Bodhi Temple

Bo De is now a ward in Long Bien district, Hanoi city. It is called "Bodhi" because in the past, there were two tall Bodhi trees in the village, prominent among the villages along the Red River, across the river from the top of Bao Thien pagoda tower in Thang Long Citadel.

The pagoda's name is Thien Son Tu. On the ancient stele erected in the 15th year of Hoang Dinh (1614) of Le Kinh Tong's reign, there is a record of the rebuilding of the pagoda and the "great merit of Bo De" of King Le Thai To. The pagoda has only a 5-room upper building built on a high foundation with ancient and superficial architecture. This is a famous temple for nuns and also a loving home to take care of and take care of orphans.

Legend has it that the pagoda was built on the old ground of the Bo De palace, where King Le Loi lived when he besieged Dong Quan citadel in 1472. Historical documents also record that: "The king built a multi-storey building in the palace. Bo De palace on the bank of the Lo River, as high as Bao Thien tower, every day he sits upstairs to observe the inside of the city to see what the enemy is doing. The palace was called the Bodhi Palace because at that time there were two large Bodhi trees on the premises.

However, there are also many opinions that the pagoda was built at the end of the Tran Dynasty, on a high mound called Nui Troi (so it is also called Thien Son). Later, due to the destruction of the war, in 1614, the pagoda was restored and embellished on the old temple foundation and the merits were engraved in two volumes of Phap Hoa Kinh for circulation. By the middle of the 18th century, the pagoda continued to be destroyed by war.

In the year of Giap Tuat, Tu Duc dynasty 27 (1874), the great monk Thich Nguyen Bieu, alias Nhat Thiet great master (1835-1906) came to the abbot and he restored and embellished on the old temple's foundation, including a 5-room wide upper hall. , to invite new Buddha statues, Ho pagoda, Burning incense house, Phap Bao house and Tam Quan gate.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Bo De Pagoda became the training center for monks and nuns of Hanoi city, directly under the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, led by Most Venerable Thich Tri Hai. In 1946, France returned to war, this center was moved to another place.

In 1951, in Hanoi, there was a big flood, the pagoda was seriously eroded, only the upper palace remained. In 1971, the pagoda was once again restored such as reinforcing the entire upper hall and rebuilding the rear harem, raising the pagoda's foundation. In 1986, the ancestral house was restored, the post office, the guest house, the monk's house, the kitchen as well as the living area for more than 50 orphans were also built. In 1999, the pagoda continued to build the octagonal floor and honor the 3.2m high statue of Bodhisattva Quan The Am.

Currently, the pagoda is a loving home for orphans and orphans, and is also a tourist attraction that attracts many domestic and foreign tourists.

Coming to Bo De Pagoda, tourists and Buddhists not only experience the sacred atmosphere of the Buddha land but also feel the warmth of love and people's hearts. If you have the opportunity to visit Bat Trang ancient village, you can visit Bo De pagoda to have moments of relaxation, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.