Quan Am Pagoda - Ancient Chinese temple in the heart of Saigon
Ancient temples in Ho Chi Minh City are one of the ideal places to visit on trips. Quan Am Pagoda is a famous spiritual tourist destination not only for visitors from far away, but also for the people of Saigon.
Quan Am Pagoda is also known as On Lang Pagoda or On Lang Assembly Hall. As one of the temples in the Chinese design style, it is always crowded with tourists and local people coming to visit or worship on important occasions of the year. When Guan Am Pagoda began to be built is still a mystery. However, according to the timeline of history, this ancient temple has been present in Saigon for thousands of years.
The temple is located on Lao Tzu Street, Ward 11, District 05. This place is also known as a place of settlement for Chinese people of Kinh origin for many years.
Quan Am Pagoda - Fujian architecture in the heart of Saigon city
The highlight of the pagoda is the tiled roof on each floor, the base of the roof follows the ancient architectural style of Fujian with a curved roof and dotted with ceramic mascots. Each mascot mounted on the roof of Quan Am Pagoda has an extremely important and unique meaning.
In addition, On Lang Assembly Hall also stands out with the architectural features of the main entrance gate. At the top of the main gate is a meticulously and sophisticatedly carved dragon image on both sides, creating a majestic and powerful feeling for the temple. In particular, the harmony between color combinations such as red - yellow - green makes Quan Am Pagoda always stand out among high-rise buildings right in the Chinese residential area.
One of the main reasons that attracts visitors from far away and local people to visit Quan Am Pagoda all year round is that inside the pagoda is the worship of Thien Hau Thanh Mau - the Buddha deity who always protects those who need to move a lot on the river. country or work far away, and worship Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva to pray for fortune, prosperity and health for the family.
In addition to the two main Buddha deities worshiped at Quan Am Pagoda, inside the pagoda there are also about 16 more deities worshiped according to Chinese beliefs, and other folk gods.
The custom of beating bad people is famous at Quan Am Pagoda
One of the activities that was once very famous among the Chinese, not only in Saigon but also around the world, was the custom of beating petty people. The villains will be dolls made of paper, and people will use shoes or sandals to continuously beat them with the intention of driving away bad things and bad luck. According to many people, this custom is currently only commonly seen at Quan Am Pagoda. Therefore, this is also one of the activities not to be missed if you have the opportunity to visit this temple.