Shocking! I never expected Confucius at the Temple of Literature in Vietnam to look like this

Historically, almost every city in China has a Temple of Literature, and Hanoi, Vietnam is no exception. In the Old Quarter's City Walk, you must not miss the Hanoi Temple of Literature, which is only about a 20-minute walk from the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, and can be visited together. In 1070 AD, Emperor Ly Thanh Tong of the Ly Dynasty decided to build the Temple of Literature to the south of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long to worship Duke Zhou, Confucius, the Four Associates, and the 72 Sages, and also allowed the descendants of the royal family and nobility to study here. From the beginning, the Temple of Literature served as a national academy and was Vietnam's first higher education institution. It gradually expanded its enrollment to include the children of commoners. At first glance, the Hanoi Temple of Literature, apart from the Vietnamese-style gate and the slightly Cambodian-style pond near the entrance, basically inherits the Chinese style. The temple faces south with its back to the north, and it is said to be built completely according to the architectural pattern of the Confucius Temple in Qufu, but its scale is incomparable to that of Qufu with its glazed tiles. The entire complex consists of five courtyards, with passages and gates specifically reserved for the emperor's use between them. Like in China, there is a 'dismounting stele' outside the temple's main gate, where even the highest-ranking individuals must dismount and walk inside. The main gate of the Temple of Literature is very similar to the one at the Temple of the True Martial God that I visited earlier, with soaring eaves and a typical oriental temple style. Stepping through the gate and passing the Great Loyalty Gate, you can see the towering Kuiwen Pavilion. This pavilion is extraordinary, the most famous building in the Temple of Literature, once used as a symbol by UNESCO and as a symbol of Hanoi's culture. Although the Kuiwen Pavilion is not large, it is exquisitely crafted. The pavilion is built on four square pillars, with the upper layer made of lattice wood. There are four doors on the pavilion, symbolizing the radiance of the Kuiwen star in all directions. Below, there are two doors, known as the 'Secret Literature' and 'Stored Literature', symbolizing profound literary meaning and elegant diction. Behind the Kuiwen Pavilion is a square lotus pond, with corridors on both sides for Confucius' 72 disciples. There are 82 stone steles in the corridor, 41 on each side, recording the names of 1306 scholars who passed the imperial examinations. The 82 stone steles of the Scholars' Archway are all carried by stone turtles, each with a different shape, reminiscent of the Forest of Steles in Xi'an. Since Vietnam does not have a 'top scholar', there is no top scholar stele, only the scholars' steles. The Great Hall of Accomplishment is the main building of the Hanoi Temple of Literature, built in the 19th century. The overall architecture inherits the style of the Le Dynasty, with Confucius and the Four Associates enshrined in the center, an incense table in front, and a golden plaque with the words 'Teacher for All Ages' above, indicating that it was 'written by Emperor Kangxi'. It is worth mentioning this statue of Confucius; I almost didn't recognize it because the Confucius we usually see is almost always depicted as an old man, but here, Confucius is depicted as a middle-aged man, which is very special. Here, I happened to meet a local guide and Western tourists discussing Confucius and Confucianism, which was indeed a very transcendent experience. After all, these things should be more authentic when discussed in China. However, considering that Westerners find it not as convenient to visit Vietnam as China, experiencing a taste of Chinese culture in Vietnam might be just right for them. 🏞️ Name | Temple of Literature, Hanoi 🎫 Ticket | 30,000 Vietnamese dong ⛳ Address | Temple of Literature, Van Mieu, '2 Dong Da, Hanoi