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religious/spiritual
Pho Quoc Tu Giam
Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, is a calm retreat from the streets of Hanoi. It's a rare example of traditional Vietnamese architecture and an interesting introduction to Confucianism. Five courtyards represent nature's essential elements. A central path symbolises the Confucian Middle Path, dividing the complex.
Entry into each courtyard, according to the old signs, requires the completion of a task; you need only dismount your horse to enter the first courtyard, known as the Entrance to the Way, but to get to the second courtyard, the Great Middle Gate, you must accomplish virtue and attain talent (or pay a nominal entrance fee).
After you've achieved excellence in literary expression, head to the Constellation of Literature Pavillion, an architectural marvel considered a symbol of the city. This is the entrance to the third courtyard, the Garden of the Stelae where the names of all graduates since the 1400s are inscribed on the backs of stone turtles.
After synthesising the teachings of Confucious, head to the fourth Courtyard of the Sages, where you can make an offering to the great teacher. The fifth courtyard, the School for the Sons of the Nation, housed dormitories and classrooms for the university. It was all but destroyed by French shelling in 1947, and little remains of the original structure.
Hours: 8:00am-5:00pm |
