Thien Hoa Xa Temple, Hoa Phuc Village, Hoa Phu Commune, Hanoi City

Hoa Xa Temple (Thien Temple) is a site recognized as a Historical-Architectural and Artistic Relic in 2012. The temple worships the Three Saints (Van Xuong, La To, Quan Vu) and Saint Hung Dao Dai Vuong.

Based on the structure and decorative patterns, the system of stone steles, written records, royal edicts, the system of worship statues and the relics within the site, it can be determined that Hoa Xa Temple was built during the Nguyen Dynasty.

Hoa Xa Temple includes the following components: Nghi Mon (ceremonial gate), Tien Te (front hall), Trung Te (middle hall), two rows of Ta Huu Mac (left and right corridors), and Hau Cung (rear sanctuary); in addition, there is a garden courtyard. The temple is built in a Dinh-shaped plan.

The ceremonial gate is built in the four-pillar style; on the tops of the two central pillars are gourd-shaped ornaments; the lantern panels feature reliefs of the four seasons and four sacred creatures; the pillar bodies have framed panels bearing pairs of Chinese character couplets. Beyond the ceremonial gate is a wide courtyard; past the courtyard is a scroll-style screen; behind the screen is a clear blue lake, with two arched bridges leading to the place of worship.

Front Hall: a seven-bay building with a stacked-eave roof; the roof ridge is decorated with bull-nose tiles; both ridge ends are decorated with dou-shaped motifs; the roof is covered with native tiles; the front is built in stepped tiers with monumental pillars, whose tops are decorated with gourd-shaped ornaments and whose lantern panels are left plain; the pillar bodies are inscribed with pairs of Chinese character couplets. The upper eave section is divided into seven rectangular panels corresponding to the bays; the central panel bears four Chinese characters in relief, “Đức phối càn khôi”; the side panels bear reliefs of clouds, adoring dragons, swastika characters, and scroll pictures. The front has a system of panel-style wooden doors in five bays; the two side bays have windows with wooden bars. The roof-supporting frame is in the style “thượng chồng rường con nhị, trung kẻ ngồi, hạ kẻ bảy hiên” (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

Beyond the front hall are two arched doorways leading to two corridors, each a three-bay building with native-tiled roofs; the roof-supporting trusses are in the “chồng rường” style, and the two gable trusses are in the “vì kèo quá giang” style.

Middle Hall: built in the style of a square pavilion with four round columns supporting the roof; the roof-supporting frame is in the “chồng rường” style; in the center is a worship platform, above which are a throne and a statue of Uncle Ho.

Rear Sanctuary: a three-bay building; the roof-supporting frame of the central bay is in the style “Thượng chồng rường con nhị, hạ kẻ ngồi”, and the two side trusses are in the “vì kèo quá giang” style. The rear sanctuary has a high platform on which worship thrones are placed and statues are arranged (photo No. 12). In the central bay, the top tier contains the statue of Ngoc Hoang, flanked by statues of Nam Tao and Bac Dau; the second tier contains the statues of the Three Saints; the third tier contains statues of Chau Xuong and Quang Binh; the right bay is the altar of the Three Holy Mothers, and the left bay is the altar of Saint Tran Hung Dao.