The temple of literature is one of the most popular place which is located at the south of Thăng Long emperial citadel. The totall area of the temple of literture is more than 54000 m2 including: Minh Duong lake, the Temple of Literature and Giam garden. Minh Duong lake is in front of the temple of literature in the southern, with the area is about 13000.
At the centre of Minh Duong Lake is Kim Chau oasis on which is Phan Thuy Duong buildings. It is said that Phan Thuy Duong is the place students discussed literature. After some separations because of the physical distance, MinhDuong lake is still consider as a part of the Temple of literature. It is a picturesque place with the cleaning lake and the flourishing of many different species. Among Minh Duong lake,the temple of literature, Giam garden, thetemple of literature is the main contruction. It was constructed in 1070 under the Ly Thanh Tong’s dynasty, first to honor confucius and the high rank schoolars of Vietnam. In 1076, it was Ly Nhan Tong that continued with the work and opened the first university in Vietnam named Quoc Tu Giam.The Temple of literature is divided into 5 court yards which has its own signification and history. These court yard is separated by wall with three doors: a big door between two smaller doors. Before going to the first court yard- Van Mieu Mon is a big entrance with one main door in the centre and two smaller in two sides.There are four grounding terminals outside of Van Mieu Mon. Vietnamese supposed that four groundings terminals represent for gods who will find out the evil and kindness and protect the Temple of Literature. On the top of these grounding terminals are 4 phoenixes. They are integrate in one symbol like the fire. This reflects the vietnamese culture. Phoenixes is one in four Vietnamese mascots: turtle, dragon, phoenix and unicorn. As normal, phoenix is the symbol of Vietnamese For purity and the gentel of literature.in the past, only the royal member or the upperclass can go inside the temple of literature through the main door. Students from the low State of society will come in by the rest door. Through the first entrance is van mieu mon which has two small round well- water.from high view, two well-water looks like dragon’s eyes. This place named “ nhap dao” area.
The second court yard is Dai Trung Mon between “ thanh duc” and “dai tai” entrance. These names are originated from confucius opinion that “thanh duc” means leading a moral life is the most important requirement for students in this school. “ dat tai” means after training, the talents will come back to devote for society. “Dai Trung” mon is constructed with the title roof which is decorated with two fish and a calabas. They are symbol of the students were aborted the purity beauty of literature. The
second stands out with Khue Van Cac pavilion. If you notice well, you will find the pavilion symbol on all street signs of Hanoi. These structure shows the bendling between sky and ground or negative terminal and positive one. After the Khue Van Cac pavilion is the Thien Quang Tinh lake. Thien Quang means the sunshine. Thien Quang lake means that this lake receive the sunshine and the priceless things from earth. It is the lake for the doctors to look at themselves again before they went to
class. Nowadays, this lake still remain the spiritual meaning. It is the place for people to see inside themselves to remind them about to lead the moral life.
The third courtyard is where doctor names was listed on a tombstone above tortoise backs. There are a total of 82 tombstones, with names and origins of 1307 doctors, corresponding to 82 examination courses from 1442 to 1779. In this place, you can see two bigger tombstones : one says “ the talent is the soul of country”. The rest is the tomb which persevered the results of the first doctor who is the son of Ly Thai Tong. If you visit the temple at the beginning of the year or in May when many important examinations take place, you will catch sights of numerous students who come and rub the tortoise head. Such an act is believed to bring them luck to pass the test. In the
The fourth courtyard is Khai Thanh temple dedicated for Confucius and his 72 honoured students, as well as Chu Van An- a famous teachers known for his devotion to teaching. This is also where local authorities choose to cherish brilliant students in Hanoi, like those entrance results to university or top graduation outcomes.The last and also furthest courtyard is Thai Hoc house, which used to be Quoc Tu Giam- the first university of Vietnam. Thai Hoc house holds a small collection of old time costumes for students and mandarins, as well as explaining the process of taking and passing the national examination. On the second stair of Thai Hoc house is the temple
honored to three kings of Vietnam: Ly Thanh Tong, Ly Thai Tong, Le Thanh Tong.
