Quan Su Pagoda, Hanoi

The Quan Su pagoda is the largest and most popular among pagodas in Hanoi. The temple is located in Quan Su Street and serves as the headquarters of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam.

The Quan Su Pagoda began as a small temple under a thatched roof where villagers from the An Tap village worshipped. A larger temple was built in the 15th century during the reign of the Le Dynasty. It was also called the Ambassador’s Pagoda. The Le emperors established a guest house for foreign envoys near the pagoda and since most of the ambassadors at the time were Buddhists, the temple was their place of worship. A famous monk who presided over the temple Thanh Phuong made extensive renovations to the building by adding corridors and painting the statues. A new bell was also made for the temple. The front half is dedicated to the Buddha while the back is in honor of Master Minh Khong of the Ly dynasty. The Tonkin Buddhist Association made the pagoda their headquarters in 1934.

The guest house for Ambassadors was subsequently closed down and only the temple remains. Locals pray for luck at the Quon Su Pagoda and visitors are welcome daily between 7.30 to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 to 5.30 p.m.