. The landmark was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Only parts of The Temple of Literature complex date back to the earliest period, while much of the architecture dates to King Ly (1010 – 1225) and KingTran (1225 – 1400) Dynasties. In 1076, Vietnam's first university, the Quốc Tử Giám (國子監) or Imperial Academy, was established within the temple to educate Vietnam's bureaucrats, nobles, royalty and other members of the elite. The university functioned for more than 700 years, from 1076 to 1779. It gave the extremely difficult doctor laureate tests, and there were few students passing final examinations. The list of these names was engraved on the stone stele every year during this period. The stele recorded 2,313 students graduating as Doctor Laureates.

Emperor Le Thanh Tong established the tradition, dating back to 1484, of carving the names of the laureates of the university on stone steles that were placed on top of stone tortoises. Of the 116 steles corresponding to the examinations held between 1142 and 1778, only 82 remain. According to the book the Complete Annals of the Great Viet, "In the autumn of the year Canh Tuat, the second year of Than Vu (1070), in the 8th lunar month, during the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong, the Temple of Literature in Vietnam was built. The statues of Confucius, his four best disciples including Yan Hui, Zeng Zi, Zisi, and Mencius, as well as the Duke of Zhou, were carved and 72 other statues of Confucian scholars were painted. Ceremonies were dedicated to them in each of the four seasons. The Crown Princess studied here."

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Construction of the Temple of Literature in Vietnam

This ancient Confucian sanctuary is now considered one of the finest Hanoi Vietnam attractions of historical sites. The temple is based on Confucius' birthplace at Qufu in the Chinese province of Shandong. It consists of five courtyards lined out in order; the entrance, via the impressive twin-tiered gate, leads to three pathways that run throughout the length of the complex. The centre path was reserved for the king, the one to its left for administrative Mandarins and the one to its right for military Mandarins. The first two courtyards are peaceful havens of ancient trees and well-trimmed lawns where scholars could relax away from the bustle of the city outside the thick stone walls.

Entrance to the third courtyard is through the dominating the Constellation of Literature, a large pavilion built in 1802. Central to this courtyard is the Thien Quang Tinh (Well Of Heavenly Clarity), either side of which stand two great halls which house the true treasures of the temple. These are 82 stones steles. The other 34 steles are believed to have been lost over the years. They sit upon stone turtles and are inscribed with the names and birthplaces of 1306 men who were awarded Doctorates from the triennial examinations held here at this Imperial Academy between 1484 and 1780, after which the capital was moved to Hue city.

The fourth courtyard is bordered on either side by great pavilions which once contained altars of 72 of Confucius' greatest students but now contain offices, a gift shop and a small museum displaying ink wells, pens, books and personal artifacts belonging to some of the students that studied here through the years. At the far end of the courtyard is the altar with statues of Confucius and his four closest disciples. The fifth courtyard contained the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, founded in 1076 by King Ly Can Duc, but this was destroyed by the French bombing in 1947.

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The complex has undergone much restoration work, most recently in 1920 and again in 1954, but remains one of the few left examples of later Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) architecture. You can reach there within easy walking distance of One Pillar pagoda Hanoi.