Phu Chau Temple (Ward 5, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City) was built on a small sandbank on an area of 2500 square meters. As a result, it is called Noi Mieu.
To visit this special temple, travelers must go by boat. As it is famous for its holy ground, there are many people who visit this temple. Young adults visit to pray for love, kids or safety.
No one knows about the birth of the ancient temple, but it is estimated that it was built in the 19th century. It is believed that a fisherman came across a dead body of a woman on the river. He then buried her and built a small temple to worship the unlucky woman. Since that moment, the quality of his life has improved significantly. Many people started going to the temple after they heard the story. The temple was gradually rebuilt to worship Ngu Hanh and Long Mau.
Before 1975, this was a well-known destination for a pilgrimage. However, the temple was abandoned and ruined afterwards. Seventeen years later, Mr. Sau Hoa, a resident living near the temple, and Mr. Luc Cau, a Hoa resident, called for help in rebuilding the temple. Mr. Luc Cau developed a blueprint of a new temple to perform the task. He then became the head of management committee of the temple.
In 2010, Phu Chau Temple was recognized as an artistic monument by the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. There are many big and small images of dragons around the temple. At the entrance of the temple, many enormous dragons are worshipping. Inside the temple, sculpted reliefs of dragons were made of colorful ceramics.
Last week, Mr. Pham Huu Nghia (Ho Chi Minh City) – a young adult who loves travelling – visited Phu Chau Temple. On this second visit, he chose to go early to enjoy the scenery.
“I was attracted by the myth and the physical features of the temple. I went to this temple to get to know more about it and to get away from the hectic life in the city,” Nghia said.
To get to the temple, travelers go along Nguyen Thai Son Road from Go Vap Market. At the end of the road, they should turn on Tran Bao Giao Road and go straight until they reach the parking area to get on a boat to go to the Phu Chau Temple. It costs 25000 VND to arrive at the temple and then return to the parking area. Visitors may have to wait for 10 minutes to get on a boat, but it takes only five minutes to reach the temple.
A temple in the middle of the river.
More than one hundred dragons of many sizes are in the temple.
Colorful sticks of incense are a cultural feature of Hoa people, and are used in the temple.
As Phu Chau temple is located near the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, visitors can see planes in the sky while visiting Phu Chau Temple.
One-of-a-kind structure of the temple.
The comforting atmosphere around the temple.
Linh Trang
Photo: Tram Du Lich
