Ngu Xa Pagoda

Ngu Xa Pagoda is located at 44 Ngu Xa Street, Ba Dinh Ward, Hanoi, closely associated with the history of formation and development of the Ngu Xa bronze casting craft village by Truc Bach Lake. The pagoda has the Sino-Vietnamese name Than Quang Tu, also called Phuc Long Tu. According to introductory materials from Ba Dinh Ward, the pagoda was founded in the Later Le period, around the 18th century.

The pagoda worships Buddha and venerates National Master Nguyen Minh Khong – the figure revered by the craft village community as the founder of the bronze casting craft. Therefore, the pagoda is not only a Buddhist religious space but also a place preserving the memory, traditions, and cultural identity of the Ngu Xa craft village community.

Year 1949, the pagoda caught fire. It was later rebuilt and completed around 1951–1952, creating its current architectural appearance. The pagoda is designed with adjoining buildings in the Nhi character layout, connected to the Ngu Xa communal house space, forming a distinctive complex of religious relics.

The most outstanding value of the pagoda is the bronze Amitabha Buddha statue placed in the main hall. The statue was made by Ngu Xa bronze casting artisans during the period 1949–1952, about 3.95 m high, and is a representative work of traditional handmade bronze casting technique. The pagoda also preserves many valuable artifacts, including 16 stone steles dating from the early 20th century.

In terms of heritage value, Ngu Xa Pagoda is ranked as a National-level relic, together with Ngu Xa communal house and other relics, creating a distinctive cultural heritage system of Ba Dinh Ward.