Thien Quang Pagoda, Quang Hoa Pagoda, and Phap Hoa Pagoda Relic Complex

At the end of the 19th century, the area of the relic complex belonged to Lien Duong village, Vinh Xuong canton, Tho Xuong district, Hoai Duc prefecture, with Lien Thuy Lake occupying most of the village's area. In 1928-1940, under the city planning program, this area began to be expanded and built up. Lien Thuy Lake was divided in two. The northern shore was filled and leveled, while the eastern and western shores were trimmed squarely to form Thien Quang Lake as it is today. Architectural works, including several pagodas around Lien Thuy Lake, were relocated and concentrated on the western side of Thien Quang Lake. Among them were Thien Quang, Quang Hoa, and Phap Hoa pagodas.
A highlight of the complex is Quang Hoa Pagoda. It is currently unknown when the pagoda was built. According to the stele 'Quang Hoa thien tu su tich bi ky', dated to the Tu Duc era (1866), the pagoda began as a small thatched hermitage. After many renovations and constructions, it became increasingly large and spacious. The main pagoda faces south. Its scale is quite imposing, with a seven-bay front hall and a five-bay upper hall; behind are ten bays of the Patriarch Hall and Mother Goddess Hall. On both sides are two rows of guest houses. The pagoda preserves carved panels and brackets that are very elaborate and meticulous, with many themes: the Four Sacred Creatures, old bamboo, floral patterns, and more, combined with high relief and openwork carving of high artistic value. In particular, the statue system here is quite rich and includes all the figures in the Mahayana Buddhist pantheon. Notable are the Three Worlds statues, Amitabha Trinity, and Avatamsaka Three Saints. The system of stone steles remaining in the pagoda is also very rich. The oldest is a stele dated Minh Menh 2nd year (1821), Minh Menh 6th year (1825), Minh Menh 12th year (1831), and steles dated Tu Duc 19th year (1866), Tu Duc 34th year (1882), Bao Dai (1938), and others.
To the left of Quang Hoa Pagoda is Thien Quang Pagoda. The pagoda faces west and has a small architectural scale, including a three-entrance gate and the Three Jewels hall; on the right is a guest house, on the left are a kitchen, Mother Goddess Hall, rest house, and two stupas of deceased abbots. The main value of Thien Quang Pagoda is shown through its system of round statues, most notably the Bodhisattva and the radiant Amitabha statues, bearing the artistic style of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Behind Thien Quang Pagoda is Phap Hoa Pagoda, a small pagoda facing Thien Quang Lake to the east. According to local residents, after relocation, because of a lack of materials, the two villages of Quang Hoa and Phap Hoa had to build a shared pagoda and named it Quang Hoa. In 1951, the people of Phap Hoa village wanted to build their own pagoda. The authorities at that time cut off two three-bay auxiliary rows of Quang Hoa Pagoda for Phap Hoa villagers to build a new pagoda. The pagoda is small in scale, consisting of a single-row building with three bays and two small side bays used for worshipping Buddha. Beside the main pagoda is a simply built two-bay house for worshipping the Mother Goddess.
The pagodas preserve many relics and ancient statues in the artistic style of the 19th century. With outstanding historical and cultural values, the relic complex of Thien Quang, Quang Hoa, and Phap Hoa pagodas was ranked as a National Historical Relic on November 6, 1989.