Thuy Huong Pagoda

Thuy Huong Village, Noi Bai Commune, Hanoi City

Thuy Huong Pagoda, whose literary name is Linh Quang Tu, is a religious and spiritual relic built to worship Buddha. At present, the pagoda does not retain any information regarding its founding date, but based on the system of relics still kept at the pagoda, such as the system of stone steles dating from the Le to Nguyen dynasties, including the earliest stele dated Chinh Hoa 12 (1691), a bronze bell from Thieu Tri 4 (1844), and statues of Brahma and Indra in the artistic style of the 18th century… The pagoda has been restored many times, including under Thieu Tri 4 (1844) and Bao Dai 8 (1932); around 1920–1929, the Mother Goddess Hall was built behind the pagoda; in 1945–1946, a guest house was built; in 2002, 2003, 2004… tiles were relaid, dragons were molded, and some structural components were replaced; and in 2026, the three treasures hall, Mother Goddess Hall, and a ceremony preparation house were restored and embellished.

The relic is located on a large, high plot of land with spacious grounds in the densely populated area of the village. The main pagoda has a Dinh-shaped layout consisting of a front hall and an upper sanctuary, built facing southwest. The front hall is a horizontal building with five compartments and two side compartments, built of brick in the “gable wall, closed gable, ngai hand” style. The upper sanctuary is a longitudinal building with three compartments and one side compartment connected to the front hall. At the side truss connecting the front hall and the upper sanctuary, there are two truss sets forming relief-carved arches of dragons and phoenixes winding in the clouds. The dragons are carved elaborately and meticulously, with lines expressing power yet also great softness and flexibility. The Mother Goddess Hall and Patriarch's Hall are placed behind the three treasures hall.

System

The system of Buddha statues worshipped at Thuy Huong Pagoda is relatively complete with 30 statues, including Buddha statues, Mother Goddess statues, and Saint statues… The most notable are the Brahma–Indra statues, the Shakyamuni holding a flower statue, and the Three Worlds Buddha statues…

In particular, within the grounds of Thuy Huong Pagoda Relic, the field command post of Regiment 921 (Division 371) was recognized by the Hanoi City People's Committee as a revolutionary relic under Decision No. 6825/QĐ-UBND dated December 19, 2014.

The pagoda was ranked as a Historical-Artistic Relic under Decision No. 1306/QĐ-UBND dated April 9, 2007.