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Temples, Ho Chi Minh City
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Temples, Ho Chi Minh City

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Ho Chi Minh City Temples Reviews 31 - 39 of 39  
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Temples: Buying Good Karma at the Thien Hau Temple
dlytle
  • By dlytle on April 13, 2004
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by dlytle
    • Sparrows for sale to purchase good karma - Ho Chi Minh City
    Sparrows for sale to purchase
    good karma
    by dlytle
    Outside of the temple, just by the street, was a vendor with a cage full of sparrows. I asked my guide, Minh Tran, about them. He explained that pilgrims would buy one or more sparrows before entering the temple and release them into the sky. It is an old Vietnamese custom that is presumed to bring a person some good karma.

    Apparently, at least for now, it is also an illegal activity. It is illegal because of the avian flu that has been prevalent in Asia. Since humans are susceptible to this flu, the police will run these vendors off when they find them outside the temples.

    And if you are wondering - no I didn't purchase a sparrow. Avoiding the avian flu was good karma enough for me!

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    Temples: Mariamman Hindu Temple
    Jim_Eliason
  • By Jim_Eliason on April 8, 2003
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by Jim_Eliason
    • Mariamman temple - Ho Chi Minh City
    Mariamman temple
    by Jim_Eliason
    Sole Hindu temple in HCM City

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    Temples: Don't miss the Thien Hau Temple
    dlytle
  • By dlytle on April 13, 2004
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by dlytle
    • A picture collage of the Thien Hau Temple - Ho Chi Minh City
    A picture collage of the Thien
    Hau Temple
    by dlytle
    The finest pagoda in Saigon just might be Cholon's Thien Hau Temple on Nguyen Trai Street that dates from the late 18th century. Its beautiful roof, topped by ceramic friezes, is remarkable. This is the oldest Chinese temple in Saigon and is consecrated to the Sea Goddess, the Goddess Protector of Sailors, based on Chinese folk beliefs. Within this temple you will find alcoves dedicated to other Chinese gods such as the Money God (it is said that good luck in doing business will be granted after some money is offered to him), the Mother Goddess, and the Mermaid.

    A large, ancient looking open-air central area is filled with the pungent aroma of burning incense and its swirling pale white smoke. Coils of incense hang from the rafters and they all contain an attached red tag. These tags are prayers that get sent when the incense burns out at the top of the coil. My guide actually purchased one for me and placed my name on the prayer tag for luck and good fortune. Several women were busy lighting bundles of incense sticks and then praying within the alcove at the rear of the temple. A prayer for good health and business can be said after an incense coil or bundle is purchased.

    To one side of the temple is an alcove containing a pool of fish, among which, is a giant. I never really did figure out what was represented by this pool and its fish.

    The picture is a collage of views from outside and inside the temple.

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  • Directions: In Saigon's Chinatown
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    Temples: Absorb the heat in the temples
    jolou
  • By jolou on May 3, 2005
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by jolou
    • Hot hot hot - Ho Chi Minh City
    Hot hot hot
    by jolou
    There's plenty of temples in Saigon that you can visit. We didn't focus on them much due to time and energy constraints though. This snap was taken at a place that I don't know the name of, again another brief stop during our mad cyclo expedition!

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    Temples: Giac Lam Pagoda
    Blatherwick
  • By Blatherwick on March 7, 2005
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by Blatherwick
    • Giac Lam Pagoda - Ho Chi Minh City
    Giac Lam Pagoda
    by Blatherwick
    This pagoda is a little out of the way but I believe that it was worth going to. Giac Lam Pagoda was built in 1744 and is thought to be the oldest pagoda in the city. Others have described this temple as being peaceful. This is likely due to the fact that it is a little bit out of the way and thus has a relatively small number of people there for its size. 98 hardwood pillars, each inscribed with traditional characters. Ornate tombs greet visitors at the entrance to the compound, as does a gleaming white statue of Quan Thew Am Bo Tat, the Goddess of Mercy. Inside, there are photographs and portraits of monks from the past and an impressive sanctuary with countless gilded figures.

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  • Address: 118 D Lac Long Quan, Tan Binh District
  • Directions: Giac Lam Pagoda is about 3km from Cholon.
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    Temples: Vietnamese Religion...temples, churches...
    tampa_shawn
  • By tampa_shawn on December 9, 2003
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by tampa_shawn
    • Temples - Ho Chi Minh City
    by tampa_shawn
    While most Vietnamese are Buddhist there are still a wide variety of other religious places to see...Buddhist temples, Catholic Churches, Chinese temples..

    The Caodai temple outside of town is a definite but there are quite a few others that you should take a quick look inside...
    most of these can be done with the other highlights on my list of Must See Activity Tips and can be done in one day (a long day so start early and hire a driver and vehicle (motorbike, car, cyclo…)

    Notre Deam Cathedral
    Giac Lam Pagoda
    Jade Emperor Pagoda
    Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple
    Xa Loi Pagoda
    Tran Hung Dao Temple

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    Temples: Tran Hung Dao Temple
    Jim_Eliason
  • Updated By Jim_Eliason on April 6, 2003
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by Jim_Eliason
    • Tran Hung Dao Temple - Ho Chi Minh City
    Tran Hung Dao Temple
    by Jim_Eliason
    temple dedicated to Vietnamese hero/king Tran Hung Dao

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  • Address: 36 Dong Vo Thi Sau
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    Temples: Thien Hau Temple
    shintarojon
  • By shintarojon on June 7, 2006
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by shintarojon
    • Thien Hau Temple - Ho Chi Minh City
    Thien Hau Temple
    by shintarojon, 2 more photos
    (last date visited - Dec. 23, 2004)

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    Temples: Phuoc An Hoi Quan Temple
    Ewingjr98
  • Updated By Ewingjr98 on July 2, 2004
  • Ho Chi Minh City Page by Ewingjr98
    • Joe and Vince at Phuoc An Hoi Quan Temple - Ho Chi Minh City
    Joe and Vince at Phuoc An
    Hoi Quan Temple
    by Ewingjr98,
    2 more photos
    Phuoc An Hoi Quan Temple is an impressive little temple off a quiet residential street. The temple itself is squashed in between other buildings giving it a very small look from the outside. Inside it is impressive, full of people and burning incense.

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  • Directions: 184 Hung Vuong. In Cholon one block north of An Duong Vuong near Chau Van Liem Street.
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